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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 1,567 records · Page 87
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2015

Optical study of a spectrum splitting solar concentrator based on a combination of a diffraction grating and a Fresnel lens

This paper presents recent improvements of our new solar concentrator design for space application. The concentrator is based on a combination of a diffraction grating (blazed or lamellar) coupled with a Fresnel lens. Thanks to this diffractive/refractive combination, this optical element splits spatially and spectrally the light and focus approximately respectively visible light and IR light onto electrically independent specific cells. It avoid the use of MJs cells and then also their limitations like current matching and lattice matching conditions, leading theoretically to a more tolerant system. The concept is reminded, with recent optimizations, ideal and more realistic results, and the description of an experimental realization highlighting the feasibility of the concept and the closeness of theoretical and experimental results.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Two-dimensional groove density measurement for gratings by diffraction method

A grating groove density measuring system based on diffraction method has been developed to measure the two-dimensional groove density variations of the VLS gratings at NSRL. The measuring system can provide not only the basic data of the two-dimensional groove density variations for evaluating the imaging properties of grating, but also an important tool for improving the grating manufacturing technology. A commercially available concave grating with a curvature radius of 750 mm was measured to test the accuracy of the measuring system. Results show that the system has a measuring accuracy (ΔN/N) of about 5 × 10{sup −5}. Then the groove density variation parameters of the 1200 lines/mm VLS plane grating used in NSRL is measured by the system. The groove curvature of the VLS plane grating has been observed.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2020

Photodissociation of aqueous I3− observed with liquid-phase ultrafast mega-electron-volt electron diffraction

Developing femtosecond resolution methods for directly observing structural dynamics is critical to understanding complex photochemical reaction mechanisms in solution. We have used two recent developments, ultrafast mega-electron-volt electron sources and vacuum compatible sub-micron thick liquid sheet jets, to enable liquid-phase ultrafast electron diffraction (LUED). We have demonstrated the viability of LUED by investigating the photodissociation of tri-iodide initiated with a 400 nm laser pulse. This has enabled the average speed of the bond expansion to be measured during the first 750 fs of dissociation and the geminate recombination to be directly captured on the picosecond time scale.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2019

Imaging the Renner–Teller effect using laser-induced electron diffraction

Structural information on electronically excited neutral molecules can be indirectly retrieved, largely through pump–probe and rotational spectroscopy measurements with the aid of calculations. Here, we demonstrate the direct structural retrieval of neutral carbonyl disulfide (CS 2 ) in the B ~ 1 B 2 excited electronic state using laser-induced electron diffraction (LIED). We unambiguously identify the ultrafast symmetric stretching and bending of the field-dressed neutral CS 2 molecule with combined picometer and attosecond resolution using intrapulse pump–probe excitation and measurement. We invoke the Renner–Teller effect to populate the B ~ 1 B 2 excited state in neutral CS 2 , leading to bending and stretching of the molecule. Our results demonstrate the sensitivity of LIED in retrieving the geometric structure of CS 2 , which is known to appear as a two-center scatterer.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

X-ray diffraction study of phase transformation dynamics of Fe and Fe-Si alloys along the shock Hugoniot using an x-ray free electron laser

The x-ray free electron laser (XFEL) enables probing a highly compressed material response at the subnanosecond timescale. Here we exploit the ultrafast XFEL pulse to combine reflection x-ray diffraction and laser-driven shock compression to perform a study of the phase transformation and stability in Fe and Fe-Si alloys. Our approach enables us to observe that solid-solid phase transformations occur in Fe and Fe- Si 8.5 wt % in ≤ 130 ps at ~ 130 GPa; no transformation is observed in Fe- Si 16 wt % up to 110 GPa. Density functional theory calculations predict similar phase relations.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2011

X-ray Absorption and Diffraction Studies of the Mixed-phase State of (CrxV1-x)2O3

X-ray diffraction and vanadium x-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) data have been obtained for (V{sub 1-x}Cr{sub x}){sub 2}O{sub 3} samples containing several concentrations of Cr, crossing the metal-insulator transition boundary. For single-phase single-crystal samples our theoretical results are generally in good qualitative agreement with our experimental single-crystal XANES, for both crystal orientations relative to the incident-beam electric vector. However, an anomalous peak occurs for both orientations in the K pre-edge of the single-crystal sample containing 1.2% Cr, a paramagnetic insulator sample that is in the concentration regime corresponding to the room-temperature two-phase (coexistence) region of the phase diagram. Upon increasing the temperature of the 0.4% Cr powdered material to 400 K so that one enters the two-phase region of the phase diagram, a similar peak appears and then diminishes at 600 K. These results, as well as experiments done by others involving room-temperature and low-temperature XANES of a 1.1% Cr sample, suggest that this feature in the V pre-edge structure is associated with the appearance under some circumstances of a small amount of highly distorted VO{sub 6} octahedra in the interface region between coexisting metal and insulating phases. Finally, we find that, for the two-phase regime, the concentration ratio of the metal-to-insulating phase varies between different regions from a sample batch of uniform composition made by the skull melting method.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2011

