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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 505 records · Page 28

High-Performance LWIR Superlattice Detectors and FPA Based on CBIRD Design

We report our recent efforts on advancing of antimonide superlattice based infrared photodetectors and demonstration of Focal Plane Arrays (FPA) based on a complementary barrier infrared detector (CBIRD) design. By optimizing design and growth condition we succeeded to reduce the operational bias of CBIRD single pixel detector without increase of dark current or degradation of quantum efficiency. We demonstrated a 1024x1024 pixel long-wavelength infrared focal plane array utilizing CBIRD design. An 11.5 ?m cutoff FPA without anti-reflection coating has yielded noise equivalent differential temperature of 53 mK at operating temperature of 80 K, with 300 K background and cold-stop. In addition, we demonstrated 320x256 format FPA based on the n-CBIRD design. The resulting FPAs yielded noise equivalent differential temperature of 26 mK at operating temperature of 80 K, with 300 K background and cold-stop. These results advance state-of-the art of superlattice detectors and demonstrated advantages of CBIRD architecture for realization of FPA.

unipolar barrier↗

Energy density driven ultrafast electronic excitations in a cuprate superconductor

Controlling nonequilibrium dynamics in quantum materials requires ultrafast probes with spectral selectivity. We report femtosecond reflectivity measurements on the cuprate superconductor Bi 2⁢ Sr 2⁢ CaCu 2 ⁢O 8+𝛿 using free-electron laser extreme-ultraviolet (23.5–177 eV) and near-infrared (1.5 eV) pump pulses. EUV pulses access deep electronic states, while NIR light excites valence-band transitions. Despite these distinct channels, both schemes produce nearly identical dynamics: above 𝑇 𝑐 , excitations relax through fast (100–300 fs) and slower (1–5 ps) channels; below 𝑇 𝑐 , a delayed component signals quasiparticle recombination and condensate recovery. We find that when electronic excitations are involved, the ultrafast response is governed mainly by absorbed energy rather than by the microscopic nature of the excitation. In contrast, bosonic driving in the THz or midinfrared produces qualitatively different dynamics. By demonstrating that EUV excitation of a correlated superconductor yields macroscopic dynamics converging with those from optical pumping, this work defines a new experimental paradigm: FEL pulses at core-level energies provide a powerful means to probe and control nonequilibrium electronic states in quantum materials on their intrinsic femtosecond timescales. This establishes FEL-based EUV pumping as a new capability for ultrafast materials science, opening routes toward soft x-ray and attosecond studies of correlated dynamics.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

High-Q cavity interface for color centers in thin film diamond

Quantum information technology offers the potential to realize unprecedented computational resources via secure channels distributing entanglement between quantum computers. Diamond, as a host to optically-accessible spin qubits, is a leading platform to realize quantum memory nodes needed to extend such quantum links. Photonic crystal (PhC) cavities enhance light-matter interaction and are essential for an efficient interface between spins and photons that are used to store and communicate quantum information respectively. Here, we demonstrate one- and two-dimensional PhC cavities fabricated in thin-film diamonds, featuring quality factors (Q) of 1.8 × 10 5 and 1.6 × 10 5 , respectively, the highest Qs for visible PhC cavities realized in any material. Importantly, our fabrication process is simple and high-yield, based on conventional planar fabrication techniques, in contrast to the previous with complex undercut processes. We also demonstrate fiber-coupled 1D PhC cavities with high photon extraction efficiency, and optical coupling between a single SiV center and such a cavity at 4 K achieving a Purcell factor of 18. The demonstrated photonic platform may fundamentally improve the performance and scalability of quantum nodes and expedite the development of related technologies.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

QC-GN 2 oMS 2 : a Graph Neural Net for High Resolution Mass Spectra Prediction

Predicting the mass spectrum of a molecular ion is often accomplished via three generalized approaches: rules-based methods for bond breaking, deep learning, or quantum chemical (QC) modeling. Rules-based approaches are often limited by the conditions for different chemical subspaces and perform poorly under chemical regimes with few defined rules. QC modeling is theoretically robust but requires significant amounts of computational time to produce a spectrum for a given target. Among deep learning techniques, graph neural networks (GNNs) have performed better than previous work with fingerprint-based neural networks in mass spectra prediction. To explore this technique further, we investigate the effects of including quantum chemically derived information as edge features in the GNN to increase predictive accuracy. The models we investigated include categorical bond order, bond force constants derived from extended tight-binding (xTB) quantum chemistry, and acyclic bond dissociation energies. Throughout this work, we evaluated these models against a control GNN with no edge features in the input graphs. Bond dissociation enthalpies yielded the best improvement with a cosine similarity score of 0.462 relative to the baseline model (0.437). In this work we also apply dynamic graph attention which improves performance on benchmark problems and supports the inclusion of edge features. Between implementations, we investigate the nature of the molecular embedding for spectra prediction and discuss the recognition of fragment topographies in distinct chemistries for further development in tandem mass spectrometry prediction.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

