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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 OSTI2025

Significant Efficiency Enhancements in Non‐Y Series Acceptors by the Addition of Outer Side Chains

Abstract Most current highly efficient organic solar cells utilize small molecules like Y6 and its derivatives as electron acceptors in the photoactive layer. In this work, a small molecule acceptor, SC8‐IT4F, is developed through outer side chain engineering on the terminal thiophene of a conjugated 6,12‐dihydro‐dithienoindeno[2,3‐d:2′,3′‐d′]‐s‐indaceno[1,2‐b:5,6‐b′]dithiophene (IDTT) central core. Compared to the reference molecule C8‐IT4F, which lacks outer side chains, SC8‐IT4F displays notable differences in molecule geometry (as shown by simulations), thermal behavior, single‐crystal packing, and film morphology. Blend films of SC8‐IT4F and the polymer donor PM6 exhibit larger carrier mobilities, longer carrier lifetimes, and reduced recombination compared to C8‐IT4F, resulting in improved device performance. Binary photovoltaic devices based on the PM6:SC8‐IT4F films reveal an optimal efficiency over 15%, which is one of the best values for non‐Y type small molecule acceptors (SMAs). The resultant devices also show better thermal and operational stability than the control PM6:L8‐BO devices. SC8‐IT4F and its blend exhibit a higher relative degree of crystallinity and π coherence length, compared to C8‐IT4F samples, beneficial for charge transport and device performance. The results indicate that outer side chain engineering on existing small electron acceptors can be a promising molecular design strategy for further pursuing high‐performance organic solar cells.

He, Qiao [Department of Chemistry and Centre for P↗
DOE OSTI2026

Portable and Cost-Effective Device for Reliable Detection of Counterfeit and Non-compliant Refrigerants in Diverse Applications

Counterfeit refrigerants pose significant challenges to safety, system reliability, and operational effectiveness due to their harmful contaminants or incompatible chemical compositions. Utilizing these noncompliant products can lead to reduced efficiency, equipment failures, and expensive repairs. Additionally, heightened demand for alternative refrigerants during the industry's transition has created supply gaps, enabling counterfeit products to proliferate. Accurate detection and analysis tools are therefore essential to verify refrigerant authenticity and ensure system integrity in diverse applications. This paper presents the development of a portable device designed for reliable identification and detailed analysis of refrigerant composition. By integrating precision gas sampling, controlled pressure regulation, and automated sensor technology, the device not only detects deviations from standard refrigerant properties but also provides a comprehensive composition breakdown. Pre-calibrated sensors measure the refrigerant gas to identify specific concentrations and contaminants, with an intuitive LED-based indicator system ensuring quick interpretation of results. The user-friendly interface enables operators to select refrigerant types for targeted testing, further enhancing accuracy and usability for field technicians. Comprehensive testing was conducted on mildly flammable A2L refrigerants, showcasing the device’s robustness and adaptability in analyzing composition and detecting discrepancies. The device demonstrated consistent accuracy across a range of refrigerant samples, affirming its reliability in diverse operational environments. Its design minimizes contamination risks during sampling and provides detailed composition results within 90 seconds, ensuring efficient and precise analysis. With a projected price point under $150, the proposed solution delivers affordability alongside its lightweight portability and straightforward operation. Unlike complex and costly alternatives, such as gas chromatography systems, this device provides an accessible option for technicians, customs personnel, and industry operators in need of quick and effective refrigerant verification. Compatible with both current formulations and emerging refrigerant technologies, the device addresses critical counterfeit detection needs across a range of applications. By delivering accurate composition analysis and counterfeit identification, this innovation enhances system performance, safety, and operational reliability in crucial industries.

Cheekatamarla, Praveen [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000248827↗
DOE OSTI2025

DICER: A new instrument at LANSCE to constrain neutron capture rates on radionuclides

With very few exceptions, direct measurements of neutron capture rates on radionuclides have not been possible. A number of indirect methods have been pursued such as the surrogate method, the γ-ray strength function method, the Oslo method and the β-Oslo method. Substantial effort has been devoted to quantify the usually large systematic errors that accompany the results from these techniques. A new instrument has been developed at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) to provide more accurate data on several radionuclides relevant to nuclear criticality safety, radiochemical diagnostics, astrophysics, nuclear forensics and nuclear security, by measuring the transmission of neutrons through radioactive samples and studying resonance properties. The Device for Indirect Capture on Radionuclides (DICER) and associated radionuclide production at the Isotope Production Facility (IPF), both at LANSCE, as well radioactive sample fabrication, have been under development the last few years. A description of the new apparatus, data on a few mid-weight stable isotopes and efforts on radionuclide measurements will be presented.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2024

