SEARCH · Search NASA
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.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
Phase stability of very low frequency radio signal propagation, electronically scanned tracking antenna array, and inverted rf tracking system
Self-rigidizable spring-tape-reinforced (STR) booms were used to develop structural systems for large-aperture space inflatable radar antennas. The lightweight planar frames built with STR booms can be compactly stowed for launch, deployed by inflation pressure in space, and used to tension the RF membrane apertures of the antennas. Engineering models of a Ka-band reflectarray antenna and a L-band synthetic-aperture radar antenna were developed and have successfully demonstrated stowage and deployment, as well as RF performance. A design improvement was also being implemented to enhance long-term configuration stability and widen the application range of the STR booms.
To increase the usefulness of monolithic millimeter-wave integrated circuit (MMIC) components at submillimeter-wave frequencies, a chip has been designed that incorporates two integrated, radial E-plane probes with an MMIC amplifier in between, thus creating a fully integrated waveguide module. The integrated amplifier chip has been fabricated in 35-nm gate length InP high-electron-mobility-transistor (HEMT) technology. The radial probes were mated to grounded coplanar waveguide input and output lines in the internal amplifier. The total length of the internal HEMT amplifier is 550 m, while the total integrated chip length is 1,085 m. The chip thickness is 50 m with the chip width being 320 m. The internal MMIC amplifier is biased through wire-bond connections to the gates and drains of the chip. The chip has 3 stages, employing 35-nm gate length transistors in each stage. Wire bonds from the DC drain and gate pads are connected to off-chip shunt 51-pF capacitors, and additional off-chip capacitors and resistors are added to the gate and drain bias lines for low-frequency stability of the amplifier. Additionally, bond wires to the grounded coplanar waveguide pads at the RF input and output of the internal amplifier are added to ensure good ground connections to the waveguide package. The S-parameters of the module, not corrected for input or output waveguide loss, are measured at the waveguide flange edges. The amplifier module has over 10 dB of gain from 290 to 330 GHz, with a peak gain of over 14 dB at 307 GHz. The WR2.2 waveguide cutoff is again observed at 268 GHz. The module is biased at a drain current of 27 mA, a drain voltage of 1.24 V, and a gate voltage of +0.21 V. Return loss of the module is very good between 5 to 25 dB. This result illustrates the usefulness of the integrated radial probe transition, and the wide (over 10-percent) bandwidth that one can expect for amplifier modules with integrated radial probes in the submillimeter-regime (>300 GHz).
The Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) is a next generation particle accelerator to be built at Brookhaven National Laboratory, in partnership with Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The Electron Storage Ring (ESR) of RIC requires a 10 MW RF storage system to restore beam power lost by a 2.5 A electron beam. The RF system will use 18 single-cell 591 MHz Superconducting RF (SRF) cavities. Effective damping of higher-order-modes (HOMs) is critical to ensure beam stability. This paper presents the design of the single-cell 591 MHz cavity, including cavity geometry optimization, multipacting evaluation, and HOM damping analysis.
The second flight of the NASA Spaceborne Imaging Radar (SIR-B) collected nearly 8 hours of digital synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) data of the earth's surface. This paper analyzes the performance of the SAR to determine the accuracy of the relative radiometric calibration of these data. Procedures are presented for deriving accuracy estimates as well as limitations under which these estimates are valid. The impact on calibration of an RF breakdown in the primary antenna feed system cable is evaluated. An analysis of the platform stability based on the SAR echo data is also presented in conjunction with its resultant effect on the calibration accuracy. Finally, numerical error bounds are derived with guidelines on their utilization.
Radio telecommunication links are used for communication with deep space probes. These links consist of sinusoidal carrier signals at radio frequencies (RF) modulated with information sent between the spacecraft and the earth. This carrier signal is a very pure and stable sinusoid, typically derived from an atomic frequency standard whose frequency and phase are used to measure the radial velocity of the probe and from this and other data types derive its trajectory. This same observable can be used to search for space-time distortions cased by low frequency (0.1 to 100 MHz) gravitation radiation. How such a system works, what its sensitivity limitations are, and what potential future improvements can be made are discussed.
Test results and key principles are given for a radar altimeter designed for meteorological balloons. The instrument, which weighs 160 g and consumes 0.7 W, will fill a gap in meteorological sensing using balloons - an area where pressure altitude was formerly the prevailing reference. The instrument is basically a delay-lock radar utilizing a superregenerative RF stage. Long-term absolute accuracy of plus or minus 10 m and short-term stability of better than 2 m rms were measured at altitudes of 20 km.
