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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 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Cryogenic hybrid magnonic circuits based on spalled YIG thin films

Yttrium iron garnet (YIG) magnonics has garnered significant research interest because of the unique properties of magnons (quasiparticles of collective spin excitation) for signal processing. In particular, hybrid systems based on YIG magnonics show great promise for quantum information science due to their broad frequency tunability and strong compatibility with other platforms. However, their broad applications have been severely constrained by substantial microwave loss in the gadolinium gallium garnet (GGG) substrate at cryogenic temperatures. In this study, we demonstrate that YIG thin films can be spalled from YIG/GGG samples. Our approach is validated by measuring hybrid devices comprising superconducting resonators and spalled YIG films, which exhibit anti-crossing features that indicate strong coupling between magnons and microwave photons. Such new capability of separating YIG thin films from GGG substrates via spalling and the integrated superconductor-YIG devices represent a significant advancement for integrated magnonic devices, paving the way for advanced magnon-based coherent information processing.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

An Impedance Humidity Sensor Based on CVD Grown WSe 2 2D Films

2D materials-based planar devices have been sought after for gas and humidity sensor applications owing to their high sensitivity due to their ultrathin nature and increased surface area. Herein, 2D WSe 2 films-based planner devices were fabricated to evaluate their performance for potential application in humidity sensors. The structure and morphology of the WSe 2 sensing films were studied by Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence, optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The relative humidity-dependent sensing performances of the 2D WSe 2 films were evaluated using current–voltage (I–V), relative impedance, and complex total impedance (electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, EIS) techniques. This sensor showed a very stable and repeatable performance investigated over the period of 18 months. The response and recovery times of the WSe 2 -based impedance sensors were found to be 40 and 30 s, respectively. The WSe 2 sensor exhibits a 2 ± 1% minimum hysteresis at a lower humidity level (50% RH) and around 8 ± 2% maximum hysteresis at relative humidity level (70% RH). This value of hysteresis is in the acceptable range during the initial investigation of any material to explore its potential for application in humidity sensors. The density functional theory (DFT) analysis was performed with the interaction from water molecules of the WSe 2 sample for a better understanding of the sensing mechanism of devices.

2D- WSe2↗
DOE OSTI2025

Development of a portable high-T c spherical neutron polarimetry device at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Spherical neutron polarimetry is a powerful polarized neutron scattering technique used to determine complex magnetic structures which are only partly accessible by other methods. This technique measures the full neutron polarization change upon scattering from a sample by fully decoupling the incoming and outgoing neutron polarization with a zero-field chamber placed at the sample position. Recent advancements and testing are presented for a new spherical neutron polarimetry device utilizing high-T c superconducting YBCO films, PHiTPAD, at the High Flux Isotope Reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Furthermore, we introduce a conceptual design that utilizes wavelength-independent adiabatic transitions to adapt spherical neutron polarimetry for use with pulsed neutron sources, thereby expanding its potential applications in neutron scattering research.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2026

Automation of Laser Plasma Focused Ion Beam Microscopy for Next-Gen Energy Materials

Automation can revolutionize the use of ultrafast laser ablation and plasma-focused ion beam (PFIB) techniques for high-throughput, reproducible cross-sectioning and various sample preparation in materials characterization. As these methods become essential for analyzing complex energy materials and next-generation devices, efficient, standardized workflows are needed to minimize variability and enhance precision. This work highlights our advancements in developing automated processes for sample preparation that integrates machine learning, workflow optimization, and large-scale data acquisition to improve efficiency and scalability in applications such as electrolyzers, photovoltaic cells, and microelectronics. To streamline cross-sectioning and lamella fabrication, we have implemented fully automated workflows that standardize laser ablation and PFIB milling sequences. These workflows incorporate pre-programmed protocols for material removal, alignment, and thinning, reducing user intervention and ensuring consistency across different sample types. Machine learning algorithms further enhance automation by predicting optimal milling strategies and adapting parameters based on material properties and sectioning requirements. This approach significantly improves throughput while maintaining the structural integrity of prepared samples for high-resolution imaging and analysis, including transmission electron microscopy. Beyond sample preparation, our automation platform enables the acquisition of large, high-resolution datasets through serial sectioning, image alignment, and 3D reconstruction. These automated routines facilitate multi-scale characterization, capturing structural and compositional details from the nanoscale to the device level. By reducing variability and increasing efficiency, our automated approach enhances defect analysis, failure diagnostics, and process optimization, accelerating advancements in materials research and device engineering.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Electronic Melting of Silicon in Nanostructures using X-ray Forbidden Bragg Reflections

