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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 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Spectral Data Fusion From Handheld Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) Analyzers for Improved Detection of Cerium in a Simulated Dispersal Accident

Here, this work implements a mid-level data fusion methodology on spectral data from handheld X-ray fluorescence and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy analyzers to quantify plutonium surrogate (CeO 2 ) contamination in soil samples for the first time. Spectral data from each analyzer were used independently to train supervised machine learning regressions to predict Ce concentration. Fused features from both data sets were then used to train the same models, comparing prediction performance by evaluating model precision and sensitivity. Fusing principal component scores from the two sensors yielded an order of magnitude improvement in precision and sensitivity of predictions made with an artificial neural network, compared to predictions made by models trained on independent sensor data. As a result, a boosted ensemble trained on the fused spectral features yielded an ideal predictor with root-mean-squared error on the order of 10 –6 and calculated limit of detection order 10 –5 wt %.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2025

Modifications in the charge trap landscape in Hf 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 as a function of oxygen vacancy concentration observed with photoemission electron microscopy

Oxygen vacancies in Hf x Zr (1-x) O 2 (HZO) both contribute to stabilization of the ferroelectric orthorhombic phase and promote leakage pathways that limit the endurance of devices based on the material. Here, for this reason, the defect states of oxygen vacancies were investigated using photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), as their concentration was varied via ex situ laser exposure. Following a controlled oxygen vacancy reduction via visible (2.54 eV) laser dosing of HZO, deep-ultraviolet (DUV, 5.82 eV) PEEM was used to spatially probe the resulting mid-gap defect states and work function. Work function was found to increase monotonically with the laser-induced reduction in oxygen vacancy concentration culminating in a total increase near 70 meV. The change implies a Fermi level shift toward the valence band as the total available electron-filled charge states are reduced with the removal of oxygen vacancies. A reduction in charge states is corroborated by the observed lessening of both photoemission and photoluminescence intensities after laser dosing. The deduced position of the Fermi level is within a band of near-conduction band defect states produced by oxygen vacancies that are linked to endurance limiting leakage currents. Together, these results directly identify the primary role of oxygen vacancies on the defect states in HZO while demonstrating that laser exposure can be used for their modification.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Insight into the Chemistry of PETN Under Shock Compression Through Ultrafast Broadband Mid-Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy

In this study, thin films of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) were shock compressed using the laser driven shock apparatus at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Two spectroscopic probes were available to this apparatus: visible white light transient absorption spectroscopy (VIS) from 400 to 700 nm and mid-infrared transient absorption spectroscopy (MIR) from 1150 to 3800 cm –1 . Important PETN vibrational modes are the symmetric and antisymmetric NO 2 stretches at 1280 and 1650 cm –1 , respectively, as well as CH stretches at ~2900 cm –1 . Shock strength was varied from approximately 3 to 55 GPa to span from the chemically unreactive regime to the regime in which fast chemical reaction took place on the 250 ps time scale of the measurements. VIS and MIR results suggest irreversible chemistry was induced in PETN at pressures above 30 GPa. At lower shock pressures, the spectroscopy showed minimal changes attributable to pressure induced effects. Under the higher-pressure reactive conditions, the frequency region at the antisymmetric NO 2 stretch mode had a significantly increased absorption while the region around the symmetric NO 2 stretch did not. No observable increased absorption occurred in the higher frequency regions where CH-, NH-, and OH- bond absorptions would be observed. A broad absorption appeared on the shoulder at the red-edge of the CO 2 vibrational band around 2200 cm –1 . In addition to the experiments, reactive molecular dynamics were carried out under equivalent shock conditions to correlate the evolution of the infrared spectrum to molecular processes. The simulations show results consistent to experiments up to 30 GPa but suggest that NO and NO 2 related features provided the strongest contributions to the shocked infrared changes. Proposed mechanisms for shocked PETN chemistry are analyzed as consistent or inconsistent with the data presented here. Our experimental data suggests C≡O or N 2 O bond formation, nitrite formation, and absence of significant hydroxyl or amine concentrations in the initial chemistry steps in PETN shocked above 30 GPa.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS2010

