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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 1,549 records · Page 86
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

Demonstration of efficient spin injection and detection in various systems using Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} based spin injectors

Half-metal based spin injector devices for spin injection and detection application have proven to be efficient owing to their enhanced injection and detection efficiency. In this study, we extend the all-electrical spin injection and detection studies into different systems like Si and GaAs using half-metal Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} as a spin injector in the presence and absence of tunnel barrier MgO. Injection into GaAs is verified using conventional Fe/MgO/GaAs devices. Room temperature spin injection into both p-type and n-type Si is achieved and the spin injection could be observed down to 100 K. Obtained spin relaxation time for these n-type and p-type Si at different temperatures agree well with the existing reports. Further, the temperature dependent spin injection and detection is also successfully achieved in Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/GaAs (n-type) Schottky devices, and a comparison study of the results with control experiment using Fe/MgO/GaAs (n-type) devices confirm the relaxation to be similar in the GaAs substrate, as expected. Hence, even Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} material can be effectively used as an efficient spin injector as well as detector, making it an attractive candidate for the room temperature spintronics device applications.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2016

Extending the density functional embedding theory to finite temperature and an efficient iterative method for solving for embedding potentials

A key element in the density functional embedding theory (DFET) is the embedding potential. We discuss two major issues related to the embedding potential: (1) its non-uniqueness and (2) the numerical difficulty for solving for it, especially for the spin-polarized systems. To resolve the first issue, we extend DFET to finite temperature: all quantities, such as the subsystem densities and the total system’s density, are calculated at a finite temperature. This is a physical extension since materials work at finite temperatures. We show that the embedding potential is strictly unique at T > 0. To resolve the second issue, we introduce an efficient iterative embedding potential solver. We discuss how to relax the magnetic moments in subsystems and how to equilibrate the chemical potentials across subsystems. The solver is robust and efficient for several non-trivial examples, in all of which good quality spin-polarized embedding potentials were obtained. We also demonstrate the solver on an extended periodic system: iron body-centered cubic (110) surface, which is related to the modeling of the heterogeneous catalysis involving iron, such as the Fischer-Tropsch and the Haber processes. This work would make it efficient and accurate to perform embedding simulations of some challenging material problems, such as the heterogeneous catalysis and the defects of complicated spin configurations in electronic materials.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2016

High-efficiency beam manipulation combining geometric phase with anisotropic Huygens surface

Conventional geometric metasurfaces relying on space-variant metal antennas for beam manipulation suffer from strong Ohmic loss and incomplete polarization conversion. The efficiency is often limited to rather small values, especially when operating in transmission mode. Here, we tackle this challenge by deliberately constructing an equivalent sheet with anisotropic surface electric and magnetic polarizabilities using cross-shaped dielectric antennas. An incident circularly polarized light can be almost fully converted to a transmitted light of opposite helicity with an unprecedented efficiency up to 98%. Such a transmissive metasurface possessing the merits of high-efficiency, non-dispersion, and robust against variations can serve as an outstanding candidate for flat optics, such as anomalous refraction and beam focusing.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Design of coated standing nanowire array solar cell performing beyond the planar efficiency limits

The single standing nanowire (SNW) solar cells have been proven to perform beyond the planar efficiency limits in both open-circuit voltage and internal quantum efficiency due to the built-in concentration and the shifting of the absorption front. However, the expandability of these nano-scale units to a macro-scale photovoltaic device remains unsolved. The main difficulty lies in the simultaneous preservation of an effective built-in concentration in each unit cell and a broadband high absorption capability of their array. Here, we have provided a detailed theoretical guideline for realizing a macro-scale solar cell that performs furthest beyond the planar limits. The key lies in a complementary design between the light-trapping of the single SNWs and that of the photonic crystal slab formed by the array. By tuning the hybrid HE modes of the SNWs through the thickness of a coaxial dielectric coating, the optimized coated SNW array can sustain an absorption rate over 97.5% for a period as large as 425 nm, which, together with the inherited carrier extraction advantage, leads to a cell efficiency increment of 30% over the planar limit. This work has demonstrated the viability of a large-size solar cell that performs beyond the planar limits.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Investigating the origin of efficiency droop by profiling the voltage across the multi-quantum well of an operating light-emitting diode

