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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 793 records · Page 44
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2011

Stimulated resonance Raman scattering from organic dyes in a multiple-scattering medium as a potential method for determining their vibrational spectra

A method is described for deriving Raman spectra of organic dyes from their random lasing spectra. The method was tested using Rhodamine 6G. The Raman spectrum obtained for this dye agrees well with the spectra measured by standard techniques but is more structured, which allows unresolved features to be detected. The spectrum provides more detailed information owing to the interference between the Raman scattered light and amplified spontaneous emission of the dye molecules within a photon mean free path. One advantage of the method is that the luminescence of the dye helps to observe Raman lines, which allows one to work in the Stokes region and facilitates the measurement procedure. (nonlinear optical phenomena)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Onsets of hierarchy truncation and self–consistent Born approximation with quantum mechanics prescriptions invariance

The issue of efficient hierarchy truncation is related to many approximate theories. In this paper, we revisit this issue from both the numerical efficiency and quantum mechanics prescription invariance aspects. The latter requires that the truncation approximation made in Schrödinger picture, such as the quantum master equations and their self–consistent–Born–approximation improvements, should be transferable to their Heisenberg–picture correspondences, without further approximations. We address this issue with the dissipaton equation of motion (DEOM), which is a unique theory for the dynamics of not only reduced systems but also hybrid bath environments. We also highlight the DEOM theory is not only about how its dynamical variables evolve in time, but also the underlying dissipaton algebra. We demonstrate this unique feature of DEOM with model systems and report some intriguing nonlinear Fano interferences characteristics that are experimentally measurable.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2011

Uniform irradiation of adjustable target spots in high-power laser driver

For smoothing and shaping the on-target laser patterns flexibly in high-power laser drivers, a scheme has been developed that includes a zoom lens array and two-dimensional smoothing by spectral dispersion (SSD). The size of the target pattern can be controlled handily by adjusting the focal length of the zoom lens array, while the profile of the pattern can be shaped by fine tuning the distance between the target and the focal plane of the principal focusing lens. High-frequency stripes inside the pattern caused by beamlet interference are wiped off by spectral dispersion. Detailed simulations indicate that SSD works somewhat differently for spots of different sizes. For small spots, SSD mainly smooths the intensity modulation of low-to-middle spatial frequency, while for large spots, SSD sweeps the fine speckle structure to reduce nonuniformity of middle-to-high frequency. Spatial spectra of the target patterns are given and their uniformity is evaluated.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2018

Peculiarities in the Formation of X-Ray Fluxes by Waveguide–Resonators of Different Construction

The phenomenon of total external reflection (TER) of quasi-monochromatic X-ray radiation fluxes on a material interface and the effect of waveguide–resonator propagation of these fluxes in nanosize extended slit clearance, as well as a device operating on the basis of this effect—a planar X-ray waveguide–resonator—are briefly described. Experimental data on the formation of an X-ray flux by a composite X-ray waveguide–resonator are presented, and a model describing the decrease in the angular divergence of the formed flux without a decrease in the integral intensity is proposed. The model is based on the conception of partial angular tunneling of the radiation flux in the gap between two consequently mounted and mutually adjusted waveguide–resonators; the tunneling is implemented due to the interaction between interference fields of standing X-ray waves excited by the radiation transported by the slit clearance of these waveguide–resonators.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2018

Laser autodyne registration of nanodisplacements under laser wavelength modulation

The formation of an autodyne interference signal under the current modulation of the laser radiation wavelength is studied. For the first time we propose a method for determining the stationary phase of the autodyne signal based on the analysis of the low-frequency spectrum of the laser autodyne system. The results of measuring nanodisplacements of the electromagnetic translator by the ratio of the autodyne signal spectral components under harmonic current modulation of the laser autodyne wavelength are presented. (paper)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Reconfigurable and ultra-sensitive in-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer based on the fusion of microfiber and microfluid

