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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 1,171 records · Page 65

Investigation of cadmium telluride grown by molecular-beam epitaxy using micro-Raman spectroscopy below and above the laser damage threshold

The effects of visible laser light on cadmium telluride (CdTe), grown by molecular beam epitaxy, are studied at low (48 μ W/ μ m 2 ) and high (480 μ W/ μ m 2 ) laser power densities using micro-Raman spectroscopy. The Raman spectrum of CdTe shows no notable change at low power density ~48 μ W/ μ m 2 for prolonged laser exposure. At higher power density ~480 μ W/ μ m 2 , the Raman spectrum is significantly changed and strong Te-related peaks appear in the spectrum, even for short laser exposure times suggesting that photo-induced Te enrichment happens at the CdTe surface at high laser power density. The temperature rise is estimated from observed shifts in the Te and CdTe optical phonon peaks and modeled using finite-element simulations. At laser power 480 μ W/ μ m 2 , the CdTe exhibits a rise of ~44 °C above room temperature while the observed change in Te temperature is significantly higher, ~179 °C. Furthermore, the approach illustrates steps needed to establish the laser damage threshold for CdTe.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Practical guide to understanding goodness-of-fit metrics used in chemical state modeling of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data by synthetic line shapes using nylon as an example

Chemical state analysis of a sample surface through fitting bell-shaped curves to x-ray photoelectron spectroscopic polymer data is reviewed using nylon to introduce and discuss aspects of data analysis. Different strategies for modeling chemistry in nylon spectra are presented and in so doing, a case is made to include in published science the design logic and implementation in terms of line shapes and optimization parameter constraints between components in a peak model. Imperfections in line shape relative to the true shape for photoemission lines, when compensated for using constraints to optimization parameters, are shown to provide chemical state information about a sample that justify, for peak models constructed with these limitations, metrics for goodness-of-fit different from those expected for pulse-counted data.

Materials Science↗

A framework to measure myocardial extracellular volume fraction using dual-phase low dose CT images

Purpose: Myocardial extracellular volume fraction (ECVF) is a surrogate imaging biomarker of diffuse myocardial fibrosis, a hallmark of pathologic ventricular remodeling. Low dose cardiac CT is emerging as a promising modality to detect diffuse interstitial myocardial fibrosis due to its fast acquisition and low radiation; however, the insufficient contrast in the low dose CT images poses great challenge to measure ECVF from the image. Methods: To deal with this difficulty, the authors present a complete ECVF measurement framework including a point-guided myocardial modeling, a deformable model-based myocardium segmentation, nonrigid registration of pre- and post-CT, and ECVF calculation. Results: The proposed method was evaluated on 20 patients by two observers. Compared to the manually delineated reference segmentations, the accuracy of our segmentation in terms of true positive volume fraction (TPVF), false positive volume fraction (FPVF), and average surface distance (ASD), were 92.18% ± 3.52%, 0.31% ± 0.10%, 0.69 ± 0.14 mm, respectively. The interobserver variability measured by concordance correlation coefficient regarding TPVF, FPVF, and ASD were 0.95, 0.90, 0.94, respectively, demonstrating excellent agreement. Bland-Altman method showed 95% limits of agreement between ECVF at CT and ECVF at MR. Conclusions: The proposed framework demonstrates its efficiency, accuracy, and noninvasiveness in ECVF measurement and dramatically advances the ECVF at cardiac CT toward its clinical use.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

Development and evaluation of a prototype tracking system using the treatment couch