Efficiency droop is a phenomenon in which the efficiency of a light-emitting diode (LED) decreases with the increase in current density. To analyze efficiency droop, direct experimental observations on the energy conversion occurring inside the LED is required. Here, we present the measured voltage profiles on the cross section of an operating LED and analyze them with the cross-sectional temperature profiles obtained in a previous study under the same operation conditions. The measured voltage profiles suggest that with increases in the injection current density, electron depletion shifts from the multi-quantum well through an electron blocking layer to the p-GaN region. This is because electron leakage increases with increases in current density.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Comparative studies of efficiency droop in polar and non-polar InGaN quantum wells

We report on a comparative study of efficiency droop in polar and non-polar InGaN quantum well structures at T = 10 K. To ensure that the experiments were carried out with identical carrier densities for any particular excitation power density, we used laser pulses of duration ∼100 fs at a repetition rate of 400 kHz. For both types of structures, efficiency droop was observed to occur for carrier densities of above 7 × 10{sup 11 }cm{sup −2 }pulse{sup −1} per quantum well; also both structures exhibited similar spectral broadening in the droop regime. These results show that efficiency droop is intrinsic in InGaN quantum wells, whether polar or non-polar, and is a function, specifically, of carrier density.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Analysis of low efficiency droop of semipolar InGaN quantum well light-emitting diodes by modified rate equation with weak phase-space filling effect

We study the low efficiency droop characteristics of semipolar InGaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs) using modified rate equation incoporating the phase-space filling (PSF) effect where the results on c-plane LEDs are also obtained and compared. Internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of LEDs was simulated using a modified ABC model with different PSF filling (n{sub 0}), Shockley-Read-Hall (A), radiative (B), Auger (C) coefficients and different active layer thickness (d), where the PSF effect showed a strong impact on the simulated LED efficiency results. A weaker PSF effect was found for low-droop semipolar LEDs possibly due to small quantum confined Stark effect, short carrier lifetime, and small average carrier density. A very good agreement between experimental data and the theoretical modeling was obtained for low-droop semipolar LEDs with weak PSF effect. These results suggest the low droop performance may be explained by different mechanisms for semipolar LEDs.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2016

Design of a high efficiency relativistic backward wave oscillator with low guiding magnetic field

A high efficiency relativistic backward wave oscillator working at a low guiding magnetic field is designed and simulated. A trapezoidal resonant reflector is used to reduce the modulation field in the resonant reflector to avoid overmodulation of the electron beam which will lead to a large momentum spread and then low conversion efficiency. The envelope of the inner radius of the slow wave structure (SWS) increases stepwise to keep conformal to the trajectory of the electron beam which will alleviate the bombardment of the electron on the surface of the SWS. The length of period of the SWS is reduced gradually to make a better match between phase velocity and electron beam, which decelerates continually and improves the RF current distribution. Meanwhile the modulation field is reduced by the introduction of nonuniform SWS also. The particle in cell simulation results reveal that a microwave with a power of 1.8 GW and a frequency of 14.7 GHz is generated with an efficiency of 47% when the diode voltage is 620 kV, the beam current 6.1 kA, and the guiding magnetic field 0.95 T.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Potential application of mono/bi-layer molybdenum disulfide (MoS{sub 2}) sheet as an efficient transparent conducting electrode in silicon heterojunction solar cells

