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At least 649 records · Page 36
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Probing supersymmetric black holes with surface defects

It has long been conjectured that the large N deconfinement phase transition of $\mathcal{N}$ = 4 SU(N) super-Yang-Mills corresponds via AdS/CFT to the Hawking-Page transition in which black holes dominate the thermal ensemble, and quantitative evidence of this has come through the recent matching of the superconformal index of $\frac{1}{16}$-BPS states to the supersymmetric black hole entropy. Here we introduce the half-BPS Gukov-Witten surface defect as a probe of the superconformal index, which also serves as an order parameter for the deconfinement transition. This can be studied directly in field theory as a modification of the usual unitary matrix model or in the dual description as a D3-brane probe in the background of a (complex) supersymmetric black hole. Using a saddle point approximation, we determine our defect index in the large N limit as a simple function of the chemical potentials and show independently that it is reproduced by the renormalized action of the brane in the black hole background. Along the way, we also comment on the Cardy limit and the thermodynamics of the D3-brane in the generalized ensemble. The defect index sharply distinguishes between the confining and the deconfining phases of the gauge theory and thus is a supersymmetric non-perturbative order parameter for these large N phase transitions which deserves further investigation. Finally, our work provides an example where the properties of a black hole coupled to an external system can be analyzed precisely.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
NASA NTRS2018

Technologies and Operations for High Voltage Corona Detection with UAVs

Autonomous UAV transmission line inspection served as a reference mission for NASA demonstration of UAV deployment for economic benefit; this paper reports corona sensing advances in development of that reference mission. Unmanned aerial vehicles can serve as a platform for autonomous sensing and location of high voltage coronal discharge. Simple processing of commercial corona camera imagery can automate discharge localization and documentation. Inexpensive ultraviolet point sensors can sense discharge when carried close to the defect with a UAV. Augmented with a parabolic mirror, point sensor range can be increased to a safe inspection standoff distance, at the cost of a narrowed field of view. Results from a test flight of an augmented UV sensor are described. The imaging approach is superior in sensitivity and acquisition time, while the point sensor approach has superior size, weight, cost and durability advantages.

Moore, Andrew J.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Handheld White Light Interferometer for Measuring Defect Depth in Windows

Accurate quantification of defects (scratches and impacts) is vital to the certification of flight hardware and other critical components. The amount of damage to a particular component contributes to the performance, reliability, and safety of a system, which ultimately affects the success or failure of a mission or test. The launch-commit criteria on a Space Shuttle Orbiter window are governed by the depth of the defects that are identified by a visual inspection. This measurement of a defect is not easy to obtain given the environment, size of the defect, and location of the window(s). The determination of depth has typically been performed by taking a mold impression and measuring the impression with an optical profiling instrument. Another method of obtaining an estimate of the depth is by using a refocus microscope. To use a refocus microscope, the surface of the glass and bottom of the defect are, in turn, brought into focus by the operator. The amount of movement between the two points corresponds to the depth of the defect. The refocus microscope requires a skilled operator and has been proven to be unreliable when used on Orbiter windows. White light interferometry was chosen as a candidate to replace the refocus microscope. The White Light Interferometer (WLI) was developed to replace the refocus microscope as the instrument used for measuring the depth of defects in Orbiter windows. The WLI consists of a broadband illumination source, interferometer, detector, motion control, displacement sensor, mechanical housing, and support electronics. The illumination source for the WLI is typically a visible light emitting diode (LED) or a near-infrared superluminescent diode (SLD) with power levels of less than a milliwatt. The interferometer is a Michelson configuration consisting of a 1-in. (2.5-cm) cube beam splitter, a 0.5-in. (1.3-cm) optical window as a movable leg (used to closely match the return intensity of the fixed leg from the window), and a mirrored prism to fold the optics into the mechanical housing. The detector may be one of many C-mount CCD (charge-coupled device) cameras. Motion is provided by a commercial nanostepping motor with a serial interface. The displacement sensor is a custom device specifically designed for this application. The mechanical housing and support electronics were designed to integrate the various components into an instrument that could be physically handled by a technician and easily transported.

