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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

First-Principles Framework for the Prediction of Intersystem Crossing Rates in Spin Defects: The Role of Electron Correlation

Optically active spin defects in solids are promising platforms for quantum technologies. In this work, we present a first-principles framework to investigate intersystem crossing processes, which represent crucial steps in the optical spin-polarization cycle used to address spin defects. Considering the nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond as a case study, we demonstrate that our framework effectively captures electron correlation effects in the calculation of many-body electronic states and their spin-orbit coupling and electron-phonon interactions, while systematically addressing finite-size effects. We validate our predictions by carrying out measurements of fluorescence lifetimes, finding excellent agreement between theory and experiments. The framework presented here provides a versatile and robust tool for exploring the optical cycle of varied spin defects entirely from first principles.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Quantum material topology via defect engineering

Current approaches of discovering new topological quantum materials, such as (magnetic) Weyl materials, by screening material databases or by rational design suffer from experimental challenges in growing the material in the desired geometry, hampering their potential applications. We take an approach of defect-engineering a topology starting from systems with experimentally well-controlled growth . Using SnTe, an experimentally viable topological crystalline insulator, as our model system, we elucidate the different effects of breaking time-reversal, inversion, and mirror symmetries using magnetic dopant defects, to controllably induce a topological phase transition. To this effect, we compute the thermodynamics, magnetism, and band-structure topology of magnetically doped SnTe using a full ab initio approach. In this process, we have discovered that Cr-doped SnTe is a Weyl semimetal. We have computed its classic Fermi-arc experimental signature on the (001) surface and also showed that it has a large anamolous Hall conductivity (AHC) of ~ 250 Ω - 1 cm - 1 . We predict a large Curie temperature ( T c ) of 62 K even at 3.3 % doping, with both T c and AHC being tunable with Cr concentration, suggesting potential for room-temperature applications. Our study in general paves the way for defect-designing room-temperature topological quantum phases.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2017

Fixed-node diffusion Monte Carlo description of nitrogen defects in zinc oxide

Using the fixed-node diffusion Monte Carlo (FN-DMC) method, we evaluate the formation energies and charge transition levels of substitutional nitrogen defects in the wide-band-gap semiconductor zinc oxide. The use of a direct-solution, many-body approach inherently secures a good description of electron-electron interactions, achieving high accuracy without adjustable parameters. According to FN-DMC nitrogen is a deep acceptor with a charge transition level 1.0(3) eV above the valence-band maximum when 72-atom supercells are used. This result falls on the lower end of typically reported hybrid density functional results for the same size supercells, which range from 1.0 to 1.8 eV. Further, residual finite-size effects due to charged defect image interactions in the 72-atom supercells are estimated by supercell extrapolation within hybrid density functional theory. When the finite-size correction is included, we obtain a deep acceptor at 1.6(3) eV. This result is in good agreement with recent experimental measurements. We also analyze the local compressibility of charge according to FN-DMC and common density functionals and find that the use of hybrid functionals obtains compressibilities in better agreement with the many-body theory. Our work illustrates the application of the FN-DMC method to a challenging point defect problem, demonstrating that uncertainties and approximations can be well controlled.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2017

Electronic properties of doped and defective NiO: A quantum Monte Carlo study

NiO is a canonical Mott (or charge-transfer) insulator and as such is notoriously difficult to describe using density functional theory (DFT) based electronic structure methods. Doped Mott insulators such as NiO are of interest for various applications but rigorous theoretical descriptions are lacking. Here, we use quantum Monte Carlo methods, which very accurately include electron-electron interactions, to examine energetics, charge- and spin-structures of NiO with various point defects, such as vacancies or substitutional doping with potassium. The formation energy of a potassium dopant is significantly lower than for a Ni vacancy, making potassium an attractive monovalent dopant for NiO. We compare our results with DFT results that include an on-site Hubbard U (DFT+U) to account for correlations and find relatively large discrepancies for defect formation energies as well as for charge and spin redistributions in the presence of point defects. Finally, it is unlikely that single-parameter fixes of DFT may be able to obtain accurate accounts of anything but a single parameter, e.g., band gap; responses that, maybe in addition to the band gap, depend in subtle and complex ways on ground state properties, such as charge and spin densities, are likely to contain quantitative and qualitative errors.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Effect of d electrons on defect properties in equiatomic NiCoCr and NiCoFeCr concentrated solid solution alloys