Concentration and relaxation depth profiles of In{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}As/GaAs and GaAs{sub 1-x}P{sub x}/GaAs graded epitaxial films studied by x-ray diffraction

A method is proposed to determine the concentration and relaxation depth profiles in graded epitaxial films from x-ray reciprocal space maps (RSMs). Various approximations in the kinematical x-ray diffraction from epitaxial films with the misfit dislocation density depth profile are developed. We show that a symmetric and an asymmetric RSM, or two asymmetric RSMs, contain enough information to obtain the concentration, relaxation, and lattice tilt depth profiles without any additional assumptions. The proposed approach is applied to In{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}As/GaAs and GaAs{sub 1-x}P{sub x}/GaAs epitaxial graded films. The reconstructed concentration and dislocation density depth profiles are found to be in an agreement with the ones expected from the growth conditions.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2012

Direct evidence of a zigzag spin-chain structure in the honeycomb lattice: A neutron and x-ray diffraction investigation of single-crystal Na2IrO3

We have combined single crystal neutron and x-ray diffractions to investigate the magnetic and crystal structures of the honeycomb lattice $\rm Na_2IrO_3$. The system orders magnetically below $18.1(2)$~K with Ir$^{4+}$ ions forming zigzag spin chains within the layered honeycomb network with ordered moment of $\rm 0.22(1)~\mu_B$/Ir site. Such a configuration sharply contrasts the N{\'{e}}el or stripe states proposed in the Kitaev-Heisenberg model. The structure refinement reveals that the Ir atoms form nearly ideal 2D honeycomb lattice while the $\rm IrO_6$ octahedra experience a trigonal distortion that is critical to the ground state. The results of this study provide much-needed experimental insights into the magnetic and crystal structure crucial to the understanding of the exotic magnetic order and possible topological characteristics in the 5$d$-electron based honeycomb lattice.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

X-Ray Diffraction of Ramp-Compressed Silicon to 390 GPa

Silicon (Si) exhibits a rich collection of phase transitions under ambient-temperature isothermal and shock compression. This report describes in-situ diffraction measurements of ramp compressed Si between 40 and 389 GPa. Angle-dispersive x-ray scattering reveals that Si assumes an hexagonal close-packed (hcp) structure between 40 and 93 GPa, and, at higher pressure, a face-centered cubic (fcc) structure which persists to at least 389 GPa, the highest pressure for which the crystal structure of Si has been investigated. Furthermore, the range of hcp stability extends to higher pressures and temperatures than predicted by theory.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

Structural elucidation of b-(Y,Sc){sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 7} : combined use of {sub 89}Y MAS NMR and powder diffraction.

Although the structures of pure Sc{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 7} and {beta}-Y{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 7} have been described in the literature using the C2/m space group, {sup 29}Si magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR measurements of the intermediate members of the Sc{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 7}-{beta}-Y{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 7} system indicate a lowering of the symmetry to the C2 space group. Indeed, these compositions exhibit a unique Si crystallographic site and an Si-O-Si angle lower than 180{sup o}, incompatible with the C2/m space group. C2 is the only possible alternative. Space group Cm can be discarded with regard to its two different Si sites per unit cell. Moreover, {sup 89}Y MAS NMR data have revealed the existence of two different Y sites in the structure of the intermediate members of the Sc{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 7}-{beta}-Y{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 7} system, confirming the lowering of the symmetry to the C2 space group. The viability of the C2 model has therefore been tested and confirmed by refinement of synchrotron and neutron powder diffraction data for the different members of the system. The structural evolutions across the Sc{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 7}-{beta}-Y{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 7} system are discussed.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Three-dimensional plastic response in polycrystalline copper via near-field high-energy X-ray diffraction microscopy

The evolution of the crystallographic orientation field in a polycrystalline sample of copper is mapped in three dimensions as tensile strain is applied. Here, using forward-modeling analysis of high-energy X-ray diffraction microscopy data collected at the Advanced Photon Source, the ability to track intragranular orientation variations is demonstrated on an ~2 µm length scale with ~0.1° orientation precision. Lattice rotations within grains are tracked between states with ~1° precision. Detailed analysis is presented for a sample cross section before and after ~6% strain. The voxel-based (0.625 µm triangular mesh) reconstructed structure is used to calculate kernel-averaged misorientation maps, which exhibit complex patterns. Simulated scattering from the reconstructed orientation field is shown to reproduce complex scattering patterns generated by the defected microstructure. Spatial variation of a goodness-of-fit or confidence metric associated with the optimized orientation field indicates regions of relatively high or low orientational disorder. An alignment procedure is used to match sample cross sections in the different strain states. The data and analysis methods point toward the ability to perform detailed comparisons between polycrystal plasticity computational model predictions and experimental observations of macroscopic volumes of material.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2011