In this paper, we have simulated the structure of n-type MoS{sub 2}/silicon heterojunction solar cell and studied its function under different conditions. The optimization of parameters of the cell's layer has been carried out by using AFORS-HET software. In the present study, MoS{sub 2} has been considered as 3-D in nature instead of the reported 2-D nature. In order to ensure the formation of Schottky junction, electric contact has been made along the c-axis to collect the minority charge carriers. After optimizing the various parameters of n-type single layer MoS{sub 2}, power efficiency of 12.44% has been achieved at the room temperature, which has further decreased to 9.042% as the layer number has increased up to 40. Furthermore, after optimizing the parameters of silicon wafer maximum efficiency of 16.4% has been achieved. Temperature dependence of the cell performance has also been studied and the maximum efficiency has been achieved at 300 K. In the present study, we have demonstrated that n-type ultrathin layer of MoS{sub 2} can be used as an excellent transparent conducting electrode.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Positive temperature coefficient of photovoltaic efficiency in solar cells based on InGaN/GaN MQWs

We report a 23.4% improvement of conversion efficiency in solar cells based on InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells by using a patterned sapphire substrate in the fabrication process. The efficiency enhancement is due to the improvement of the crystalline quality, as proven by the reduction of the threading dislocation density. More importantly, the better crystalline quality leads to a positive photovoltaic efficiency temperature coefficient up to 423 K, which shows the property and advantage of wide gap semiconductors like InGaN, signifying the potential of III-nitride based solar cells for high temperature and concentrating solar power applications.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2017

Apparent bandgap shift in the internal quantum efficiency for solar cells with back reflectors

Here, we demonstrate that in solar cells with highly reflective back mirrors, the measured internal quantum efficiency exhibits a shift in bandgap relative to the measured external quantum efficiency. The shift arises from the fact that the measured reflectance at the front surface includes a superposition of waves reflecting from the front and back surfaces. We quantify the magnitude of the apparent shift and discuss the errors that can result in determination of quantities such as the photocurrent. Because of this apparent shift, it is important that the bandgap be determined from the external quantum efficiency.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Reduction of efficiency droop in c -plane InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes using a thick single quantum well with doped barriers

We report on c-plane InGaN/GaN single quantum well (QW) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) of different well widths (3 or 9 nm) with and without doped barriers. QW barriers were doped with the aim of reducing the internal electric field (F QW ) in the QW to increase the electron-hole overlap, therefore increasing the recombination rates and resulting in the reduction of the efficiency droop. We, indeed, observed, through biased photocurrent spectroscopy, a reduction in F QW with doped barriers, with F QW being in the same direction of the p-n junction field at zero bias as opposed to the junction field for LEDs without doped barriers. Even with the improvement in the ground state wavefunction overlap, the ground state transition rate remains low for thick QWs. Transitions through excited states were observed for both thick QW LEDs with and without doped barriers. Here, the thick QW LED without doped barriers displayed low external quantum efficiency (EQE), likely as a result of the carrier overflow due to the poor confinement of carriers in the excited states. On the other hand, for LEDs with doped barriers, the flatter band in the QW resulting from the lower F QW reduces the energy separation between the eigenstates, leading to better confinement of carriers in the excited states. With doped barriers, we demonstrated a low efficiency droop 9-nm-thick single QW LED with a peak EQE of 42% at 40 A/cm 2 and an EQE of 36% at 400 A/cm 2 .

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Efficient backward x-ray emission in a finite-length plasma irradiated by a laser pulse of picosecond duration

Motivated by experiments employing picosecond-long, kilojoule laser pulses, we examined x-ray emission in a finite-length underdense plasma irradiated by such a pulse using two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. We found that, in addition to the expected forward emission, the plasma also efficiently emits in the backward direction. Our simulations reveal that the backward emission occurs when the laser exits the plasma. The longitudinal plasma electric field generated by the laser at the density down-ramp turns around some of the laser-accelerated electrons and re-accelerates them in the backward direction. As the electrons collide with the laser, they emit hard x rays. The energy conversion efficiency is comparable to that for the forward emission, but the effective source size is smaller. We show that the picosecond laser duration is required for achieving a spatial overlap between the laser and the backward energetic electrons. At peak laser intensity of 1.4×1020 W/cm2, backward-emitted photons (energies above 100 keV and 10° divergence angle) account for 2×10−5 of the incident laser energy. This conversion efficiency is three times higher than that for similarly selected forward-emitted photons. The source size of the backward photons (5 μm) is three times smaller than the source size of the forward photons.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Fusion of blastomeres in mouse embryos under the action of femtosecond laser radiation. Efficiency of blastocyst formation and embryo development

