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At least 991 records · Page 55
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

Examination of biogenic selenium-containing nanosystems based on polyelectrolyte complexes by atomic force, Kelvin probe force and electron microscopy methods

The morphology and electrical properties of biogenic selenium-containing nanosystems based on polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) were examined using AFM, Kelvin Probe Force and electron microscopy methods. It has been found, that prepared nanostructures significantly differed in their morphological types and parameters. In particular, multilayers capsules can be produced via varying synthesis conditions, especially, the selenium–PEC mass ratio ν. At the “special point” (ν = 0.1), filled and hollow nano- and microcapsules are formed in the system. The multilayer character of the capsules walls is visible in the phase images. Kelvin Probe Force images showed the inhomogeneity of potential distribution in capsules and outside them.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

AZO/Ag/AZO anode for resonant cavity red, blue, and yellow organic light emitting diodes

Indium tin oxide (ITO) is the transparent electrode of choice for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Replacing ITO for cost and performance reasons is a major drive across optoelectronics. In this work, we show that changing the transparent electrode on red, blue, and yellow OLEDs from ITO to a multilayer buffered aluminium zinc oxide/silver/aluminium zinc oxide (AZO/Ag/AZO) substantially enhances total output intensity, with better control of colour, its constancy, and intensity over the full exit hemisphere. The thin Ag containing layer induces a resonant cavity optical response of the complete device. This is tuned to the emission spectra of the emissive material while minimizing internally trapped light. A complete set of spectral intensity data is presented across the full exit hemisphere for each electrode type and each OLED colour. Emission zone modelling of output spectra at a wide range of exit angles to the normal was in excellent agreement with the experimental data and hence could, in principle, be used to check and adjust production settings. These multilayer transparent electrodes show significant potential for both eliminating indium from OLEDs and spectrally shaping the emission.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Effect of heavy metal layer thickness on spin-orbit torque and current-induced switching in Hf|CoFeB|MgO structures

We study the heavy metal layer thickness dependence of the current-induced spin-orbit torque (SOT) in perpendicularly magnetized Hf|CoFeB|MgO multilayer structures. The damping-like (DL) current-induced SOT is determined by vector anomalous Hall effect measurements. A non-monotonic behavior in the DL-SOT is found as a function of the thickness of the heavy-metal layer. The sign of the DL-SOT changes with increasing the thickness of the Hf layer in the trilayer structure. As a result, in the current-driven magnetization switching, the preferred direction of switching for a given current direction changes when the Hf thickness is increased above ∼7 nm. Although there might be a couple of reasons for this unexpected behavior in DL-SOT, such as the roughness in the interfaces and/or impurity based electric potential in the heavy metal, one can deduce a roughness dependence sign reversal in DL-SOT in our trilayer structure.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

The National Ignition Facility modular Kirkpatrick-Baez microscope

Current two-dimensional X-ray imaging at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) uses time resolved pinhole cameras with ∼10-25 μm pinholes. This method has limitations in the smallest resolvable features that can be imaged with reasonable photon statistics for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) applications. ICF sources have a broadband self-emission spectrum that causes the pinhole images obtained, through thin foil filters, to contain a similarly broadband spectrum complicating the interpretation of structure in the source. In order to study phenomena on the scale of ∼5 μm, such as dopant mix in the ICF capsule, a narrow energy band, higher spatial resolution microscope system with improved signal/noise has been developed using X-ray optics. Utilizing grazing incidence mirrors in a Kirkpatrick-Baez microscope (KBM) configuration [P. Kirkpatrick and A. V. Baez, J. Opt. Soc. Am. 38, 766–774 (1948)], an X-ray microscope has been designed and fielded on NIF with four imaging channels. The KBM has ∼12 × magnification, <8 μm resolution, and higher throughput in comparison to similar pinhole systems. The first KBM mirrors are coated with a multilayer mirror to allow a “narrow band” energy response at 10.2 keV with ΔE ∼ 3 keV. By adjusting the mirror coating only, the energy response can be matched to the future experimental requirements. Several mirror packs have been commissioned and are interchangeable in the diagnostic snout.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2016

