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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 91 records · Page 5

Tailoring coherent beam combined laser pulse trains for high peak and average power applications

Laser systems based on coherent beam combination (CBC) that rely on tiled pupil architecture intrinsically carry digital capabilities independently applicable to all three essential characteristics of a laser pulse: amplitude, phase and polarization. Those capabilities allow the far-field energy distribution to be flexibly tailored in real time. Operation in the femtosecond regime at high repetition rates gives access to a wide range of applications requiring both high peak and average powers. We address the task of independent peak versus average power adjustment needed for applications seeking to decouple nonlinear phenomena associated with GW peak power from the thermal load inherent to kW average power operation. The technical solutions proposed are presented in the framework of the Ecole Polytechnique XCAN CBC laser platform (61 independent channels) with an emphasis on thermal management measures implemented to ensure its nominal operation.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

A scalable superconducting nanowire memory array with row–column addressing

Scalable superconducting memory is required for the development of low-energy superconducting computers and fault-tolerant quantum computers. Conventional superconducting logic-based memory cells possess a large footprint that limits scaling; nanowire-based superconducting memory cells, although more compact, have high error rates, which hinders integration into large arrays. Here we report a 4 × 4 superconducting nanowire memory array that is designed for scalable row–column operations and has a functional density of 2.6 Mbit cm −2 . Each memory cell is based on a nanowire loop consisting of two temperature-dependent superconducting switches and a variable kinetic inductor. The arrays operate at 1.3 K, where we implement and characterize multiflux quanta state storage and destructive read-out. By optimizing the write- and read-pulse sequences, we minimize bit errors and maximize operating margins. We achieve a minimum bit error rate of 10 −5 . Here, we also use circuit-level simulations to understand the memory cell’s dynamics, performance limits and stability under varying pulse amplitudes.

Electrical and electronic engineering↗

The fluctuation–dissipation measurement instrument at the Linac Coherent Light Source

The development of new modes at x-ray free electron lasers has inspired novel methods for studying fluctuations at different energies and timescales. For closely spaced x-ray pulses that can be varied on ultrafast time scales, we have constructed a pair of advanced instruments to conduct studies targeting quantum materials. We first describe a prototype instrument built to test the proof-of-principle of resonant magnetic scattering using ultrafast pulse pairs. This is followed by a description of a new endstation, the so-called fluctuation–dissipation measurement instrument, which was used to carry out studies with a fast area detector. In addition, we describe various types of diagnostics for single-shot contrast measurements, which can be used to normalize data on a pulse-by-pulse basis and calibrate pulse amplitude ratios, both of which are important for the study of fluctuations in materials. Furthermore, we present some new results using the instrument that demonstrates access to higher momentum resolution.

Assefa, T. A.↗

High-speed tunable generation of random number distributions using actuated perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions

Perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions (pMTJs) actuated by nanosecond pulses are emerging as promising devices for true random number generation (TRNG) due to their intrinsic stochastic behavior and high throughput. In this work, we demonstrate the tunability and quality of random number distributions generated by pMTJs operating at a frequency of 104 MHz. First, changing the pulse amplitude is used to systematically vary the probability bias. The variance of the resulting bitstreams closely matches the expected binomial distribution, demonstrating consistency with an underlying sequence of Bernoulli trials. Second, the quality of uniform distributions of 8-bit random numbers generated with a probability bias of 0.5 is considered. A reduced chi-square analysis of these data shows that only two XOR operations are sufficient to achieve this distribution with p-values greater than 0.05. Finally, we show that there is a correlation between long-term probability bias variations and pMTJ resistance. These findings suggest that variations in the characteristics of the pMTJ underlie the observed variation of probability bias. In conclusion, our results highlight the potential of stochastically actuated pMTJs for high-speed, tunable TRNG applications, showing the importance of the stability of pMTJ device characteristics in achieving reliable, long-term performance.

Magnetic tunnel junctions↗

A 20 Gbps PAM4 data transmitter ASIC for particle physics experiments

We present the design and test results of a novel data transmitter ASIC operating up to 20.48 Gbps with 4-level Pulse-Amplitude-Modulation (PAM4) for particle physics experiments. This ASIC, named GBS20, is fabricated in a 65 nm CMOS technology. Two serializers share a 5.12 GHz Phase Locked Loop (PLL) clock. The outputs from the serializers are combined into a PAM4 signal that directly drives a Vertical-Cavity-Surface-Emitting-Laser (VCSEL). The input data channels, each at 1.28 Gbps, are scrambled with an internal 2$^{7}$-1 Pseudo-Random Binary Sequence (PRBS), which also serves as a frame aligner. GBS20 is tested to work at 10.24 and 20.48 Gbps with a VCSEL-based Transmitter-Optical-Subassembly (TOSA). The power consumption of GBS20 is below 238 mW and reduced to 164 mW in the low-power mode.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Ultrafast Electron Correlations and Memory Effects at Work: Femtosecond Demagnetization in Ni

Experimental observations of the ultrafast (less than 50 fs) demagnetization of Ni have so far defied theoretical explanations particularly since its spin-flipping time is much less than that resulting from spin-orbit and electron-lattice interactions. Through the application of an approach that benefits from spin-flip time-dependent density-functional theory and dynamical mean-field theory, we show that proper inclusion of electron correlations and memory (time dependence of electron-electron interaction) effects leads to demagnetization at the femtosecond scale, in good agreement with experimental observations. Furthermore, our calculations reveal that this ultrafast demagnetization results mainly from spin-flip transitions from occupied to unoccupied orbitals implying a dynamical reduction of exchange splitting. In this work, these conclusions are found to be valid for a wide range of laser pulse amplitudes. They also pave the way for ab initio investigations of ultrafast charge and spin dynamics in a variety of quantum materials in which electron correlations may play a definitive role.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