Abstract We carried out a short beamtime at the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory x-ray Free Electron Laser to perform a pump-probe (PP) laser excitation diffraction experiment on the silicon (222) forbidden Bragg peak. To limit the x-ray penetration, we used a “device layer” silicon film wafer bonded to a silicon substrate. The sample, specially fabricated by MEMC Electronic Materials, had a Si(100) substrate bonded to a 170 nm Si(100) film rotated at 45° for crystallographic isolation. A second sample was reactive-ion-etched down to 52 nm thickness. In the silicon lattice, the covalent bonds are seen exclusively at the 222 reflection. Upon laser excitation, these electrons are expected to be excited to the valence band on femtosecond electronic time scales. The Si(222) reflection is therefore expected to be extinguished on this fast time scale, while the electron–phonon coupled acoustic response is determined by the lattice dynamics. The latter is determined by the speed of sound over the device thickness, which is in the mid-picosecond range.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Triangular cross-section grating couplers for integrated quantum nanophotonic hardware in silicon carbide

We design, fabricate, and characterize fishbone grating couplers for triangular cross-section photonics in silicon carbide compatible with color center integration. The periodic and aperiodic grating coupler designs are optimized to outcouple up to 31% of light in the fundamental TE mode of a triangular waveguide. The devices are fabricated using an ion beam etching process in a 4H–SiC sample implanted with NV center ensembles. The room-temperature transmission and the cryogenic NV center photoluminescence collection measurements indicate experimental grating coupler efficiency of up to 24%. This result provides a scalable method to efficiently extract color center light from SiC quantum nanophotonic devices to free-space optics.

Saha, Pranta↗
DOE OSTI2024

Layer-by-layer assembly of a [Fe-(pyrazine){Pd(CN) 4 }] spin crossover thin film

Abstract [Fe-(pyrazine){Pd(CN) 4 }] (pyrazine = pz) thin films were fabricated using a layer-by-layer assembly approach, a method known to be tunable, versatile, and scalable, since thin films are better-suited for industrial applications. In this study, [Fe-(pz){Pd(CN) 4 }] powder was synthesized, and the results obtained from a vibrating sample magnetometer verified the presence of an abrupt hysteresis loop with widths of 45 K centered around 300 K, indicating good cooperativity. Super conducting quantum interference device magnetometry results indicated a slow spin transition with temperature but with evidence of hysteresis for thin film samples. X-ray absorption analysis provided further support of the spin crossover behavior but differs from the magnetometry because the spin state transition at the surface differs from the bulk of the thin film. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy provided some insight into issues with the film deposition process and multiplex fitting was used to further support the claim that the surface of the film is different than the bulk of the film.

McElveen, Kayleigh A. (ORCID:0000000210302913)↗
DOE OSTI2025

Field expedient stool collection methods for gut microbiome analysis in deployed military environments

ABSTRACT Field expedient devices and protocols for the collection, storage, and shipment of stool samples in deployed settings are needed for the advancement of microbiome research in military health. Relevant assessments include the evaluation of microbiome signatures associated with susceptibility to travelers’ diarrhea and recovery of gut function following infection. However, inherent biases in microbial measurements due to preservatives and sampling methods are unclear and should be assessed for an accurate evaluation of the microbiome. We performed shotgun metagenomic sequencing and compared the microbiome composition in paired fecal samples collected using Flinters Technology Associates (FTA) cards and OMNIgene (OG) Gut tubes, prior to and during international travel, from 49 adult participants, 39 of whom remained asymptomatic and 10 experienced travelers’ diarrhea. Higher concentrations of nucleic acid and sequencing libraries were observed in OG samples. A majority of genera (82.9%) were detected with both methods, and detections of genera limited to one collection method were not highly prevalent across samples and were present in extremely low relative abundances (<0.01%). Differences in beta diversity were largely explained by inter-individuality of microbiome composition, followed by the effect of collection method and timepoint-disease states. Differential abundance analysis indicated that Corynebacterium and Blautia were consistently higher in abundance across all groups with FTA and OG collection, respectively. The observed differences in microbiome composition between methods suggest the need for consistent and standardized protocols within a study. Overall, the data presented here could help guide the future design of fecal microbiome study protocols in field and military deployment settings. IMPORTANCE The assessment of field-deployable methods for fecal sample collection and storage is required to reliably capture samples collected in remote and austere locations. This study describes a comparative metagenomics analysis between samples collected by two different commercially available methods in a military-deployed setting. The results presented here are foundational for the future design of fecal microbiome study protocols in an operational context.