High-Performance LWIR Superlattice Detectors and FPA Based on CBIRD Design

We report our recent efforts on advancing of antimonide superlattice based infrared photodetectors and demonstration of focal plane arrays based on a complementary barrier infrared detector (CBIRD) design. By optimizing design and growth condition we succeeded to reduce the operational bias of CBIRD single pixel detector without increase of dark current or degradation of quantum efficiency. We demonstrated a 1024x1024 pixel long-waveleng thinfrared focal plane array utilizing CBIRD design. An 11.5 micrometer cutoff focal plane without anti-reflection coating has yielded noise equivalent differential temperature of 53 mK at operating temperature of 80 K, with 300 K background and cold-stop. Imaging results from a recent 10 micrometer cutoff focal plane array are also presented. These results advance state-of-the art of superlattice detectors and demonstrated advantages of CBIRD architecture for realization of FPA.

infrared↗

High-Performance LWIR Superlattice Detectors and FPA Based on CBIRD Design

We report our recent efforts on advancing of antimonide superlattice based infrared photodetectors and demonstration of focal plane arrays based on a complementary barrier infrared detector (CBIRD) design. By optimizing design and growth condition we succeeded to reduce the operational bias of CBIRD single pixel detector without increase of dark current or degradation of quantum efficiency. We demonstrated a 1024x1024 pixel long-wavelength infrared focal plane array utilizing CBIRD design. An 11.5 micrometer cutoff focal plane without anti-reflection coating has yielded noise equivalent differential temperature of 53 mK at operating temperature of 80 K, with 300 K background and cold-stop. Imaging results from a recent 10 micrometer cutoff focal plane array are also presented. These results advance state-of-the art of superlattice detectors and demonstrated advantages of CBIRD architecture for realization of FPA.

heterostructure↗

A molecular-field approximation for quantum crystals

Ground-state properties of quantum crystals have received considerable attention from both theorists and experimentalists. The theoretical results have varied widely with the Monte Carlo calculations being the most successful. The molecular field approximation yields ground-state properties which agree closely with the Monte Carlo results. This approach evaluates the dynamical behavior of each pair of molecules in the molecular field of the other N-2 molecules. In addition to predicting ground-state properties that agree well with experiment, this approach yields data on the relative importance of interactions of different nearest neighbor pairs.

Danilowicz, R.↗

Multipole radiation in charged-particle scattering

This paper formulates the general problem of photon emission in particle scattering using a classical and quantum mechanical approach. The connection between the classical short collision time (SCT) and Born results is examined for various special classifications of problems. In the dipole case the two formulations yield results that can be expressed in the same form and for arbitrary scattering potential. For quadrupole emission the SCT and Born results are the same only for a short-range potential, however. The quadrupole problem is more sensitive to details in the process because the calculation requires an expansion of the total amplitude for the process to lowest order in the photon wave number or momentum. The special case of photon emission associated with spin-flip transitions during scattering is considered for spin-1/2 particles. Like classical magnetic dipole radiation, there is no infrared divergence feature for this type of emission.

Gould, Robert J.↗

Semiclassical Models for Virtual Antiparticle Pairs, the Unit of Charge e, and the QCD Coupling alpha(sub s)

New semiclassical models of virtual antiparticle pairs are used to compute the pair lifetimes, and good agreement with the Heisenberg lifetimes from quantum field theory (QFT) is found. The modeling method applies to both the electromagnetic and color forces. Evaluation of the action integral of potential field fluctuation for each interaction potential yields approximately Planck's constant/2 for both electromagnetic and color fluctuations, in agreement with QFT. Thus each model is a quantized semiclassical representation for such virtual antiparticle pairs, to good approximation. When the results of the new models and QFT are combined, formulae for e and alpha(sub s)(q) are derived in terms of only Planck's constant and c.