Youngquist, Robert↗
DOE OSTI2024

High Mobility, High Carrier Density SnSe 2 Field‐Effect Transistors with Ultralow Subthreshold Swing and Gate‐Controlled Photoconductance Switching

2D and layered semiconductors are considered as promising electronic materials, particularly for applications that require high carrier mobility and efficient field-effect switching combined with mechanical flexibility. To date, however, the highest mobility has been realized primarily at low carrier concentration. Here, it is shown that few-layer/multilayer SnSe 2 gated by a solution top gate combines very high room-temperature electron mobility (up to 800 cm 2 V −1 s −1 ), along with large on-off current ratios (>10 5 ) and a subthreshold swing below the thermodynamic limit (50 mV per decade) in field-effect devices, at exceptionally large sheet carrier concentrations of ≈10 13 cm −2 . Observed mobility enhancements upon partial depletion of the channel point to near-surface defects or impurities as the mobility-limiting scattering centers. Under illumination, the resulting gap states give rise to gate-controlled switching between positive and negative photoconductance. The results qualify SnSe 2 as a promising layered semiconductor for flexible and wearable electronics, as well as for the realization of advanced approaches to photodetection.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Field-tailoring quantum materials via magneto-synthesis: metastable metallic and magnetically suppressed phases in a trimer iridate

We demonstrate that applying modest magnetic fields (< 0.1 T) during high-temperature crystal growth can profoundly alter the structure and ground state of a spin-orbit-coupled, antiferromagnetic trimer lattice. Using BaIrO₃ as a model system, whose ground state is intricately dictated by the trimer lattice, we show that magneto-synthesis , a field-assisted synthesis approach, stabilizes a structurally compressed, metastable metallic and magnetically suppressed phases inaccessible via conventional methods. These effects include a 0.85% reduction in unit cell, 4-order-of-magnitude decrease in resistivity, a 10-fold enhancement of the Sommerfeld coefficient, and the collapse of long-range magnetic order -- all intrinsic and bulk in origin. First-principles calculations confirm that the field-stabilized structure lies substantially above the ground state in energy, highlighting its metastable character. These large, coherent and correlated changes across multiple bulk properties, unlike those caused by dilute impurities, defects or off-stoichiometry, point to an intrinsic field-induced mechanism. The findings establish magneto-synthesis as a powerful new pathway for accessing non-equilibrium quantum phases in strongly correlated materials.

magneto-synthesis↗
NASA NTRS1987

Surface inspection: Research and development

Surface inspection techniques are used for process learning, quality verification, and postmortem analysis in manufacturing for a spectrum of disciplines. First, trends in surface analysis are summarized for integrated circuits, high density interconnection boards, and magnetic disks, emphasizing on-line applications as opposed to off-line or development techniques. Then, a closer look is taken at microcontamination detection from both a patterned defect and a particulate inspection point of view.

Batchelder, J. S.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Computational Investigation of Oxidative Etch Pitting in FiberForm and Its Impact on Material Properties

Oxidation-driven carbon erosion does not occur uniformly but rather through the development of localized etch pits at active surface sites. These active sites form due to atomic defects on the carbon surface, making them significantly more reactive than the surrounding, non-defective areas. As a result, these sites are the first to react during ablation, leading to their removal. This process creates new defects in neighboring atoms, increasing their reactivity and causing localized carbon removal around these active sites. In this way, the highly reactive defective areas serve as nucleation points for the formation and growth of etch pits, which can have adverse effects on structural integrity of FiberForm. To better understand how these etch pits impact the material properties of carbon fiber microstructures, we have developed a new capability within the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) framework to capture the etch pit formation process. This capability, integrated into the DSMC code SPARTA (Stochastic Parallel Rarefied-gas Time-accurate Analyzer), models material removal in the presence of active sites, leading to the formation of etch pits. The current work focuses on studying the effects of these etch pits on the material properties of FiberForm, a widely used base material in thermal protection systems (TPS). The microstructure of virgin FiberForm, obtained via X-ray microtomography, is imported into SPARTA to generate the ablated geometries with etch pits. These modified microstructures are then analyzed using the Porous Microstructure Analysis (PuMA) software to compute various material properties, including elasticity, thermal conductivity, and permeability. We investigate the variation of these properties due to the complex surface topology changes caused by etch pit formation. Additionally, we compare the effects of pitting with the conventional model of shrinking fibers, traditionally used to simulate the ablation of carbon structures. Significant differences emerge between the two approaches. Consequently, this physically realistic model of material removal through etch pit formation offers improved accuracy in predicting the degradation of carbon-based TPS during oxidation. It also provides insights into other mechanisms, such as spallation, where chunks of material are removed into the flow due to etch pit growth. Ultimately, this model enhances our understanding of failure modes in these materials during ablation.