Reduction of thermal conductivity in MnSi{sub 1.7} multi-layered thin films with artificially inserted Si interfaces

We report a lowered lattice thermal conductivity in nm-scale MnSi{sub 1.7}/Si multilayers which were fabricated by controlling thermal diffusions of Mn and Si atoms. The thickness of the constituent layers is 1.5–5.0 nm, which is comparable to the phonon mean free path of both MnSi{sub 1.7} and Si. By applying the above nanostructures, we reduced the lattice thermal conductivity down to half that of bulk MnSi{sub 1.7}/Si composite materials. The obtained value of 1.0 W/K m is the experimentally observed minimum in MnSi{sub 1.7}-based materials without any heavy element doping and close to the minimum thermal conductivity. We attribute the reduced lattice thermal conductivity to phonon scattering at the MnSi{sub 1.7}/Si interfaces in the multilayers.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Rewritable three-dimensional holographic data storage via optical forces

The development of nanostructures that can be reversibly arranged and assembled into 3D patterns may enable optical tunability. However, current dynamic recording materials such as photorefractive polymers cannot be used to store information permanently while also retaining configurability. Here, we describe the synthesis and optimization of a silver nanoparticle doped poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) recording medium for reversibly recording 3D holograms. We theoretically and experimentally demonstrate organizing nanoparticles into 3D assemblies in the recording medium using optical forces produced by the gradients of standing waves. The nanoparticles in the recording medium are organized by multiple nanosecond laser pulses to produce reconfigurable slanted multilayer structures. We demonstrate the capability of producing rewritable optical elements such as multilayer Bragg diffraction gratings, 1D photonic crystals, and 3D multiplexed optical gratings. We also show that 3D virtual holograms can be reversibly recorded. This recording strategy may have applications in reconfigurable optical elements, data storage devices, and dynamic holographic displays.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Frequency-domain hot-wire sensor and 3D model for thermal conductivity measurements of reactive and corrosive materials at high temperatures

High temperature solids and liquids are becoming increasingly important in next-generation energy and manufacturing systems that seek higher efficiencies and lower emissions. Accurate measurements of thermal conductivity at high temperatures are required for the modeling and design of these systems, but commonly employed time-domain measurements can have errors from convection, corrosion, and ambient temperature fluctuations. Here, we describe the development of a frequency-domain hot-wire technique capable of accurately measuring the thermal conductivity of solid and molten compounds from room temperature up to 800 °C. Therefore, by operating in the frequency-domain, we can lock into the harmonic thermal response of the material and reject the influence of ambient temperature fluctuations, and we can keep the probed volume below 1 µl to minimize convection. The design of the microfabricated hot-wire sensor, electrical systems, and insulating wire coating to protect against corrosion is covered in detail. Furthermore, we discuss the development of a full three-dimensional multilayer thermal model that accounts for both radial conduction into the sample and axial conduction along the wire and the effect of wire coatings. The 3D, multilayer model facilitates the measurement of small sample volumes important for material development. A sensitivity analysis and an error propagation calculation of the frequency-domain thermal model are performed to demonstrate what factors are most important for thermal conductivity measurements. Finally, we show thermal conductivity measurements including model data fitting on gas (argon), solid (sulfur), and molten substances over a range of temperatures.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2020

Deformation of Néel-type skyrmions revealed by Lorentz transmission electron microscopy

