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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

Optimizing spin qubit coherence through materials codesign

The evolution of defect-based spin qubit systems is currently transitioning from fundamental studies and proof-of-concept demonstrations into applications in the burgeoning field of quantum technology. Within this context, new challenges emerge, in particular, the need to understand and engineer the fundamental materials that form the hardware building blocks critical for the scalability and wide-scale adoption of such technologies. While earlier discussions have often focused on qubits within idealized systems, major limitations on spin coherence and optical properties arise from effects imposed by the nonideality of the surrounding host matrix. Decoherence can stem from a variety of sources, including other qubits, nuclear spins, and parasitic point- and extended defects, which interact with the qubit via magnetic and electric fields, photons, phonons, and strain. In this article, we focus on the relevant sources and mechanisms through which decoherence occurs and provide potential mitigation strategies via the synergistic integration of first-principles simulations and materials synthesis and engineering. We aim to provide a tangible link between material properties and material functions thereby enabling materials-by-design.

ab initio simulations↗

Development of local hybrid density functionals to treat self-interaction error and many-electron effects

The goal of this project was to improve density functional theory (DFT) for systems where conventional semilocal approximations are limited by self-interaction error (SIE) and by near-degeneracy or strong many-electron effects. While DFT remains the only broadly practical first-principles framework for large-scale materials simulations, its predictive accuracy is often challenged in situations involving stretched bonds, charge transfer, transition-metal chemistry, magnetic couplings, band gaps, and correlated electronic states. This project addressed these limitations by developing physically grounded and numerically robust exchange–correlation functionals that retain the efficiency of modern DFT while extending its predictive scope.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

High entropy oxides prediction and discovery by the Mixed Enthalpy-Entropy Descriptor

The vast, high-dimensional composition space of high-entropy oxides (HEOs) offers exceptional opportunities for functional materials discovery, yet it also poses a fundamental challenge: the rational and efficient prediction of stable, synthesizable compositions and the corresponding structure–property relationships. Despite growing interest, the field still lacks broadly applicable, physically grounded descriptors capable of navigating various large chemical spaces. Here, we introduce a Mixed Enthalpy–Entropy Descriptor (MEED) that enables rapid, first-principles–based prediction of HEOs synthesizability across diverse chemistries. Using MEED, we perform high-throughput screening of two distinct HEO families: rocksalt oxides and perovskite oxides. The predicted top candidates in each family were experimentally validated. MEED reveals unifying thermodynamic and structural principles governing stability across both chemical compositions and polymorphs, providing mechanistic insight into the formation of high-entropy phases. This work significantly broadens the accessible chemical design space for HEOs and establishes a data-efficient framework for accelerating the discovery of next-generation functional materials.

Yu, Liping [University of Central Florida]↗

Understanding and Predicting Pedestal Scenarios on NSTX-U (Final Technical Report)

This project investigated gyrokinetic instabilities in the NSTX pedestal, identified the major transport mechanisms (some of them novel) in the NSTX pedestal, and developed and validated a predictive modeling capability for pedestal transport in spherical tokamaks, with particular emphasis on NSTX discharges. The work combined first-principles gyrokinetic simulations, reduced transport models, integrated transport calculations with ASTRA, and exploratory machine learning tools. The central outcome is a practical modeling capability for pedestal temperature profiles based on reduced models informed and constrained by gyrokinetic physics.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Microchannel-based Membrane-less Extraction of Li from Unconventional Lithium Sources & the Separation of REE