Lasers and the Dynamic Mesosphere/Thermosphere of Venus

A review of ground based mid-infrared uniquely high spectral. resolution measurements of Venus dynamics, temperature, and chemistry will be presented. The described studies will focus on the use of CO2 absorption features and the discovery- and use of CO2 thermospheric non-thermal emission: lines as probes of Venus' atmosphere, from the cloud tops to approx.120 km in the thermosphere. The first investigations using infrared heterodyne spectroscopy with resolving power lambda/Delta(lambda) approx. 10(exp 6) to measure true emission line profiles and to determine their non-thermal nature and lasing component will be described. The use of the thermospheric non-thermal CO2 emission to directly measure sub-solar to anti-solar winds and zonal circulation near 110 km altitudes on Venus to approx.2 m/s accuracy will also be described. The measured emission lures are also used to obtain global maps of mesospheric/thermospheric kinetic and rotational temperatures as well as to obtain evidence of the natural lasing phenomena. Carbon dioxide absorption features globally probe lower altitudes in the atmosphere and can be used to determine nightside temperatures. Isotopic 13 CO2 absorption lines are used to probe deeper in the atmosphere to measure the sub-solar to anti-solar return flow at altitudes just above the cloud tops. These results provided a model for global circulation in the 65 - 120 km altitude region first proposed by Goldstein (1989, PhD.Thesis, U. Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA). Results of similar wind and temperature measurements made in recent years will be compared to earlier results to investigate changes in the circulation and temperatures since approx.1990. The high resolution infrared heterodyne technique was also used to investigate chemical processes above the cloud tops, specifically evidence and constraints on oxygen-based chemistry. Described measurements were made by infrared heterodyne spectroscopy using the Goddard Space Flight Center Infrared Heterodyne Spectrometer (IRHS) the GSFC Heterodyne Instrument for Planetary wind And Composition (HIPWAC) and the University of Cologne Tuneable Heterodyne Infrared Spectrometer (THIS).

Kostiuk, Theodor↗
DOE OSTI2021

Ultrafast adiabatic frequency conversion

Abstract Ultrafast adiabatic frequency conversion is a powerful method, capable of efficiently and coherently transfering ultrashort pulses between different spectral ranges, e.g. from near-infrared to mid-infrared, visible or ultra-violet. This is highly desirable in research fields that are currently limited by available ultrafast laser sources, e.g. attosecond science, strong-field physics, high-harmonic generation spectroscopy and multidimensional mid-infrared spectroscopy. Over the past decade, adiabatic frequency conversion has substantially evolved. Initially applied to quasi-monochromatic, undepleted pump interactions, it has been generalized to include ultrashort, broadband, fully-nonlinear dynamics. Through significant theoretical development and experimental demonstrations, it has delivered new capabilities and superior performance in terms of bandwidth, efficiency and robustness, as compared to other frequency conversion techniques. This article introduces the concept of adiabatic nonlinear frequency conversion, reviews its theoretical foundations, presents significant milestones and highlights contemporary ultrafast applications that may, or already do, benefit from utilizing this method.

Margules, Peleg (ORCID:0000000335573370)↗
DOE OSTI2020

Hydrodynamic conditions in laser irradiated buried layer experiments

The calculation of open shell ionization level and radiative properties of materials in Non-Local Thermal Equilibrium (NLTE) is currently still a major challenge for any atomic model. The predictions of various NLTE atomic codes at these conditions still differ significantly. In recent years, a new buried layer platform was developed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the Laboratory for Laser Energetics. This platform is used to measure ionization distribution and emission of open L-shell, mid-Z ions and open M-shell, high-Z ions at NLTE conditions that are relevant in many laser plasma applications. These experiments offer a unique chance for benchmarking the atomic models. In order to perform these experiments, a uniform well characterized plasma source is required. In this work, we present one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional simulations of the experimental platform. These simulations were used for both the design and the analysis of the experiments. The simulations demonstrate the different phases of hydrodynamic evolution of the target and identify the time windows in which uniform conditions can be achieved. A 1D expansion of the target was found to be adequate to describe the target's evolution for most of the experiment duration. The fast 1D simulations were compared with recent experimental results from the Omega laser facility. The sensitivity of the results to several modeling parameters such as the electron flux limiter and laser resonant absorption is reported.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS1993

Effects of turbulence on the geodynamic laser ranging system

The Geodynamic Laser Ranging System (GLRS) is one of several instruments being developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for implementation as part of the Earth Observing System in the mid-1990s (Cohen et al., 1987; Bruno et al., 1988). It consists of a laser transmitter and receiver in space and an array of retroreflectors on the ground. The transmitter produces short (100 ps) pulses of light at two harmonics (0.532 and 0.355 microns) of the Nd:YAG laser. These propagate to a retroreflector on the ground and return. The receiver collects the reflected light and measures the round-trip transit time. Ranging from several angles accurately determines the position of the retroreflector, and changes in position caused by geophysical processes can be monitored.