PuMA↗
DOE OSTI2021

Local structure and Ca/Si ratio in C-S-H gels from hydration of blends of tricalcium silicate and silica fume

At the microscale, C-S-H gels from alite, or neat Portland cements, has a Ca/Si ratio close to 1.80. At the nanoscale, C-S-H is described by a defective tobermorite structure which allows a maximum Ca/Si ratio close to 1.40. There is no agreement in the location of the extra 0.40 mol of Ca(OH){sub 2} at the nanoscale. Atomistic modelling studies reported Ca(OH){sub 2} species within the tobermorite interlayer space. Other works point toward a fine intermixing of defective tobermorite and nanoportlandite. Here, we have prepared a series of alite blended with silica fume and studied the pastes by several techniques including synchrotron pair distribution function (PDF). In the employed conditions, the C-S-H gel formed by the pozzolanic reaction has nearly the same local structure than the primary C-S-H gel. Furthermore, differential PDF points toward Ca(OH){sub 2} excess having a local structure compatible with few-layer thick nanoparticles stretched along the c-axis.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Lorentzian dynamics and factorization beyond rationality

We investigate the emergence of topological defect lines in the conformal Regge limit of two-dimensional conformal field theory. We explain how a local operator can be factorized into a holomorphic and an anti-holomorphic defect operator connected through a topological defect line, and discuss implications on analyticity and Lorentzian dynamics including aspects of chaos. We derive a formula relating the infinite boost limit, which holographically encodes the “opacity” of bulk scattering, to the action of topological defect lines on local operators. Leveraging the unitary bound on the opacity and the positivity of fusion coefficients, we show that the spectral radii of a large class of topological defect lines are given by their loop expectation values. Factorization also gives a formula relating the local and defect operator algebras and fusion categorical data. We then review factorization in rational conformal field theory from a defect perspective, and examine irrational theories. On the orbifold branch of the c = 1 free boson theory, we find a unified description for the topological defect lines through which the twist fields are factorized; at irrational points, the twist fields factorize through “non-compact” topological defect lines which exhibit continuous defect operator spectra. Along the way, we initiate the development of a formalism to characterize non-compact topological defect lines.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Nearly hyperuniform, nonhyperuniform, and antihyperuniform density fluctuations in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides with defects