This final report provides an overview of the Project's entire duration, covering July 1, 2021 to December 31, 2023. It primarily focuses on the achievements, technological developments, and unique challenges the team faced while working on separating and extracting Lithium from produced waters. The project's primary aim was to create an integrated, high-throughput, membrane-less, and modular microfluidic platform that could extract Lithium from unconventional sources. We have successfully met all goals and milestones envisioned in the SOPO document. The most critical primary milestones, including the Go-No-Go milestone (refer to the Gantt chart in the Appendices), were successfully accomplished. We demonstrated phase separation (>90%) and extraction (>85%) performance in the MPSE using synthetic, and representative produced water composition feed at 50 ml/min total flow through MPSE 36. We have also performed a parametric study of the MPSE operations, beyond the scope of SOPO, exploring operating conditions of current and broader interest. The extended investigation of operational parameters is concurrent with our efforts to seek further development of the MPSE technology beyond the scope of the Project. Along these lines of development, we have made efforts to be responsive to DOE calls for technological developments of other types of resources (beyond PW) for the recovery of Critical Materials and higher TRL development (beyond TRL 4). During the work on this Project, we developed and implemented three innovative technical approaches that emerged from our efforts to successfully meet the Project milestones. The innovative & original technical approaches developed and implemented in this Project are now the contributions to process engineering that could be clearly credited to the Project. First, Convergent Design Approach is a comprehensive feedforward & feedback loop of four design phases: i) design for functionality, ii) design for manufacturing, iii) design for sustainability, and iv) design for market. Next was Process Intensification. A major aim of this Project was to create an innovative phase separation & extraction microscale-based technology for Li separation – thus the words microchannel-based in the Project title. A microscale-based technology is intrinsically in the center of the Process Intensification domain as defined by its unique principles. Therefore, Process Intensification was implicitly envisioned in the Project’s SOPO. Lastly, Time Scale Analysis is a novel tool for discovering the needs and directions of Process Intensification implementations in any process technology. This Project is fully credited for developing and implementing the three novel technical approaches mentioned above. These are general contributions to process engineering that emerged from this Project. Beyond the original SOPO scope, the OSU-U.Pitt research group utilized a Convergent Design methodology, integrating first-principles mathematical modeling with experimental validation on the Minimum Development Vehicle. By creating these Digital Twins, the team rapidly assessed manufacturing iterations to support TEA analysis. This framework further enabled the development of advanced Surface Modification Techniques, where hydrophobic and oleophobic coating strategies were optimized via Digital Twin tools and validated through rigorous 100-hour longevity testing. TEA Analysis: The closing efforts of this Project were focused on the TEA analysis. TEA analysis had two primary functions: i) enabling critical assessments of design variations withing 10 the Concurrent Design Approach, thus enabling evolution of the MPSE design to reach faster- better-cheaper alternatives; and ii) to create a bridge between the accomplishments of this Project and future projects of higher TRL, beyond TRL 6 level. It is important to note that the TEA model created in the Project stirred the technological solutions for the recovery of critical materials toward a vision of a very profitable modular plant that has unique zero-waste water discharge signature. More importantly, thanks to our experimental performance data and conservative assumptions, the TEA model predicts minimal technological and investment risks. Low cost of a modular unit of a nominal capacity of [1000 tons of Li 2 CO 3 /year] positions the MPSE based technology within the reach of community investors, thus offering a paradigm shift in the development of critical technologies. The project successfully navigated two primary challenges: solvent selection and manufacturing adaptation. Restricted by the SOPO to existing literature for lithium recovery, the team identified a critical need for a "material excellence program" to develop next-generation solvents, eventually concluding with a preliminary investigation into promising Ionic Liquids (ILs). Simultaneously, COVID-19 supply chain disruptions forced a pivot from traditional manufacturing to advanced additive methods at ATAMI-OSU. By transitioning from stainless steel to 3D-printed polymer substrates, the team achieved a transformative three-order-of- magnitude reduction in manufacturing costs and compressed prototyping timelines from several months to just two days. The MPSE technology offers significant energy, environmental, and economic advantages by overcoming the traditional bottlenecks of phase-separation hardware and contactor size. Unlike conventional mixer-settlers or membrane-based systems, MPSE operates without moving parts or fouling-prone membranes, achieving robust performance even with challenging, viscous, or particulate-heavy feeds. Key performance metrics include an energy intensity reduction of 5–50x (3–40 kJ/m 3 ) compared to incumbent technologies and a dramatic reduction of processing time to under 60 seconds, which drastically reduces the physical plant footprint. These technical efficiencies translate into superior economic outcomes; for a 100 t/year Li 2 CO 3 facility, implementing MPSE is projected to nearly halve contactor CAPEX (from $\$$6.08M to $\$$3.01M) and significantly increase the project's Net Present Value (NPV), derisking new investment and enabling distributed critical-mineral processing configurations. The commercialization of MPSE technology is being spearheaded by Vigsur Dynamics Inc., which has adopted a structured, parallel approach to technical and business development since its formation in January 2026. Following extensive customer discovery and engagement with the Oregon State University accelerator, Vigsur Dynamics is working to establish a business model that transitions from pilot demonstrations to modular hardware sales, ultimately aiming for a "build-own-operate" service strategy. Current technical milestones—including 100 hours of continuous operation, superior energy efficiency, and successful 6-unit modular scale-up— provide a foundation for this transition. Backed by ongoing IP licensing and a growing network of industrial and venture advisors, the company is actively de-risking the platform to replace conventional mixer-settler systems in the critical minerals market.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Benchmarking State-of-the-Art Theory and Empirical Models of Pionless Neutrino-Argon Scattering in GENIE

