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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 757 records · Page 42
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Topological features in the ferromagnetic Weyl semimetal CeAlSi: Role of domain walls

In the ferromagnetic (FM) Weyl semimetal CeAlSi both space-inversion and time-reversal symmetries are broken. Our quantum oscillation (QO) data indicate that the FM ordering modifies the Fermi-surface topology and also leads to an unusual drop in the QO amplitude. In the FM phase, we find a pressure-induced suppression of the anomalous and the loop Hall effects. This cannot be explained based on the electronic band structure or magnetic structure, both of which are nearly pressure independent. Instead, we show that a simplified model describing the scattering of Weyl fermions off FM domain walls can potentially explain the observed topological features. Our study highlights the importance of domain walls for understanding transport in FM Weyl semimetals.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Magnetism in the axion insulator candidate Eu 5 In 2 Sb 6

Eu 5 In 2 Sb 6 is a member of a family of orthorhombic nonsymmorphic rare-earth intermetallics that combines large localized magnetic moments and itinerant exchange with a low carrier density and perpendicular glide planes. This may result in special topological crystalline (wallpaper fermion) or axion insulating phases. Recent studies of Eu 5 In 2 Sb 6 single crystals have revealed colossal negative magnetoresistance and multiple magnetic phase transitions. Here, we clarify this ordering process using neutron scattering, resonant elastic x-ray scattering, muon spin-rotation, and magnetometry. The nonsymmorphic and multisite character of Eu 5 In 2 Sb 6 results in coplanar noncollinear magnetic structures with an Ising-like net magnetization along the a axis. A reordering transition, attributable to competing ferro- and antiferromagnetic couplings, manifests as the onset of a second commensurate Fourier component. In the absence of spatially resolved probes, the experimental evidence for this low-temperature state can be interpreted either as an unusual double- q structure or in a phase separation scenario. The net magnetization produces variable anisotropic hysteretic effects which also couple to charge transport. The implied potential for functional domain physics and topological transport suggests that this structural family may be a promising platform to implement concepts of topological antiferromagnetic spintronics. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Rahn, M. C. (ORCID:0000000174038288)↗
DOE OSTI2018

Material Properties of Zirconium Hydride Phases in Zircaloy-4 Getter Tubes Mapped by Atomic Force Microscopy

Nickel plated Zircaloy-4 tubing (“getter tubing”) is an important functional component in Tritium Producing Burnable Absorber Rods (TBPARs). Getter tubes are used to capture tritium produced during reactor operations and convert it from a gas to a solid by reacting it with Zr to form ZrHx compounds. Previous studies (PNNL-27232, TTP-8-004, and TTP-30710) on forming Zircaloy-4 hydrides demonstrated that hydride concentration gradients formed under prototypic hydriding conditions and that the microstructure of hydrides formed at 350°C is different than those formed at 500°C, a temperature typically used by the Tritium Technology Program (TTP) for getter rate loading experiments. Differences in hydride distribution, microstructure, and phases were characterize using scanning electron microscopy methods. However, the impact of these differences on material properties is not well understood. The goal of this project was to determine whether atomic force microscopy could observe subtle differences in material properties of single domains of hydride phases formed in Zircaloy-4. These properties include surface structure, hardness, thermal conductivity, and magnetic susceptibility.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
NASA NTRS1983

Scale lengths in quasi-parallel shocks

Examples of an interplanetary and the bow shock illustrate the small relative size of the electrostatic layer relative to the scale of the magnetic fluctuations in quasi-parallel shocks. While both examples are supercritical, the interplanetary example is marginally so, showing a thickness in absolute and convected ion larmor radii units that is thicker (approximately 13 U/omega sub ci) than at the bow shock (approximately omega sub ci). The fluid speed changes abruptly in the quasi-parallel shock on this shorter scale. The increase in electron and ion random energies also is clearly seen on this shorter scale. In the interplanetary example the scale of the electric layer is certainly less than 1/60th that of the up or downstreams magnetic fluctuations. The thickness of the earth's bow shock deceleration layer is dramatically narrower than any domain of upstream waves as controlled by reflected, intermediate, or diffuse ions.

