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At least 1,045 records · Page 58

Synchronized charge oscillations in correlated electron systems

Strongly correlated phases exhibit collective carrier dynamics that if properly harnessed can enable novel functionalities and applications. In this article, we investigate the phenomenon of electrical oscillations in a prototypical MIT system, vanadium dioxide (VO 2 ). We show that the key to such oscillatory behaviour is the ability to induce and stabilize a non-hysteretic and spontaneously reversible phase transition using a negative feedback mechanism. Further, we investigate the synchronization and coupling dynamics of such VO 2 based relaxation oscillators and show, via experiment and simulation, that this coupled oscillator system exhibits rich non-linear dynamics including charge oscillations that are synchronized in both frequency and phase. Our approach of harnessing a non-hysteretic reversible phase transition region is applicable to other correlated systems exhibiting metal-insulator transitions and can be a potential candidate for oscillator based non-Boolean computing.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Enhanced gel formation in binary mixtures of nanocolloids with short-range attraction

Colloidal suspensions transform between fluid and disordered solid states as parameters such as the colloid volume fraction and the strength and nature of the colloidal interactions are varied. Seemingly subtle changes in the characteristics of the colloids can markedly alter the mechanical rigidity and flow behavior of these soft composite materials. This sensitivity creates both a scientific challenge and an opportunity for designing suspensions for specific applications. In this paper, we report a novel mechanism of gel formation in mixtures of weakly attractive nanocolloids with modest size ratio. Employing a combination of x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy, rheometry, and molecular dynamics simulations, we find that gels are stable at remarkably weaker attraction in mixtures with size ratio near two than in the corresponding monodisperse suspensions. In contrast with depletion-driven gelation at larger size ratio, gel formation in the mixtures is triggered by microphase demixing of the species into dense regions of immobile smaller colloids surrounded by clusters of mobile larger colloids that is not predicted by mean-field thermodynamic considerations. These results point to a new route for tailoring nanostructured colloidal solids through judicious combination of interparticle interaction and size distribution.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Mott gapping in 3 d A B O 3 perovskites without Mott-Hubbard interelectronic repulsion energy U

The existence of band gaps in Mott insulators such as perovskite oxides with partially filled 3d shells has been traditionally explained in terms of strong, dynamic interelectronic repulsion codified by the on-site repulsion energy U in the Hubbard Hamiltonian. The success of the “DFT+U approach” where an empirical on-site potential term U is added to the exchange- and correlation density functional theory (DFT) raised questions on whether U in DFT+U represents interelectronic correlation in the same way as it does in the Hubbard Hamiltonian, and if empiricism in selecting U can be avoided. Here we illustrate that ab initio DFT without any U is able to predict gapping trends and structural symmetry breaking (octahedra rotations, Jahn-Teller modes, bond disproportionation) for all 3dABO 3 perovskites from titanates to nickelates in both spin-ordered and spin-disordered paramagnetic phases. Thus, the mechanism of gap formation due to the Hubbard Hamiltonian dynamic interelectronic correlation is not a requirement in these 3d electron compounds. Here, we describe the paramagnetic phases as a supercell where individual sites can have different local environments thereby allowing DFT to develop finite moments on different sites as long as the total cell has zero moment. We use the recently developed strongly constrained appropriately normed exchange and correlation functional (SCAN) that is sanctioned by the usual single-determinant, mean-field DFT paradigm with static correlations, but has a more precise rendering of self-interaction cancelation. Our results suggest that strong dynamic electronic correlations are not playing a universal role in gapping of 3dABO 3 Mott insulators, and opens the way for future applications of DFT for studying a plethora of complexity effects that depend on the existence of gaps, such as doping, defects, and band alignment in ABO 3 oxides.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Solution-phase sample-averaged single-particle spectroscopy of quantum emitters with femtosecond resolution