Purpose: Tumor motion increases safety margins around the clinical target volume and leads to an increased dose to the surrounding healthy tissue. The authors have developed and evaluated a one-dimensional treatment couch tracking system to counter steer respiratory tumor motion. Three different motion detection sensors with different lag times were evaluated. Methods: The couch tracking system consists of a motion detection sensor, which can be the topometrical system Topos (Cyber Technologies, Germany), the respiratory gating system RPM (Varian Medical Systems) or a laser triangulation system (Micro Epsilon), and the Protura treatment couch (Civco Medical Systems). The control of the treatment couch was implemented in the block diagram environment Simulink (MathWorks). To achieve real time performance, the Simulink models were executed on a real time engine, provided by Real-Time Windows Target (MathWorks). A proportional-integral control system was implemented. The lag time of the couch tracking system using the three different motion detection sensors was measured. The geometrical accuracy of the system was evaluated by measuring the mean absolute deviation from the reference (static position) during motion tracking. This deviation was compared to the mean absolute deviation without tracking and a reduction factor was defined. A hexapod system was moving according to seven respiration patterns previously acquired with the RPM system as well as according to a sin{sup 6} function with two different frequencies (0.33 and 0.17 Hz) and the treatment table compensated the motion. Results: A prototype system for treatment couch tracking of respiratory motion was developed. The laser based tracking system with a small lag time of 57 ms reduced the residual motion by a factor of 11.9 ± 5.5 (mean value ± standard deviation). An increase in delay time from 57 to 130 ms (RPM based system) resulted in a reduction by a factor of 4.7 ± 2.6. The Topos based tracking system with the largest lag time of 300 ms achieved a mean reduction by a factor of 3.4 ± 2.3. The increase in the penumbra of a profile (1 × 1 cm{sup 2}) for a motion of 6 mm was 1.4 mm. With tracking applied there was no increase in the penumbra. Conclusions: Couch tracking with the Protura treatment couch is achievable. To reliably track all possible respiration patterns without prediction filters a short lag time below 100 ms is needed. More scientific work is necessary to extend our prototype to tracking of internal motion.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

SU-E-J-24: Can Fiducial Marker-Based Setup Using ExacTrac Be An Alternative to Soft Tissue-Based Setup Using Cone-Beam CT for Prostate IMRT?

Purpose: To assess an accuracy of fiducial maker-based setup using ExacTrac (ExT-based setup) as compared with soft tissue-based setup using Cone-beam CT (CBCT-based setup) for patients with prostate cancer receiving intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for the purpose of investigating whether ExT-based setup can be an alternative to CBCT-based setup. Methods: The setup accuracy was analyzed prospectively for 7 prostate cancer patients with implanted three fiducial markers received IMRT. All patients were treated after CBCT-based setup was performed and corresponding shifts were recorded. ExacTrac images were obtained before and after CBCT-based setup. The fiducial marker-based shifts were calculated based on those two images and recorded on the assumption that the setup correction was carried out by fiducial marker-based auto correction. Mean and standard deviation of absolute differences and the correlation between CBCT and ExT shifts were estimated. Results: A total of 178 image dataset were analyzed. On the differences between CBCT and ExT shifts, 133 (75%) of 178 image dataset resulted in smaller differences than 3 mm in all dimensions. Mean differences in the anterior-posterior (AP), superior-inferior (SI), and left-right (LR) dimensions were 1.8 ± 1.9 mm, 0.7 ± 1.9 mm, and 0.6 ± 0.8 mm, respectively. The percentages of shift agreements within ±3 mm were 76% for AP, 90% for SI, and 100% for LR. The Pearson coefficient of correlation for CBCT and ExT shifts were 0.80 for AP, 0.80 for SI, and 0.65 for LR. Conclusion: This work showed that the accuracy of ExT-based setup was correlated with that of CBCT-based setup, implying that ExT-based setup has a potential ability to be an alternative to CBCT-based setup. The further work is to specify the conditions that ExT-based setup can provide the accuracy comparable to CBCT-based setup.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Measurements of spin observables in pseudo-scalar meson photo-production using polarized neutrons in solid HD

A measurement of psuedo-scalar meson photo production from longitudinally polarized solid HD has been carried out with the CLAS at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jlab) with circularly and linearly polarized photon beams. Its aim is to measure a complete set of spin observables for the neutron simultaneously from the same experiment. As a polarized neutron, deutron in HD was used. Preliminary asymmetries are shown for the π{sup −} channel.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Quantifying sampling noise and parametric uncertainty in atomistic-to-continuum simulations using surrogate models

