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NASA NTRS2010

Integrity Monitoring of Mercury Discharge Lamps

Mercury discharge lamps are critical in many trapped ion frequency standard applications. An integrity monitoring system can be implemented using end-of-life signatures observed in operational mercury discharge lamps, making it possible to forecast imminent failure and to take action to mitigate the consequences (such as switching to a redundant system). Mercury lamps are used as a source of 194-nm ultraviolet radiation for optical pumping and state selection of mercury trapped ion frequency standards. Lamps are typically fabricated using 202Hg distilled into high-purity quartz, or other 194-nm transmitting material (e.g., sapphire). A buffer gas is also placed into the bulb, typically a noble gas such as argon, neon, or krypton. The bulbs are driven by strong RF fields oscillating at .200 MHz. The lamp output may age over time by two internal mechanisms: (1) the darkening of the bulb that attenuates light transmission and (2) the loss of mercury due to migration or chemical interactions with the bulb surface. During fabrication, excess mercury is placed into a bulb, so that the loss rate is compensated with new mercury emanating from a cool tip or adjacent reservoir. The light output is nearly constant or varies slightly at a constant rate for many months/years until the mercury source is depleted. At this point, the vapor pressure abruptly falls and the total light output and atomic clock SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) decrease. After several days to weeks, the light levels decrease to a point where the atomic clock SNR is no longer sufficient to stay in lock, or the lamp self-extinguishes. This signature has been observed in four separate end-of-life lamp failures while operating in the Deep Space Network (DSN). A simple integrator circuit can observe and document steady-state lamp behavior. When the light levels drop over a predetermined time interval by a specified amount (e.g., 20 percent), an alarm is set. For critical operational applications, such as the DSN or in space flight, this warning provides notice that a failure may be imminent, and for operators or control algorithm to take action.

Tjoelker, Robert L.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Performance Of Superconducting-Cavity Maser

Report describes experiments on operation of superconducting-cavity maser - all-cryogenic oscillator. Operates with degree of stability, at short measuring times, superior to that achievable by any other means. All components designed for cryogenic operation and stabilizing cavity very rigid, consisting of sapphire filling coated with lead.

Dick, G. John↗

NASA NTRS1972

Optical contact approach to laser rod support.

The successful application of an optical contact is described between a ruby laser rod that has no mechanical support and a sapphire rod. The contact is found to be durable in the environmental conditions associated with a high-power pulsed ruby laser. The described contact technique makes it possible to construct a laser oscillator using an ellipsoidal pump mirror that does not employ dielectric coatings in the cavity. Another advantage consists in that the ruby laser is not shaded from the pump light by mounting jigs at its ends.

Gurski, T. R.↗

NASA NTRS2010

High Q Miniature Sapphire Acoustic Resonator

We have demonstrated high Q measurements in a room temperature Miniature Sapphire Acoustic Resonator (MSAR). Initial measurements of bulk acoustic modes in room temperature sapphire at 39 MHz have demonstrated a Q of 8.8 x 10(exp 6). The long term goal of this work is to integrate such a high Q resonator with small, low noise quartz oscillator electronics, providing a fractional frequency stability better than 1 x 10(exp -14) @ 1s.

oscillator↗

NASA NTRS1976

Dielectric breakdown induced by picosecond laser pulses

The damage thresholds of transparent optical materials were investigated. Single picosecond pulses at 1.06 microns, 0.53 microns and 0.35 microns were obtained from a mode locked Nd-YAG oscillator-amplifier-frequency multiplier system. The pulses were Gaussian in space and time and permitted the determination of breakdown thresholds with a reproducibility of 15%. It was shown that the breakdown thresholds are characteristic of the bulk material, which included nine alkali halides, five different laser host materials, KDP, quartz, sapphire and calcium fluoride. The extension of the damage data to the ultraviolet is significant, because some indication was obtained that two- and three-photon absorption processes begin to play a role in determining the threshold. Throughout the visible region of the spectrum the threshold is still an increasing function of frequency, indicating that avalanche ionization is the dominant factor in determining the breakdown threshold. This was confirmed by a detailed study of the damage morphology with a high resolution microscope just above the threshold. The influence of self focusing is discussed, and evidence for beam distortion below the power threshold for complete self focusing is presented, confirming the theory of Marburger.