In order to develop a trapped ion-based fieldable frequency standard with stability 1 x 10 to the -13th/sq rt tau for averaging times tau greater than 10,000 s, a hybrid RF/DC linear ion trap was developed which permits storage of large numbers of ions with reduced susceptibility to the second-order Doppler effect caused by the RF confining fields. The authors have confined Hg-199(+) ions in this trap and have measured very high Q transitions with good SNRs. In preliminary measurements they obtained stabilities of 1.6 x 10 to the -13th/sq rt tau (tau between 50 and 800 s) with a 160-mHz wide atomic resonance linewidth and a signal-to-noise ratio of 40 for each measurement cycle. Atomic resonance lines as narrow as 30 mHz on the 40.5-GHz clock transition have been measured with no appreciable reduction in the ion signal. A stability of 7 x 10 to the -14th/sq rt tau is made possible by the signal-to-noise and line Q of this measured transition. Analysis of fundamental sources of frequency instability indicates that a long-term stability of 2 x 10 to the -16th is feasible for this device with existing technology for tau = 10 to the 6th s or more.
We present the implementation of tandem mass-selective cryogenic ion traps, designed to enhance the range of ion processing capabilities that can be performed prior to spectroscopic interrogation. We show that both the formation of ion clusters and mass filtering steps can be combined in a single cryogenic linear quadrupole ion trap driven by RF square waves. Mass filtering and mass isolation can be achieved by manipulation of the RF frequency and duty cycle. Very importantly, this scheme circumvents the need for high-amplitude RF voltages that can be incompatible with typical cryogenic ion processing conditions. In addition, proper adjustment of the stability boundaries during the clustering process allows for the preferential formation of a specific cluster size rather than a broad distribution of sizes. Lastly, we show that a specific cluster size can be formed, mass-selected, and then transferred to another ion trap for a second completely separate ion processing step. Furthermore, the instrumentation and modular design developed here expand the scope of ionic species and clusters that can be accessed by processing electrosprayed ions.
Low-level RF amplifiers are operated at noise figures at or near the theoretical minimum, while maintaining high-gain stability. Formulas for the minimum amplifier noise figure value are derived from the analytical noise-figure expression involving the parameters of the equivalent circuit representing the actual system.
The present work provides an improved fluid flow and heat-transfer modeling of float-zone growth by introducing a RF heating model so that an ad hoc heating temperature profile is not necessary. Numerical simulations were carried out to study the high-temperature float-zone growth of titanium carbide single crystal. The numerical results showed that the thermocapillary convection occurring inside the molten zone tends to increase the convexity of the melt-crystal interface and decrease the maximum temperature of the molten zone, while the natural convection tends to reduce the stability of the molten zone by increasing its height. It was found that the increase of induced heating due to the increase of applied RF voltage is reduced by the decrease of zone diameter. Surface tension plays an important role in controlling the amount of induced heating. Finally, a comparison of the computed shape of the free surface with a digital image obtained during a growth run showed adequate agreement.
CW magnetrons, initially developed for industrial RF heaters, were suggested to power RF cavities of superconducting accelerators due to their higher efficiency and lower cost than traditionally used klystrons, IOTs or solid-state amplifiers. RF amplifiers driven by a master oscillator serve as coherent RF sources. CW magnetrons are regenerative RF generators with a huge regenerative gain. This causes regenerative instability with a large noise when a magnetron operates with the anode voltage above the threshold of self-excitation. Traditionally for stabilization of magnetrons is used injection locking by a quite small signal. Then the magnetron except the injection locked oscillations may generate noise. This may preclude use of standard CW magnetrons in some SRF accelerators. Recently we developed briefly described below a mode for forced RF generation of CW magnetrons when the magnetron startup is provided by the injected forcing signal and the regenerative noise is suppressed. The mode is most suitable for powering high Q-factor SRF cavities.
Power electronics materials are poised to play a critical role in fulfilling next generation energy needs, with up to 90% of future energy demand predicted to flow through power electronics at some point. AlxGa1-xN ranks high among candidate materials, having bipolar dopability, thermal and chemical stability and an ultra-wide bandgap. However, AlGaN growth is limited by a lack of lattice-matched substrates, ultimately stunting material quality at higher thicknesses needed for power electronics applications. Further, high power applications increasingly call for fully vertical device structures, necessitating a conductive substrate. Recently our group identified the (111) plane of TaC as a conductive surface lattice-matched to Al0.55Ga0.45N, taking inspiration from prior work of AlN and GaN binaries on carbide and boride substrates. In this talk we demonstrate the growth of (111)-oriented TaC by RF sputtering. We investigate the interface of TaC with sapphire and SiC substrates and identify means to suppress competing Ta2C nucleation in order to stabilize (111)-oriented TaC. Potential stacking sequences are identified with respect to crystal structure and observed twinning in the TaC films. We next assess structural changes and film recrystallization that results from face-to-face annealing of TaC thin films at high temperatures above 1500 degrees C. Changes to grain structure and domain size are assessed by x-ray diffraction and surface morphology is explored using atomic force microscopy. Figure 1 shows significant improvements to in- and out-of-plane strain following annealing along with the formation of terraced step edges at the film surface. Strain as a function of material composition and thickness is considered, as this may play a major role in future nucleation of AlGaN layers. (1) R. J. in a face-to-face configuration, as illustrated in the schematic at left. Kaplar et al 2017, ECS J. Solid State Sci. Technol. 6 Q3061; (2) D. M. Roberts et al 2022, https://arxiv.org/abs/2208.11769; (3) T. Aizawa et al 2008, J Crys Growth 310, 1 22; (4) R. Liu et al 2002, Appl. Phys. Lett. 81, 3182-3184.