Here, the development of many optical quantum technologies depends on the availability of solid-state single quantum emitters with near-perfect optical coherence. However, a standing issue that limits systematic improvement is the significant sample heterogeneity and lack of mechanistic understanding of microscopic energy flow at the single emitter level and ultrafast timescales. Here we develop solution-phase single-particle pump-probe spectroscopy with photon correlation detection that captures sample-averaged dynamics in single molecules and/or defect states with unprecedented clarity at femtosecond resolution. We apply this technique to single quantum emitters in two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride, which suffers from significant heterogeneity and low quantum efficiency. From millisecond to nanosecond timescales, the translation diffusion, metastable-state-related bunching shoulders, rotational dynamics, and antibunching features are disentangled by their distinct photon-correlation timescales, which collectively quantify the normalized two-photon emission quantum yield. Leveraging its femtosecond resolution, spectral selectivity and ultralow noise (two orders of magnitude improvement over solid-state methods), we visualize electron-phonon coupling in the time domain at the single defect level, and discover the acceleration of polaronic formation driven by multi-electron excitation. Corroborated with results from a theoretical polaron model, we show how this translates to sample-averaged photon fidelity characterization of cascaded emission efficiency and optical decoherence time. Our work provides a framework for ultrafast spectroscopy in single emitters, molecules, or defects prone to photoluminescence intermittency and heterogeneity, opening new avenues of extreme-scale characterization and synthetic improvements for quantum information applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Some buffet response characteristics of a twin-vertical-tail configuration

A rigid, 1/6 size, full span model of an F-18 airplane was fitted with flexible vertical tails of two different levels of stiffness that were buffet tested in the Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel. Vertical tail buffet response results that were obtained over the range of angles of attack from -10 to 40 degs, and over the range of Mach numbers from 0.30 to 0.95 are presented. These results indicate the following: (1) the response occurs in the first bending mode; (2) the response increases with increasing dynamic pressure, but changes in response are not linearly proportional to the changes in dynamic pressure; (3) the response is larger at M = 0.30 than it is at the higher Mach numbers; (4) the maximum intensity of the buffeting is described as heavy to severe using an assessment criteria proposed by another investigator; and (5) the data at different dynamic pressures and for the different tails correlate reasonably well using the buffet excitation parameter derived from the dynamic analysis of buffeting.

Cole, Stanley R.↗

Heart rate dynamics before spontaneous onset of ventricular fibrillation in patients with healed myocardial infarcts

The traditional methods of analyzing heart rate (HR) variability have failed to predict imminent ventricular fibrillation (VF). We sought to determine whether new methods of analyzing RR interval variability based on nonlinear dynamics and fractal analysis may help to detect subtle abnormalities in RR interval behavior before the onset of life-threatening arrhythmias. RR interval dynamics were analyzed from 24-hour Holter recordings of 15 patients who experienced VF during electrocardiographic recording. Thirty patients without spontaneous or inducible arrhythmia events served as a control group in this retrospective case control study. Conventional time- and frequency-domain measurements, the short-term fractal scaling exponent (alpha) obtained by detrended fluctuation analysis, and the slope (beta) of the power-law regression line (log power - log frequency, 10(-4)-10(-2) Hz) of RR interval dynamics were determined. The short-term correlation exponent alpha of RR intervals (0.64 +/- 0.19 vs 1.05 +/- 0.12; p <0.001) and the power-law slope beta (-1.63 +/- 0.28 vs -1.31 +/- 0.20, p <0.001) were lower in the patients before the onset of VF than in the control patients, but the SD and the low-frequency spectral components of RR intervals did not differ between the groups. The short-term scaling exponent performed better than any other measurement of HR variability in differentiating between the patients with VF and controls. Altered fractal correlation properties of HR behavior precede the spontaneous onset of VF. Dynamic analysis methods of analyzing RR intervals may help to identify abnormalities in HR behavior before VF.

Non-NASA Center↗

Numerical and experimental validation for the thermal transmittance of windows with cellular shades

Some highly energy efficient window attachment products are available today, but more rapid market adoption would be facilitated by fair performance metrics. It is important to have validated simulation tools to provide a basis for this analysis. This paper outlines a review and validation of the ISO 15099 center-of-glass zero-solar-load heat transfer correlations for windows with cellular shades. Thermal transmittance was measured experimentally, simulated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis, and simulated utilizing correlations from ISO 15099 as implemented in Berkeley Lab WINDOW and THERM software. CFD analysis showed ISO 15099 underestimates heat flux of rectangular cavities by up to 60% when aspect ratio (AR) = 1 and overestimates heat flux up to 20% when AR = 0.5. CFD analysis also showed that wave-type surfaces of cellular shades have less than 2% impact on heat flux through the cavities and less than 5% for natural convection of room-side surface. WINDOW was shown to accurately represent heat flux of the measured configurations to a mean relative error of 0.5% and standard deviation of 3.8%. Finally, several shade parameters showed significant influence on correlation accuracy, including distance between shade and glass, inconsistency in cell stretch, size of perimeter gaps, and the mounting hardware.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Can increasing the size and flexibility of a molecule reduce decoherence and prolong charge migration?