field study↗
DOE OSTI2025

Characterizing sample degradation from synchrotron based X-ray measurements of ultra-thin exfoliated flakes

It is undeniable that novel 2D devices and heterostructures will have a lasting impact on the advancement of future technologies. However, the inherent instability of many exfoliated van der Waals (vdW) materials is a well-known hurdle yet to be overcome. Thus, the sustained interest in exfoliated vdW materials underscores the importance of understanding the mechanisms of sample degradation to establish proactive protective measures. Here, the impact of prolonged synchrotron-based X-ray beam exposure on exfoliated flakes of two contemporary vdW materials, NiPS 3 and α-RuCl 3 , is explored using resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) and total fluorescence yield X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). In NiPS 3 , the resulting RIXS and XAS spectra show a suppression, then vanishing, of NiS 6 multiplet excitations coupled with an upward shift of the peak energy of the XAS as a function of X-ray dose. In α-RuCl 3 , the signs of beam damage from the RIXS spectra are less evident. However, the post-experiment characterization of both materials using Raman spectroscopy exhibits signals of an amorphous and disordered system compared to pristine flakes; in addition, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy of NiPS 3 shows evidence of ligand vacancies. As synchrotron radiation is fast becoming a required probe to study 2D vdW materials, these findings lay the groundwork for the development of future protective measures for synchrotron-based prolonged X-ray beam exposure, as well as for X-ray free electron laser.

2D magnetism↗
DOE OSTI2024

3D Printing of Functional Hydrogel Devices for Screenings of Membrane Permeability and Selectivity

Developing a fundamental understanding of the effects of varying ligand chemistries on mass transport rates is key to designing membranes with solute-specific selectivity. While permeation cells offer a robust method to characterize membrane performance, they are limited to assessing a single membrane chemistry or salt solution per test. As a result, investigating the effects of varying ligand chemistries on membrane performance can be a tedious process, involving both the preparation of multiple samples and numerous, time-consuming permeation tests. This study uses digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing to fabricate a millifluidic flow-based permeation device made from a hydrogel active ester network that can be easily functionalized with ion-selective ligands. Without the need for bonding or assembly steps, ligands can be introduced and tested in the permeation device by simply injecting a small volume of a ligand solution. Various salt concentrations and molecular species can be cycled through a single device by switching the solution feeding into the salt reservoir, thereby reducing the number of samples needed for permeability and selectivity screenings. This research sets the groundwork for formulation development and postprocessing methods to 3D-print functional millifluidic devices capable of assessing solute selectivity in membranes and polymer adsorbents for aqueous separations. In this work, comparable salt permeability trends were observed with both 3D-printed devices and traditional assays. Devices were functionalized with an imidazole ligand to investigate salt permeability and selectivity of monovalent and divalent salts. Measurements showed increasing permeability for monovalent salts (NaCl) relative to divalent salts (MgCl 2 , CuCl 2 ) in functionalized membranes, with higher monovalent/divalent selectivity at increasing imidazole grafting densities. Here, the methods and findings described here represent a step toward developing higher-throughput methods with 3D-printed devices for screening the effects of ligand chemistry on mass transport rates in membrane materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Advances in Spectro‐Microscopy Methods and their Applications in the Characterization of Perovskite Materials

Perovskite materials are promising contenders as the active layer in light-harvesting and light-emitting applications if their long-term stability can be sufficiently increased. Chemical and structural engineering are shown to enhance long-term stability, but the increased complexity of the material system also leads to inhomogeneous functional properties across various length scales. Thus, scanning probe and high-resolution microscopy characterization techniques are needed to reveal the role of local defects and the results promise to act as the foundation for future device improvements. Here, a look at the parameter space: technique-specific sample penetration depth versus probe size highlights a gap in current methods. High spatial resolution combined with a deep penetration depth is not yet achievable. However, multimodal measurement technique may be the key to covering this parameter space. In this perspective, current advanced spectro-microscopy methods which have been applied to perovskite materials are highlighted.

