Results for “laser methods” — Page 36

DOE OSTI2019

Laser ablation synthesis of silver nanoparticles in water and dependence on laser nature

Silver nanoparticles have been synthesized by a one step, easy, fast and green method. The nanoparticles were prepared in de-ionized water by laser ablation method using two lasers, a continuous wave (CW) diode laser and a pulsed Nd:YAG laser. The purpose of the experiment is to compare the role of nature of the laser for production of better NPs. The prepared silver nanoparticles were characterized for their, structural, physical and optical properties. The structural properties of the synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray Diffraction and the nanoparticles were found to be crystalline. The physical properties were analyzed by Atomic Force Microscopy which confirmed spherical and nanometer sized nanoparticles. The average size was 20 nm and 9 nm for continuous and pulsed laser respectively. The optical properties were analyzed by UV–Visible spectroscopy where band gap energy was investigated and increase in band gap energy as compared to bulk was observed. The green nature of laser ablation method, surface chemistry and chemical contamination of the surface of prepared nanoparticles were analyzed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. The thermal conductivity of the nanoparticles colloidal solutions (nanofluids) was calculated and an enhancement of 16% and 27% was observed for CW and pulsed laser prepared nanofluids respectively as compared to base liquid (de-ionized water).

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2018

Implementation and application of the peak scaling method for temperature measurement in the laser heated diamond anvil cell

In this work, a new design for a double-sided high-pressure diamond anvil cell laser heating set-up is described. The prototype is deployed at beamline 12.2.2 of the Advanced Light Source at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. Our compact design features shortened mechanical lever arms, which results in more stable imaging optics, and thus more user friendly and more reliable temperature measurements based on pyrometry. A modification of the peak scaling method was implemented for pyrometry, including an iterative method to determine the absolute peak temperature, thus allowing for quasi-real time temperature mapping of the actual hotspot within a laser-heated diamond anvil cell without any assumptions on shape, size, and symmetry of the hotspot and without any assumptions to the relationship between fitted temperature and peak temperature. This is important since we show that the relationship between peak temperature and temperature obtained by fitting the Planck function against the thermal emission spectrum averaged over the entire hotspot is not constant but depends on variable fitting parameters (in particular, the size and position of the fitting window). The accuracy of the method is confirmed through measuring melting points of metal wires at ambient pressure. Having absolute temperature maps in real time allows for more differentiated analyses of laser heating experiments. Finally, we present such an example of the pressure variations within a heated hotspot of AgI at a loaded base pressure of 3.8 GPa.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2013

System and method for measuring particles in a sample stream of a flow cytometer using a low power laser source

A system and method for analyzing a particle in a sample stream of a flow cytometer or the like. The system has a light source, such as a laser pointer module, for generating a low powered light beam and a fluidics apparatus which is configured to transport particles in the sample stream at substantially low velocity through the light beam for interrogation. Detectors, such as photomultiplier tubes, are configured to detect optical signals generated in response to the light beam impinging the particles. Signal conditioning circuitry is connected to each of the detectors to condition each detector output into electronic signals for processing and is designed to have a limited frequency response to filter high frequency noise from the detector output signals.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

DOE OSTI2014

System and method for measuring particles in a sample stream of a flow cytometer using low-power laser source

A system and method for analyzing a particle in a sample stream of a flow cytometer or the like. The system has a light source, such as a laser pointer module, for generating a low powered light beam and a fluidics apparatus which is configured to transport particles in the sample stream at substantially low velocity through the light beam for interrogation. Detectors, such as photomultiplier tubes, are configured to detect optical signals generated in response to the light beam impinging the particles. Signal conditioning circuitry is connected to each of the detectors to condition each detector output into electronic signals for processing and is designed to have a limited frequency response to filter high frequency noise from the detector output signals.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

DOE OSTI2016

System and method for measuring particles in a sample stream of a flow cytometer using low-power laser source

A system and method for analyzing a particle in a sample stream of a flow cytometer or the like. The system has a light source, such as a laser pointer module, for generating a low powered light beam and a fluidics apparatus which is configured to transport particles in the sample stream at substantially low velocity through the light beam for interrogation. Detectors, such as photomultiplier tubes, are configured to detect optical signals generated in response to the light beam impinging the particles. Signal conditioning circuitry is connected to each of the detectors to condition each detector output into electronic signals for processing and is designed to have a limited frequency response to filter high frequency noise from the detector output signals.