Coherent superposition of electronic states, created by ionizing a molecule, can initiate ultrafast dynamics of the electron density. Correlation between nuclear and electron motions, however, typically dissipates the electronic coherence in only a few femtoseconds, especially in larger and more flexible molecules. We, therefore, use ab initio semiclassical dynamics to study decoherence in a sequence of analogous organic molecules of increasing size and find, surprisingly, that extending the carbon skeleton in propynal analogs slows down decoherence and prolongs charge migration. To elucidate this observation, we decompose the overall decoherence into contributions from individual vibrational modes and show that: 1) The initial decay of electronic coherence is caused by high- and intermediate-frequency vibrations via momentum separation of nuclear wavepackets evolving on different electronic surfaces. 2) At later times, the coherence disappears completely due to the increasing position separation in the low-frequency modes. 3) In agreement with another study, we observe that only normal modes that preserve the symmetry of the molecule induce decoherence. All together, we justify the enhanced charge migration by a combination of increased hole-mixing and the disappearance of decoherence contributions from specific vibrational modes—CO stretching in butynal and various H rockings in pentynal.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗

Correlated In Situ Low-Frequency Noise and Impedance Spectroscopy Reveal Recombination Dynamics in Organic Solar Cells Using Fullerene and Non-Fullerene Acceptors

Non-fullerene acceptors based on perylenediimides (PDIs) have garnered significant interest as an alternative to fullerene acceptors in organic photovoltaics (OPVs), but their charge transport phenomena are not well understood, especially in bulk heterojunctions (BHJs). Here, charge transport and current fluctuations are investigated by performing correlated low-frequency noise and impedance spectroscopy measurements on two BHJ OPV systems, one employing a fullerene acceptor and the other employing a dimeric PDI acceptor. In the dark, these measurements reveal that PDI-based OPVs have a greater degree of recombination in comparison to fullerene-based OPVs. Moreover, for the first time in organic solar cells, 1/f noise data are fit to the Kleinpenning model to reveal underlying current fluctuations in different transport regimes. Under illumination, 1/f noise increases by approximately four orders of magnitude for the fullerene-based OPVs and three orders of magnitude for the PDI-based OPVs. An inverse correlation is also observed between noise spectral density and power conversion efficiency. In general, these findings reflect that low-frequency noise spectroscopy is an effective in situ diagnostic tool to assess charge transport in emerging photovoltaic materials, thereby providing quantitative guidance for the design of next-generation solar cell materials and technologies.

1/f noise↗

Orbital Domain Dynamics in Magnetite below the Verwey Transition

Here, the metal-insulator phase transition in magnetite, known as the Verwey transition, is characterized by a charge-orbital ordering and a lattice transformation from a cubic to monoclinic structure. We use x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy to investigate the dynamics of this charge-orbitally ordered insulating phase undergoing the insulator-to-metal transition. By tuning to the Fe L 3 edge at the (001/2) superlattice peak, we probe the evolution of the Fe t 2g orbitally ordered domains present in the low temperature insulating phase and forbidden in the high temperature metallic phase. We observe two distinct regimes below the Verwey transition. In the first regime, magnetite follows an Arrhenius behavior and the characteristic timescale for orbital fluctuations decreases as the temperature increases. In the second regime, magnetite phase separates into metallic and insulating domains, and the kinetics of the phase transition is dictated by metallic-insulating interfacial boundary conditions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Group dynamics and catecholamines during long-duration confinement in an isolated environment

INTRODUCTION: The objectives of this study were to investigate possible relationships between catecholamine excretion and long-duration confinement in an isolated environment. METHODS: Stays of long duration were made by Group I (n = 4, all Russian, weeks 1-34), Group II (n = 4, mixed nationality, weeks 3-18), and Group III (n = 4, mixed nationality, weeks 22-38); other groups joined the residents for 1-wk intervals at weeks #13, #19, and #33. Data were collected from Groups I and III. RESULTS: In both Group I and Group III, the daily epinephrine excretion was significantly elevated during and after confinement compared with the pre-isolation baseline (p < 0.05), but remained mostly within normal limits during the experiment. During isolation, epinephrine excretion was significantly higher, compared with other weeks in isolation, during weeks #19 and #27 for Group I, and during week #30 for Group III. In both Group I and Group II, norepinephrine excretion increased significantly during and after isolation (p < 0.05) and was above the normal range. The daily norepinephrine excretion was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in Group I during weeks #12, #13, and #27, and during week #30 for Group III. DISCUSSION: Epinephrine excretion generally remained in the normal range. However, occasional elevations occurred due to psychological stress, which apparently correlate with changes in group dynamics. Norepinephrine excretion was above the normal range and was correlated with social events. These results suggest that to ensure optimum crew performance, entire crews along with their visiting crews should be selected collectively, rather than individually.