Neutrino event generators require a delicate balance between theory and empirically-driven models to achieve reliable simulations. GENIE is the most commonly used generator, bridging theory and experiment in modern neutrino physics. Its flexible framework makes it ideal for comparing different models across all aspects of neutrino interactions—from the nuclear ground state and primary vertex to final-state interactions. Recently, GENIE has incorporated several state-of-the-art, theory-driven models, including spectral-function descriptions of the nuclear ground state, axial form factors from first-principles lattice QCD calculations, and the Liège intranuclear cascade model for simulating final-state interactions. Compared to the previous baseline models in GENIE—such as the local Fermi gas, dipole-like axial form factor, and hA final-state interaction model—the new implementations are more physically realistic and incorporate more complete physics, including nuclear de-excitation. This poster presents the implementation of new models in GENIE and their performance in comparisons among these models against recent MicroBooNE cross-section measurements.

Liu, Liang [Fermilab] (ORCID:000000026753925X)↗

Benchmarking State-of-the-Art Theory and Empirical Models of Pionless Neutrino-Argon Scattering in GENIE

Neutrino event generators require a delicate balance between theory and empirically-driven models to achieve reliable simulations. GENIE is the most commonly used generator, bridging theory and experiment in modern neutrino physics. Its flexible framework makes it ideal for comparing different models across all aspects of neutrino interactions—from the nuclear ground state and primary vertex to final-state interactions. Recently, GENIE has incorporated several state-of-the-art, theory-driven models, including spectral-function descriptions of the nuclear ground state, axial form factors from first-principles lattice QCD calculations, and the Liège intranuclear cascade model for simulating final-state interactions. Compared to the previous baseline models in GENIE—such as the local Fermi gas, dipole-like axial form factor, and hA final-state interaction model—the new implementations are more physically realistic and incorporate more complete physics, including nuclear de-excitation. This poster presents the implementation of new models in GENIE and their performance in comparisons among these models against recent MicroBooNE cross-section measurements.

Liu, Liang [Fermilab] (ORCID:000000026753925X)↗

Optimal spin-qubit hallmarks of sulfur-vacancy defects in 4H-SiC: Design from first principles

We propose neutral defects in 4H-SiC comprising a silicon vacancy and a sulfur atom dopant substituting a carbon atom as an optically controllable spin qubit with application in quantum computing and quantum telecommunications. According to our state-of-the-art first-principles calculation, the proposed defect possess very promising qubit functionalities. This system once again confirms our hypothesis for the rational design of spin qubits and single-photon emitters. Importantly, the atoms of this system have high-abundance isotopes with zero nuclear spin ensuring high spin-coherence time of the qubit.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Low-Energy Radon Backgrounds from Electrode Grids in Dual-Phase Xenon TPCs

The dual-phase xenon time projection chamber (TPC) is a powerful technology to detect rare interactions such as scatters of dark matter particles on nuclei. In particular, the built-in gain of ionization signals in a dual-phase TPC makes it sensitive to events in the few-electron regime, as expected from low-mass dark matter interactions. The pursuit of this low-energy sensitivity through ionization-only signal detection has so far been hindered by excessive electron backgrounds observed across experiments. Much of this background is attributed to the plate-out of $^{222}$Rn decay chain isotopes on the high voltage electrode grid surfaces that span the full cross section of the TPC. This work presents a first-principle model constructed for this background, the predictions of which are consistent with data from the LZ and LUX experiments. We then discuss mitigation strategies of this background in future dual-phase TPCs and the possibility of applying this grid background model to ionization-only dark matter searches.