DICER: A new instrument at LANSCE to constrain neutron capture rates on radionuclides

. With very few exceptions, direct measurements of neutron capture rates on radionuclides have not been possible. A number of indirect methods have been pursued such as the surrogate method, the γ-ray strength function method, the Oslo method and the β-Oslo method. Substantial effort has been devoted to quantify the usually large systematic errors that accompany the results from these techniques. A new instrument has been developed at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) to provide more accu rate data on several radionuclides relevant to nuclear criticality safety, radiochemical diagnostics, astrophysics, nuclear forensics and nuclear security, by measuring the transmission of neutrons through radioactive samples and studying resonance properties. The Device for Indirect Capture on Radionuclides (DICER) and as sociated radionuclide production at the Isotope Production Facility (IPF), both at LANSCE, as well radioactive sample fabrication, have been under development the last few years. A description of the new apparatus, data on a few mid-weight stable isotopes and efforts on radionuclide measurements will be presented.

Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)↗
DOE OSTI2024

Observation of tantalum deposition and growth on TiB2 and ZrB2 from PISCES-RF deuterium and helium plasma exposures

Deuterium and helium plasma exposures on bulk TiB2 and ZrB2 samples were performed using the PISCES-RF linear plasma device. 40 and 90 eV deuterium ion plasma exposures were performed at 240 and 800 °C sample temperatures, and 80 eV helium ion plasma exposures were performed at 800 °C sample temperatures. Following plasma exposures, it was discovered that two plasma conditions (90 eV deuterium and 80 eV helium at 800 °C) resulted in thick (>200 nm) tantalum-rich (>10 at%) surface features on the targets, presumably from tantalum sourced from a tantalum adapter mask or cap used as part of the target holder. This work aims to characterize these tantalum-rich features and examine the mechanisms of impurity deposition.Plasma-induced surface morphology of the tantalum-rich surface layers depends on plasma properties and target temperature and chemistry. Greater titanium sputtering compared to zirconium resulted in more distinct surface features in the TiB2 samples compared to the ZrB2 samples via increased, prompt deposition onto tantalum surface impurities. There is still uncertainty as to why thick tantalum deposition only occurred under some plasma exposure conditions but not others; it is likely due to tantalum sputtering by a combination of boron molecules from the targets and carbon-impurities in the tantalum mask or targets. Impurity driven surface features are a well-documented phenomena in samples exposed to plasma from linear plasma device facilities—this work confirms the occurrence of this and emphasizes the need for chemistry characterization of isolated post-mortem surface features in plasma-exposed samples.

Nuckols, Lauren↗
DOE OSTI2024

Wireless Frequency‐Multiplexed Acoustic Array‐Based Acoustofluidics

Abstract Acoustofluidics has shown great potential in enabling on‐chip technologies for driving liquid flows and manipulating particles and cells for engineering, chemical, and biomedical applications. To introduce on‐demand liquid sample processing and micro/nano‐object manipulation functions to wearable and embeddable electronics, wireless acoustofluidic chips are highly desired. This paper presents wireless acoustofluidic chips to generate acoustic waves carrying sufficient energy and achieve key acoustofluidic functions, including arranging particles and cells, generating fluid streaming, and enriching in‐droplet particles. To enable these functions, the wireless acoustofluidic chips leverage mechanisms, including inductive coupling‐based wireless power transfer (WPT), frequency multiplexing‐based control of multiple acoustic waves, and the resultant acoustic radiation and drag forces. For validation, the wirelessly generated acoustic waves are measured using laser vibrometry when different materials (e.g., bone, tissue, and hand) are inserted between the WPT transmitter and receiver. Moreover, the wireless acoustofluidic chips successfully arrange nanoparticles into different patterns, align cells into parallel pearl chains, generate streaming, and enrich in‐droplet microparticles. This research is anticipated to facilitate the development of embeddable wireless on‐chip flow generators, wearable sensors with liquid sample processing functions, and implantable devices with flow generation and acoustic stimulation abilities for engineering, veterinary, and biomedical applications.