Hyperuniform many-body systems in d-dimensional Euclidean space R d are characterized by completely suppressed (normalized) infinite-wavelength density fluctuations, and appear to be endowed with novel exotic physical properties. Recently, hyperuniform systems of disordered varieties have been observed in the context of various atomic-scale two-dimensional (2D) materials. Here, we analyze the effects of localized defects on the density fluctuations across length scales and on the hyperuniformity property of experimental samples of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides. In particular, we extract atomic coordinates from time series annular dark field-scanning transmission electron microscopy (ADF-STEM) imaging data of 2D tungsten chalcogenides with the 2H structure (Te-doped 2H-WSe 2 ) showing continuous development and evolution of electron-beam induced defects, and construct the corresponding chemical-bonding informed coordination networks between the atoms. We then compute a variety of pair statistics and bond-orientational statistics to characterize the samples. At low defect concentrations, the corresponding materials are nearly hyperuniform, characterized by significantly suppressed scattering at the zero wave-number limit (omitting forward/ballistic scattering). As more defects are introduced, the (approximate) hyperuniformity of the materials is gradually destroyed, and the system becomes non-hyperuniform even when the material still contains a significant amount of crystalline regions. At high defect concentrations, the structures become antihyperuniform with diverging (normalized) large-scale density fluctuations, mimicking those typically observed at the thermal critical points associated with phase transitions. Overall, the defected materials possess varying degrees of orientation order, and there is apparently no intermediate hexatic phase emerging. To understand the observed nearly hyperuniform density fluctuations in the slightly defected materials, we construct a minimalist structural model and demonstrate that the experimental samples can be essentially viewed as perturbed honeycomb crystals with small correlated displacements and double chalcogen vacancies. Moreover, the small correlated displacements alone can significantly degrade hyperuniformity of the perfect honeycomb structure. Therefore, even a small amount of vacancies, when coupled with correlated displacements, can completely destroy hyperuniformity of the system.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Holographic Weyl anomalies for 4d defects in 6d SCFTs

In this note, we study 1/4- and 1/2-BPS co-dimension two superconformal defects in the 6d N = (2, 0) A N–1 SCFT at large N using their holographic descriptions as solutions of 11d supergravity. In this regime, we are able to compute the defect contribution to the sphere entanglement entropy and the change in the stress-energy tensor one-point function due to the presence of the defect using holography. From these quantities, we are then able to unambiguously compute the values for two of the twenty-nine total Weyl anomaly coefficients that characterize 4d conformal defects in six and higher dimensions. We are able to demonstrate the consistency of the supergravity description of the defect theories with the average null energy condition on the field theory side. For each class of defects that we consider, we also show that the A-type Weyl anomaly coefficient is non-negative. Lastly, we uncover and resolve a discrepancy between the on-shell action of the 7d 1/4-BPS domain wall solutions and that of their 11d uplift.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
NASA NTRS1998

Automation of the Image Analysis for Thermographic Inspection

Several data processing procedures for the pulse thermal inspection require preliminary determination of an unflawed region. Typically, an initial analysis of the thermal images is performed by an operator to determine the locations of unflawed and the defective areas. In the present work an algorithm is developed for automatically determining a reference point corresponding to an unflawed region. Results are obtained for defects which are arbitrarily located in the inspection region. A comparison is presented of the distributions of derived values with right and wrong localization of the reference point. Different algorithms of automatic determination of the reference point are compared.

Plotnikov, Yuri A.↗
NASA NTRS1995

High and low energy proton radiation damage in p/n InP MOCVD solar cells

InP p(+)nn(+) MOCVD solar cells were irradiated with 0.2 MeV and 10 MeV protons to a fluence of 10(exp 13)/sq cm. The degradation of power output, IV behavior, carrier concentration and defect concentration were observed at intermediate points throughout the irradiations. The 0.2 MeV proton irradiated solar cells suffered much greater and more rapid degradation in power output than those irradiated with 10 meV protons. The efficiency losses were accompanied by larger increases in the recombination currents in the 0.2 MeV proton irradiated solar cells. The low energy proton irradiations also had a larger impact on the series resistance of the solar cells. Despite the radiation induced damage, the carrier concentration in the base of the solar cells showed no reduction after 10 MeV or 0.2 MeV proton irradiations and even increased during irradiation with 0.2 MeV protons. In a DLTS study of the irradiated samples, the minority carrier defects H4 and H5 at E(v) + 0.33 and E(v) + 0.52 eV and the majority carrier defects E7 and E10 at E(c)- 0.39 and E(c)-0.74 eV, were observed. The defect introduction rates for the 0.2 MeV proton irradiations were about 20 times higher than for the 10 MeV proton irradiations. The defect E10, observed here after irradiation, has been shown to act as a donor in irradiated n-type InP and may be responsible for obscuring carrier removal. The results of this study are consistent with the much greater damage produced by low energy protons whose limited range causes them to stop in the active region of the solar cell.