Scudder, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Stirling Convertor System Dynamic Model Developed

Free-piston Stirling convertors are being developed for potential use on NASA exploration missions. In support of this effort, the NASA Glenn Research Center has developed the Stirling convertor System Dynamic Model (SDM). The SDM models the Stirling cycle thermodynamics; heat flow; gas, mechanical, and mounting dynamics; the linear alternator; and the controller. The SDM s scope extends from the thermal energy input to thermal, mechanical, and electrical energy output, allowing one to study complex system interactions among subsystems. Thermal, mechanical, fluid, magnetic, and electrical subsystems can be studied in one model. The SDM is a nonlinear time-domain model containing sub-cycle dynamics, which simulates transient and dynamic phenomena that other models cannot. The entire range of convertor operation is modeled, from startup to full-power conditions.

Lewandowski, Edward J.↗
DOE OSTI2025

On Alfvénic turbulence of solar wind streams observed by Solar Orbiter during March 2022 perihelion and their source regions

It has been recently accepted that the standard classification of the solar wind solely according to flow speed is outdated, and particular interest has been devoted to the study of the origin and evolution of so-called Alfvénic slow solar wind streams and to what extent such streams resemble or differ from fast wind. In March 2022, Solar Orbiter completed its first nominal phase perihelion passage. During this interval, it observed several Alfvénic streams, allowing for characterization of fluctuations in three slow wind intervals (AS1-AS3) and comparison with a fast wind stream (F) at almost the same heliocentric distance. This work makes use of Solar Orbiter plasma parameters from the Solar Wind Analyzer (SWA) and magnetic field measurements from the magnetometer (MAG). The magnetic connectivity to the solar sources of selected solar wind intervals was reconstructed using a ballistic extrapolation based on measured solar wind speed down to the (spherical) source surface at 2.5 R s below which a potential field extrapolation was used to map back to the Sun. The source regions were identified using SDO/AIA observations. A spectral analysis of in situ measured magnetic field and velocity fluctuations was performed to characterize correlations, Alfvénicity, normalized cross-helicity, and residual energy in the frequency domain as well as intermittency of the fluctuations and spectral energy transfer rate estimated via mixed third-order moments. A machine learning technique was used to separate proton core, proton beam, and alpha particles and to study v − b correlations for the different ion populations in order to evaluate the role played by each population in determining the Alfvénic content of solar wind fluctuations. The comparison between fast wind and Alfvénic slow wind intervals highlights the differences between the two solar wind regimes: The fast wind is characterized by larger amplitude fluctuations, and magnetic and velocity fluctuations are closer to equipartition of energy. In fact the Alfvénic slow wind streams appear to be on a spectrum of wind types, with AS1, originating from open field lines neighboring active regions and displaying similarities with the fast wind in terms of fluctuation amplitude and turbulence characteristics, but not with respect to the alpha particles and proton beams. The other two slow streams differed both in their sources as well as plasma characteristics, with AS2 coming from the expansion of a narrow coronal hole corridor and AS3 from a region straddling a pseudostreamer. The latter displayed the coldest and highest density but the slowest stream with the smallest fluctuation amplitude and greatest magnetic energy excess. It also showed the largest scatter in proton beam speeds and the greatest difference in speed between proton beam and alpha particles. This study shows how the old fast–slow solar wind dichotomy, already called into question by the observations of slower Alfvénic solar wind streams, should further be refined, as the Alfvénic slow wind, originating in different solar wind regions, show significant differences in density, temperature, and proton and alpha-particle properties in the inner heliosphere. The observations presented here provide the starting point for a better understanding of the origin and evolution of different solar wind streams as well as the evolving turbulence contained within.

magnetohydrodynamics (MHD)↗
DOE OSTI2022

Imaging mesoscopic antiferromagnetic spin textures in the dilute limit from single-geometry resonant coherent x-ray diffraction