Li, Jiali↗
DOE OSTI2026

Development of a Flow-through Cell for Ultrasonic Extraction (UE)─Single Particle (SP)─ICP-MS─an Approach for Nano/Microparticle Elemental and Isotopic Analysis

Nanotechnology is a salient part of the scientific landscape, and analytical approaches are rapidly evolving to enable small-scale characterization of nano- and microparticle compositions and impurities. Here, a flow-through sonicating cell was developed for direct particle extraction from a silicon wafer and integrated with an inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) for subsequent elemental and isotopic characterization of the released particles. Ultrasonic extraction (UE)─single particle (SP)─ICP-MS offers controlled particle mobilization from solid substrates and allows for increased sample throughput by eliminating the need for pre-extraction of particles and decreasing sample preparation steps. Coupling this device to an ICP-MS with a time-of-flight (TOF) mass analyzer, it is possible to distinguish unique isotopic compositions of the particles. Both tungsten and nickel isotopically tagged particles, which were deposited on Si wafers, are presented here with analysis via UE─SP─ICP-MS. This approach could support efforts in the fields of particle synthesis, nuclear safeguards and forensics, environmental monitoring, and semiconductor industries in which the detection of particles from substrates and wafers is critical.

Paul, Molly [ORNL] (ORCID:0009000009672055)↗
DOE OSTI2023

Production of zirconium-88 via proton irradiation of metallic yttrium and preparation of target for neutron transmission measurements at DICER

Abstract A process for the production of tens to hundreds of GBq amounts of zirconium-88 ( 88 Zr) using proton beams on yttrium was developed. For this purpose, yttrium metal targets (≈20 g) were irradiated in a ~16 to 34 MeV proton beam at a beam current of 100–200 µA at the Los Alamos Isotope Production Facility (IPF). The 88 Zr radionuclide was produced and separated from the yttrium targets using hydroxamate resin with an elution yield of 94(5)% (1σ). Liquid DCl solution in D 2 O was selected as a suitable 88 Zr sample matrix due to the high neutron transmission of deuterium compared to hydrogen and an even distribution of 88 Zr in the sample matrix. The separated 88 Zr was dissolved in DCl and 8 µL of the obtained solution was transferred to a tungsten sample can with a 1.2 mm diameter hole using a syringe and automated filling station inside a hot cell. Neutron transmission of the obtained 88 Zr sample was measured at the Device for Indirect Capture Experiments on Radionuclides (DICER).

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Autosampler software

control software for an automated liquid chromatography sample injection and separation system. It is related to a PNNL invention report 31630-E, Method for direct delivering trace samples from smallsize wells to liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. The main purpose of the control software is to enable automated sample injection from a nanowell device.

Liyu, Andrey↗
DOE OSTI2021

Thin-film chemical expansion of ceria based solid solutions: laser vibrometry study

The chemical expansion of Pr 0.1 Ce 0.9 O 2-δ (PCO) and CeO 2-δ thin films is investigated in the temperature range between 600 °C and 800 °C by laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV). It enables non-contact determination of nanometer scale changes in film thickness at high temperatures. The present study is the first systematic and detailed investigation of chemical expansion of doped and undoped ceria thin films at temperatures above 650 °C. The thin films were deposited on yttria stabilized zirconia substrates (YSZ), operated as an electrochemical oxygen pump, to periodically adjust the oxygen activity in the films, leading to reversible expansion and contraction of the film. This further leads to stresses in the underlying YSZ substrates, accompanied by bending of the overall devices. Film thickness changes and sample bending are found to reach up to 10 and several hundred nanometers, respectively, at excitation frequencies from 0.1 to 10 Hz and applied voltages from 0–0.75 V for PCO and 0–1 V for ceria. At low frequencies, equilibrium conditions are approached. As a consequence maximum thin-film expansion of PCO is expected due to full reduction of the Pr ions. The lower detection limit for displacements is found to be in the subnanometer range. At 800 °C and an excitation frequency of 1 Hz, the LDV shows a remarkable resolution of 0.3 nm which allows, for example, the characterization of materials with small levels of expansion, such as undoped ceria at high oxygen partial pressure. As the correlation between film expansion and sample bending is obtained through this study, a dimensional change of a free body consisting of the same material can be calculated using the high resolution characteristics of this system. A minimum detectable dimensional change of 5 pm is estimated even under challenging high-temperature conditions at 800 °C opening up opportunities to investigate electro-chemo-mechanical phenomena heretofore impossible to investigate. The expansion data are correlated with previous results on the oxygen nonstoichiometry of PCO thin films, and a defect model for bulk ceria solid solutions is adopted to calculate the cation and anion radii changes in the constrained films during chemical expansion. The constrained films exhibit anisotropic volume expansion with displacements perpendicular to the substrate plane nearly double that of bulk samples. The PCO films used here generate high total displacements of several 100 nm’s with high reproducibility. Consequently, PCO films are identified to be a potential core component of high-temperature actuators. They benefit not only from high displacements at temperatures where most piezoelectric materials no longer operate while exhibiting, low voltage operation and low energy consumption.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Two and three-dimensional near infrared subcutaneous structure imager using realtime nonlinear video processing

A method includes placing an imaging device in contact with a sample, irradiating the sample via an illuminator such that radiation scatters off of the structure, and providing the scattered radiation to a detector to generate a digital video signal. A processor then performs various operations including subtracting a sum of a black state value and a user-defined black level clamping value from the digital video signal to create subtracted image data, substituting negative values in the subtracted image data with a reference value to create modified image data, and amplifying the modified image data by a user-defined gain to create contrast enhanced image data.