Switching Dynamics in Vanadium Dioxide-Based Stochastic Thermal Neurons

We report on switching dynamics of individual and coupled vanadium dioxide (VO 2 ) devices subject to voltage pulses as the temperature is systematically varied from room temperature spanning the insulator–metal transition (IMT) temperature. The switching voltage of single devices has a strong relationship with both temperature and voltage pulsewidth. Two-step switching in connected VO 2 devices has been noted in current transient plots and was found to depend on temperature, pulsewidth, and pulse amplitude. Experimental switching behavior measured from VO 2 artificial neurons was implemented into a spiking neural network (SNN). During training, modulating the switching voltage via temperature affords a novel method to implement homeostasis with the coupled devices. Simulation results show the efficacy of the stochastic neuronal characteristics and the proposed homeostasis mechanism on a standard digit recognition task. As a result, these studies contribute to ongoing efforts in neuromorphic computing exploiting collective phase transitions.

42 ENGINEERING↗

The effect of temperature on photosystem II efficiency across plant functional types and climate

Modeling terrestrial gross primary productivity (GPP) is central to predicting the global carbon cycle. Much interest has been focused on the environmentally induced dynamics of photosystem energy partitioning and how improvements in the description of such dynamics assist the prediction of light reactions of photosynthesis and therefore GPP. The maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Φ PSIImax ) is a key parameter of the light reactions that influence the electron transport rate needed for supporting the biochemical reactions of photosynthesis. Φ PSIImax is generally treated as a constant in biochemical photosynthetic models even though a constant Φ PSIImax is expected only for non-stressed plants. We synthesized reported Φ PSIImax values from pulse-amplitude-modulated fluorometry measurements in response to variable temperatures across the globe. We found that Φ PSIImax is strongly affected by prevailing temperature regimes with declined values in both hot and cold conditions. To understand the spatiotemporal variability in Φ PSIImax , we analyzed the temperature effect on Φ PSIImax across plant functional type (PFT) and habitat climatology. The analysis showed that temperature's impact on Φ PSIImax is shaped more by climate than by PFT for plants with broad latitudinal distributions or in regions with extreme temperature variability. There is a trade-off between the temperature range within which Φ PSIImax remains maximal and the overall rate of decline of Φ PSIImax outside the temperature range such that species cannot be simultaneously tolerant and resilient to extreme temperatures. Our study points to a quantitative approach for improving electron transport and photosynthetic productivity modeling under changing climates at regional and global scales.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Pulse-height analyzer with digital readout

Feedback-controlled pulse-amplitude integrator and amplifier is used as an analog-to-digital converter that converts event-liberated charges, emanating from a nuclear-particle detector, directly to numbers rather than to analog-dependent voltages.

Goldsworthy, W. W.↗

Low-power integrated-circuit driver for ferrite-memory word lines

Composite circuit uses both n-p-n bipolar and p-channel MOS transistors /BIMOS/. The BIMOS driver provides 1/ ease of integrated circuit construction, 2/ low standby power consumption, 3/ bidirectional current pulses, and 4/ current-pulse amplitudes and rise times independent of active device parameters.

Katz, S.↗

Miniature biotelemeter gives multichannel wideband biomedical data

A miniature biotelemeter was developed for sensing and transmitting multiple channels of biomedical data over a radio link. The design of this miniature, 10-channel, wideband (5 kHz/channel), pulse amplitude modulation/ frequency modulation biotelemeter takes advantage of modern device technology (e.g., integrated circuit operational amplifiers, complementary symmetry/metal oxide semiconductor logic, and solid state switches) and hybrid packaging techniques. The telemeter is being used to monitor 10 channels of neuron firings from specific regions of the brain in rats implanted with chronic electrodes. Design, fabrication, and testing of an engineering model biotelemeter are described.

Carraway, J. B.↗

A successive overrelaxation iterative technique for an adaptive equalizer

An adaptive strategy for the equalization of pulse-amplitude-modulated signals in the presence of intersymbol interference and additive noise is reported. The successive overrelaxation iterative technique is used as the algorithm for the iterative adjustment of the equalizer coefficents during a training period for the minimization of the mean square error. With 2-cyclic and nonnegative Jacobi matrices substantial improvement is demonstrated in the rate of convergence over the commonly used gradient techniques. The Jacobi theorems are also extended to nonpositive Jacobi matrices. Numerical examples strongly indicate that the improvements obtained for the special cases are possible for general channel characteristics. The technique is analytically demonstrated to decrease the mean square error at each iteration for a large range of parameter values for light or moderate intersymbol interference and for small intervals for general channels. Analytically, convergence of the relaxation algorithm was proven in a noisy environment and the coefficient variance was demonstrated to be bounded.

Kosovych, O. S.↗

High efficiency ground data transmission

It is demonstrated that state-of-the-art communications technology can be implemented and reliably operated on a global basis to increase the transmission rates and efficiencies on circuits with bandwidths greater than the typical speech channel. Optimization is affected by optimum clock recovery procedures, multilevel pulse amplitude modulation, single sideband amplitude modulation, transversal filter equalizers, data scrambling, and active compensation for phase instability.

Dickinson, W. B.↗

Plastic scintillation counters with an area of 2 sq m

Two designs of plastic scintillation counters with an area of 2 sq m scanned in each case by a single photomultiplier of the FEU-49 type are described. The radial dependence of their light collection at the place of the path of the detected particle does not exceed 10% while the half width of the differential distribution of the pulse amplitudes from nonfiltered cosmic radiation at sea level is 90 to 95%, and 65%, the plastic thickness being 5 cm and 10 cm, respectively. The temperature coefficient of the counter is 0.32% per 1 C.

Yegorov, T. A.↗