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DOE OSTI2026

PIP-II LLRF Master Oscillator and Precision Reference Line- Station Level Design and Testing

The PIP-II superconducting linac at Fermilab requires a highly stable RF Reference Line to maintain phase synchronization throughout the accelerator. Temperature-induced changes in the electrical length of long coaxial cables can introduce phase drift and measurement errors. The reference-line architecture mitigates these effects by phase averaging the forward and reflected RF signals, while a phase-locked loop anchors the system to the master oscillator. This work focuses on the characterization, validation, and mechanical integration of station-level RF assemblies using CAD modeling, vector network analyzer measurements, and spectrum analyzer testing. PID-controlled thermal plates will stabilize critical RF components and further reduce temperature-dependent phase and amplitude variations. These methods support repeatable, standardized designs that can be reliably integrated across the different reference-line stations.

Mosher, Alexander [U. Illinois, Chicago; Fermilab]↗

NASA NTRS1989

AlGaAs phased array laser for optical communications

Phased locked arrays of multiple AlGaAs diode laser emitters were investigated both in edge emitting and surface emitting configurations. CSP edge emitter structures, coupled by either evanescent waves or Y-guides, could not achieve the required powers (greater than or similar to 500 mW) while maintaining a diffraction limited, single lobed output beam. Indeed, although the diffraction limit was achieved in this type of device, it was at low powers and in the double lobed radiation pattern characteristic of out-of-phase coupling. Grating surface emitting (GSE) arrays were, therefore, investigated with more promising results. The incorporation of second order gratings in distribute Bragg reflector (DBR) structures allows surface emission, and can be configured to allow injection locking and lateral coupling to populate 2-D arrays that should be able to reach power levels commensurate with the needs of high performance, free space optical communications levels. Also, a new amplitude modulation scheme was developed for GSE array operation.

Carlson, N. W.↗

DOE OSTI2026

PIP-II LLRF Master Oscillator and Precision Reference Line - Station Level Design and Testing

The PIP-II superconducting linac at Fermilab requires a highly stable RF Reference Line to maintain phase syn- chronization throughout the accelerator. Temperature- induced changes in the electrical length of long coaxial cables can introduce phase drift and measurement errors. The reference-line architecture mitigates these effects by phase averaging the forward and reflected RF signals, while a phase-locked loop anchors the system to the mas- ter oscillator. This work focuses on the characterization, validation, and mechanical integration of station-level RF assemblies using CAD modeling, vector network analyzer measurements, and spectrum analyzer testing. PID-controlled thermal plates will stabilize critical RF components and further reduce temperature-dependent phase and amplitude variations. These methods sup- port repeatable, standardized designs that can be reliably integrated across the different reference-line stations.

Mosher, Alexander [U. Illinois, Chicago]↗

NASA NTRS1985

Carrier tracking by smoothing filter can improve symbol SNR

The potential benefit of using a smoothing filter to estimate carrier phase over use of phase locked loops (PLL) is determined. Numerical results are presented for the performance of three possible configurations of the deep space network advanced receiver. These are residual carrier PLL, sideband aided residual carrier PLL, and finally sideband aiding with a Kalman smoother. The average symbol signal to noise ratio (CNR) after losses due to carrier phase estimation error is computed for different total power SNRs, symbol rates and symbol SNRs. It is found that smoothing is most beneficial for low symbol SNRs and low symbol rates. Smoothing gains up to 0.4 dB over a sideband aided residual carrier PLL, and the combined benefit of smoothing and sideband aiding relative to a residual carrier loop is often in excess of 1 dB.

Hurd, W. J.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Carrier tracking by smoothing filter improves symbol SNR

The potential benefit of using a smoothing filter to estimate carrier phase over use of phase locked loops (PLL) is determined. Numerical results are presented for the performance of three possible configurations of the deep space network advanced receiver. These are residual carrier PLL, sideband aided residual carrier PLL, and finally sideband aiding with a Kalman smoother. The average symbol signal to noise ratio (SNR) after losses due to carrier phase estimation error is computed for different total power SNRs, symbol rates and symbol SNRs. It is found that smoothing is most beneficial for low symbol SNRs and low symbol rates. Smoothing gains up to 0.4 dB over a sideband aided residual carrier PLL, and the combined benefit of smoothing and sideband aiding relative to a residual carrier loop is often in excess of 1 dB.