CW magnetrons, initially developed for industrial RF heaters, were suggested to power RF cavities of superconducting accelerators due to their higher efficiency and lower cost than traditionally used klystrons, IOTs or solid-state amplifiers. RF amplifiers driven by a master oscillator serve as coherent RF sources. CW magnetrons are regenerative RF generators with a huge regenerative gain. This causes regenerative instability with a quite large noise when a magnetron operates with the anode voltage above the threshold of self-excitation. Traditionally, an injection locking by a small signal is used for stabilization of magnetrons. In this case CW magnetrons with the injection-locked oscillations generate a high level of noise. This may preclude use of standard CW magnetrons in this operating mode in the Superconducting RF (SRF) accelerators. In this article we described a method developed for forced RF generation of CW magnetrons when the magnetron startup is provided by the injected forcing signal and the regenerative noise is suppressed. The method is most suitable for powering high Q-factor cavities.
Power electronics materials are poised to play a critical role in fulfilling next generation energy needs, with up to 90% of future energy demand predicted to flow through power electronics at some point.[1] Among a number of candidate materials, AlxGa1-xN is the strongest, having bipolar dopability, thermal and chemical stability, an ultra-wide bandgap, and demonstrated experimental feasibility. However, AlGaN growth is limited by a lack of lattice-matched substrates, ultimately stunting material quality at higher thicknesses needed for power electronics applications. Further, high power applications increasingly call for fully vertical device structures, necessitating a conductive substrate. [1] Recently our group identified the (111) plane of TaC as a conductive surface lattice-matched to Al0.55Ga0.45N, taking inspiration from prior work of AlN and GaN binaries on carbide and boride substrates. [2,3,4] In this talk we demonstrate the growth of (111)-oriented TaC by RF sputtering. We investigate the interface of TaC with sapphire and SiC substrates and identify means to suppress competing Ta2C nucleation in order to stabilize (111)-oriented TaC. Potential stacking sequences are identified with respect to crystal structure and observed twinning in the TaC films. We next assess structural changes and film recrystallization that results from face-to-face annealing of TaC thin films at high temperatures above 1500 degrees Celsius. Changes to grain structure and domain size are assessed by x-ray diffraction and surface morphology is explored using atomic force microscopy. Figure 1 shows significant improvements to in- and out-of-plane strain following annealing along with the formation of terraced step edges at the film surface. Strain as a function of material composition and thickness is considered, as this may play a major role in future nucleation of AlGaN layers.
Effective resonance control of superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities is critical for large machines like LCLS-II, as failure to achieve proper control can result in increased RF power consumption, higher cryogenic heat loads, and increased costs. To address this challenge, we have developed a machine learning (ML) model based on the dynamic mode decomposition method to represent the forced cavity dynamics. Using this model, we designed a model predictive controller (MPC) and demonstrated through simulation that the MPC can effectively stabilize the amplitude and phase of SRF cavities using only a frequency actuator, even in the presence of multiple mechanical modes. The lightweight and explicit ML model makes the controller suitable for direct implementation on field-programmable gate arrays, unlocking the full potential of SRF linacs like LCLS-II, enabling higher beam power and energy, and also serving as an advanced motion controller for various applications, such as photon beamlines and storage rings.
CW magnetrons, developed for industrial RF heaters, were suggested to feed RF cavities of superconducting accelerators due to higher efficiency and lower cost of RF power than provide traditionally used klystrons, IOTs or solid-state amplifiers. RF amplifiers driven by a master oscillator serve as coherent RF sources. CW magnetrons are regenerative RF auto generators with a huge regenerative gain. This causes regenerative instability with a notable noise when a magnetron operates as an auto generator i.e., with the anode voltage above the threshold of self-excitation. Traditionally, an injection locking by a small signal is used for phase stabilization of magnetrons. In this case CW magnetrons with the injection-locked (coherent) oscillations generate a notable level of noise. This may preclude use of CW magnetrons in this mode in the Superconducting RF (SRF) accelerators. This paper reviews PIC modeling and previously obtained experimental results for the operation and control of CW magnetrons, which led to the development of techniques most suitable for various SRF accelerators using forced RF oscillation of magnetrons, when the magnetron is launched by an injected forcing signal, and regenerative noise is suppressed.
A spatial interferometer for 10-micron wavelength which uses two independent telescopes separated by 5.5 m, heterodyne detection of the infrared radiation, and path equalization by a variable-length RF cable, has given interference fringes from radiation of the planet Mercury. Continuous fringe observations during 4000 sec indicate remarkable stability in the optical-path difference through the atmosphere and the two telescopes, fluctuations between 20-sec averages being about 1/6 of the 10-micron wavelength.