A reconfigurable Mach-Zenhnder interferometer (MZI) based on a microfluidic cavity (MFC) constructed by embedding a microfiber between two segments of single-mode fibers with pre-designed lateral offset has been proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The MFC serves as an interference arm with an eccentric annular cross section and allows convenient sample (gas or liquids) replacement procedure. The microfiber works as the other interference arm that provides the proposed device with ease of reconstruction and also enhances the force sensitivity. The re-configurability and the ultra-wide tuning sensitivity range are demonstrated by immersing the MZI constructed with a 484 μm-long-MFC and a microfiber 44 μm in diameter in different droplets. Ultrahigh sensitivities of 34.65 nm/°C (∼88 380 nm/RIU) and −493.7 nm/N (∼−590 pm/με) are experimentally achieved using a droplet with a refractive index of ∼1.44.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2012

The Quantum Hydrodynamic Description of Tunneling

The quantum hydrodynamic approach is based on the de Broglie-Bohm formulation of quantum mechanics. The resulting fluid-like equations of motion describe the flow of probability and an accurate solution to these equations is equivalent to solving the time-dependent Schroedinger equation. Furthermore, the hydrodynamic approach provides new insight into the mechanisms as well as an alternative computational approach for treating tunneling phenomena. New concepts include well-defined 'quantum trajectories', 'quantum potential', and 'quantum force' all of which have classical analogues. The quantum potential and its associated force give rise to all quantum mechanical effects such as zero point energy, tunneling, and interference. A new numerical approach called the Iterative Finite Difference Method (IFDM) will be discussed. The IFDM is used to solve the set of non-linear coupled hydrodynamic equations. It is 2nd-order accurate in both space and time and exhibits exponential convergence with respect to the iteration count. The stability and computational efficiency of the IFDM is significantly improved by using a 'smart' Eulerian grid which has the same computational advantages as a Lagrangian or Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) grid. The IFDM is also capable of treating anharmonic potentials. Example calculations using the IFDM will be presented which include: a one-dimensional Gaussian wave packet tunneling through an Eckart barrier, a one-dimensional bound-state Morse oscillator, and a two-dimensional (2D) model collinear reaction using an anharmonic potential energy surface. Approximate treatments of the quantum hydrodynamic equations will also be discussed which could allow scaling of the calculations to hundreds of degrees of freedom which is important for treating tunneling phenomena in condensed phase systems.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Angle-specific transparent conducting electrodes with metallic gratings

Transparent conducting electrodes, which are not made from indium tin oxide, and which display a strong angular dependence are useful for various technologies. Here, we introduce a tilted silver grating that combines a large conductance with a strong and angle-specific transmittance. When the light incidence angle matches the tilt angle of the grating, transmittance is close to the maximum along a very broadband range. We explain the behavior through simulations that show in detail the plasmonic and interference effects at play.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2024

Diffusive and ballistic transport in thin InSb nanowire devices using a few-layer-graphene-AlO x gate

Abstract Quantum devices based on InSb nanowires (NWs) are a prime candidate system for realizing and exploring topologically-protected quantum states and for electrically-controlled spin-based qubits. The influence of disorder on achieving reliable quantum transport regimes has been studied theoretically, highlighting the importance of optimizing both growth and nanofabrication. In this work, we consider both aspects. We developed InSb NW with thin diameters, as well as a novel gating approach, involving few-layer graphene and atomic layer deposition-grown AlO x . Low-temperature electronic transport measurements of these devices reveal conductance plateaus and Fabry–Pérot interference, evidencing phase-coherent transport in the regime of few quantum modes. The approaches developed in this work could help mitigate the role of material and fabrication-induced disorder in semiconductor-based quantum devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Measurement of the transmission phase of an electron in a quantum two-path interferometer