Pomalaza-Raez, Carlos A.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Expandable and reconfigurable instrument node arrays

An expandable and reconfigurable instrument node includes a feature detection means and a data processing portion in communication with the feature detection means, the data processing portion configured and disposed to process feature information. The instrument node further includes a phase locked loop (PLL) oscillator in communication with the data processing portion, the PLL oscillator configured and disposed to provide PLL information to the processing portion. The instrument node further includes a single tone transceiver and a pulse transceiver in communication with the PLL oscillator, the single tone transceiver configured and disposed to transmit or receive a single tone for phase correction of the PLL oscillator and the pulse transceiver configured and disposed to transmit and receive signals for phase correction of the PLL oscillator. The instrument node further includes a global positioning (GPA) receiver in communication with the processing portion, the GPS receiver configured and disposed to establish a global position of the instrument node.

Hilliard, Lawrence M.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Coupled Receiver/Decoders for Low-Rate Turbo Codes

been proposed for receiving weak single- channel phase-modulated radio signals bearing low-rate-turbo-coded binary data. Originally intended for use in receiving telemetry signals from distant spacecraft, the proposed receiver/ decoders may also provide enhanced reception in mobile radiotelephone systems. A radio signal of the type to which the proposal applies comprises a residual carrier signal and a phase-modulated data signal. The residual carrier signal is needed as a phase reference for demodulation as a prerequisite to decoding. Low-rate turbo codes afford high coding gains and thereby enable the extraction of data from arriving radio signals that might otherwise be too weak. In the case of a conventional receiver, if the signal-to-noise ratio (specifically, the symbol energy to one-sided noise power spectral density) of the arriving signal is below approximately 0 dB, then there may not be enough energy per symbol to enable the receiver to recover properly the carrier phase. One could solve the problem at the transmitter by diverting some power from the data signal to the residual carrier. A better solution . a coupled receiver/decoder according to the proposal . could reduce the needed amount of residual carrier power. In all that follows, it is to be understood that all processing would be digital and the incoming signals to be processed would be, more precisely, outputs of analog-to-digital converters that preprocess the residual carrier and data signals at a rate of multiple samples per symbol. The upper part of the figure depicts a conventional receiving system, in which the receiver and decoder are uncoupled, and which is also called a non-data-aided system because output data from the decoder are not used in the receiver to aid in recovering the carrier phase. The receiver tracks the carrier phase from the residual carrier signal and uses the carrier phase to wipe phase noise off the data signal. The receiver typically includes a phase-locked loop (PLL) or Costas loop that requires no delay or perhaps a single sample delay. The lower part of the figure depicts a basic coupled receiver/decoder . a data-aided system that would implement an iterative receiving/decoding process. The receiver would include a PLL or a Wiener filter that, to the extent possible, would track the residual carrier signal, wipe phase noise off the data signal, then send the result to the turbo decoder. Recovery of timing could be effected by, for example, a digital transition tracking loop (DTTL) or other, similar loop. The first iteration of turbo decoding would yield soft data symbols, which would be sent back to the receiver for use in softly wiping off the data signal in an effort to recover the residual carrier signal. The wiped signal would contain a relatively large carrier-phase component that could be tracked by use of a second Wiener filter.

Hamkins, Jon↗

NASA NTRS2011

Space-Time Localization of Plasma Turbulence Using Multiple Spacecraft Radio Links

Space weather is described as the variability of solar wind plasma that can disturb satellites and systems and affect human space exploration. Accurate prediction requires information of the heliosphere inside the orbit of the Earth. However, for predictions using remote sensing, one needs not only plane-of-sky position but also range information the third spatial dimension to show the distance to the plasma disturbances and thus when they might propagate or co-rotate to create disturbances at the orbit of the Earth. Appropriately processed radio signals from spacecraft having communications lines-of-sight passing through the inner heliosphere can be used for this spacetime localization of plasma disturbances. The solar plasma has an electron density- and radio-wavelength-dependent index of refraction. An approximately monochromatic wave propagating through a thin layer of plasma turbulence causes a geometrical-optics phase shift proportional to the electron density at the point of passage, the radio wavelength, and the thickness of the layer. This phase shift is the same for a wave propagating either up or down through the layer at the point of passage. This attribute can be used for space-time localization of plasma irregularities. The transfer function of plasma irregularities to the observed time series depends on the Doppler tracking mode. When spacecraft observations are in the two-way mode (downlink radio signal phase-locked to an uplink radio transmission), plasma fluctuations have a two-pulse response in the Doppler. In the two-way mode, the Doppler time series y2(t) is the difference between the frequency of the downlink signal received and the frequency of a ground reference oscillator. A plasma blob localized at a distance x along the line of sight perturbs the phase on both the up and down link, giving rise to two events in the two-way tracking time series separated by a time lag depending the blob s distance from the Earth: T2-2x/c, where T2 is the two-way time-of-flight of radio waves to/from the spacecraft and c is the speed of light. In some tracking situations, more information is available. For example, with the 5-link Cassini radio system, the plasma contribution to the up and down links, y(sub up)(t) and y(sub dn)(t), can be computed separately. The times series y(sub up)(t) and y(sub dn)(t) respond to a localized plasma blob with one event in each time series. These events are also separated in time by T2-2x/c. By cross-correlating the up and down link Doppler time series, the time separation of the plasma events can be measured and hence the plasma blob s distance from the Earth determined. Since the plane-of-sky position is known, this technique allows localization of plasma events in time and three space dimensions.