Graves, Steven W.↗

DOE OSTI2023

Additive Manufacturing for Powering the Blue Economy Applications: A Tidal Turbine Blade Case Study: Preprint

As the marine renewable energy industry continues to expand, innovation in the manufacturing space must grow accordingly to reduce costs and ensure the economic feasibility of new technologies. Additive manufacturing, more commonly known as 3D printing, provides an alternative for rapid prototyping of marine hydrokinetic technologies, particularly supporting Powering the Blue Economy initiatives of the U.S. Department of Energy Water Power Technologies Office. This study explores the application of additive manufacturing in the development of marine hydrokinetic structures, focusing on material and printing method selection, design, and analysis of a 3D-printed spar for an axial-flow tidal turbine blade. Corrosion-resistant metals were deemed ideal due to the loads and harsh marine environment the blade would experience. Laser metal deposition methods were determined to be the most effective and scalable for the considered scale. The designed spar adapts its geometry to the blade - a feature uniquely suited to additive manufacturing - and is intended to serve as the blade's primary structural component. A finite element model was used to study stresses and deformations under loading conditions. The spar was manufactured using 316L stainless steel through direct energy deposition, and defects were assessed and recorded. Future efforts will include mechanical testing of the spar. This research establishes a benchmark process for using additive manufacturing in developing marine hydrokinetic structures, paving the way for future optimization and techno-economic analysis.

additive manufacturing↗

NASA NTRS1978

Inversion of the resonance line of Sr/+/ produced by optically pumping Sr atoms

A description is presented of an experiment which demonstrates the selective production of excited-state ions by an optical absorption from neutrals. An inversion on the resonance line of Sr(+) was produced by laser excitation of a two-electron transition, followed by ionization of one of the excited electrons by the same laser. A pulsed, mode-locked laser operating at 2680 A was used to excite atoms from the Sr ground level. The same laser then ionized the excited atoms. The 2680-A pump beam was generated by frequency doubling the output of a synchronously pumped mode-locked dye laser in a KDP crystal. It is pointed out that the reported results are significant for the construction of vacuum-ultraviolet and X-ray lasers. Many of the proposed methods for making such lasers depend on the selective production of excited-state ions.

Green, W. R.↗

DOE OSTI2012

Solar cell contact formation using laser ablation

The formation of solar cell contacts using a laser is described. A method of fabricating a back-contact solar cell includes forming a poly-crystalline material layer above a single-crystalline substrate. The method also includes forming a dielectric material stack above the poly-crystalline material layer. The method also includes forming, by laser ablation, a plurality of contacts holes in the dielectric material stack, each of the contact holes exposing a portion of the poly-crystalline material layer; and forming conductive contacts in the plurality of contact holes.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2014

Solar cell contact formation using laser ablation

The formation of solar cell contacts using a laser is described. A method of fabricating a back-contact solar cell includes forming a poly-crystalline material layer above a single-crystalline substrate. The method also includes forming a dielectric material stack above the poly-crystalline material layer. The method also includes forming, by laser ablation, a plurality of contacts holes in the dielectric material stack, each of the contact holes exposing a portion of the poly-crystalline materiat layer; and forming conductive contacts in the plurality of contact holes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2015

Solar cell contact formation using laser ablation

The formation of solar cell contacts using a laser is described. A method of fabricating a back-contact solar cell includes forming a poly-crystalline material layer above a single-crystalline substrate. The method also includes forming a dielectric material stack above the poly-crystalline material layer. The method also includes forming, by laser ablation, a plurality of contacts holes in the dielectric material stack, each of the contact holes exposing a portion of the poly-crystalline material layer; and forming conductive contacts in the plurality of contact holes.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2019

Solar cell contact formation using laser ablation

The formation of solar cell contacts using a laser is described. A method of fabricating a back-contact solar cell includes forming a poly-crystalline material layer above a single-crystalline substrate. The method also includes forming a dielectric material stack above the poly-crystalline material layer. The method also includes forming, by laser ablation, a plurality of contacts holes in the dielectric material stack, each of the contact holes exposing a portion of the poly-crystalline material layer; and forming conductive contacts in the plurality of contact holes.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2021

Solar cell having a plurality of conductive contacts

The formation of solar cell contacts using a laser is described. A method of fabricating a back-contact solar cell includes forming a poly-crystalline material layer above a single-crystalline substrate. The method also includes forming a dielectric material stack above the poly-crystalline material layer. The method also includes forming, by laser ablation, a plurality of contacts holes in the dielectric material stack, each of the contact holes exposing a portion of the poly-crystalline material layer; and forming conductive contacts in the plurality of contact holes.