Smith, W. L.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Microwave Resonators Containing Diamond Disks

Synthetic diamond dielectric bodies proposed for use in cylindrical resonators helping to stabilize frequencies of some microwave oscillators. Acting in conjunction with metal resonator cavities in which mounted, such dielectric bodies support "whispering-gallery" waveguide modes characterized by desired frequencies of resonance and by electro-magnetic-field configurations limiting dissipation of power on metal surfaces outside dielectric bodies. Performances at room temperature might exceed those of liquid-nitrogen-cooled sapphire-based resonators.

Dick, G. John↗

NASA NTRS2000

Current Status of Thin Film (Ba,Sr) TiO3 Tunable Microwave Components for RF Communications

The performance of proof-of-concept ferroelectric microwave devices has been moving steadily closer to the level needed for satellite and other rf communications applications. This paper will review recent progress at NASA Glenn in developing thin film Ba(x)Sr(1-x)TiO3 tunable microwave components for these applications. Phase shifters for phased array antennas, tunable filters and tunable oscillators employing microstrip and coupled microstrip configurations will be presented. Tunabilities, maximum dielectric constants, and phase shifter parameters will be discussed (e.g., coupled microstrip phase shifters with phase shift over 200 deg. at 18 GHz and a figure of merit of 74.3 deg./dB). Issues of postannealing, Mn-doping and Ba(x)Sr(1-x)TiO3 growth on sapphire and alumina substrates will be covered. The challenges of incorporating these devices into larger systems, such as yield, variability in phase shift and insertion loss, and protective coatings will also be addressed.

VanKeuls, F. W.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Current Status of Thin Film (Ba,Sr)TiO3 Tunable Microwave Components for RF Communications

The performance of proof-of-concept ferroelectric microwave devices has been moving steadily closer to the level needed for satellite and other rf communications applications. This paper will review recent progress at NASA Glenn in developing thin film Ba(x)Sr(1-x)TiO3 tunable micro-wave components for these applications. Phase shifters for phased array antennas, tunable filters and tunable oscillators employing microstrip and coupled microstrip configurations will be presented. Tunabilities, maximum dielectric constants, and phase shifter parameters will be discussed (e.g., coupled microstrip phase shifters with phase shift over 200 deg at 18 GHz and a figure of merit of 74.3 deg/dB). Issues of post-annealing, Mn-doping and Ba(x)Sr(1-x) TiO3 growth on sapphire and alumina substrates will be covered. The challenges of incorporating these devices into larger systems, such as yield, variability in phase shift and insertion loss, and protective coatings will also be addressed.

VanKeuls, F. W.↗

NASA NTRS2003

High Electron Mobility in SiGe/Si n-MODFET Structures on Sapphire Substrates

For the first time, SiGe/Si n-Modulation Doped Field Effect Transistors (n-MODFET) structures have been grown on sapphire substrates. Room temperature electron mobility value of 1271 square centimeters N-sec at an electron carrier density (n(sub e) = 1.33x10(exp 12) per square centimeter)) of 1.6 x 10(exp 12) per square centimeter was obtained. At 250 mK, the mobility increases to 13,313 square centimeters/V-sec (n(sub e)=1.33x10(exp 12) per square centimeter)) and Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations appear, showing excellent confinement of the two-dimensional electron gas.

Mueller, Carl H.↗

NASA NTRS2004

High Electron Mobility SiGe/Si Transistor Structures on Sapphire Substrates

SiGe/Si n-type modulation doped field effect structures and transistors (n-MODFETs) have been fabricated on r-plane sapphire substrates. The structures were deposited using molecular beam epitaxy, and antimony dopants were incorporated via a delta doping process. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) indicates that the peak antimony concentration was approximately 4 x 10(exp 19) per cubic centimeter. At these two temperatures, the electron carrier densities were 1.6 and 1.33 x 10(exp 12) per square centimeter, thus demonstrating that carrier confinement was excellent. Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations were observed at 0.25 K, thus confirming the two-dimensional nature of the carriers. Transistors, with gate lengths varying from 1 micron to 5 microns, were fabricated using these structures and dc characterization was performed at room temperature. The saturated drain current region extended over a wide source-to-drain voltage (V (sub DS)) range, with V (sub DS) knee voltages of approximately 0.5 V and increased leakage starting at voltages slightly higher than 4 V.