Churnside, James H.↗
DOE OSTI2020

High-resolution infrared spectroscopy of jet cooled CH 2 Br radicals: The symmetric CH stretch manifold and absence of nuclear spin cooling

Direct laser absorption of a slit supersonic discharge expansion provides the first high-resolution spectroscopic results on the symmetric CH stretch excitation (ν 1 ) of the bromomethyl (CH 2 Br) radical in the ground electronic state. Narrowband (<1 MHz) mid-infrared radiation is produced by difference-frequency generation of two visible laser beams, with the open shell halohydrocarbon radical generated by electron dissociative attachment of CH 2 Br 2 in a discharge and rapidly cooled to T rot = 18 ± 1 K in the subsequent slit-jet supersonic expansion. A rovibrational structure in the radical spectrum is fully resolved, as well as additional splittings due to spin-rotation effects and 79 Br/ 81 Br isotopologues in natural abundance. Spectroscopic constants and band origins are determined by fitting the transition frequencies to a non-rigid Watson Hamiltonian, yielding results consistent with a vibrationally averaged planar radical and an unpaired electron in the out-of-plane p π orbital. Additionally, extensive satellite band structure from a vibrational hot band is observed and analyzed. The hot band data is compared to CFOUR/VPT2 (CCSD(T)cc-pVQZ) ab initio anharmonic predictions of the vibration rotation alpha matrix, which permits unambiguous assignment to CH 2 symmetric-stretch excitation built on the singly excited CH 2 out-of-plane bending mode (ν 1 + ν 4 ← ν 4 ). Longitudinal cooling of the Doppler width in the slit-jet expansion geometry also reveals partially resolved hyperfine structure on transitions out of the lowest angular momentum states in excellent agreement with predictions based on microwave studies. High level ab initio MOLPRO calculations [CCSD(T)-f12b/VnZ-f12 (n = 3, 4, CBS)] are also performed with explicitly correlated f12 electron methods for the out-of-plane CH 2 bending mode over the halogen series CH 2 X (X = F, Cl, Br, I), which clearly reveals a non-planar geometry for X = F (with a ΔE ≈ 0.3 kcal/mol barrier) and yet planar equilibrium geometries for X = Cl, Br, and I. Finally, a detailed Boltzmann analysis of the transition intensities provides support for negligible collisional equilibration of the entangled H atom nuclear spin states on the few hundred microsecond time scale and high collision densities of a slit supersonic expansion.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

Intense infrared lasers for strong-field science

The advent of chirped-pulse amplification in the 1980s and femtosecond Ti:sapphire lasers in the 1990s enabled transformative advances in intense laser–matter interaction physics. Whereas most of experiments have been conducted in the limited near-infrared range of 0.8–1 μm, theories predict that many physical phenomena such as high harmonic generation in gases favor long laser wavelengths in terms of extending the high-energy cutoff. Significant progress has been made in developing few-cycle, carrier-envelope phase-stabilized, high-peak-power lasers in the 1.6–2 μm range that has laid the foundation for attosecond X ray sources in the water window. Even longer wavelength lasers are becoming available that are suitable to study light filamentation, high harmonic generation, and laser–plasma interaction in the relativistic regime. Long-wavelength lasers are suitable for sub-bandgap strong-field excitation of a wide range of solid materials, including semiconductors. In the strong-field limit, bulk crystals also produce high-order harmonics. In this review, we first introduce several important wavelength scaling laws in strong-field physics, then describe recent breakthroughs in short- (1.4–3 μm), mid- (3–8 μm), and long-wave (8–15 μm) infrared laser technology, and finally provide examples of strong-field applications of these novel lasers. Furthermore, some of the broadband ultrafast infrared lasers will have profound effects on medicine, environmental protection, and national defense, because their wavelengths cover the water absorption band, the molecular fingerprint region, as well as the atmospheric infrared transparent window.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Frequency combs in optically injected terahertz ring quantum cascade lasers

Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) have emerged as promising candidates for generating chip-scale frequency combs in mid-infrared and terahertz wavelengths. In this work, we demonstrate frequency comb formation in ring terahertz QCLs using the injection of light from a distributed feedback (DFB) laser. The DFB design frequency is chosen to match the modes of the ring cavity (near 3.3 THz), and light from the DFB is injected into the ring QCL via a bus waveguide. By controlling the power and frequency of the optical injection, we show that combs can be selectively formed and controlled in the ring cavity. Numerical modeling suggests that this comb is primarily frequency-modulated in character, with the injection serving to trigger comb formation. We also show that the ring can be used as a filter to control the output of the DFB QCL, potentially being of interest in terahertz photonic integrated circuits. Our work demonstrates that waveguide couplers are a compelling approach for injecting and extracting radiation from ring terahertz combs and offer exciting possibilities for the generation of new comb states in terahertz, such as frequency-modulated waves, solitons, and more.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
NASA NTRS2000

Novel diode laser-based sensors for gas sensing applications

The development of compact spectroscopic gas sensors and their applications to environmental sensing will be described. These sensors employ mid-infrared difference-frequency generation (DFG) in periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) crystals pumped by two single-frequency solid state lasers such as diode lasers, diode-pumped solid state, and fiber lasers. Ultrasensitive, highly selective, and real-time measurements of several important atmospheric trace gases, including carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde [correction of formaldehye], and methane, have been demonstrated.

NASA Discipline Life Sciences Technologies↗
DOE OSTI2023

Linear colliders based on laser-plasma accelerators

Laser-plasma accelerators are capable of sustaining accelerating fields of 10–100 GeV/m, 100–1000 times that of conventional technology and the highest fields produced by any of the widely researched advanced accelerator concepts. Laser-plasma accelerators also intrinsically accelerate short particle bunches, several orders of magnitude shorter than that of conventional technology, which leads to reductions in beamstrahlung and, hence, savings in the overall power consumption to reach a desired luminosity. These properties make laser-plasma accelerators a promising accelerator technology for a more compact, less expensive high-energy linear collider providing multi-TeV polarized leptons. In this submission to the Snowmass 2021 Accelerator Frontier, we discuss the motivation for a laser-plasma-accelerator-based linear collider, the status of the field, and potential linear collider concepts up to 15 TeV. Herein, we outline the research and development path toward a collider based on laser-plasma accelerator technology, and highlight near-term and mid-term applications of this technology on the collider development path. The required experimental facilities to carry out this research are described. We conclude with community recommendations developed during Snowmass.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Generation of 3.3-mJ, 2.45-µm, sub-2-cycle laser pulses via hollow-core fiber pulse compression

We demonstrate nonlinear compression of mid-infrared pulses from a Cr:ZnSe chirped-pulse amplifier using a gas-filled stretched hollow-core fiber followed by bulk-material compression. Starting from 90 fs, 2.45 µm pulses with 5.3 mJ energy, spectral broadening in the gas-filled capillary combined with optimized dispersion management enables compression to 15 fs, less than two optical cycles at 2.45 µm, with 3.3 mJ pulse energy, corresponding to a peak power of approximately 0.12 TW. The simplicity of the approach, based on a single hollow-core fiber stage and bulk dispersion compensation, makes it scalable to higher energies and establishes a robust route to mid-infrared drivers for high harmonic generation and attosecond applications.