Krasowski, Michael J.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Growth, characterization, and Chern insulator state in MnBi 2⁢ Te 4 via the chemical vapor transport method

As the first intrinsic antiferromagnetic topological insulator, MnBi 2 Te 4 has provided a platform to investigate the interplay of band topology and magnetism as well as the emergent phenomena arising from such an interplay. Here we report the chemical-vapor-transport (CVT) growth and characterization of MnBi 2 Te 4 , as well as the observation of the field-induced quantized Hall conductance in 6-layer devices. Through comparative studies between our CVT-grown and flux-grown MnBi 2 Te 4 via magnetic, transport, scanning tunneling microscopy, and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements, we find that CVT-grown MnBi 2 Te 4 is marked with higher Mn occupancy on the Mn site, slightly higher Mn Bi antisites, smaller carrier concentration, and a Fermi level closer to the Dirac point. Furthermore, a 6-layer device made from the CVT-grown sample shows by far the highest mobility of 2500 cm 2 V s in MnBi 2 Te 4 devices with the quantized Hall conductance appearing at 1.8 K and 8 T. Furthermore, our study provides a route to obtain high-quality single crystals of MnBi 2 Te 4 that are promising to make superior devices and realize emergent phenomena, such as the layer Hall effect and quantized anomalous Hall effect, etc.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

A simple vacuum suitcase for enabling plasma facing component characterization in fusion devices

We have demonstrated a vacuum suitcase to transport samples in vacuo to a surface analysis station for characterization of tokamak plasma facing components (PFCs). This technique enables surface analysis at powerful, dedicated stations that are not encumbered by design constraints imposed on them by a tokamak. The vacuum suitcase is an alternative solution to characterizing PFCs using diagnostics that are designed and built around a tokamak. The vacuum suitcase, called the Sample Exposure Probe (SEP), features mobile ultra-high vacuum pumping. Active pumping under high vacuum enables sample transfer between the Lithium Tokamak eXperiment-β (LTX-β) and a high resolution X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) system that is situated close by. A thermocouple inserted in the back of the sample head measures heat flux from the plasma during exposure, and together with a button heater, allows the sample to match the LTX-β PFCs in high temperature operations. As vacuum conditions are better during transfer and analysis than in the tokamak, less contamination is introduced to the samples. XPS scans on a dedicated analysis station enable peak identification due to higher resolution and signal to noise ratio. A similar probe could be implemented for other fusion devices. As a result, the SEP is the first vacuum suitcase implementation for fusion applications that incorporates active pumping.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2021

New high-throughput endstation to accelerate the experimental optimization pipeline for synchrotron X-ray footprinting

Synchrotron X-ray footprinting (XF) is a growing structural biology technique that leverages radiation-induced chemical modifications via X-ray radiolysis of water to produce hydroxyl radicals that probe changes in macromolecular structure and dynamics in solution states of interest. The X-ray Footprinting of Biological Materials (XFP) beamline at the National Synchrotron Light Source II provides the structural biology community with access to instrumentation and expert support in the XF method, and is also a platform for development of new technological capabilities in this field. Hee, the design and implementation of a new high-throughput endstation device based around use of a 96-well PCR plate form factor and supporting diagnostic instrumentation for synchrotron XF is described. This development enables a pipeline for rapid comprehensive screening of the influence of sample chemistry on hydroxyl radical dose using a convenient fluorescent assay, illustrated here with a study of 26 organic compounds. The new high-throughput endstation device and sample evaluation pipeline now available at the XFP beamline provide the worldwide structural biology community with a robust resource for carrying out well optimized synchrotron XF studies of challenging biological systems with complex sample compositions.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗
DOE OSTI2024

Readout optimization of multi-amplifier sensing charge-coupled devices for single-quantum measurement