Néel-type magnetic skyrmions in multilayers are promising candidates for ultra-low power spintronic devices. To image the Néel-type skyrmions using Lorentz transmission electron microscopy (L-TEM), the samples must be tilted. Thus, the external magnetic field consists of both in-plane and out-of-plane components. To date, it is still not well known on the effect of the in-plane magnetic field on the L-TEM images, leading to ambiguities in retrieving the structure of Néel-type skyrmions. Here, Néel-type skyrmions in three [Pt/Co/Ta]$_{20}$ multilayer samples, with the easy magnetization axis being tuned from the out-of-plane to the in-plane direction by increasing the Co thickness from 1.8 to 2.2 nm, are imaged. When using a smaller defocus value (-2 mm) and a higher magnification (×9100) of L-TEM, a surprising dark-bright-dark-bright double contrasted pattern, instead of the previously reported dark-bright contrasted pattern, is observed. The additional dark-bright contrasted pattern becomes more evident for thicker Co layer samples in which the magnetization axis tilts more toward the in-plane direction. Further analysis, via a combination of magnetic force microscopy experiments, micromagnetic simulations, and micromagnetic analysis to Lorentz TEM simulation, shows that the additional dark-bright features originate from the deformation of the Néel-type skyrmions within an in-plane magnetic field.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2021

Strong effect of scandium source purity on chemical and electronic properties of epitaxial Sc x Al 1–x N/GaN heterostructures

Epitaxial multilayer heterostructures of Sc x Al 1–x N/GaN with Sc contents x = 0.11–0.45 are found to exhibit significant differences in structural quality, chemical impurity levels, and electronic properties depending on the starting Sc source impurity levels. A higher purity source leads to a 2–3 orders of magnitude reduction in the carbon, oxygen, and fluorine unintentional doping densities in MBE-grown Sc x Al 1–x N/GaN multilayers. Electrical measurements of Sc x Al 1–x N/n + GaN single heterostructure barriers show a 5–7 orders of magnitude reduction in the electrical leakage for films grown with a higher purity Sc source at most Sc contents. The measured chemical and electrical properties of epitaxial Sc x Al 1–x N highlight the importance of the starting Sc source material purity for epitaxial device applications that need these highly piezoelectric and/or ferroelectric transition-metal nitride alloys.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Effect of metamaterial engineering on the superconductive properties of ultrathin layers of NbTiN

The electronic transport and optical properties of high quality multilayers of NbTiN/AlN with ultrathin NbTiN layers were characterized. The anisotropy of the dielectric function of the multilayers confirmed their hyperbolic metamaterial properties. Here, the superconductive transition temperature, T c , of these engineered superconductors was enhanced up to 32% compared to the T c of a single ultrathin NbTiN layer while the resistivity per NbTiN layer remained unchanged. We have demonstrated that this T c increase can be attributed to enhanced electron–electron interaction in superconducting hyperbolic metamaterials. The measured critical fields are high and have an anomalous temperature dependence on the direction perpendicular to the magnetic field. These results demonstrate that the metamaterial engineering approach can be used to enhance H c2 .

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2022

Multifunctional nanopore electrode array method for characterizing and manipulating single entities in attoliter-volume enclosures

Structurally regular nanopore arrays fabricated to contain independently controllable annular electrodes represent a new kind of architecture capable of electrochemically addressing small collections of matter—down to the single entity (molecule, particle, and biological cell) level. Furthermore, these nanopore electrode arrays (NEAs) can also be interrogated optically to achieve single entity spectroelectrochemistry. Larger entities such as nanoparticles and single bacterial cells are investigated by dark-field scattering and potential-controlled single-cell luminescence experiments, respectively, while NEA-confined molecules are probed by single molecule luminescence. By carrying out these experiments in arrays of identically constructed nanopores, massively parallel collections of single entities can be investigated simultaneously. The multilayer metal–insulator design of the NEAs enables highly efficient redox cycling experiments with large increases in analytical sensitivity for chemical sensing applications. NEAs may also be augmented with an additional orthogonally designed nanopore layer, such as a structured block copolymer, to achieve hierarchically organized multilayer structures with multiple stimulus-responsive transport control mechanisms. Finally, NEAs constructed with a transparent bottom layer permit optical access to the interior of the nanopore, which can result in the cutoff of far-field mode propagation, effectively trapping radiation in an ultrasmall volume inside the nanopore. Furthermore, the bottom metal layer may be used as both a working electrode and an optical cladding layer, thus, producing bifunctional electrochemical zero-mode waveguide architectures capable of carrying out spectroelectrochemical investigations down to the single molecule level.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Physical patterning of high-Q superconducting niobium resonators via ion beam etching