Armstrong, John W.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Cyclogenesis

In order to extend the conventional baroclinic instability concept, one has to picture the growth process as resulting from the superposition of two neutrally stable baroclinic waves, an upper and a lower one, each wave propagating along a near-discontinuity in the potential vorticity (PV) field. The PV discontinuity for the lower wave is given by the non-uniformity of the thermal field at the ground, while the discontinuity for the upper wave is given by the contrast, in the 400 to 200 mb range, between the high-PV polar stratosphere and the low-PV subtropical troposphere. The horizontal PV radients mentioned are approximately opposed to each other, causing the wo waves to travel in the opposite direction. As Hoskins et al. (1985) show convincingly, a phase lock between the upper and lower wave may occur, coupled with a tendency toward mutual amplification. The conceptual model just outlined is particularly attractive to synoptic meteorologists because it does not require the two waves to be of initially small amplitude and thus does not fly in the face of observational evidence. This model, by allowing a finite perturbation velocity and a considerable range of relative phase speeds at the time when the upper and lower wave reach the proper phase lag for amplification, may lead to growth rates larger than those predicted by linear theory. aba R.J.F.

Bleck, R.↗

DOE OSTI2020

Convectively Forced Diurnal Gravity Waves in the Maritime Continent

Long-lived, zonally propagating diurnal rainfall disturbances are a highly pronounced and common feature in the Maritime Continent (MC). A recent study argues that these disturbances can be explained as diurnally phase-locked gravity waves. Here we explore the origins of these waves through regional cloud-permitting numerical model experiments. The gravity waves are reproduced and isolated in the model framework through the combined use of realistic geography and diurnally cyclic lateral boundary conditions representative of both characteristic easterly and westerly background zonal flow regimes. These flow regimes are characteristic of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) suppressed and active phase in the MC, respectively. Tests are conducted wherein Borneo, Sumatra, or both islands and/or their orography are removed. These tests imply that the diurnal gravity waves are excited and maintained directly by latent heating from the vigorous mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) that form nocturnally in both Borneo and Sumatra. Removing orography has only a secondary impact on both the MCSs and the gravity waves, implying that it is not critical to these waves. We therefore hypothesize that diurnal gravity waves are fundamentally driven by mesoscale organized deep convection, and are only sensitive to orography to the measure that the convection is affected by the orography and its mesoscale flows. Factor separation further reveals that the nonlinear interaction of synchronized diurnal cycles in Sumatra and Borneo slightly amplifies this gravity wave mode compared to if either island existed in isolation. This nonlinear feedback appears most prominently at longitudes directly between the two islands.

Ruppert, Jr., James H.↗

NASA NTRS1973

Automatic carrier acquisition system

An automatic carrier acquisition system for a phase locked loop (PLL) receiver is disclosed. It includes a local oscillator, which sweeps the receiver to tune across the carrier frequency uncertainty range until the carrier crosses the receiver IF reference. Such crossing is detected by an automatic acquisition detector. It receives the IF signal from the receiver as well as the IF reference. It includes a pair of multipliers which multiply the IF signal with the IF reference in phase and in quadrature. The outputs of the multipliers are filtered through bandpass filters and power detected. The output of the power detector has a signal dc component which is optimized with respect to the noise dc level by the selection of the time constants of the filters as a function of the sweep rate of the local oscillator.