Luo, Yanqi↗
DOE OSTI2025

Quantum Imaging of Ferromagnetic van der Waals Magnetic Domain Structures at Ambient Conditions

Recently discovered 2D van der Waals magnetic materials, and specifically iron–germanium–telluride (Fe5GeTe2), have attracted significant attention both from a fundamental perspective and for potential applications. Key open questions concern their domain structure and magnetic phase transition temperature as a function of sample thickness and external field, as well as implications for integration into devices such as magnetic memories and logic. Here we address key questions using a nitrogen-vacancy center based quantum magnetic microscope, enabling direct imaging of the magnetization of Fe5GeTe2 at submicrometer spatial resolution as a function of temperature, magnetic field, and thickness. This quantum imaging technique provides noninvasive, high-sensitivity measurements with high spatial resolution under ambient conditions, making it particularly well suited for probing 2D magnets. We employ spatially resolved measures, including magnetization variance and cross-correlation, and find a significant spread in transition temperature yet with no clear dependence on thickness down to 15 nm. We also identify previously unknown stripe features in the optical as well as magnetic images, which we attribute to modulations of the constituting elements during crystal synthesis and subsequent oxidation. Our results suggest that the magnetic anisotropy in this material does not play a crucial role in their magnetic properties, leading to a magnetic phase transition of Fe5GeTe2 which is largely thickness-independent down to 15 nm. Our findings could be significant in designing future spintronic devices, magnetic memories, and logic with 2D van der Waals magnetic materials.

Bindu, Bindu [Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Isra↗
DOE OSTI2025

Site and endmember spectra of terrestrial vegetation and soils for the Colorado Headwaters Ecological Spectroscopy Study, June-July 2025

This dataset provides site and endmember spectra collected during the 2025 Colorado Headwaters Ecological Spectroscopy Study (CHESS) campaign. The site spectra were collected to help validate airborne hyperspectral data acquired by the National Ecological Observatory Network's aerial observation platform (NEON AOP). Endmember spectra were collected to augment existing spectral libraries with additional samples of bare surfaces and non-photosynthetic vegetation. All measurements were acquired with an Analytical Spectral Devices (ASD) FieldSpec4 Hi-Res NG (Next Generation) spectroradiometer, which records radiance at 1nm (nanometer) intervals from the ultraviolet to the short-wave infrared (350-2500 nm). The dataset includes spectra measured at meadow sites where the CHESS team also collected vegetation samples for trait analyses. The site spectra were collected with the ASD FieldSpec4 palm grip attachment using an 8° field-of-view foreoptic. Site spectra are integrated measurements of the entire surface within the foreoptic’s field of view. For site-level spectra, the sun is the illumination source. A Spectralon panel mounted on a tripod was used for instrument optimization and white reference measurements for all site spectra. Site spectra were acquired within two hours of solar noon and within 48 hours of a NEON AOP overflight. Site spectra are labeled by date, sampling area, and site number according to the naming conventions of the CHESS campaign’s data management plan. The dataset also contains endmember spectra in the following categories: photosynthetic vegetation (PV), non-photosynthetic vegetation (NPV), bare (soil/rock), and flowers. Endmember measurements were acquired using either the contact probe or the leaf clip attachments of the ASD FieldSpec4. In these configurations, the bulb inside the spectrometer provides the light source for the measurements. The spectrometer was optimized and white reference measurements were recorded using the circular white pucks attached to the contact probe and leaf clip. Because they do not rely on solar illumination, contact probe and leaf clip measurements were collected during a broader time frame than the palm grip site spectra. Some endmembers were measured at CHESS meadow sites, while others were collected within the larger sampling area or in nearby locations (e.g. Gothic Townsite) with similar characteristics. Radiance, reflectance, and metadata files are split into three subfolders according to measurement type: proximal/palm grip (prx), contact probe (cp), and leaf clip (lc). Radiance spectra are provided in ASD file format (.asd file extension). All ASD files can be opened using the provided scripts. Metadata is provided in two formats: CSV file format (no geolocation) and GEOJSON file format (includes geolocation for each spectra). The dataset includes a set of pre-processed reflectance spectra as CSV files (yyyymmdd_rfl.csv). The python scripts and jupyter notebook used to calculate reflectance spectra from the ASD radiance data is included here and was previously published at: https://doi.org/10.3334/ORNLDAAC/2446. There is also a folder of JPEG photographs corresponding to selected spectra. We include a protocol document with detailed steps for ASD FieldSpec4 assembly and operations. This data additionally contains a file level metadata (flmd.csv) and data dictionary (dd.csv) file. Geospatial information: Geospatial data for mapping measurement site locations are in the files CHESS_polygons_lai_UTM.geojson, CHESS_polygons_shrub_UTM.geojson, and CHESS_polygons_meadow_UTM.geojson in the companion geospatial package for the 2025 CHESS campaign, ‘CHESS 2025: Location data for field observations and sampling’ (Henderson et al., 2026). CHESS Project Description: The Colorado Headwaters Ecological Spectroscopy Study (CHESS) comprised a multi-week airborne remote sensing and field observation campaign in the Upper Gunnison Basin, Colorado, conducted in June and July of 2025. Airborne remote sensing was conducted by the National Ecological Observatory Network Airborne Observation Platform (NEON AOP), concurrent with a field campaign run by the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL), the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Watershed Function Science Focus Area (SFA), and NASA-JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) program. Between June 10 and July 18, 2025, the NEON AOP flight team collected high-resolution aerial imaging spectroscopy and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data over three domains: the Upper East River (CRBU), Almont Triangle (ALMO), and the Upper Taylor Basin (UPTA). In coordination with the flights, a field campaign acquired ground-truth observations, including observations of vegetation composition, foliar traits, forest demography, and subsurface properties in 18 core sampling areas within the domains. Additional surface water observations were taken at over 380 point locations. All CHESS campaign datasets can be found within the CHESS ESS-DIVE data portal: https://data.ess-dive.lbl.gov/portals/chess. Funding Acknowledgment: This research was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (80NM0018D0004) and was funded by EMIT Extended Mission Phase E Science.