Alterovitz, Samuel A.↗

NASA NTRS2003

High Electron Mobility SiGe/Si Transistor Structures on Sapphire Substrates

SiGe/Si n-type modulation doped field effect structures and transistors (n-MODFETs) have been fabricated on r-plane sapphire substrates. The structures were deposited using molecular beam epitaxy, and antimony dopants were incorporated via a delta doping process. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) indicates that the peak antimony, concentration was approximately 4 x 10(exp19) per cubic cm. The electron mobility was over 1,200 and 13,000 sq cm/V-sec at room temperature and 0.25 K, respectively. At these two temperatures, the electron carrier densities were 1.6 and 1.33 x 10(exp 12) per sq cm, thus demonstrating that carrier confinement was excellent. Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations were observed at 0.25 K, thus confirming the two-dimensional nature of the carriers. Transistors, with gate lengths varying from 1 micron to 5 microns, were fabricated using these structures and dc characterization was performed at room temperature. The saturated drain current region extended over a wide source-to-drain voltage (V(sub DS)) range, with (V(sub DS)) knee voltages of approximately 0.5 V and increased leakage starting at voltages slightly higher than 4 V.

Alterovitz, Samuel A.↗

NASA NTRS2009

NASA Tech Briefs, November 2009

Topics covered include: Cryogenic Chamber for Servo-Hydraulic Materials Testing; Apparatus Measures Thermal Conductance Through a Thin Sample from Cryogenic to Room Temperature; Rover Attitude and Pointing System Simulation Testbed; Desktop Application Program to Simulate Cargo-Air-Drop Tests; Multimodal Friction Ignition Tester; Small-Bolt Torque-Tension Tester; Integrated Spacesuit Audio System Enhances Speech Quality and Reduces Noise; Hardware Implementation of a Bilateral Subtraction Filter; Simple Optoelectronic Feedback in Microwave Oscillators; Small X-Band Oscillator Antennas; Free-Space Optical Interconnect Employing VCSEL Diodes; Discrete Fourier Transform Analysis in a Complex Vector Space; Miniature Scroll Pumps Fabricated by LIGA; Self-Assembling, Flexible, Pre-Ceramic Composite Preforms; Flight-speed Integral Image Analysis Toolkit; Work Coordination Engine; Multi-Mission Automated Task Invocation Subsystem; Autonomously Calibrating a Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer; Determining Spacecraft Reaction Wheel Friction Parameters; Composite Silica Aerogels Opacified with Titania; Multiplexed Colorimetric Solid-Phase Extraction; Detecting Airborne Mercury by Use of Polymer/Carbon Films; Lattice-Matched Semiconductor Layers on Single Crystalline Sapphire Substrate; Pressure-Energized Seal Rings to Better Withstand Flows; Rollerjaw Rock Crusher; Microwave Sterilization and Depyrogenation System; Quantifying Therapeutic and Diagnostic Efficacy in 2D Microvascular Images; NiF2/NaF:CaF2/Ca Solid-State High-Temperature Battery Cells; Critical Coupling Between Optical Fibers and WGM Resonators; Microwave Temperature Profiler Mounted in a Standard Airborne Research Canister; Alternative Determination of Density of the Titan Atmosphere; Solar Rejection Filter for Large Telescopes; Automated CFD for Generation of Airfoil Performance Tables; Progressive Classification Using Support Vector Machines; Active Learning with Irrelevant Examples; A Data Matrix Method for Improving the Quantification of Element Percentages of SEM/EDX Analysis; Deployable Shroud for the International X-Ray Observatory; Improved Model of a Mercury Ring Damper; Optoelectronic pH Meter: Further Details; X-38 Advanced Sublimator; and Solar Simulator Represents the Mars Surface Solar Environment.

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NASA NTRS1992

Comparison of eye-safe solid state laser DIAL with passive gas filter correlation measurements from aircraft and spacecraft

Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) using solid state Ti:sapphire lasers finds current application in the NASA/LASE Project for H2O vapor measurements in the approximately = 0.820 micron region for the lower and mid-troposphere and in potential future applications in planned measurements of the approximately = 0.940 micron region where both strong and weak absorption lines enables measurements throughout the troposphere and lower stratosphere. The challenge exists to perform measurements in the eye-safe greater than 1.5 micron region. A comparison between DIAL and passive Gas Filter Correlation Radiometer (GFCR) measurements is made. The essence of the differences in signal to noise ratio for DIAL and passive GFCR measurements is examined. The state of the art of lasers and optical parametric oscillators (OPO's) is discussed.