Here, the role of d electrons in determining distributions of formation and migration energies for point defects in equiatomic NiCoCr and NiCoFeCr concentrated solid solution alloys (CSAs) are studied regarding electron density deformation flexibility based on first-principles calculations. The disordered state is taken into account by constructing special quasirandom structures. The migration barriers are determined by directly optimizing the saddle point. It is found that the formation energies of interstitials in CSAs are lower than those in pure Ni, whereas the formation energies of vacancies are higher. In both NiCoCr and NiCoFeCr, Co-related dumbbell interstitials exhibit lower formation energies. Notably, the distributions of migration energies for Cr interstitials and vacancies exhibit a remarkable overlap region. A detailed analysis of electronic properties reveals that the electronic charge deformation flexibility regarding e g to t 2g transition has a dominant effect on defect energetics for different elements in CSAs. Thus the electron deformation ability is suggested as a key factor in understanding the peculiar defect behavior in CSAs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Defects in C d 3 A s 2 epilayers via molecular beam epitaxy and strategies for reducing them

Molecular beam epitaxy offers an exciting avenue for investigating the behavior of the topological semimetal Cd 3 As 2 , by providing routes for doping, alloying, strain engineering, and heterostructure formation. To date, however, minimal exploration has been devoted to the impact of defects that are incorporated into epilayers due to constraints imposed by the substrate and narrow growth window. Here, we use a combination of lattice-matched Zn x Cd 1-x Te buffer layers, miscut substrates, and broadband illumination to study how dislocations, twins, and point defects influence the electron mobility of Cd 3 As 2 . In conclusion, a combination of defect suppression approaches produces Cd 3 As 2 epilayers with electron mobilities upwards of 15000 cm 2 /Vs at room temperature.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Imaging CdCl 2 defect passivation and formation in polycrystalline CdTe films by cathodoluminescence

Polycrystalline thin-film solar cells are attractive for low-cost photovoltaics, but their efficiencies are hindered by material quality issues. State-of-the-art CdTe solar cells use CdCl 2 annealing treatments whose effects are still being discovered at a fundamental level. Here, a series of CdTe samples with different annealing temperatures is investigated with high-resolution hyperspectral cathodoluminescence mapping measured at both room temperature and low temperature on the same microscopic areas. A statistical analysis over a large number of grains is combined with a local analysis at grain boundaries. The results elucidate the dynamic interplay between grain boundary and intragrain defect passivation and formation, in the midst of grain growth. The CdCl 2 annealing initially contributes to an increase of the grain size and the passivation of both grain boundaries and grain interiors, increasing the overall luminescence and diffusion length. For higher annealing temperatures, a further increase of grain size is counterbalanced by the rise of bulk defects. The results illustrate the tradeoffs that lead to an optimal annealing temperature, as well as new methods for understanding defect passivation and creation in thin film solar cells.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Connecting mechanical properties to hydrogen defects in PAN-based carbon fibers

Atomic-level defects dictate the mechanical properties of carbon fibers and strong correlations have been established between the crystallite sizes and mechanical properties. We recently demonstrated similar correlations with hydrogen content, but reliably quantifying the hydrogen content is not possible using only inelastic neutron scattering experiments. Here, we present prompt-gamma activation analysis (PGAA) experiments collected on 20 commercially available carbon fibers to quantify the hydrogen content of carbon fibers and find correlations between fiber modulus and hydrogen content. We then evaluate the role of hydrogen defect type and connect the PGAA results to both newly acquired and recently reported inelastic neutron scattering experiments. In conclusion, we find that intercalated hydrogen defects are preferentially removed at carbonization temperatures required for high-modulus fibers, potentially giving rise to voids within the carbon fibers that undermine their tensile strength.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Defect States in Copper Indium Gallium Selenide Solar Cells from Two-Wavelength Excitation Photoluminescence Spectroscopy

We use two-wavelength excitation photoluminescence spectroscopy to probe defect states in CIGS thin films. Above-Eg excitation is combined with a tunable IR bias light that modulates the population of the defect states. We find that IR illumination in the range of 1400-2000 nm (0.62-0.89 eV) causes a reduction of the PL intensity, the magnitude of which scales linearly with IR power. Further, KF post deposition treatment has only a modest influence on the effect of the IR excitation. Initial data suggest that we have developed an optical characterization tool for band-gap defect states.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Understanding the Origin of Tabula Rasa Process-Induced Defects in CZ n-type c-Si

High-temperature annealing, known as Tabula Rasa (TR) has been the subject of recent studies as a method to make n-type CZ silicon material resistant to temperature-induced and process-induced lifetime degradation during solar cell fabrication. In this work, we study the defects responsible for the lifetime changes after TR treatment. We use temperature and injection dependent lifetime spectroscopy (T-IDLS) and the recently introduce defect parameter contour mapping to identify the Energy Level (E t ) and capture cross-section ratio (k) of the most likely process-induced defect. We also present a closer look at changes in surface recombination velocity before and after TR annealing.

bulk lifetime↗
DOE OSTI2015

Confirmation of the Dominant Defect Mechanism in Amorphous In-Zn-O Through the Application of In Situ Brouwer Analysis