We present a methodology to assess the predictive fidelity of multiscale simulations by incorporating uncertainty in the information exchanged between the components of an atomistic-to-continuum simulation. We account for both the uncertainty due to finite sampling in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and the uncertainty in the physical parameters of the model. Using Bayesian inference, we represent the expensive atomistic component by a surrogate model that relates the long-term output of the atomistic simulation to its uncertain inputs. We then present algorithms to solve for the variables exchanged across the atomistic-continuum interface in terms of polynomial chaos expansions (PCEs). We also consider a simple Couette flow where velocities are exchanged between the atomistic and continuum components, while accounting for uncertainty in the atomistic model parameters and the continuum boundary conditions. Results show convergence of the coupling algorithm at a reasonable number of iterations. As a result, the uncertainty in the obtained variables significantly depends on the amount of data sampled from the MD simulations and on the width of the time averaging window used in the MD simulations.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Electron performance measurements with the ATLAS detector using the 2010 LHC proton-proton collision data

Here, detailed measurements of the electron performance of the ATLAS detector at the LHC are reported, using decays of the Z, W and J/ψ particles. Data collected in 2010 at √s = 7 TeV are used, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of almost 40 pb -1 . The inter-alignment of the inner detector and the electromagnetic calorimeter, the determination of the electron energy scale and resolution, and the performance in terms of response uniformity and linearity are discussed. The electron identification, reconstruction and trigger efficiencies, as well as the charge misidentification probability, are also presented.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Measurement of the charge asymmetry in top quark pair production in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=7\ \mathrm{TeV}$ using the ATLAS detector

A measurement of the top-antitop production charge asymmetry A C is presented using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.04 fb -1 of pp collisions at √s = 7 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Events are selected with a single lepton (electron or muon), missing transverse momentum and at least four jets of which at least one jet is identified as coming from a b-quark. A kinematic fit is used to reconstruct the tt event topology. After background subtraction, a Bayesian unfolding procedure is performed to correct for acceptance and detector effects. The measured value of A C is A C =-0.019±0.028 (stat.)±0.024 (syst.), consistent with the prediction from the MC@NLO Monte Carlo generator of A C = 0.006±0.002. Measurements of A C in two ranges of invariant mass of the top-antitop pair are also shown.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Measurement of the tt¯ production cross-section using eμ events with b-tagged jets in pp collisions at √s = 7 and 8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The inclusive top quark pair (tt¯) production cross-section σ tt¯ has been measured in proton–proton collisions at √s = 7 TeV √s = 8 TeV with the ATLAS experiment at the LHC, using tt¯ events with an opposite-charge eμ pair in the final state. Thus, the measurement was performed with the 2011 7 TeV dataset corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb –1 and the 2012 8 TeV dataset of 20.3 fb –1 . The numbers of events with exactly one and exactly two b-tagged jets were counted and used to simultaneously determine σ tt¯ and the efficiency to reconstruct and b-tag a jet from a top quark decay, thereby minimizing the associated systematic uncertainties.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Measurement of the muon reconstruction performance of the ATLAS detector using 2011 and 2012 LHC proton–proton collision data

This study presents the performance of the ATLAS muon reconstruction during the LHC run with pp collisions at √s = 7–8 TeV in 2011–2012, focusing mainly on data collected in 2012. Measurements of the reconstruction efficiency and of the momentum scale and resolution, based on large reference samples of J/ψ → μμ, Z → μμ and Υ → μμ decays, are presented and compared to Monte Carlo simulations. Corrections to the simulation, to be used in physics analysis, are provided. Over most of the covered phase space (muon |η| < 2.7 and 5 ≲ p T ≲ 100 GeV) the efficiency is above 99% and is measured with per-mille precision. The momentum resolution ranges from 1.7% at central rapidity and for transverse momentum p T ≃ 10 GeV, to 4% at large rapidity and p T ≃ 100 GeV. The momentum scale is known with an uncertainty of 0.05% to 0.2% depending on rapidity. A method for the recovery of final state radiation from the muons is also presented.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Search for heavy long-lived multi-charged particles in pp collisions at √s = 8 TeV using the ATLAS detector