Batchelor, David↗

Cerium Dimer Anion and the Contribution of 4f Electrons to Lanthanide Metal–Metal Bonds

Direct metal−metal bonding between lanthanide atoms has been challenging to observe. We report on the first spectroscopic characterization of the cerium dimer anion (Ce 2 − ) and its neutral analog (Ce 2 ) in the gas phase, achieved using photoelectron and ultrafast spectroscopy combined with high-level quantum chemistry calculations. The electron affinity of Ce 2 is 0.24 eV, from which a dissociation energy of 2.21 eV is derived for Ce 2 − . The wave-packet dynamics upon photodetachment are studied and yield vibrational frequencies for electronically excited Ce 2 . Ce 2 − exhibits a conventional metal−metal triple bond with minimal contribution from 4f electrons. However, evidence of 4f-electron participation in bonding is identified for the low-energy excited states only 0.1 eV higher. The results challenge the assumption of inert 4f electrons in metal−metal bonding, and we propose a promising strategy for forming stable lanthanide−lanthanide bonds involving significant 4f-electron contributions.

Anions↗

A microscopic realization of dS$_3$

We propose a precise duality between pure de Sitter quantum gravity in 2+1 2 + 1 dimensions and a double-scaled matrix integral. This duality unfolds in two distinct aspects. First, by carefully quantizing the gravitational phase space, we arrive at a novel proposal for the quantum state of the universe at future infinity. We compute cosmological correlators of massive particles in the universe specified by this wavefunction. Integrating these correlators over the metric at future infinity yields gauge-invariant observables, which are identified with the string amplitudes of the complex Liouville string [S. Collier et al., arXiv: 2409.17246]. This establishes a direct connection between integrated cosmological correlators and the resolvents of the matrix integral dual to the complex Liouville string, thereby demonstrating one aspect of the dS _3 3 /matrix integral duality. The second aspect concerns the cosmological horizon of the dS static patch and the Gibbons-Hawking entropy it is conjectured to encode. We show that this entropy can be reproduced exactly by counting the entries of the matrix.

Collier, Scott (ORCID:0000000286476653)↗

Quantum theory and chemistry: Two propositions

Two propositions concerning quantum chemistry are proposed. First, it is proposed that the nonrelativistic Schroedinger equation, where the Hamiltonian operator is associated with an assemblage of nuclei and electrons, can never be arranged to yield specific molecules in the chemists' sense. It is argued that this result is a necessary condition if the Schroedinger has relevancy to chemistry. Second, once a system is in a particular state with regard to interactions among its components (the assemblage of nuclei and electrons), it cannot spontaneously eliminate any of those interactions. This leads to a subtle form of irreversibility.

Aronowitz, S.↗

Development of a 1K x 1K GaAs QWIP Far IR Imaging Array

In the on-going evolution of GaAs Quantum Well Infrared Photodetectors (QWIPs) we have developed a 1,024 x 1,024 (1K x1K), 8.4-9 microns infrared focal plane array (FPA). This 1 megapixel detector array is a hybrid using the Rockwell TCM 8050 silicon readout integrated circuit (ROIC) bump bonded to a GaAs QWIP array fabricated jointly by engineers at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and the Army Research Laboratory (ARL). The finished hybrid is thinned at the Jet Propulsion Lab. Prior to this development the largest format array was a 512 x 640 FPA. We have integrated the 1K x 1K array into an imaging camera system and performed tests over the 40K-90K temperature range achieving BLIP performance at an operating temperature of 76K (f/2 camera system). The GaAs array is relatively easy to fabricate once the superlattice structure of the quantum wells has been defined and grown. The overall arrays costs are currently dominated by the costs associated with the silicon readout since the GaAs array fabrication is based on high yield, well-established GaAs processing capabilities. In this paper we will present the first results of our 1K x 1K QWIP array development including fabrication methodology, test data and our imaging results.

Jhabvala, M.↗

Quantum Dynamics Scattering Study of AB+CDE Reactions: A Seven Dimensional Treatment for the H2+C2H Reaction

A time-dependent wave-packet approach is presented for the quantum dynamics study of the AB+CDE reaction system for zero total angular momentum. A seven-degree-of-freedom calculation is employed to study the chemical reaction of H2+C2H yields H + C2H2 by treating C2H as a linear molecule. Initial state selected reaction probabilities are presented for various initial ro-vibrational states. This study shows that vibrational excitation of H2 enhances the reaction probability, whereas the excitation of C2H has only a small effect on the reactivity. An integral cross section is also reported for the initial ground states of H2 and C2H. The theoretical and experimental results agree with each other very well when the calculated seven dimensional results are adjusted to account for the lower transition state barrier heights found in recent ab initio calculations.