Bunce, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Precise Frequency Measurements Using a Superconducting Cavity Stabilized Oscillator

Many physics experiments call on improved resolution to better define the experimental results, thus improving tests of theories. Modern microwave technology combined with high-Q resonators can achieve frequency readout and control with resolutions up to a part in 10(exp 18). When the physical quantity in question in the experiment can be converted to a frequency or a change in frequency, a high-stability microwave oscillator can be applied to obtain state-of-the-art precision. In this work we describe the overall physical concepts and the required experimental procedures for optimizing a high-resolution frequency measurement system that employs a high-Q superconducting microwave cavity and a low-noise frequency synthesizer. The basic approach is to resolve the resonant frequencies of a high-Q (Q > 10(exp 10)) cavity to extremely high precision (one part in 10(exp 17)- 10(exp 18)). Techniques for locking the synthesizer frequency to a resonant frequency of the superconducting cavity to form an ultra-stable oscillator are described. We have recently set up an ultra-high-vacuum high-temperature annealing system to process superconducting niobium cavities, and have been able to consistently achieve Q > 10(exp 9). We have integrated high-Q superconducting cavities with a low-noise microwave synthesizer in a phase-locked-loop to verify the frequency stability of the system. Effects that disturb the cavity resonant frequency (such as the temperature fluctuations and mechanical vibrations) and methods to mitigate those effects are also considered. Applicability of these techniques to experiments will be discussed, and our latest experimental progress in achieving high-resolution frequency measurements using the superconducting-cavity-stabilized-oscillator will be presented.

Strayer, D. M.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Laser Frequency Stabilization and Control through Offset Sideband Locking to Optical Cavities

We describe a class of techniques whereby a laser frequency can be stabilized to a fixed optical cavity resonance with an adjustable offset, providing a wide tuning range for the central frequency. These techniques require only minor modifications to the standard Pound-Drever-Hall locking techniques and have the advantage of not altering the intrinsic stability of the frequency reference. In a laboratory investigation the sideband techniques were found to perform equally well as the standard, non-tunable Pound-Drever-Hall technique, each providing more than four decades of frequency noise suppression over the free-running noise. An application of a tunable system as a pre-stabilization stage in a phase-lock loop is also presented with the combined system achieving a frequency noise suppression of nearly twelve orders of magnitude.

Thorpe, James I.↗

DOE OSTI2019

Transient Stability Assessment of Multi-Machine Multi-Converter Power Systems

Transmission faults caused by recent wildfires in California induced the disconnection of utility-scale converters in photovoltaic (PV) power plants. Postmortem investigations reported that tripping commands were caused by phase-locked loops (PLLs) and dc-side dynamics, which are typically unmodeled in transient stability studies. Since existing simulation packages rely on simplified models that neglect these dynamics, they have a limited capability to predict converter behavior during faults. To address this shortcoming, we set forth a positive-sequence model for PV power plants that is derived from physics and controls first principles. As seen on utility-scale three-phase converters, the model includes PLLs, dc-side dynamics, and closed-loop controllers. Instances of the developed model are integrated into illustrative power systems containing also conventional generators. Numerical simulations of the obtained multi-machine multi-converter power systems are assessed via a suitable set of stability and performance metrics.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS1976

Linear minimum variance filters applied to carrier tracking

A new approach is taken to the problem of tracking a fixed amplitude signal with a Brownian-motion phase process. Classically, a first-order phase-lock loop (PLL) is used; here, the problem is treated via estimation of the quadrature signal components. In this space, the state dynamics are linear with white multiplicative noise. Therefore, linear minimum-variance filters, which have a particularly simple mechanization, are suggested. The resulting error dynamics are linear at any signal/noise ratio, unlike the classical PLL. During synchronization, and above threshold, this filter with constant gains degrades by 3 per cent in output rms phase error with respect to the classical loop. However, up to 80 per cent of the maximum possible noise improvement is obtained below threshold, where the classical loop is nonoptimum, as demonstrated by a Monte Carlo analysis. Filter mechanizations are presented for both carrier and baseband operation.