Using the method of femtosecond laser surgery we study the fusion of two-cell mouse embryos under the action of tightly focused femtosecond laser radiation with the fusion efficiency reaching 60%. The detailed statistical analysis of the efficiency of blastomere fusion and development of the embryo up to the blastocyst stage after exposure of the embryos from different mice to a femtosecond pulse is presented. It is shown that the efficiency of blastocyst formation essentially depends on the biological characteristics of the embryo, namely, the strain and age of the donor mouse. The possibility of obtaining hexaploid embryonal cells using the methods of femtosecond laser surgery is demonstrated. (extreme light fields and their applications)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2017

Laser diode bars based on AlGaAs/GaAs quantum-well heterostructures with an efficiency up to 70%

The results of the development and fabrication of laser diode bars ( λ = 800 – 810 nm) based on AlGaAs/GaAs quantum-well heterostructures with a high efficiency are presented. An increase in the internal quantum and external differential efficiencies together with a decrease in the working voltage and the series resistance allowed us to improve the output parameters of the semiconductor laser under quasi-cw pumping. The output power of the laser diode bars with a 5-mm transverse length reached 210 W, and the efficiency was ∼70%. (letters)

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2017

Optimal periodic frequency combs for high-efficiency optical quantum memory based on rare-earth ion crystals

The possibility of enhancing the quantum efficiency of photon echo broadband quantum memory in rare-earth-ion-doped crystals with a frequency comb structure of optical transition inhomogeneous broadening is studied. We have found the optimal parameters of the frequency combs for implementing the pre-assigned quantum efficiency in the chosen spectral range of the optical transitions of rare-earth ions with real parameters. The obtained results allow the conditions to be formulated for increasing the efficiency of broadband quantum memory. The possibilities of experimental implementation of such memory are also discussed. (paper)

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Relationship between thermoelectric figure of merit and energy conversion efficiency

Significance Thermoelectric materials generate electricity from temperature gradients. The dimensionless figure of merit, ZT = S 2 ρ −1 κ −1 T , is calculated from the Seebeck coefficient ( S ), electrical resistivity ( ρ ), and thermal conductivity ( κ ). The calculated efficiency based on ZT using the conventional formula is not reliable in some cases due to the assumption of temperature-independent S , ρ , and κ . We established a new efficiency formula by introducing an engineering figure of merit ( ZT ) eng and an engineering power factor ( PF ) eng to predict reliably and accurately the efficiency of materials at a large temperature difference between the hot and cold sides, unlike the conventional ZT and PF providing performance only at specific temperatures. These new formulas will profoundly impact the search for new thermoelectric materials.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2021

An 802pW 93% Peak Efficiency Buck Converter with 5.5×10 6 Dynamic Range Featuring Fast DVFS and Asynchronous Load-Transient Control

Here this paper presents a buck converter with sub-nW quiescent power, high efficiency, and a wide dynamic range for ultra-low-power (ULP) IoT SoCs. To optimize the SoC power consumption, the buck converter supports fast dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) and enables fast load-transient response (FLTR) through asynchronous control. In addition, the buck converter is fully self-contained with all features integrated on chip including a proposed adaptive deadtime controller. Fabricated in 65nm CMOS, measurement results show the buck converter has an 802pW quiescent power at 1.5V input voltage and a 93% peak efficiency. The measured dynamic range is from 0.5nW to 2.75mW, which is over 6 orders of magnitude. The measured voltage droop is 54mV for a 45nA-to-1mA load current step thanks to the asynchronous load-transient detector. The buck converter achieves the highest efficiency and widest dynamic range among all the state-of-the-art sub-nW switching voltage regulators, which makes it well suited for power management in ULP SoCs.

42 ENGINEERING↗