The development of superconducting quantum circuits increasingly involves the exploration of chemically distinct materials and complex multilayered structures. Accelerating this trend may benefit from low-damage, materials-agnostic patterning techniques that are compatible with a broad range of materials. Here, in this work, we investigate the utility of low-energy ion beam etching (IBE), a physical patterning technique, as an alternative to reactive ion etching for fabricating low-loss superconducting resonators. We use niobium (Nb) resonators as a test platform, leveraging their well-characterized performance metrics for benchmarking. To address IBE-induced surface redeposition, we introduce an in situ aluminum capping layer combined with targeted post-fabrication chemical treatment. This strategy yields resonators with internal quality factors as high as 6 × 10 5 in the single-photon regime at 50 mK. These results establish low-energy IBE as a promising patterning technique for superconducting devices, with the potential to accelerate development across chemically diverse and multilayered material platforms.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2016

X-ray optical system for imaging laser plumes with a spatial resolution of up to 70 nm

We consider an X-ray optical system which permits obtaining laser plume images at a wavelength of 13.5 nm with a resolution of up to 70 nm. The X-ray optical system comprises an X-ray Schwarzschild objective made up of two aspherical multilayer mirrors, a scintillator (YAG : Ce ceramics), which converts X-rays to the visible radiation, and a visible-optical system, which images the scintillator surface onto a CCD camera. The spatial resolution of the system is limited by the resolution of the optical system (0.7 μm) and the magnification (10{sup ×}) of the X-ray objective and is as high as 70 nm. The effect of Schwarzschild objective mirror shapes on the spatial resolution is analysed. The profile of concave mirror aspherisation is considered, which provides the attainment of the diffraction-limited quality of the objective. Data are given for the quantum efficiency of the system at a wavelength of 13.5 nm. We describe the experimental test bench intended for studying the developed X-ray optical system and outline the first experimental data which illustrate its efficiency. Owing to the natural division into the 'X-ray' and 'visible' parts, the optical system under discussion permits an easy change of the magnification and the field of view without realigning the X-ray optical elements. The wavelength may be varied in a range between 3 and 40 nm by changing the multilayer mirrors. (extreme laser radiation: physics and fundamental applications)

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2020

Imaging broadband soft X-ray transmission-grating spectrograph for a wavelength range λ > 111 Å

A family of aperiodic Mo/Be multilayer mirrors was designed for maximum uniform reflectivity in the ranges 111 – 138, 111 – 150, 111 – 200 and 111 – 222 Å at normal radiation incidence. The simulations took into account the existence of Mo-on-Be and Be-on-Mo transition layers. It was shown that the reflectivity may be as high as 10% in an octave wavelength range of 111 – 222 Å. We demonstrate the operation of an imaging transmission-grating spectrograph with a broadband Mo/Be multilayer mirror with a uniform reflectivity in the wavelength range 111 – 138 Å synthesised at the Institute for the Physics of Microstructures, RAS. The spectrograph was used to record the line spectra of multiply charged fluorine and magnesium ions from a laser-produced plasma. The role of the grating support structure in the formation of spectral source images is discussed. The spatial resolution of 50 μm is demonstrated. (laser applications and other topics in quantum electronics)

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Spontaneous driving forces give rise to protein-RNA condensates with coexisting phases and complex material properties