Akerib, D. S. [SLAC; KIPAC, Menlo Park]↗

Carbon in GaN as a nonradiative recombination center

Trap-assisted nonradiative recombination has been shown to limit the efficiency of optoelectronic devices. While substitutional carbon (⁠C N ) has been suggested to be a nonradiative recombination center in GaN devices, a complete recombination cycle including the two charge-state transition levels has not been previously described. In this work, we investigate the trap-assisted recombination process due to C N in GaN, including multiphonon emission, radiative recombination, trap-assisted Auger–Meitner (TAAM) recombination as well as thermal emission of holes. Our study shows the key role of TAAM processes at the high carrier densities relevant for devices. We also reveal the carrier-density regimes where thermal emission and radiative recombination are expected to play an observable role. Our results highlight that carbon concentrations exceeding ~10 17 cm −3 can have a noticeable impact on device efficiency, not just in GaN active layers but also in InGaN and AlGaN. Furthermore, our comprehensive formalism not only offers detailed results for carbon but also provides a general framework for assessing the multiple processes that participate in trap-assisted recombination in semiconductors.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Momentum-Resolved Direct Observation of Chiral Phonons in Elemental Tellurium

Chiral phonons carry finite phonon angular momentum, yet their momentum-resolved behavior in acoustic branches remains largely unexplored. In this work, we report the direct detection of chiral acoustic phonons in elemental Te. Through a combination of high-energy-resolution inelastic x-ray scattering experiments and atomistic modeling, we confirm that longitudinal acoustic modes develop pronounced circular atomic motion by mixing with transverse modes. Our results establish a direct link between unexpected scattering intensity in nominally forbidden geometries and circular phonons, offering a framework for characterizing momentum-resolved phonon chirality and highlighting the emergence of intrinsic phonon angular momentum in acoustic branches.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Importance of finite-size corrections for accurate ab initio modeling of carrier capture at semiconductor defects: A case study of substitutional C N in GaN

In ab initio studies of carrier-capture processes in defective semiconductor materials, the single-effective-mode formalism and the static-coupling approximation have become the predominant theoretical approaches for determining carrier-capture coefficients. The single-mode formalism relies on accurate nonequilibrium defect energies obtained from density-functional theory (DFT), where required inputs are a series of configurationally displaced, defect-containing supercells obtained using an interpolative ansatz, and where the DFT outputs are corresponding total energies that have traditionally been postprocessed using a long-established ground-state formulation of finite-size corrections and defect-formation energies. This formulation remains commonly used even though the defects that form a configuration-coordinate (CC) diagram typically exist as structures that are displaced from the ground state. To remedy this inconsistency, Kumagai has recently proposed novel methods for implementing finite-size corrections specifically intended for DFT calculations of the defect energies used to construct CC diagrams and implement the single-mode formalism [Y. Kumagai, Phys. Rev. B 107, L220101 (2023)]. Kumagai's approach builds on the latest finite-size-correction methods introduced to describe vertical charge-state transitions for charge-localizing point defects in semiconductors and insulators [T. Gake et al., Phys. Rev. B 101, 020102 (2020); S. Falletta et al., Phys. Rev. B 102, 041115 (2020)]. The newly identified finite-size artifact treated in these studies is the polarization charge induced on a configurationally frozen defect and its subsequent interaction with a vertical transition in charge state. In this work, we evaluate Kumagai's proposed methodology by applying it in a high-precision DFT study of carrier capture by substitutional C N in GaN, a well-characterized and technologically relevant defect and material. We have rigorously calculated C N defect energies across various supercell sizes for each defect configuration and charge state on the hole-capture CC diagram of C N (𝑞=−1), enabling a direct comparison of the slopes of the defect energies versus inverse cell size with those predicted by Kumagai. The most consequential prediction of Kumagai's method is that these slopes distinctly vary as the square of the linear-interpolation parameter used to construct the nonequilibrium defect configurations. Our results quantitatively support this prediction. Moreover, with these new finite-size corrections and multiple-cell-size DFT calculations in place, we find that the classical energy barrier for hole capture by C N (𝑞=−1) in GaN decreases to 0.092–0.127 eV. This finding confirms the recent ≈ 0.1 eV prediction of Reshchikov based on the weak temperature dependence for hole capture observed in photoluminescence experiments [M. A. Reshchikov, J. Appl. Phys. 129, 121101 (2021)]. These results stand in stark contrast to previously calculated barriers of 0.486 and 0.73 eV, which also used the single-mode formalism but were obtained by instead using ground-state-based finite-size corrections. Our reduced classical barrier for capture increases the temperature-dependent hole-capture coefficient of a C N (𝑞=−1) defect by more than two to four orders of magnitude for temperatures of 100–600 K, compared to the previous 0.486 eV results. While other defects may not be as dramatically affected as here, we suggest that incorporating proper finite-size corrections for the vertical-transition-like states embedded within CC diagrams is an essential, yet previously unrecognized, component of accurate modeling of carrier-capture when using the single-effective-mode formalism.