Wang, Dunyou↗

A Theoretical Operational Model for Complex Experiments and its Invariance Theorems

We develop and systematize the Theoretical–Operational Model (TOM), a framework that treats preparation and measurement —including their operational residues— as intrinsic structures of physical theory. The central contribution is a principled geometric–algebraic organization of admissible operational deformations, formulated using quantum channels, renormalization-style flows, and information-geometric tools. Within this structure, operational residues and background processes are represented as effective morphisms attached to these operational components, whose invariants yield constraints on how theoretical parameters vary under specified classes of deformations. Illustrations drawn from muon–electron conversion, long-baseline neutrino oscillations, and quark–gluon-plasma phenomenology show how TOM maps operational effects into inferences about theoretical parameters, enables systematic cross-experimental comparisons, and stabilizes parameter estimation against defined deformation families. By embedding the operational layer—together with its residues—within a structured theoretical setting, TOM supports both theory testing and theory development, clarifying the conceptual relation between experimental realization and the physical quantities represented by the theory.

Pronskikh, Vitaly [Fermilab] (ORCID:00000002518174↗

Stress accommodation in nanoscale dolan bridges designed for superconducting qubits

Josephson junctions are the principal circuit element in numerous superconducting quantum information devices and can be readily integrated into large-scale electronics. However, device integration at the wafer scale necessarily depends on having a reliable, high-fidelity, and high-yield fabrication method for creating Josephson junctions. When creating Al/AlO x based superconducting qubits, the standard Josephson junction fabrication method relies on a sub-micron suspended resist bridge, known as a Dolan bridge, which tends to be particularly fragile and can often times fracture during the resist development process, ultimately resulting in device failure. In this work, we demonstrate a unique Josephson junction lithography mask design that incorporates stress-relief channels. Our simulation results show that the addition of stress-relief channels reduces the lateral stress in the Dolan bridge by more than 70% for all the bridge geometries investigated. In practice, our novel mask design significantly increased the survivability of the bridge during device processing, resulting in 100% yield for over 100 Josephson junctions fabricated.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Fast and bright scintillators for ultrafast materials dynamics using 4th generation synchrotron

We present recent advances in fast and bright scintillators for ultrafast X-ray phase contrast imaging of dynamic materials experiments at the upgraded Advanced Photon Source (APS-U), a fourth generation synchrotron. APS-U enables hard X-ray imaging at frame rates of at least 13 MHz (corresponding to 77 ns or shorter interframe intervals), creating a new need for scintillators with faster response and higher light output than lutetium yttrium oxyorthosilicate (LYSO). For indirect imaging and diffraction with ultrafast cameras, commercial lanthanum bromide (LaBr3) and cerium bromide (CeBr3) are promising candidates. These materials exhibit decay times approximately a factor of two shorter than LYSO (around 40 ns) and lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO), while maintaining comparable light yield per incident X-ray photon. However, their implementation at APS-U requires addressing several challenges, including material limitations due to hygroscopicity, efficient optical coupling to imaging systems, and high quantum efficiency for conversion of scintillation light, predominantly at wavelengths below 400 nm, into detectable electronic signals. We report results from material characterization, detector integration and packaging, and beamline experiments of materials with impact. In addition, emerging scintillator classes, including perovskites and high-entropy materials, are discussed as potential alternatives for next-generation ultrafast X-ray diagnostics.

Wang, Zhehui [Los Alamos] (ORCID:0000000178264063)↗

Direct-bonded diamond membranes for heterogeneous quantum and electronic technologies

Diamond has superlative material properties for a broad range of quantum and electronic technologies. However, heteroepitaxial growth of single crystal diamond remains limited, impeding integration and evolution of diamond-based technologies. Here, we directly bond single-crystal diamond membranes to a wide variety of materials including silicon, fused silica, sapphire, thermal oxide, and lithium niobate. Our bonding process combines customized membrane synthesis, transfer, and dry surface functionalization, allowing for minimal contamination while providing pathways for near unity yield and scalability. We generate bonded crystalline membranes with thickness as low as 10 nm, sub-nm interfacial regions, and nanometer-scale thickness variability over 200 by 200 μm 2 areas. We measure spin coherence times T 2 for nitrogen vacancy centers in 150 nm-thick bonded membranes of up to 623 ± 21 μs, suitable for advanced quantum applications. We demonstrate multiple methods for integrating high quality factor nanophotonic cavities with the diamond heterostructures, highlighting the platform versatility in quantum photonic applications. Furthermore, we show that our ultra-thin diamond membranes are compatible with total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy, which enables interfacing coherent diamond quantum sensors with living cells while rejecting unwanted background luminescence. The processes demonstrated herein provide a full toolkit to synthesize heterogeneous diamond-based hybrid systems for quantum and electronic technologies.

color center↗