Hess, Robert V.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Solar Pumped High Power Solid State Laser for Space Applications

Highly coherent laser light provides a nearly optimal means of transmitting power in space. The simplest most direct means of converting sunlight to coherent laser light is a solar pumped laser oscillator. A key need for broadly useful space solar power is a robust solid state laser oscillator capable of operating efficiently in near Earth space at output powers in the multi hundred kilowatt range. The principal challenges in realizing such solar pumped laser oscillators are: (1) the need to remove heat from the solid state laser material without introducing unacceptable thermal shock, thermal lensing, or thermal stress induced birefringence to a degree that improves on current removal rates by several orders of magnitude and (2) to introduce sunlight at an effective concentration (kW/sq cm of laser cross sectional area) that is several orders of magnitude higher than currently available while tolerating a pointing error of the spacecraft of several degrees. We discuss strategies for addressing these challenges. The need to remove the high densities of heat, e.g., 30 kW/cu cm, while keeping the thermal shock, thermal lensing and thermal stress induced birefringence loss sufficiently low is addressed in terms of a novel use of diamond integrated with the laser material, such as Ti:sapphire in a manner such that the waste heat is removed from the laser medium in an axial direction and in the diamond in a radial direction. We discuss means for concentrating sunlight to an effective areal density of the order of 30 kW/sq cm. The method integrates conventional imaging optics, non-imaging optics and nonlinear optics. In effect we use a method that combines some of the methods of optical pumping solid state materials and optical fiber, but also address laser media having areas sufficiently large, e.g., 1 cm diameter to handle the multi-hundred kilowatt level powers needed for space solar power.

Fork, Richard L.↗

NASA NTRS2012

NASA Tech Briefs, October 2012

Topics discussed include: Detection of Chemical Precursors of Explosives; Detecting Methane From Leaking Pipelines and as Greenhouse Gas in the Atmosphere; Onboard Sensor Data Qualification in Human-Rated Launch Vehicles; Rugged, Portable, Real-Time Optical Gaseous Analyzer for Hydrogen Fluoride; A Probabilistic Mass Estimation Algorithm for a Novel 7-Channel Capacitive Sample Verification Sensor; Low-Power Architecture for an Optical Life Gas Analyzer; Online Cable Tester and Rerouter; A Three-Frequency Feed for Millimeter-Wave Radiometry; Capacitance Probe Resonator for Multichannel Electrometer; Inverted Three-Junction Tandem Thermophotovoltaic Modules; Fabrication of Single Crystal MgO Capsules; Inflatable Hangar for Assembly of Large Structures in Space; Mars Aqueous Processing System; Hybrid Filter Membrane; Design for the Structure and the Mechanics of Moballs; Pressure Dome for High-Pressure Electrolyzer; Cascading Tesla Oscillating Flow Diode for Stirling Engine Gas Bearings; Compact, Low-Force, Low-Noise Linear Actuator; Ultra-Compact Motor Controller; Extreme Ionizing-Radiation-Resistant Bacterium; Wideband Single-Crystal Transducer for Bone Characterization; Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting of Live Versus Dead Bacterial Cells and Spores; Nonhazardous Urine Pretreatment Method; Laser-Ranging Transponders for Science Investigations of the Moon and Mars; Ka-Band Waveguide Three-Way Serial Combiner for MMIC Amplifiers; Structural Health Monitoring with Fiber Bragg Grating and Piezo Arrays; Low-Gain Circularly Polarized Antenna with Torus-Shaped Pattern; Stereo and IMU- Assisted Visual Odometry for Small Robots; Global Swath and Gridded Data Tiling; GOES-R: Satellite Insight; Aquarius iPhone Application; Monitoring of International Space Station Telemetry Using Shewhart Control Charts; Theory of a Traveling Wave Feed for a Planar Slot Array Antenna; Time Manager Software for a Flight Processor; Simulation of Oxygen Disintegration and Mixing With Hydrogen or Helium at Supercritical Pressure; A Superfluid Pulse Tube Refrigerator Without Moving Parts for Sub-Kelvin Cooling; Sapphire Viewports for a Venus Probe; The Mobile Chamber; Electric Propulsion Induced Secondary Mass Spectroscopy; and Radiation-Tolerant DC-DC Converters.