A quantum two-path interferometer allows for direct measurement of the transmission phase shift of an electron, providing useful information on coherent scattering problems. In mesoscopic systems, however, the two-path interference is easily smeared by contributions from other paths, and this makes it difficult to observe the true transmission phase shift. To eliminate this problem, multi-terminal Aharonov-Bohm (AB) interferometers have been used to derive the phase shift by assuming that the relative phase shift of the electrons between the two paths is simply obtained when a smooth shift of the AB oscillations is observed. Nevertheless, the phase shifts using such a criterion have sometimes been inconsistent with theory. On the other hand, we have used an AB ring contacted to tunnel-coupled wires and acquired the phase shift consistent with theory when the two output currents through the coupled wires oscillate with well-defined anti-phase. Here, we investigate thoroughly these two criteria used to ensure a reliable phase measurement, the anti-phase relation of the two output currents, and the smooth phase shift in the AB oscillation. We confirm that the well-defined anti-phase relation ensures a correct phase measurement with a quantum two-path interference. In contrast, we find that even in a situation where the anti-phase relation is less well-defined, the smooth phase shift in the AB oscillation can still occur but does not give the correct transmission phase due to contributions from multiple paths. This indicates that the phase relation of the two output currents in our interferometer gives a good criterion for the measurement of the true transmission phase, while the smooth phase shift in the AB oscillation itself does not.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2019

Quantum geometric phase under pre- and post-selection

We consider a quantum system subjected to a controlled phase transformation and interaction with the environment in between the acts of selection, which leads to the emergence of interference effects. It is shown that the shift of the dependence of the statistics of contacts’ information with the environement on the controlled phase shift can be interpreted as a geometric phase. This interpretation is consistent with the known operational approach to the geometric phase. As a result, we suggest generalising the operational approach to the realm of pre- and post-selected quantum states. (paper)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

A quantum algorithm to efficiently sample from interfering binary trees

Quantum computers provide an opportunity to efficiently sample from probability distributions that include non-trivial interference effects between amplitudes. Using a simple process wherein all possible state histories can be specified by a binary tree, we construct an explicit quantum algorithm that runs in polynomial time to sample from the process once. The corresponding naive Markov Chain algorithm does not produce the correct probability distribution and an explicit classical calculation of the full distribution requires exponentially many operations. Finally, the problem can be reduced to a system of two qubits with repeated measurements, shedding light on a quantum-inspired efficient classical algorithm.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Long-range optical coupling with epsilon-near-zero materials

Long-range resonant quantum tunneling of electrons happens across potential barriers when the wavefunction interferes constructively outside the barrier. Here we demonstrate an analogy in optical systems based on epsilon-near-zero materials, achieving phase-modulated, long-range optical interactions between transparent semiconducting oxide layers beyond the evanescent photonic coupling. Distinct from weak thin-film interference, intense electromagnetic fields confined within the epsilon-near-zero thin films show anti-correlated intensity oscillations as a function of interlayer separation up to hundreds of microns. The oscillatory, anti-correlated electromagnetic field intensities were probed by second harmonic generation from wedged indium tin oxide multilayers. Such a system that hosts subwavelength mode footprint and simultaneously long-range radiative coupling offers prospects for long-distance optical communication, large-scale photonic circuits, and hybrid quantum photonic systems.

Wang, Danqing [Fudan University, Shanghai (China);↗
DOE OSTI2022

Optical noise in a free-space quantum communications link from natural and nuclear disturbed environments*

Satellite communications at radio frequencies can experience a ‘blackout’ period following the atmospheric detonation of a nuclear weapon. The wavelengths used for free-space quantum communications will not incur the same ‘blackout’ effects from a nuclear detonation, but the optical systems will suffer from a phenomenon called redout. Redout occurs in an optical detector when ambient light scatters into the optical receiver, causing elevated background photon counts in the detector such that background noise overwhelms the signal. In this work, the duration of the redout effect is quantified from a nuclear disturbed environment on a ground-to-space quantum optical link. In addition, we comment on various techniques for reducing ambient and nuclear disturbed background counts in a quantum free-space optical link. For low-altitude nuclear detonations (i.e., under 50 km), the maximum interference time will be less than 1 min. Implementing a telescope, timing gate, and wavelength filter to the detector can reduce the background counts in the detector significantly. Aerosol levels and ground albedo are major contributors to background noise in a ground-to-satellite quantum channel, and ground station location should factor in both variables.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2023