2018 NEON and 2025 CHESS Campaigns↗
DOE OSTI2026

Ultrafast (1‐5 sec) Lamination of Perovskite Solar Cells With Self‐Encapsulation Using Rapid Joule Heating

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are traditionally fabricated using sequential layer‐by‐layer deposition, in which each layer of the device is processed on top of the preceding layer. This constrains the processing techniques and selection of transport layer materials that can be used in the solar cell. To overcome these challenges, two half‐cells can be processed independently and then diffusion‐bonded through a lamination process. However, current lamination processes for perovskite solar cells suffer from relatively long process times, which can limit throughput when moving toward high‐volume manufacturing. In this study, a custom platform was designed for rapid‐joule heating of perovskite materials and devices. This enabled more than a 99% reduction in lamination time from 26 min to 1 s. Perovskite samples that were laminated in 1 s exhibited comparable values of percent bonded area, interfacial toughness, grain domain size, and X‐ray diffraction spectra to those laminated in greater than 10 min. As a proof‐of‐concept, 18.3% efficient devices were successfully laminated in 5 s. A transient heat transfer model was developed to describe the relationship between the perovskite temperature and the electrical power supplied to the heaters, establishing a baseline for predicting processing conditions in large‐scale manufacturing systems. Ultra‐fast lamination provides a pathway toward scalable roll‐to‐roll or sheet‐to‐sheet manufacturing of PSCs.

heat transfer↗
DOE OSTI2026

Development and Evaluation of a Cost-Effective Behind-the-Meter Synchronized Measurement Unit for Enhanced Grid Integration

This paper presents the development of the Inverter Based Resource Monitor (IBRM), an innovative behind-the-meter synchronized measurement unit (SMU) tailored for integration with inverter-based resources (IBRs). The IBRM distinguishes itself as a highly accurate and cost-effective SMU, offering facile deployment and connectivity to IBRs. It is equipped to conduct real-time voltage and current waveform analyses, serving as a phasor measurement unit (PMU) with exceptionally rapid synchrophasor transmission capabilities. The device incorporates a cutting-edge dual-core architecture designed to minimize sampling delays inherent to its microprocessor, thereby enhancing the precision of synchronized waveform measurements. Moreover, the IBRM is adept at recording high-fidelity waveform data, capturing nuances such as waveform distortions, high-order harmonics, and wide-band oscillations prevalent in power grids with substantial IBR presence. A prototype of the IBRM has been constructed and subjected to rigorous testing to assess its functional capabilities and measurement precision, utilizing both idealized signal generators and a real-world off-grid inverter setup as benchmarks.