Non-programmatic↗

Eshelby twist and correlation effects in diffraction from nanocrystals

Molecular dynamics simulations were used to model the Eshelby dislocation inside Pd and Ir nanowires and to predict the powder diffraction pattern using the Debye scattering equation. We find that the ideal dislocation solution by Eshelby is in good agreement with the observed twist angle and deviatoric strain, even though it ignores both the splitting of the Eshelby dislocation into two partials and surface stress. Surface stress plays a significant role only for nanorods with small aspect ratio (∼1:1). We also find that Wilson's prediction on the diffraction peak broadening for the Eshelby dislocation is overestimated because it ignores the fact that the Eshelby twist relaxes the deviatoric strain. Moreover, the twist loosens the correlation along the nanorod, causing additional line profile broadening, which is read by diffraction as a decrease of coherent domain size when the total twist angle is bigger than 1.5°. Overall, our findings suggest a novel way to predict and analyze the dislocations as well as the resulting strain fields in the twisted nanocrystalline rods.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Dot tracking methodology for background-oriented schlieren (BOS)

We propose here a dot tracking methodology for processing background-oriented schlieren (BOS) images. The technique improves the accuracy, precision and spatial resolution compared to conventional cross-correlation algorithms. Our methodology utilizes the prior information about the dot pattern such as the location, size and number of dots to provide near 100% yield even for high dot densities (20 dots/32 × 32 pixels) and is robust to image noise. Furthermore, we propose an improvement to the displacement estimation step in the tracking process, especially for noisy images, using a “correlation correction”, whereby we combine the spatial resolution benefit of the tracking method and the smoothing property of the correlation method to increase the dynamic range of the overall measurement process. We evaluate the performance of the method with synthetic BOS images of buoyancy-driven turbulence rendered using ray-tracing simulations, and experimental images of flow in the exit plane of a converging–diverging nozzle. The results show that the improved spatial resolution results in a better accuracy of the tracking method compared to correlation-based methods in regions with sharp displacement gradients, and the correlation correction step reduces the noise floor of the measurement, resulting in a fourfold improvement in the dynamic range.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Defect-Driven Redox Interplay on Anatase TiO 2 : Surface-Structure Dependent Activation for CO 2 Hydrogenation Catalysis

Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) is one of the most extensively studied oxides as an active catalyst or catalyst support, particularly in energy and environmental applications, but the atomistic mechanisms governing its dynamic response to reactive environments and their correlation to reactivity remain largely elusive. Using in situ environmental transmission electron microscopy (ETEM), synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD), ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AP-XPS), temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), reactivity measurements, and theoretical modeling, we reveal the dynamic interplay between oxygen loss and replenishment of anatase TiO 2 under varying reactive conditions. Under H 2 exposure, anatase TiO 2 undergoes surface reduction via lattice oxygen loss, forming Ti 3 O 5 . In contrast, CO 2 exposure induces oxygen replenishment, reversing stoichiometry. In mixed H2/CO 2 environments, the reverse water–gas shift (RWGS) reaction proceeds selectively on stepped and high-indexed TiO 2 surfaces, whereas the thermodynamically stable TiO 2 (101) surface remains inactive and intact. Critically, H 2 pretreatment generates oxygen vacancies on TiO 2 (101), transforming it into an active Ti 3 O 5 or defect-rich surface that catalyzes RWGS. By correlating surface structure, defect dynamics, and gas-phase interactions, this work deciphers the competition between H 2 -driven reduction and CO 2 -driven oxidation pathways at the atomic scale. Furthermore, these insights establish defect engineering as a strategic lever to activate inert TiO 2 facets, advancing the design of adaptive catalysts for sustainable fuel synthesis technologies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Year six photometric measurements of known Trans-Neptunian Objects and Centaurs by the Dark Energy Survey