Mass of a weakly measured photon

Bohmian mechanics has garnered significant attention as an interpretation of quantum theory since the paradigmatic experiments which inferred the average trajectories of photons in the nonrelativistic regime. These experiments were largely motivated by Wiseman's formulation of Bohmian mechanics, which grounded these trajectories in weak measurements. Recently, Wiseman's framework was extended to the relativistic regime by expressing the velocity field of single photons in terms of weak values of the photon energy and momentum. Here, we propose an operational, weak value-based definition for the Bohmian “local mass” of relativistic single particles. For relativistic wave functions satisfying the scalar Klein-Gordon equation, this mass coincides with the effective mass defined by de Broglie in his relativistic pilot-wave theory, a quantity closely connected with the quantum potential that is responsible for Bohmian trajectory self-bending and the anomalous photoelectric effect. Here, we demonstrate the relationship between the photon trajectories and the mass in an interferometric setup.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2024

Constraints on a generalization of geometric quantum mechanics from neutrino and B0-$$ \overline{B^0} $$ oscillations

Abstract Nambu Quantum Mechanics, proposed in Phys. Lett. B536, 305 (2002), is a deformation of canonical Quantum Mechanics in which the manifold over which the “phase” of an energy eigenstate time evolves is modified. This generalization affects oscillation and interference phenomena through the introduction of two deformation parameters that quantify the extent of deviation from canonical Quantum Mechanics. In this paper, we constrain these parameters utilizing atmospheric neutrino oscillation data, andB 0 -$$ \overline{B^0} $$ B 0 ¯ oscillation data from Belle. Surprisingly, the bound from atmospheric neutrinos is stronger than the bound from Belle. Various features of Nambu Quantum Mechanics are also discussed.

Physics↗
DOE OSTI2018

Germanium Sulfide Nano-Optics Probed by STEM-Cathodoluminescence Spectroscopy

Nano-optical studies of confined modes in planar waveguides have attracted significant interest as a means to probe exciton-polaritons and other hybrid light-matter quasiparticles in layered semiconductors, such as transition metal dichalcogenides or boron nitride. There is a need to broaden such studies to other materials and to identify alternatives to scanning near-field optical microscopy for exciting and measuring confined waveguide modes. Here, we establish an approach for probing the dispersion of traveling waveguide modes by cathodoluminescence spectroscopy excited by the focused electron beam in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM-CL) and apply it to solid-state resonators consisting of mesoscale monocrystalline prisms and plates composed of GeS, an anisotropic layered semiconductor with direct bandgap in the near-infrared spectral range. Structure, crystallography, and chemical composition of the mesostructures are analyzed by analytical electron microscopy. STEM-CL maps and spectra show pronounced interference effects and sharp emission peaks at photon energies below the fundamental bandgap of GeS. Our analysis demonstrates that locally excited light emission in STEM-CL launches in-plane waveguide modes in the mesoscale GeS structures, which are internally reflected by highly specular GeS edges to cause interference of the waveguide modes. Reabsorption and secondary luminescence give rise to the intensity modulations detected in the far field. In conclusion, our results highlight avenues for probing light-matter interactions below the diffraction limit in a wide range of quantum materials and open up the possibility of tuning light emission geometrically using interference rather than by the conventional bandgap engineering.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Stabilization of point-defect spin qubits by quantum wells

Defect-based quantum systems in wide bandgap semiconductors are strong candidates for scalable quantum-information technologies. However, these systems are often complicated by charge-state instabilities and interference by phonons, which can diminish spin-initialization fidelities and limit room-temperature operation. Here, we identify a pathway around these drawbacks by showing that an engineered quantum well can stabilize the charge state of a qubit. Using density-functional theory and experimental synchrotron X-ray diffraction studies, we construct a model for previously unattributed point defect centers in silicon carbide as a near-stacking fault axial divacancy and show how this model explains these defects' robustness against photoionization and room temperature stability. These results provide a materials-based solution to the optical instability of color centers in semiconductors, paving the way for the development of robust single-photon sources and spin qubits.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