Harley, Gabriel↗

NASA NTRS1981

Storage of ions from laser-produced plasmas

A method of storing large numbers of metal ions created in laser-produced plasmas is presented. The outer electrode of the electrostatic ion trap is designed to give a harmonic axial potential. The ions trapped by the technique included Be(+), C(+), Al(+), Fe(+), and Pb(+). The initial number of ions stored (2 x 10 to the 8th) appeared to be the trap maximum since increasing the laser power beyond 2-3 MW did not change the ion number. An initial rapid decay in the 30-50 msec range was generally followed by a long tail at the 10% level with times greater than 100 msec. The technique should be valuable for refractory elements which cannot be easily vaporized for electron impact ionization.

Knight, R. D.↗

DOE OSTI2016

Resolution-of-identity stochastic time-dependent configuration interaction for dissipative electron dynamics in strong fields

In this contribution, we introduce a method for simulating dissipative, ultrafast many-electron dynamics in intense laser fields. The method is based on the norm-conserving stochastic unraveling of the dissipative Liouville-von Neumann equation in its Lindblad form. The N-electron wave functions sampling the density matrix are represented in the basis of singly excited configuration state functions. The interaction with an external laser field is treated variationally and the response of the electronic density is included to all orders in this basis. The coupling to an external environment is included via relaxation operators inducing transition between the configuration state functions. Single electron ionization is represented by irreversible transition operators from the ionizing states to an auxiliary continuum state. The method finds its efficiency in the representation of the operators in the interaction picture, where the resolution-of-identity is used to reduce the size of the Hamiltonian eigenstate basis. The zeroth-order eigenstates can be obtained either at the configuration interaction singles level or from a time-dependent density functional theory reference calculation. The latter offers an alternative to explicitly time-dependent density functional theory which has the advantage of remaining strictly valid for strong field excitations while improving the description of the correlation as compared to configuration interaction singles. The method is tested on a well-characterized toy system, the excitation of the low-lying charge transfer state in LiCN.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2014

Surface polishing of niobium for superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavity applications

Niobium cavities are important components in modern particle accelerators based on superconducting radio frequency (SRF) technology. The interior of SRF cavities are cleaned and polished in order to produce high accelerating field and low power dissipation on the cavity wall. Current polishing methods, buffered chemical polishing (BCP) and electro-polishing (EP), have their advantages and limitations. We seek to improve current methods and explore laser polishing (LP) as a greener alternative of chemical methods. The topography and removal rate of BCP at different conditions (duration, temperature, sample orientation, flow rate) was studied with optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Differential etching on different crystal orientations is the main contributor to fine grain niobium BCP topography, with gas evolution playing a secondary role. The surface of single crystal and bi-crystal niobium is smooth even after heavy BCP. The topography of fine grain niobium depends on total removal. The removal rate increases with temperature and surface acid flow rate within the rage of 0~20 °C, with chemical reaction being the possible dominate rate control mechanism. Surface flow helps to regulate temperature and avoid gas accumulation on the surface. The effect of surface flow rate on niobium EP was studied with optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and power spectral density (PSD) analysis. Within the range of 0~3.7 cm/s, no significant difference was found on the removal rate and the macro roughness. Possible improvement on the micro roughness with increased surface flow rate was observed. The effect of fluence and pulse accumulation on niobium topography during LP was studied with optical microscopy, SEM, AFM, and PSD analysis. Polishing on micro scale was achieved within fluence range of 0.57~0.90 J/cm2, with pulse accumulation adjusted accordingly. Larger area treatment was proved possible by overlapping laser tracks at proper ratio. Comparison of topography and PSD indicates that LP smooths the surface in a way similar to EP. The optimized LP parameters were applied to different types of niobium surfaces representing different stages in cavity fabrication. LP reduces the sharpness on rough surfaces effectively, while doing no harm to smooth surfaces. Secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS) analysis showed that LP reduces the oxide layer slightly and no contamination occurred from LP. EBSD showed no significant change on crystal structure after LP.