The dominant point defect mechanism of amorphous (a-) indium zinc oxide (IZO) was probed through in situ electrical characterization of sputtered a-IZO thin films in response to changes in oxygen partial pressure (pO2) at 300 degrees C. The results yielded a power law dependence of conductivity (s) versus pOinline image of ~-1/6. This experimental method, known as Brouwer analysis, confirms doubly-charged oxygen vacancies as the dominant defect species in a-IZO. The success of this study suggests that Brouwer analysis is a viable method for studying the defect mechanisms of amorphous oxides.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for identification of morphological defects and disorders in graphene devices

The progress in the development of graphene devices is promising, and they are now considered as an option for the current Si-based electronics. However, the structural defects in graphene may strongly influence the local electronic and mechanical characteristics. Although there are well-established analytical characterization methods to analyze the chemical and physical parameters of this material, they remain incapable of fully understanding of the morphological disorders. In this study, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) with an external voltage bias across the sample is used for the characterization of morphological defects in large area of a few layers graphene in a chemically specific fashion. For the XPS measurements, an external +6 V bias applied between the two electrodes and areal analysis for three different elements, C1s, O1s, and Au4f, were performed. By monitoring the variations of the binding energy, the authors extract the voltage variations in the graphene layer which reveal information about the structural defects, cracks, impurities, and oxidation levels in graphene layer which are created purposely or not. Raman spectroscopy was also utilized to confirm some of the findings. This methodology the authors offer is simple but provides promising chemically specific electrical and morphological information.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2016

Defect structure of TiS{sub 3} single crystals of the A-ZrSe{sub 3} type

The defect structure of TiS{sub 3} single crystals of the A-ZrSe{sub 3} type has been determined based on X-ray diffraction data. Shear defects manifest themselves as displacements of ab layers (which can imitate a twin) by ∼0.5a. Regular shears facilitate the formation of a superstructure along the c axis. A model of defect in the layer structure is proposed to explain the atomic displacements at an angle to the layer plane.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2016

Soliton-like defects in nematic liquid crystal thin layers

The nonsingular soliton-like defects in plane nematic liquid crystal (NLC) layers and spherical NLC drops are experimentally detected and studied when the interaction of NLC molecules with a bounding surface is varied. The dynamics and the annihilation of nonsingular defects of opposite signs on a plane surface are investigated. Periodic transformations of the soliton-like defects in NLC drops in an electric field are detected. The theory of elasticity is used to show that the surface energy taken into account in the total free energy of NLC in the case of weak anchoring leads to the possibility of nonsingular solutions of a director equilibrium equation. The calculated pictures of director distribution in a plane NLC layer and in a spherical NLC drop characterized by weak surface anchoring agree well with the results of polarized light optical observations.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2019

Atomistic Simulation of the Fission-Fragment-Induced Formation of Defects in a Uranium–Molybdenum Alloy

The formation of defects in a uranium–molybdenum alloy induced by xenon and zirconium ion irradiation with energies typical of fission fragments has been simulated within the two-temperature atomistic model and Monte Carlo method. This has allowed estimating the total number of primary radiation defects formed at the “thermal spike” stage and in collision cascades for different temperatures. The calculated threshold stopping powers of ions responsible for the formation of defects at the thermal spike stage are in good agreement with the available theoretical and experimental data.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2017

Temperature dependence of the atomic structure and electrical activity of defects in ZnSb thermoelectric lightly doped with copper

A model for describing the temperature dependence of the defect microstructure in high-efficiency ZnSb thermoelectric with a copper content of 0.1 at % is chosen. The temperature dependences of the chargecarrier density and mobility for thermal cycle I (300–700–300 K) are analyzed taking into account the features of the crystal structure and covalent chemical bond in ZnSb. The basic defect structure (at temperatures of T = 560–605 K) is the state when all Cu atoms are equally distributed between sites of both sublattices and behave as acceptors, and the number of intrinsic donor and acceptor defects is much smaller. The effect of the latter becomes noticeable when the temperature goes beyond the above-mentioned range. At T > 605 K, extra acceptors (antisite Zn{sub Sb}) occur; upon cooling below 560 K, Cu{sub 2} dimers arise and the electrical activity of the impurity lowers. Dimer decay upon heating leads to growth in the concentration with temperature up to saturation in the above-mentioned range. Additional thermal cycles II–VIII are performed; the observed changes in the temperature dependences of the hole concentration and mobility are discussed in the context of the investigated model.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Effect of the Electric Mode and γ Irradiation on Surface-Defect Formation at the Si–SiO{sub 2} Interface in a MOS Transistor

The results of experimental investigation into surface-defect formation under the effect of gamma-radiation with a dose rate P = 0.1 rad(Si)/s on MOS (metal-oxide-semiconductor) transistors with the n-type channel in the passive and active modes are presented. Two stages of surface-defect formation are observed. A qualitative model is proposed to explain the effect of the the drain transistor voltage on the defect formation process.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