The detection and manipulation of antiferromagnetic domains and topological antiferromagnetic textures are of central interest to solid-state physics. A fundamental step is identifying tools to probe the mesoscopic texture of an antiferromagnetic order parameter. In this work, we demonstrate that Bragg coherent diffractive imaging can be extended to study the mesoscopic texture of an antiferromagnetic order parameter using resonant magnetic x-ray scattering. We study the onset of the antiferromagnet transition in PrNiO 3 , focusing on a temperature regime in which the antiferromagnetic domains are dilute in the beam spot and the coherent diffraction pattern modulating the antiferromagnetic peak is greatly simplified. We demonstrate that it is possible to extract the arrangements and sizes of these domains from single diffraction patterns and show that the approach could be extended to a time-structured light source to study the motion of dilute domains or the motion of topological defects in an antiferromagnetic spin texture.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Stellarator equilibrium axis-expansion to all orders in distance from the axis for arbitrary plasma beta

A systematic theory of the asymptotic expansion of the magnetohydrostatics (MHS) equilibrium in the distance from the magnetic axis is developed to include arbitrary smooth currents near the magnetic axis. Compared with the vacuum and the force-free system, an additional magnetic differential equation must be solved to obtain the pressure-driven currents. It is shown that there exist variables in which the rest of the MHS system closely mimics the vacuum system. Thus, a unified treatment of MHS fields is possible. The mathematical structure of the near-axis expansions to arbitrary order is examined carefully to show that the double-periodicity of physical quantities in a toroidal domain can be satisfied order by order. The essential role played by the leading-order Birkhoff–Gustavson normal form in solving the magnetic differential equations is highlighted. Several explicit examples of vacuum, force-free and MHS equilibrium in different geometries are presented.

Physics↗
NASA NTRS2011

Broken Ergodicity in MHD Turbulence in a Spherical Domain

Broken ergodicity (BE) occurs in Fourier method numerical simulations of ideal, homogeneous, incompressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence. Although naive statistical theory predicts that Fourier coefficients of fluid velocity and magnetic field are zero-mean random variables, numerical simulations clearly show that low-wave-number coefficients have non-zero mean values that can be very large compared to the associated standard deviation. In other words, large-scale coherent structure (i.e., broken ergodicity) in homogeneous MHD turbulence can spontaneously grow out of random initial conditions. Eigenanalysis of the modal covariance matrices in the probability density functions of ideal statistical theory leads to a theoretical explanation of observed BE in homogeneous MHD turbulence. Since dissipation is minimal at the largest scales, BE is also relevant for resistive magnetofluids, as evidenced in numerical simulations. Here, we move beyond model magnetofluids confined by periodic boxes to examine BE in rotating magnetofluids in spherical domains using spherical harmonic expansions along with suitable boundary conditions. We present theoretical results for 3-D and 2-D spherical models and also present computational results from dynamical simulations of 2-D MHD turbulence on a rotating spherical surface. MHD turbulence on a 2-D sphere is affected by Coriolus forces, while MHD turbulence on a 2-D plane is not, so that 2-D spherical models are a useful (and simpler) intermediate stage on the path to understanding the much more complex 3-D spherical case.

Shebalin, John V.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Permutable SOS (symmetry operational similarity)

Abstract Based on symmetry consideration, quasi-one-dimensional (1D) objects, relevant to numerous observables or phenomena, can be classified into eight different types. We provide various examples of each 1D type and discuss their symmetry operational similarity (SOS) relationships, which are often permutable. A number of recent experimental observations, including current-induced magnetization in polar or chiral conductors, non-linear Hall effect in polar conductors, spin-polarization of tunneling current to chiral conductors, and ferro-rotational domain imaging with linear gyration are discussed in terms of (permutable) SOS. In addition, based on (permutable) SOS, we predict a large number of new phenomena in low symmetry materials that can be experimentally verified in the future.