Wu, Ori [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000326723410)↗
DOE OSTI2025

Performance of the AstroPix Prototype Module for the Barrel Imaging Calorimeter at the ePIC Detector and in Space-Based Payloads

AstroPix is a high-voltage CMOS (HV-CMOS) monolithic active pixel sensor originally developed to enable precision gamma-ray imaging and spectroscopy in the medium-energy regime (~100 keV–100 MeV) based on the groundwork laid by ATLASpix and MuPix. It features a 500 μm pixel pitch, in-pixel amplification and digitization, and low power consumption (~3-4 mW/cm2), making it scalable for large-area, multilayer telescope detector planes. The detectors have a designed dynamic range of 25 keV to 700 keV. With these features, AstroPix meets the requirements of future space-based high-energy telescopes and the imaging layers of the Barrel Imaging Calorimeter (BIC) in the Electron-Proton/Ion Collider (ePIC) detector at the future Electron-Ion Collider (EIC). For the space-based payload, AstroPix is being integrated into sounding rocket and balloon payloads to demonstrate the technical readiness of the devices. For BIC, AstroPix-based imaging layers interleaved within the lead/scintillating-fiber (Pb/SciFi) sampling calorimeter provide granular shower imaging, enabling key performance features such as electron/pion or gamma/neutral pion separation. As part of the ongoing detector R&D efforts, we have been testing various AstroPix_v3 configurations: the single chip, a quad-chip assembly, a three-layer stack of quad chips, and a 9-chip module that represents the smallest prototype unit of the BIC imaging layer. This presentation will highlight recent performance test results from these AstroPix detector configurations.

Kim, Bobae (ORCID:0000000295396815)↗
DOE OSTI2025

Investigating Bacterial-Fungal Interactions using Fungal Highway Columns in Diverse Environments and Substrates

Bacterial-fungal interactions (BFIs) play an integral role in shaping microbial community composition, biogeochemical functions, spatial dynamics, and microbial dispersal. Mycelial networks created by filamentous fungi or other filamentous microorganisms (e.g., Oomycetes) act as 'fungal highways' that can be utilized by bacteria for transport throughout heterogeneous environments, greatly facilitating their mobility and granting them access to regions that may be challenging or impossible to reach on their own (e.g., due to air pockets within the soil). Several devices and experimental protocols have been created to study these fungal highways, including fungal highway columns. The fungal highway column designed by our group can be used for a variety of in situ or in vitro applications, as well as with diverse environmental and host-associated sample types. Herein, we describe the methods for performing experiments with these columns, including designing, printing, sterilizing, and preparing the devices. The options for analyzing data obtained from the use of these devices are also discussed here, and troubleshooting advice regarding potential pitfalls associated with experiments using fungal highway columns is offered. These devices can be used to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the diversity, mechanisms, and dynamics of fungal highway BFIs to provide valuable insights into the structural and functional dynamics within complex environments (e.g., soils) and across diverse habitats in which bacteria and fungi co-exist.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Low cost switching circuit for van der Pauw resistivity and Hall measurements at various temperatures

The electrical characterization of materials, particularly superconductors, semiconductors, and those undergoing metal-insulator transitions (MITs), relies significantly on resistivity and Hall measurements as a function of temperature. The van der Pauw four-point probe method is commonly used for such measurements, which involves resistance measurements for different circuit configurations connected to sample contacts. However, repeating these measurements at different temperatures is challenging and time consuming. Here, this study introduces a novel approach utilizing a switching circuit controlled by an Arduino device and a LabVIEW program to automate resistance measurements for different electrical configurations. The effectiveness of this setup was demonstrated by testing V 2 O 3 thin film samples deposited on Al 2 O 3 (001) substrates using DC magnetron sputtering. The MIT temperature of the sample was 115 K during heating and 100 K during cooling. The sample exhibited p-type charge carriers with a Hall coefficient of 1.3 ± 0.1 x 10 -4 cm 3 /C and Hall mobility of 1.7 x 10 -1 cm 2 /V∙s, which is consistent with findings from other studies employing commercial equipment.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