The non-destructive readout capability of the Skipper Charge Coupled Device (CCD) has been demonstrated to reduce the noise limitation of conventional silicon devices to levels that allow single-photon or single-electron counting. The noise reduction is achieved by taking multiple measurements of the charge in each pixel. These multiple measurements come at the cost of extra readout time, which has been a limitation for the broader adoption of this technology in particle physics, quantum imaging, and astronomy applications. This work presents recent results of a novel sensor architecture that uses multiple non-destructive floating-gate amplifiers in series to achieve sub-electron readout noise in a thick, fully-depleted silicon detector to overcome the readout time overhead of the Skipper-CCD. This sensor is called the Multiple-Amplifier Sensing Charge-Coupled Device (MAS-CCD) can perform multiple independent charge measurements with each amplifier, and the measurements from multiple amplifiers can be combined to further reduce the readout noise. We will show results obtained for sensors with 8 and 16 amplifiers per readout stage in new readout operations modes to optimize its readout speed. The noise reduction capability of the new techniques will be demonstrated in terms of its ability to reduce the noise by combining the information from the different amplifiers, and to resolve signals in the order of a single photon per pixel. The first readout operation explored here avoids the extra readout time needed in the MAS-CCD to read a line of the sensor associated with the extra extent of the serial register. The second technique explore the capability of the MAS-CCD device to perform a region of interest readout increasing the number of multiple samples per amplifier in a targeted region of the active area of the device.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Overcoming the sensitivity vs. throughput tradeoff in Coulter counters: A novel side counter design

We report microfabricated Coulter counters are attractive for point of care (POC) applications since they are label free and compact. However, these approaches inherently suffer from a trade off between sample throughput and sensitivity. The counter measures a change in impedance due to displaced fluid volume by passing cells, and thus the counter's signal increases with the fraction of the sensing volume displaced. Reducing the size of the sensing region requires reductions in volumetric throughput in the absence of increased hydraulic pressure and sensor bandwidth. The risk of mechanical clog formation, rendering the counter inoperable, increases markedly with reductions in the size of the constriction aperture. We present here a microfluidic coplanar Coulter counter device design that overcomes the problem of constriction clogging while capable of operating in microfluidic channels filled entirely with highly conductive sample. The device utilizes microfabricated planar electrodes projecting into one side of the microfluidic channel and is easily integrated with upstream electronic, hydrodynamic, or other focusing units to produce efficient counting which could allow for dramatically increased volumetric and sample throughput. The design lends itself to simple, cost effective POC applications.

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

Classical Simulation of Boson Sampling Based on Graph Structure

Boson sampling is a fundamentally and practically important task that can be used to demonstrate quantum supremacy using noisy intermediate-scale quantum devices. In this Letter, we present classical sampling algorithms for single-photon and Gaussian input states that take advantage of a graph structure of a linear-optical circuit. The algorithms’ complexity grows as so-called treewidth, which is closely related to the connectivity of a given linear-optical circuit. Using the algorithms, we study approximated simulations for local Haar-random linear-optical circuits. For equally spaced initial sources, we show that, when the circuit depth is less than the quadratic in the lattice spacing, the efficient simulation is possible with an exponentially small error. Notably, right after this depth, photons start to interfere each other and the algorithms’ complexity becomes subexponential in the number of sources, implying that there is a sharp transition of its complexity. Finally, when a circuit is sufficiently deep enough for photons to typically propagate to all modes, the complexity becomes exponential as generic sampling algorithms. We numerically implement a likelihood test with a recent Gaussian boson sampling experiment and show that the treewidth-based algorithm with a limited treewidth renders a larger likelihood than the experimental data.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Sample-efficient verification of continuously-parameterized quantum gates for small quantum processors

Most near-term quantum information processing devices will not be capable of implementing quantum error correction and the associated logical quantum gate set. Instead, quantum circuits will be implemented directly using the physical native gate set of the device. These native gates often have a parameterization (e.g., rotation angles) which provide the ability to perform a continuous range of operations. Verification of the correct operation of these gates across the allowable range of parameters is important for gaining confidence in the reliability of these devices. In this work, we demonstrate a procedure for sample-efficient verification of continuously-parameterized quantum gates for small quantum processors of up to approximately 10 qubits. This procedure involves generating random sequences of randomly-parameterized layers of gates chosen from the native gate set of the device, and then stochastically compiling an approximate inverse to this sequence such that executing the full sequence on the device should leave the system near its initial state. We show that fidelity estimates made via this technique have a lower variance than fidelity estimates made via cross-entropy benchmarking. This provides an experimentally-relevant advantage in sample efficiency when estimating the fidelity loss to some desired precision. We describe the experimental realization of this technique using continuously-parameterized quantum gate sets on a trapped-ion quantum processor from Sandia QSCOUT and a superconducting quantum processor from IBM Q, and we demonstrate the sample efficiency advantage of this technique both numerically and experimentally.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