Materials Science↗
DOE OSTI2025

Topological Defect Mediated Helical Phase Reorientation by Uniaxial Stress

Strain engineering enables precise, energy-efficient control of nanoscale magnetism. However, unlike well-studied strain-dislocation interactions in mechanical deformation, the spatial evolution of strain-induced spin rearrangement remains poorly understood. Using Lorentz transmission electron microscopy, we manipulate and observe helical domain reorientation under quantitatively applied uniaxial tensile stress. Our findings reveal striking similarity to plastic deformation in metals, where the critical stress for propagation vector ( Q ) reorientation depends on its angle with the stress direction. Magnetic defects mediate reorientation via “break-and-reconnect” or “dislocation gliding–annihilation” processes. Simulations confirm that strain-induced anisotropic Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction may play a key role. These insights advance strain-driven magnetism and offer a promising route for energy-efficient magnetic nanophase control in next-generation information technology. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Sub‐Nanosecond Reconfiguration of Ferroelectric Domains in Bismuth Ferrite

Abstract Domain switching is crucial for achieving desired functions in ferroic materials that are used in various applications. Fast control of domains at sub‐nanosecond timescales remains a challenge despite its potential for high‐speed operation in random‐access memories, photonic, and nanoelectronic devices. Here, ultrafast laser excitation is shown to transiently melt and reconfigure ferroelectric stripe domains in multiferroic bismuth ferrite on a timescale faster than 100 picoseconds. This dynamic behavior is visualized by picosecond‐ and nanometer‐resolved X‐ray diffraction and time‐resolved X‐ray diffuse scattering. The disordering of stripe domains is attributed to the screening of depolarization fields by photogenerated carriers resulting in the formation of charged domain walls, as supported by phase‐field simulations. Furthermore, the recovery of disordered domains exhibits subdiffusive growth on nanosecond timescales, with a non‐equilibrium domain velocity reaching up to 10 m s −1 . These findings present a new approach to image and manipulate ferroelectric domains on sub‐nanosecond timescales, which can be further extended into other complex photoferroic systems to modulate their electronic, optical, and magnetic properties beyond gigahertz frequencies. This approach could pave the way for high‐speed ferroelectric data storage and computing, and, more broadly, defines new approaches for visualizing the non‐equilibrium dynamics of heterogeneous and disordered materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1991

Finite Difference Time Domain Electromagnetic Scattering from Frequency-Dependent Lossy Materials

During this effort the tasks specified in the Statement of Work have been successfully completed. The extension of Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) to more complicated materials has been made. A three-dimensional FDTD code capable of modeling interactions with both dispersive dielectric and magnetic materials has been written, validated, and documented. This code is efficient and is capable of modeling interesting targets using a modest computer work station platform. However, in addition to the tasks in the Statement of Work, a significant number of other FDTD extensions and calculations have been made. RCS results for two different plate geometries have been reported. The FDTD method has been extended to computing far zone time domain results in two dimensions. Finally, the capability to model nonlinear materials has been incorporated into FDTD and validated. The FDTD computer codes developed have been supplied, along with documentation, and preprints describing the other FDTD advances have been included with this report as attachments.

Luebbers, Raymond J.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Magnetic behavior of manganese chloride on Kagome and honeycomb lattices

The magnetic properties of transparent pink Na 2 Mn 3 Cl 8 and NaMnCl3 are presented. For both phases, the effective magnetic moments are large, while the Curie-Weiss thetas are below 10 K. The compounds crystallize in the trigonal R-3m and R-3 space groups, respectively. A Kagome plane of Mn 2+ octahedrally coordinated to Cl- is found in Na 2 Mn 3 Cl 8 and the material has no apparent magnetic ordering above 1.8 K, while the octahedrally coordinated, honeycomb network of Mn 2+ in NaMnCl 3 orders antiferromagnetically at 6.3 ± 0.2 K. The heat capacity of NaMnCl3 has one transition, consistent with the susceptibility, while Na 2 Mn 3 Cl 8 exhibits a more complex heat capacity with two peaks, at 0.6 K and 1.4 K. A third, broad peak near 6.2 K in the heat capacity of Na 2 Mn 3 Cl 8 is problematic but may be due to the intergrowth of NaMnCl 3 domains.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1995