Zhao, Liang↗

DOE OSTI2019

Dose‐dependent study of effects of 532‐nm continuous wave laser on rat skin: A mechanistic insight

Abstract Visible lasers emitting in the green spectral region are being routinely employed in various medical and defense fields namely treatment of pigmented lesions, tattoo inks, port wine stains, dazzling the target or mob dispersal. Despite their increasing applications, lasers also tend to pose occupational hazards to operators, ancillary personnel, individuals undergoing laser therapies. This study was aimed at investigating the effects of different doses of 532‐nm continuous wave laser on rat skin. The present study demonstrated that higher fluences of 532‐nm continuous wave (CW) laser induces significant tissue damage through induction of tumor necrosis factor‐α, cyclooxygenase‐2, tumor protein (p53), PARP 1, caspase3 which in turn leads to tissue damage and cell death. Furthermore, level of heat shock proteins, pAkt were found up‐regulated as a cope up response to laser‐induced stress. On the basis of the findings, irradiation with 532‐nm CW laser up to 2.5 J/cm 2 was found within the safe exposure limits. Thus, it is probably the first attempt to demonstrate the tissue damage induced by 532‐nm CW laser on skin, which may help in choosing safe laser dose for certain skin‐based applications and evolving methods to ameliorate laser‐inflicted injuries.

Bora, Kiran↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Mission Status, On-Orbit Performance, and Lessons Learned of the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) Lidar Laser Transmitters

The Global Ecosystems Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) Lidar, is a global 3-dimensional biomass lidar instrument aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM). Its core mission is to measure the global carbon balance of Earth’s forests with 3 laser transmitters using multi-beam waveform-capture methods. GEDI’s laser transmitter concept was originally funded by NASA Goddard’s Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) for future Earth Altimetry and Lidar missions ~ 20 years ago, and after a long road of development, the first flight-ready unit was a 10 mJ-class system for GEDI’s ISS-based specifications. Furthermore, no adjustment in drive parameters has been required nor significant decay detected after 4 years of near continuous operation of 3 on-board lasers, which were designed for a 2-year mission. We report on the GEDI laser design process, their on-orbit performance, the major lessons learned, and some critical insight into our in-house flight quality development process that enabled their delivery within budget, schedule, and low risk extended mission life capability.

D. Barry Coyle↗

DOE OSTI2012

Laser patterning and preferential orientation of two-dimensional planar {beta}-BaB{sub 2}O{sub 4} crystals on the glass surface

The laser-induced crystallization method is applied to pattern two-dimensional planar {beta}-BaB{sub 2}O{sub 4} crystals on the surface of Sm{sub 2}O{sub 3}-BaO-B{sub 2}O{sub 3} glass. By scanning Yb:YVO{sub 4} fiber lasers (wavelength: 1080 nm) continuously with a small step (0.5 {mu}m) between laser irradiated areas, homogeneous planar {beta}-BaB{sub 2}O{sub 4} crystals are patterned successfully, and a preferential growth orientation of {beta}-BaB{sub 2}O{sub 4} crystals is confirmed from linearly polarized micro-Raman scattering spectrum and second harmonic intensity measurements. It is found that the crystal growth direction is perpendicular to the laser scanning direction. This relation, i.e., the perpendicular relation, is different from the behavior in discrete crystal line patterning, where the crystal growth direction is consistent with the laser scanning direction. The present study proposes the possibility of the control of crystal growth direction in laser-induced crystallization in glasses. - Graphical abstract: This figure shows confocal scanning laser microscope and polarized optical microscope photographs for {beta}-BaB{sub 2}O{sub 4} crystals obtained by laser irradiations. The laser scanning was repeated with a step of 0.5 {mu}m between the lines using the condition of the power of P=0.8 W and a laser scanning speed of S=8 {mu}m/s. It is suggested that {beta}-BaB{sub 2}O{sub 4} crystals in the overlapped laser-irradiated region are highly oriented and the c-axis direction of {beta}-BaB{sub 2}O{sub 4} crystals is perpendicular to the laser scanning direction. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Laser-induced crystallization method is applied to pattern {beta}-BaB{sub 2}O{sub 4} crystals. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Two-dimensional planar crystals are patterned on the glass surface. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Preferential growth orientation of {beta}-BaB{sub 2}O{sub 4} crystals is confirmed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Crystal growth direction is perpendicular to the laser scanning direction.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