dielectric properties↗

Development of an ab initio learned model of electron deposition range in deuterium-tritium plasmas through time-dependent density functional theory calculations and machine learning

Accurate hydrodynamic modeling for laser-direct-drive (LDD) inertial-confinement-fusion (ICF) relies on precise calculations of the electron thermal conduction in all target materials. The nonlocal stopping range of electrons in ICF plasmas directly influences thermal conduction; yet, no first principles model exists for the electron mean free path in the conduction-zone regime. This work utilized time-dependent stochastic density-functional theory (TD-sDFT) to calculate the electron stopping power in deuterium-tritium (DT) plasmas at (ρ, T) conditions relevant to the conduction zone and the compressed shell in ICF. Using a combination of our TD-sDFT data and already established analytical models, we developed and trained an artificial neural network to create a global model for the nonlocal electron deposition range, λ E . We compared our machine-learning (ML) based model for λ E to the currently-used modified-Lee-More model in LDD radiation-hydrodynamic codes, such as lilac, and saw an overall decrease in the deposition range. To understand the effects of λ E on LDD ICF implosion dynamics, we implemented the ML-based model into lilac; specifically, we looked at designs consistent with a current experiment on the OMEGA laser and for a newly designed LDD-ICF target for the future OMEGA-Next facility. In both cases, we saw an overall drop in predicted ablation pressure, peak areal density, and neutron yield due to the reduced thermal conduction (smaller λ E ) in DT plasmas. Comparisons with the experiment on OMEGA are also made.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Electronic coherence evolution at the nearly commensurate-incommensurate CDW boundary of 1⁢T−TaS 2

Transition-metal dichalcogenides host a variety of charge-density-wave phases that couple lattice, charge, and correlation effects. In 1⁢𝑇−TaS 2 , the commensurate and nearly commensurate states are well characterized, yet the transition near 350 K into the incommensurate phase has lacked direct momentum-resolved insight. In this work, we use temperature-dependent angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy to track the electronic structure across this transition. We observe a suppression of quasiparticle spectral weight at the Brillouin-zone center, coincident with the transport anomaly, but without clear evidence of a full band-gap opening. The transition appears to involve momentum-dependent redistribution of spectral weight, consistent with a loss of coherence that reshapes the Fermi surface while leaving conduction dispersions largely intact. These results suggest that the nearly commensurate–incommensurate transition may not align with a conventional metal-insulator transition picture, but rather as an electronic reconstruction driven by loss of coherence. Our work provides new microscopic insight into the resistivity anomaly near room temperature and may guide design principles for collective electronic switching in transition-metal dichalcogenides.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Comprehensive analytical model of the dynamic 𝑍 pinch