Reflectometer distance measurement between parallel conductive plates

This report presents an analytic and experimental investigation of the measurement problem in which a reflectometer is used to determine the distance to a target that is a highly conductive surface parallel to the reflectometer antenna ground plane. These parallel surfaces constitute a waveguide (WG) which can contribute parasitic perturbations that seriously degrade the accuracy of the measurements. Two distinct parallel-plate-waveguide (PPWG) phenomena are described, and their effects on both frequency and time-domain reflectometers are considered. The time-domain processing approach was found to be superior to a representative frequency-domain phase-measurement approach because of less susceptibility to perturbations produced by edge reflections and immunity to phase capture. Experimental results are presented which show that a simple radiating system modification can suppress parallel-plate (PP) propagation. The addition of a thin layer of lossy mu-metal 'magnetic absorber' to the antenna ground plane allowed a measurement accuracy of 0.025 cm (0.01 in.) when a vector network analyzer (VNA) is used as a time-domain reflectometer.

Hearn, Chase P.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Adaptive Hybridizable Discontinuous Galerkin discretization of the Grad–Shafranov equation by extension from polygonal subdomains

In this work, we propose a high-order adaptive numerical solver for the semilinear elliptic boundary value problem modeling magnetic plasma equilibrium in axisymmetric confinement devices. In the fixed boundary case, the equation is posed on curved domains with piecewise smooth curved boundaries that may present corners. The solution method we present is based on the hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin method and sidesteps the need for geometry-conforming triangulations thanks to a transfer technique that allows to approximate the solution using only a polygonal subset as computational domain. Moreover, the solver features automatic mesh refinement driven by a residual-based a posteriori error estimator. As the mesh is locally refined, the computational domain is automatically updated in order to always maintain the distance between the actual boundary and the computational boundary of the order of the local mesh diameter. Numerical evidence is presented of the suitability of the estimator as an approximate error measure for physically relevant equilibria with pressure pedestals, internal transport barriers, and current holes on realistic geometries.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2018

Two-dimensional itinerant ferromagnetism in atomically thin Fe 3 GeTe 2

Discoveries of intrinsic two-dimensional (2D) ferromagnetism in van der Waals (vdW) crystals provide an interesting arena for studying fundamental 2D magnetism and devices that employ localized spins1,2,3,4. However, an exfoliable vdW material that exhibits intrinsic 2D itinerant magnetism remains elusive. We demonstrate that Fe 3 GeTe 2 (FGT), an exfoliable vdW magnet, exhibits robust 2D ferromagnetism with strong perpendicular anisotropy when thinned down to a monolayer. Layer-number-dependent studies reveal a crossover from 3D to 2D Ising ferromagnetism for thicknesses less than 4 nm (five layers), accompanied by a fast drop of the Curie temperature (T C ) from 207 K to 130 K in the monolayer. For FGT flakes thicker than ~15 nm, a distinct magnetic behaviour emerges in an intermediate temperature range, which we show is due to the formation of labyrinthine domain patterns. Our work introduces an atomically thin ferromagnetic metal that could be useful for the study of controllable 2D itinerant ferromagnetism and for engineering spintronic vdW heterostructures5.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Partial antiferromagnetic helical order in single-crystal Fe 3 PO 4 O 3

Magnetic frustration in Fe 3 PO 4 O 3 produces an unusual magnetic state below T N =163 K, where incommensurate antiferromagnetic order is restricted to nanosized needle-like domains, as inferred from neutron powder diffraction. In this paper, we show using single-crystal neutron diffraction that Fe 3 PO 4 O 3 does not exhibit a preferred ordering wave vector direction in the ab plane despite having a well-defined ordering wave vector length. This results in the observation of continuous rings of scattering rather than satellite Bragg peaks. The lack of a preferred incommensurate ordering wave vector direction can be understood in terms of an antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model with nearest-neighbor (J 1 ) and second-neighbor (J 2 ) interactions, which produce a quasidegenerate manifold of ordering wave vectors. This state appears to be similar to the partially ordered phase of MnSi, but in Fe 3 PO 4 O 3 arises in a frustrated antiferromagnet rather than a chiral ferromagnet.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