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NASA NTRS2011

NASA Tech Briefs, January 2011

The topics include: 1) Distributed Aerodynamic Sensing and Processing Toolbox; 2) Collaborative Supervised Learning for Sensor Networks; 3) Hazard Detection Software for Lunar Landing; 4) Onboard Nonlinear Engine Sensor and Component Fault Diagnosis and Isolation Scheme; 5) Network-Capable Application Process and Wireless Intelligent Sensors for ISHM; 6) Interface Supports Multiple Broadcast Transceivers for Flight Applications; 7) FPGA Sequencer for Radar Altimeter Applications; 8) Miniature Sapphire Acoustic Resonator - MSAR; 9) Process-Hardened, Multi-Analyte Sensor for Characterizing Rocket Plume Constituents; 10) SAD5 Stereo Correlation Line-Striping in an FPGA; 11) Hybrid Composite Cryogenic Tank Structure; 12) Nanoscale Deformable Optics; 13) Reliability-Based Design Optimization of a Composite Airframe Component; 14) Zinc Oxide Nanowire Interphase for Enhanced Lightweight Polymer Fiber Composites; 15) Plasma Igniter for Reliable Ignition of Combustion in Rocket Engines; 16) Wire Test Grip Fixture; 17) A Sub-Hertz, Low-Frequency Vibration Isolation Platform; 18) Carbon Nanofibers Synthesized on Selective Substrates for Nonvolatile Memory and 3D Electronics; 19) Nanoparticle/Polymer Nanocomposite Bond Coat or Coating; 20) High-Resolution Wind Measurements for Offshore Wind Energy Development; 21) Spring Tire; 22) Marsviewer 2008; 23) Mission Services Evolution Center Message Bus; 24) Major Constituents Analysis for the Vehicle Cabin Atmosphere Monitor; 25) Astronaut Health Participant Summary Application; 26) Adaption of the AMDIS Method to Flight Status on the VCAM Instrument; 27) Natural Language Interface for Safety Certification of Safety-Critical Software; 28) Cryogenic Caging for Science Instrumentation; 29) Wide-Range Neutron Detector for Space Nuclear Applications; 30) In Situ Guided Wave Structural Health Monitoring System; 31) Multiplexed Energy Coupler for Rotating Equipment; 32) Attitude Estimation in Fractionated Spacecraft Cluster Systems; 33) Full Piezoelectric Multilayer-Stacked Hybrid Actuation/Transduction Systems; 34) Active Flow Effectors for Noise and Separation Control; 35) Method and System for Temporal Filtering in Video Compression Systems; 36) Apparatus for Measuring Total Emissivity of Small, Low-Emissivity Samples; 37) Multiple-Zone Diffractive Optic Element for Laser Ranging Applications; 38) Simplified Architecture for Precise Aiming of a Deep-Space Communication Laser Transceiver; 39) Two-Photon-Absorption Scheme for Optical Beam Tracking; 40) High-Sensitivity, Broad-Range Vacuum Gauge Using Nanotubes for Micromachined Cavities; 41) Wide-Field Optic for Autonomous Acquisition of Laser Link; 42) Extracting Zero-Gravity Surface Figure of a Mirror; 43) Modeling Electromagnetic Scattering From Complex Inhomogeneous Objects; 44) Visual Object Recognition and Tracking of Tools; 45) Method for Implementing Optical Phase Adjustment; 46) Visual SLAM Using Variance Grid Maps; 47) Rapid Calculation of Spacecraft Trajectories Using Efficient Taylor Series Integration; 48) Efficient Kriging Algorithms; 49) Predicting Spacecraft Trajectories by the WeavEncke Method; 50) An Augmentation of G-Guidance Algorithms; 51) Comparison of Aircraft Icing Growth Assessment Software; 52) Silicon-Germanium Voltage-Controlled Oscillator at 105 GHz; 53) Estimation of Coriolis Force and Torque Acting on Ares-1; 54) Null Lens Assembly for X-Ray Mirror Segments; and 55) High-Precision Pulse Generator.

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