Rybicki, George↗
NASA NTRS1995

High and Low Energy Proton Radiation Damage in p/n InP MOCVD Solar Cells

InP p(+)/n/n(+) solar cells, fabricated by metal organic chemical vapor deposition, (MOCVD) were irradiated with 0.2 MeV and 10 MeV protons to a fluence of 10(exp 13)/sq cm. The power output degradation, IV behavior, carrier concentration and defect concentration were observed at intermediate points throughout the irradiations. The 0.2 MeV proton-irradiated solar cells suffered much greater and more rapid degradation in power output than those irradiated with 10 MeV protons. The efficiency losses were accompanied by larger increases in the recombination currents in the 0.2 MeV proton-irradiated solar cells. The low energy proton irradiations also had a larger impact on the series resistance of the solar cells. Despite the radiation induced damage, the carrier concentration in the base of the solar cells showed no reduction after 10 MeV or 0.2 MeV proton irradiations and even increased during irradiation with 0.2 MeV protons. In a deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) study of the irradiated samples, the minority carrier defects H4 and H5 at E(sub v) + 0.33 and E(sub v) + 0.52 eV and the majority carrier defects E7 and El0 at E(sub c) - 0.39 and E(sub c) - 0.74 eV, were observed. The defect introduction rates for the 0.2 MeV proton irradiations were about 20 times higher than for the 10 MeV proton irradiations. The defect El0, observed here after irradiation, has been shown to act as a donor in irradiated n-type InP and may be responsible for obscuring carrier removal. The results of this study are consistent with the much greater damage produced by low energy protons whose limited range causes them to stop in the active region of the solar cell.

Rybicki, George↗
DOE OSTI2025

Diffusion Quantum Monte Carlo Benchmarking of Magnetic Moments in MnBi 2 Te 4

The intrinsically antiferromagnetic topological insulator, MnBi 2 Te 4 (MBT), has garnered significant attention recently due to its potential to host numerous exotic topological quantum states. Unfortunately, their consistent realization has been hindered by intrinsic antisite defects among the Mn and Bi sublattices. In this work, we establish Mn magnetization of pristine MBT through high level diffusion Monte Carlo calculations, which can serve as a precise starting point for various models to estimate antisite defect concentrations in actual MBT samples. The benchmark quality of DMC calculations is further identified from out model estimating antisite defect concentrations, which combines the benchmarked Mn magnetization with data from magnetic susceptibility and intermediate field magnetization measurements. This reproduces well Bi Mn and Mn Bi concentrations measured in the experiments. Here, we anticipate these theoretically based magnetic purity measures may be used as minimization targets in cycles of refinement to synthesize MBT with low antisite defect concentrations and more reproducible topological properties.

Defects↗
DOE OSTI2026

Effect of macroscopic surface defects on dynamic damage: An experimental and numerical study

This study examines the impact of macroscopic surface defects on the dynamic ductile damage behavior of polycrystalline metals using plate-impact experiments. Defects of various shapes (flat, round, and point) were manufactured on the free or impact surfaces of annealed copper specimens. The experiments were diagnosed with photon Doppler velocimetry measurements and soft recovery techniques. The experimental results revealed that defect shape and location significantly affect velocity–time profiles and void distribution. In order to understand the dynamics of shock propagation and corresponding ductile damage evolution within the target specimens, the impact experiments were modeled with a calibrated Tepla model, a dynamic ductile damage model for polycrystalline metals [Nguyen et al., Int. J. Solids Struct. 329, 113833 (2026)]. Overall, our resulting simulated velocity showed good agreement with measured velocity, and our simulated porosity distributions qualitatively matched experimental data. Based on our simulation results, defects on the free surface were found to distort rarefaction waves and therefore the corresponding spall planes. On the other hand, defects on the impact surface generated a delayed shock when the flyer plate and the defected target area were in contact, leading to distortion of the spall plane. The distortion of the spall plane resulted in a non-uniform distribution of voids within the defected specimens. Lastly, we examined the role of local work hardening due to the defect manufacturing process on the velocity and porosity distribution, using Tepla simulations with a simplified representation of local hardening. This investigation highlights the importance of defect geometry, location, and local hardening associated with defect generation in dynamic ductile damage processes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Radiative Defects in Chloride-Activated CdSe Thin Films