Phase separation of multivalent protein and RNA molecules underlies the biogenesis of biomolecular condensates such as membraneless organelles. In vivo, these condensates encompass hundreds of distinct types of molecules that typically organize into multilayered structures supporting the differential partitioning of molecules into distinct regions with distinct material properties. The interplay between driven (active) versus spontaneous (passive) processes that are required for enabling the formation of condensates with coexisting layers of distinct material properties remains unclear. Here, we deploy systematic experiments and simulations based on coarse-grained models to show that the collective interactions among the simplest, biologically relevant proteins and archetypal RNA molecules are sufficient for driving the spontaneous emergence of multilayered condensates with distinct material properties. These studies yield a set of rules regarding homotypic and heterotypic interactions that are likely to be relevant for understanding the interplay between active and passive processes that control the formation of functional biomolecular condensates.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Engineering activatable promoters for scalable and multi-input CRISPRa/i circuits

Dynamic, multi-input gene regulatory networks (GRNs) are ubiquitous in nature. Multilayer CRISPR-based genetic circuits hold great promise for building GRNs akin to those found in naturally occurring biological systems. We develop an approach for creating high-performing activatable promoters that can be assembled into deep, wide, and multi-input CRISPR-activation and -interference (CRISPRa/i) GRNs. By integrating sequence-based design and in vivo screening, we engineer activatable promoters that achieve up to 1,000-fold dynamic range in an Escherichia coli-based cell-free system. These components enable CRISPRa GRNs that are six layers deep and four branches wide. We show the generalizability of the promoter engineering workflow by improving the dynamic range of the light-dependent EL222 optogenetic system from 6-fold to 34-fold. Additionally, high dynamic range promoters enable CRISPRa systems mediated by small molecules and protein–protein interactions. We apply these tools to build input-responsive CRISPRa/i GRNs, including feedback loops, logic gates, multilayer cascades, and dynamic pulse modulators. Our work provides a generalizable approach for the design of high dynamic range activatable promoters and enables classes of gene regulatory functions in cell-free systems.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2018

Suppression of shear banding in high-strength Cu/Mo nanocomposites with hierarchical bicontinuous intertwined structures

The microstructures and mechanical behavior of high-temperature co-sputtered Cu/Mo nanocomposites were investigated and compared with Cu/Mo multilayers. The co-sputtered nanocomposites present hierarchical architectures with bicontinuous intertwined Cu/Mo phases, the feature size of which can be tuned from 35 to 3 nm by changing the deposition parameters. After indentation, shear bands were found in the multilayers but not in the hierarchical nanocomposites. In situ nanocompression tests in Transmission electron microscopy showed that the hierarchical nanocomposite containing fine-length-scale intertwined Cu/Mo phases has very high strength. Finally, the hierarchical structure is proposed to play an important role in suppressing shear band formation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Photo-induced non-collinear interlayer RKKY coupling in bulk Rashba semiconductors

Abstract The interplay between light-matter, spin-orbit, and magnetic interactions allows the investigation of light-induced magnetic phenomena that are otherwise absent without irradiation. We present our analysis of light-driven effects on the interlayer exchange coupling mediated by a bulk Rashba semiconductor in a magnetic multilayer. The collinear magnetic exchange coupling mediated by the photon-dressed spin-orbit coupled electrons of BiTeI develops light-induced oscillation periods and displays new decay power laws, both of which are enhanced with an increasing light-matter coupling. For magnetic layers with non-collinear magnetization, we find a non-collinear magnetic exchange coupling uniquely generated by light-driving of the multilayer. As the non-collinear magnetic exchange coupling mediated by the photon-dressed electrons of BiTeI is unique to the irradiated system and it is enhanced with increasing light-matter coupling, this effect offers a promising platform of investigation of light-driven effects on magnetic phenomena in spin-orbit coupled systems. In this platform, light properties, such as its intensity, can serve as external knobs for inducing non-collinear couplings of the interlayer exchange and for modulating the collinear couplings. Both of these effects signify the photo-generated modification in the spin textures of spin-orbit coupled electrons in BiTeI.

Physics↗