Gustafson, D. E.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Detection of signals by weighted integrate-and-dump filter

A Weighted Integrate and Dump Filter (WIDF) is presented that results in reducing those losses in telemetry symbol signal to noise ratio (SNR) which occur in digital Integrate and Dump Filters (IDFs) when the samples are not phase locked to the input data symbol clock. The Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE) criterion is used to derive a set of weights for approximating the analog integrate and dump filter, which is the matched filter for detection of signals in additive white Gaussian noise. This new digital matched filter results in considerable performance improvement compared to unweighted digital matched filters. An example is presented for a sampling rate of four times the symbol rate. As the sampling offset (or phase) varies with respect to the data symbol boundaries, the output SNR varies 1 dB for an unweighted IDF, but only 0.3 dB for the optimum WIDF, averaged over random data patterns. This improvement in performance relative to unweighted IDF means that significantly lower sampling and processing rates can be used for given telemetry symbol rates, resulting in reduced system cost.

Sadr, R.↗

NASA NTRS2009

Joint Carrier-Phase Synchronization and LDPC Decoding

A method has been proposed to increase the degree of synchronization of a radio receiver with the phase of a suppressed carrier signal modulated with a binary- phase-shift-keying (BPSK) or quaternary- phase-shift-keying (QPSK) signal representing a low-density parity-check (LDPC) code. This method is an extended version of the method described in Using LDPC Code Constraints to Aid Recovery of Symbol Timing (NPO-43112), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 32, No. 10 (October 2008), page 54. Both methods and the receiver architectures in which they would be implemented belong to a class of timing- recovery methods and corresponding receiver architectures characterized as pilotless in that they do not require transmission and reception of pilot signals. The proposed method calls for the use of what is known in the art as soft decision feedback to remove the modulation from a replica of the incoming signal prior to feeding this replica to a phase-locked loop (PLL) or other carrier-tracking stage in the receiver. Soft decision feedback refers to suitably processed versions of intermediate results of iterative computations involved in the LDPC decoding process. Unlike a related prior method in which hard decision feedback (the final sequence of decoded symbols) is used to remove the modulation, the proposed method does not require estimation of the decoder error probability. In a basic digital implementation of the proposed method, the incoming signal (having carrier phase theta theta (sub c) plus noise would first be converted to inphase (I) and quadrature (Q) baseband signals by mixing it with I and Q signals at the carrier frequency [wc/(2 pi)] generated by a local oscillator. The resulting demodulated signals would be processed through one-symbol-period integrate and- dump filters, the outputs of which would be sampled and held, then multiplied by a soft-decision version of the baseband modulated signal. The resulting I and Q products consist of terms proportional to the cosine and sine of the carrier phase cc as well as correlated noise components. These products would be fed as inputs to a digital PLL that would include a number-controlled oscillator (NCO), which provides an estimate of the carrier phase, theta(sub c).

Simon, Marvin↗

DOE OSTI2019

Saddle point approaches in strong field physics and generation of attosecond pulses

Attoscience is the emerging field that accesses the fastest electronic processes occurring at the atomic and molecular length scales with attosecond (1 as = 10 –18 s) time resolution having wide ranging physical, chemical, material science and biological applications. The quintessential and one of the most fundamental processes in this domain is the generation of phase locked XUV attosecond pulses. The theoretical approach to understand the process incorporates a fully quantum or semi classical or relativistic description of coherent charge dynamics in intense ultrashort electromagnetic fields driving a quantum system (an atom, a molecule, solid band gap materials or surface plasmas). Modelling of such physical and dynamical systems in science and also in many other branches often leads to equations represented in terms of complex multi-dimensional integrals. These integrals can often be solved using the stationary phase approximation, which leads to a series of equations identifying the points in the multi-dimensional space, having most significant contributions in their evaluation. These points are usually indicated as saddle points. The description of the dynamics of quantum mechanical or relativistic systems that results from such an approach enables near to classical physics intuitive perceptions of the processes under investigation. Thus, the saddle point methods are very powerful and valuable general theoretical tools to obtain asymptotic expressions of such solutions and help also to gain physical insights on the underlying phenomena. Such techniques developed in the past have been adapted to study the emission of as pulses by different physical systems and have been widely employed in calculating and estimating the response of matter to intense electromagnetic pulses on ultrafast time scales. Here we provide an extensive disposition of the saddle point approaches unifying their ubiquitous applications within the domain of attoscience valid for simple atomic to more complex condensed matter systems undergoing ultrafast dynamics and present current trends and advancements in the field. In this review we would delineate the methodology, present a synthesis of seminal works and describe the state of the art applications. Finally we also address ultrashort time dynamics of novel materials that have gained much attention recently, namely lower dimensional material systems and micro-plasma systems.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