In this work we present an analytical 1D axisymmetric model describing the evolution of the dynamic 𝑍 pinch. This model is capable of predicting the trajectories of the imploding sheath's magnetic piston and preceding shock front, along with the velocity, pressure, density, and magnetic field profiles, for any time-dependent current, spatially varying initial density profile, and weak initial axial field. The implosion is divided into stages, with each stage described by a set of coupled ordinary differential equations derived from the ideal MHD equations. Comparisons with experimental data from the COBRA pulsed-power facility are quite promising and imply this model could prove useful in designing and analyzing future pulsed-power experiments.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Anisotropy, frustration, and saddle point in the twisted kagome compound ErPdPb

The kagome lattice, with its inherent geometric frustration, provides a rich platform for exploring intriguing magnetic phenomena and topological electronic structures. In reduced-symmetry structures, such as twisted kagome systems involving rare earth elements, additional anisotropy can arise, enabling intriguing properties including spin-ice states, magnetocaloric effects, noncollinear magnetic ordering, and the anomalous Hall effect. Here, we report the synthesis of single crystals of ErPdPb, which features a twisted kagome lattice net of Er atoms within the hexagonal ZrNiAl-type structure, and we investigate its magnetic, electronic, and thermal properties. The material exhibits a highly anisotropic, correlated magnetic state below 2.7 K, as evidenced by magnetic, transport, and heat capacity measurements. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate strong easy-axis anisotropy, consistent with experiment and crystal-field expectations, as well as quasi-one-dimensional bands and a spin-split saddle point at the zone center. Here, the coexistence of competing magnetic interactions along different crystallographic directions suggests an inherent degree of frustration. ErPdPb thus provides a promising platform for exploring the interplay of frustration, anisotropy, and electronic structure in a twisted kagome lattice.

Antiferromagnets↗

Experimental confirmation of the magnetic ordering transition induced by an electronic structure change in the metallic triangular antiferromagnet Co 1/3⁢ TaS 2

We report angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) studies combined with DFT+DMFT calculations to confirm that the magnetic ordering vector transition from Q=(1/2,0,0) to Q=(1/3,0,0) in the metallic triangular antiferromagnets Co 1/3±𝜀⁢ TaS 2 (𝜀 ≈ 0.007) is induced by the electronic structure change in the system. The ARPES-measured Fermi surface (FS) maps of Co 0.325 ⁢TaS 2 show two hexagonal and one circular holelike FSs around Γ, which matches well with the triple- Q state by taking into account the contribution of nesting vectors occurring between Co 3⁢𝑑 and Ta 5⁢𝑑 orbitals. In the case of Co 0.340 ⁢TaS 2 , a new electron pocket around K appears, and the FS geometry changes as a result of the correlation effect of Co 4 ⁢S 18 tripods forming in the system. The magnetic susceptibility calculations based on the charge-self-consistent DFT+DMFT band structures and the random phase approximation indicate that the most stable magnetic ordering vector (1/2,0,0) split into (1/6,0,0) and (1/2,0,0), which is consistent with the magnetic phase transition around 𝑥=1/3 in Co 𝑥 ⁢TaS 2 .

Fermi surface↗

Fokker-Planck Equation Governing the Distribution of Walkers in Auxiliary-Field Quantum Monte Carlo

Auxiliary-field quantum Monte Carlo (AFQMC) is typically formulated as an open-ended random walk in an overcomplete space of Slater determinants, implemented through a Langevin equation. However, the explicit form of the underlying Fokker-Planck equation governing the walker population distribution has remained unknown. Here, in this Letter, we derive the Fokker-Planck equation for AFQMC and propose a novel numerical scheme to solve it. The solution of the Fokker-Planck equation reveals the wave function actually sampled by the AFQMC algorithm. Interestingly, we find that even when the exact ground state is used as a guiding wave function in constrained path AFQMC, contrary to the common assumption, the wave function sampled by AFQMC is not exact. Beyond clarifying several fundamental aspects of AFQMC, the availability of a Fokker-Planck equation formulation opens new avenues for systematically improving its accuracy, which we outline in this Letter.

Monte Carlo methods↗