Britton, Mathew [SLAC National Accelerator Laborat↗
DOE OSTI2022

Ultrafast infrared plasmon switching in aligned carbon-nanotube optical resonators

Reconfigurable plasmonic materials are crucial components in active photonic devices for optical communication, signal processing, and sensing applications. Certain candidates including transparent conducting oxides, small-bandgap semiconductors (i.e. Ge, InSb), and conducting polymers can exhibit switchable free carrier concentrations triggered by optical, electrical or thermal excitations. Here, we show that aligned films of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) can serve as all-optically tunable plasmonic material in the mid-infrared range, thereby adding them to the library of switchable plasmonic materials. Interband optical pumping with femtosecond laser pulses results in the photoexcitation of free charge carriers, which transiently blueshifts the plasmon resonances of patterned, periodic SWCNT nano-resonators spanning the mid-infrared spectral range from 1700 to 2700 cm -1 . Furthermore. the ultrafast plasmon modulation exhibits a nearly single-picosecond decay time, attributed to interband carrier relaxation and inter-tube charge transfer. Given that aligned films of SWCNTs have high thermal stability, excellent photostability, epsilon-near-zero property, and extremely large optical anisotropy, their dynamic tunability represents a promising pathway towards active optical devices in the technologically important mid-infrared range.

single-walled carbon nanotubes↗
NASA NTRS1993

Development of the Mars Observer Laser Altimeter (MOLA)

The Mars Observer (MO) spacecraft payload scientific mission is to gather data on Martian global topography, gravity, weather, magnetic field and its interaction with the solar flux, surface chemistry, and mineralogy over one Mars year. In mid-1988 the need for a replacement altimeter as part of the payload complement arose. The Mars Observer Laser Altimeter (MOLA) was proposed by GSFC as an in-house effort and shortly afterward was 'conditionally' accepted. Constraints on funding, schedule, power, and mass were imposed with periodic reviews during the instrument development to authorize continuation. MOLA was designed, tested, and delivered in less than 36 months and integrated with the spacecraft. During spacecraft payload testing, the laser failed due to contamination in the laser cavity. In only 6 months, the laser was removed, rebuilt from spare parts, retested, and the instrument reassembled, realigned, requalified, and again delivered for spacecraft integration. Other aspects of the development of the MOLA are presented.

Johnson, Bertrand L., Jr↗
DOE OSTI2020

Coherent Manipulation of Single Electrons with Optical Photons in Condensed Helium-4

Single electrons are one of the simplest quantum objects in nature. In free space or conventional materials, single electrons hardly interact with optical (ultraviolet-visible-infrared) photons, so their quantum states cannot be easily manipulated by optics. Here, a notable exception is is theoretically demonstrated: A single electron in condensed helium-4 can be self-confined in a nanometric bubble of 1 to 2 nm radius and resonantly interact with mid-infrared photons of 3 to 12 μm wavelength. A femtosecond laser can drive the electron into Rabi oscillations and prepare it onto arbitrary superposition states between the ground and excited states. After the laser pulse, the electron bubble can exhibit remarkable nonequilibrium quantum dynamics and evolve toward various final states with various lifetimes. These processes are accompanied with intense phonon radiation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Time-Resolved X-ray Emission Spectroscopy and Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering Spectroscopy of Laser Irradiated Carbon

The existence of liquid carbon as an intermediate phase preceding the formation of novel carbon materials has been a point of contention for several decades. Experimental observation of such a liquid state requires nonthermal melting of solid carbon materials at various laser fluences and pulse properties. Reflectivity experiments performed in the mid-1980s reached opposing conclusions regarding the metallic or insulating properties of the purported liquid state. Time-resolved X-ray absorption studies showed shortening of C–C bonds and increasing diffraction densities, thought to evidence a liquid or glassy carbon state, respectively. Nevertheless, none of these experiments provided information on the electronic structure of the proposed liquid state. Herein, we report the results of time-resolved resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) and time-resolved X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) studies on amorphous carbon (a-C) and ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) as a function of delay time between the irradiating pulse and X-ray probe. For both a-C and UNCD, we attribute decreases in RIXS or XES signals to transition blocking, relaxation, and finally, ablation. Increased signal at 20 ps following the irradiation of the UNCD is attributed to the probable formation of nanoscale structures in the ablation plume. Further, differences in the amount of signal observed between a-C and UNCD are explained by the difference in sample thickness and, specifically, incomplete melting of the UNCD film. Comparisons to spectral simulations based on MD trajectories at extreme conditions indicate that the carbon state in our experiments is crystalline. Normal mode analysis confirmed that symmetrical bending or stretching of the C–C bonds in the diamond lattice results in XES spectra with small intensity differences. Overall, we observed no evidence of melting to a liquid state, as determined by the lack of changes in the spectral properties for up to 100 ps delays following the melting pulses.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