Defect recombination limits wide-gap Se-based chalcogenide devices, yet how chloride activation reshapes radiative pathways remains unclear. Here we show that a 40 min CdCl 2 anneal converts evaporated CdSe from porous nanograins into dense micrometer-scale polycrystals and sharpens the optical band edge, reducing the Urbach energy from 85 to 17 meV at 300 K. Combining temperature- and fluence-dependent photoluminescence (PL), time-resolved PL, hyperspectral mapping, and hybrid-DFT, we resolve three emissive channels and identify their mechanisms. The near-edge band is excitonic at low temperature and evolves into free-carrier emission at elevated temperature. A sub-gap band at E g −0.45 eV requires above-gap carriers and thermally quenches with a 0.16 eV activation energy. A broad ∼1.05 eV infrared band is excited by above- and below-gap photons and retains microsecond lifetimes at room temperature; patial mapping links it to edge-rich microstructure. Calculations suggest selenium-vacancy and cadmium-vacancy−chlorine complexes, pointing to routes to suppress defect-related losses in wide-gap chalcogenide devices.

Abudulimu, Abasi [Univ. of Toledo, OH (United Stat↗
NASA NTRS2004

Web Growth Used to Confine Screw Dislocations to Predetermined Lateral Positions in 4H-SiC Epilayers

Silicon-carbide- (SiC-) based power devices could enable substantial aerospace electronics benefits over today's silicon-based electronics. However, present-day SiC wafers contain electrically harmful dislocations (including micropipes) that are unpredictably distributed in high densities across all commercial 4H- and 6H-SiC wafers. The NASA Glenn Research Center recently demonstrated a crystal growth process that moves SiC wafer dislocations to predetermined lateral positions in epitaxial layers so that they can be reproducibly avoided during subsequent SiC electronic device fabrication. The process starts by reactive ion etching mesa patterns with enclosed trench regions into commercial on-axis (0001) 4H- or 6H-SiC substrates. An example of a pregrowth mesa geometry with six enclosed triangular-shaped trench regions is shown. After the etch mask is stripped, homoepitaxial growth is carried out in pure stepflow conditions that enable thin cantilevers to grow laterally from the tops of mesas whose pregrowth top surfaces are not threaded by substrate screw dislocations. The image in the bottom figure shows the postgrowth structure that forms after the lateral cantilevers expand to coalesce and completely roof over each of the six triangular trench regions. Atomic force microscope (AFM) measurements of the roof revealed that three elementary screw dislocation growth spirals, each shown in the AFM insets of the bottom image on the previous page, formed in the film roof at three respective points of cantilever film coalescence. The image above shows the structure following an etch in molten potassium hydroxide (KOH) that produced surface etch pits at the dislocation defects. The larger KOH etch pits--S1, S2, and S3--shown in this image correspond to screw dislocations relocated to the final points of cantilever coalescence. The smaller KOH etch pits are consistent with epilayer threading edge dislocations from the pregrowth substrate mesa (P1, P3, and P4) and a final cantilever coalescence point (P2). No defects (i.e., no etch pits) are observed in other cantilevered portions of the film surface. On the basis of the principle of dislocation Burgers vector conservation, we hypothesize that all vertically propagating substrate dislocations in an enclosed trench region become combined into a single dislocation in the webbed film roof at the point of final roof coalescence. The point of final roof coalescence, and therefore the lateral location of a webbed roof dislocation, can be designed into the pregrowth mesa pattern. Screw dislocations with predetermined lateral positions can then be used to provide the new growth steps necessary for growing a 4H/6H-SiC epilayer with a lower dislocation density than the substrate. Devices fabricated on top of such films can be positioned to avoid the preplaced dislocations.

Powell, J. Anthony↗