A search for heavy long-lived multi-charged particles is performed using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Data collected in 2012 at √s = 8 TeV from pp collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb -1 are examined. Particles producing anomalously high ionisation, consistent with long-lived massive particles with electric charges from |q| = 2e to |q| = 6e are searched for. No signal candidate events are observed, and 95 % confidence level cross-section upper limits are interpreted as lower mass limits for a Drell–Yan production model. The mass limits range between 660 and 785 GeV.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Measurements of top-quark pair differential cross-sections in the lepton+jets channel in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=8\,~{\mathrm {TeV}}$ using the ATLAS detector

Measurements of normalized differential cross-sections of top-quark pair production are presented as a function of the top-quark, t$\bar{t}$ system and event-level kinematic observables in proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of √s=8TeV. The observables have been chosen to emphasize the t$\bar{t}$ production process and to be sensitive to effects of initial- and final-state radiation, to the different parton distribution functions, and to non-resonant processes and higher-order corrections. The dataset corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb - 1 , recorded in 2012 with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. Events are selected in the lepton+jets channel, requiring exactly one charged lepton and at least four jets with at least two of the jets tagged as originating from a b-quark. The measured spectra are corrected for detector effects and are compared to several Monte Carlo simulations. The results are in fair agreement with the predictions over a wide kinematic range. Nevertheless, most generators predict a harder top-quark transverse momentum distribution at high values than what is observed in the data. Predictions beyond NLO accuracy improve the agreement with data at high top-quark transverse momenta. Using the current settings and parton distribution functions, the rapidity distributions are not well modelled by any generator under consideration. However, the level of agreement is improved when more recent sets of parton distribution functions are used.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Search for new phenomena using the invariant mass distribution of same-flavour opposite-sign dilepton pairs in events with missing transverse momentum in $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for new phenomena in final states containing an e + e - or μ + μ - pair, jets, and large missing transverse momentum is presented. This analysis makes use of proton–proton collision data with an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb -1 , collected during 2015 and 2016 at a centre-of-mass energy s√=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The search targets the pair production of supersymmetric coloured particles (squarks or gluinos) and their decays into final states containing an e + e - or μ + μ - pair and the lightest neutralino ($\sim\atop{χ}$ $0\atop{1}$) via one of two next-to-lightest neutralino ($\sim\atop{χ}$ $0\atop{2}$) decay mechanisms: $\sim\atop{χ}$ $0\atop{2}$→Z$\sim\atop{χ}$ $0\atop{1}$, where the Z boson decays leptonically leading to a peak in the dilepton invariant mass distribution around the Z boson mass; and $\sim\atop{χ}$ $0\atop{2}$→ℓ + ℓ - $\sim\atop{χ}$ $0\atop{1}$ with no intermediate ℓ + ℓ - resonance, yielding a kinematic endpoint in the dilepton invariant mass spectrum. The data are found to be consistent with the Standard Model expectation. Finally, results are interpreted using simplified models, and exclude gluinos and squarks with masses as large as 1.85 and 1.3 TeV at 95% confidence level, respectively.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Measurement of the photon identification efficiencies with the ATLAS detector using LHC Run 2 data collected in 2015 and 2016

The efficiency of the photon identification criteria in the ATLAS detector is measured using 36.1 fb 1 to 36.7 fb 1 of pp collision data at √s = 13 TeV collected in 2015 and 2016. The efficiencies are measured separately for converted and unconverted isolated photons, in four different pseudorapidity regions, for transverse momenta between 10 GeV and 1.5 TeV. The results from the combination of three data-driven techniques are compared with the predictions from simulation after correcting the variables describing the shape of electromagnetic showers in simulation for the average differences observed relative to data. Data-to-simulation efficiency ratios are determined to account for the small residual efficiency differences. These factors are measured with uncertainties between 0.5% and 5% depending on the photon transverse momentum and pseudorapidity. The impact of the isolation criteria on the photon identification efficiency, and that of additional soft pp interactions, are also discussed. The probability of reconstructing an electron as a photon candidate is measured in data, and compared with the predictions from simulation. In conclusion, the efficiency of the reconstruction of photon conversions is measured using a sample of photon candidates from Z → μμγ events, exploiting the properties of the ratio of the energies deposited in the first and second longitudinal layers of the ATLAS electromagnetic calorimeter.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