ABSTRACT We identified known Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs) and Centaurs in the complete Dark Energy Survey (DES) year six catalogue (DES Y6) through the Sky Body Tracker (SkyBoT) tool. We classified our data set of 144 objects into a widely used 4-class taxonomic system of TNOs. No such previous classification was available in the literature for most of these objects. From absolute magnitudes and average albedos, an estimation of the diameters of all these objects is obtained. Correlations involving colours, orbital parameters, dynamical classes, and sizes are also discussed. In particular, our largest reddest object has a diameter of $390^{+68}_{-53}$ km and our largest cold classical, $255^{+19}_{-17}$ km. Also, a weak correlation between colour and inclination is found within the population of resonant TNOs in addition to weak correlations between colour and phase slope in different bands.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Segmental Dynamics and Vitrification in Associating Copolymer Melts: Role of Cluster Formation, Microdomains, and Cross-Linking

A microscopic statistical mechanical theory of the structure, self-assembly, and activated segmental relaxation is employed to study associating copolymer melts with high attractive sticker fractions, local clustering, and disordered microphase ordering. The stickers are dynamically pinned in a manner that does not affect equilibrium structure which mimics the much slower physical bond breaking process or postassembly cross-linking of sticky monomers. Local sticker clustering and microdomain spatial correlations significantly modify the activated relaxation of nonstickers and glass transition temperature, T g . A re-entrant glass-melting feature is predicted as sticker attraction strength is initially increased corresponding to a speed up of segmental relaxation, and hence reduction of T g relative to the cross-linked homopolymer network. A mechanistic analysis reveals three competing effects: a purely kinetic slowing down of nonstickers down due to cross-linking, disordering of the nonsticker local cage and weakening of effective forces they experience due to sticker physical clustering, and a longer range impact of microdomain scale correlations that results in nonmonotonic dynamical effects. At high enough attraction strength, a qualitative change emerges corresponding to a sticker fraction dependent elevation of T g , which eventually surpasses that of the cross-linked homopolymer network. Dynamically, the new physics arises from a complex evolution of the amplitude of the collective elastic field that dresses the large amplitude mobile segment hopping within a coupled local-nonlocal description of the alpha relaxation. Furthermore, the results are qualitatively consistent with recent experiments on associating PDMS and PPG telechelics of fixed sticker fraction but with chemically different end groups of variable attraction strengths. Finally, possible tests using simulation and the influence of material or model specific interaction potentials and other real world complications are discussed.

Copolymers↗

Experimental validation for thermal transmittances of window shading systems with perimeter gaps

Virtually all residential and commercial windows in the U.S. have some form of window attachment, but few have been designed for energy savings. ISO 15099 presents a simulation framework to determine thermal performance of window attachments, but the model has not been validated for these products. This paper outlines a review and validation of the ISO 15099 centre-of-glass heat transfer correlations for perimeter gaps (top, bottom, and side) in naturally ventilated cavities through measurement and simulation. The thermal transmittance impact due to dimensional variations of these gaps is measured experimentally, simulated using computational fluid dynamics, and simulated utilizing simplified correlations from ISO 15099. Results show that the ISO 15099 correlations produce a mean error between measured and simulated heat flux of 2.5 ± 7%. These tolerances are similar to those obtained from sealed cavity comparisons and are deemed acceptable within the ISO 15099 framework.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Time-resolved particle image velocimetry

Time-resolved particle image velocimetry (TR-PIV) has become widespread in fluid dynamics. Essentially a velocity field movie, the dynamic content provides temporal as well as spatial information, in contrast to conventional PIV offering only statistical ensembles of flow quantities. From these time series arise further analyses such as accelerometry, space-time correlations, frequency spectra of turbulence including spatial variability, and derivation of pressure fields and forces. The historical development of TR-PIV is chronicled, culminating in an assessment of the current state of technology in high-repetition-rate lasers and high-speed cameras. Commercialization of pulse-burst lasers has expanded TR-PIV into more flows, including the compressible regime, and has achieved MHz rates. Particle response times and peak locking during image interrogation require attention but generally are not impediments to success. Accuracy considerations are discussed, including the risks of noise and aliasing in spectral content. Oversampled TR-PIV measurements allow use of multi-frame image interrogation methods, which improve the precision of the correlation and raise the velocity dynamic range of PIV. In combination with volumetric methods and data assimilation, a full four-dimensional description of a flow is not only achievable but becoming standardized. Lastly, a survey of exemplary applications is followed by a few predictions concerning the future of TR-PIV.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