Hidden Superlattice in Tl2(SC6H4S) and Tl2(SeC6H4Se) Solved from Powder X-ray Diffraction

The crystal structures of the isostructural title compounds poly[({mu}-benzene-1,4-dithiolato)dithallium], Tl{sub 2}(SC{sub 6}H{sub 4}S), and poly[({mu}-benzene-1,4-diselenolato)dithallium], Tl{sub 2}(SeC{sub 6}H{sub 4}Se), were solved by simulated annealing from high-resolution synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction. Rietveld refinements of an initial structure with one formula unit per triclinic cell gave satisfactory agreement with the data, but led to a structure with impossibly close non-bonded contacts. A disordered model was proposed to alleviate this problem, but an alternative supercell structure leads to slightly improved agreement with the data. The isostructural superlattice structures were confirmed for both compounds through additional data collection, with substantially better counting statistics, which revealed the presence of very weak superlattice peaks not previously seen. Overall, each structure contains Tl-S or Tl-Se two-dimensional networks, connected by phenylene bridges. The sulfur (or selenium) coordination sphere around each thallium is a highly distorted square pyramid or a 'see-saw' shape, depending upon how many Tl-S or Tl-Se interactions are considered to be bonds. In addition, the two compounds contain pairs of Tl{sup I} ions that interact through a closed-shell 'thallophilic' interaction: in the sulfur compound there are two inequivalent pairs of Tl atoms with Tl-Tl distances of 3.49 and 3.58 {angstrom}, while in the selenium compound those Tl-Tl interactions are at 3.54 and 3.63 {angstrom}.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

`Pink'-beam X-ray powder diffraction profile and its use in Rietveld refinement

The powder diffraction profile obtained with a pink-beam synchrotron X-ray source is described as the convolution of a back-to-back pair of exponentials convoluted with the Gaussian and Lorentzian components of a pseudo-Voigt. We report this new function is employed for the first time in a Rietveld refinement using data collected from a single 100 ps synchrotron X-ray micropulse.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Mapping the 3D position of battery cathode particles in Bragg coherent diffractive imaging

In Bragg coherent diffractive imaging, the precise location of the measured crystals in the interior of the sample is usually missing. Obtaining this information would help the study of the spatially dependent behavior of particles in the bulk of inhomogeneous samples, such as extra-thick battery cathodes. This work presents an approach to determine the 3D position of particles by precisely aligning them at the instrument axis of rotation. In the test experiment reported here, with a 60 µm-thick LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 battery cathode, the particles were located with a precision of 20 µm in the out-of-plane direction, and the in-plane coordinates were determined with a precision of 1 µm.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the carbohydrate-binding region of the Streptococcus gordonii adhesin GspB

The carbohydrate-binding region of the bacterial adhesin GspB from Streptococcus gordonii strain M99 (GspB{sub BR}) was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified using affinity and size-exclusion chromatography. Separate sparse-matrix screening of GspB{sub BR} buffered in either 20 mM Tris pH 7.4 or 20 mM HEPES pH 7.5 resulted in different crystallographic behavior such that different precipitants, salts and additives supported crystallization of GspB{sub BR} in each buffer. While both sets of conditions supported crystal growth in space group P2{sub 1}2{sub 1}2{sub 1}, the crystals had distinct unit-cell parameters of a = 33.3, b = 86.7, c = 117.9 {angstrom} for crystal form 1 and a = 34.6, b = 98.3, c = 99.0 {angstrom} for crystal form 2. Additive screening improved the crystals grown in both conditions such that diffraction extended to beyond 2 {angstrom} resolution. A complete data set has been collected to 1.3 {angstrom} resolution with an overall R{sub merge} value of 0.04 and an R{sub merge} value of 0.33 in the highest resolution shell.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2011

Crystallization and Preliminary Diffraction Analysis of Truncated Human Pleckstrin

Pleckstrin is a major substrate of protein kinase C in platelets and leukocytes and appears to play an important role in exocytosis through a currently unknown mechanism. Pleckstrin function is regulated by phosphorylation, which is thought to cause dissociation of pleckstrin dimers, thereby facilitating phosphoinositide interactions and membrane localization. Evidence also exists suggesting that phosphorylation causes a subtle conformational change in pleckstrin. Structural studies of pleckstrin have been initiated in order to characterize these structural changes and ultimately advance understanding of pleckstrin function. Here, the crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of a truncated version of pleckstrin consisting of the N-terminal PH domain, the protein kinase C phosphorylation sites and the DEP domain (NPHDEP) are reported. In addition, the oligomeric state and phospholipid-binding properties of NPHDEP were analyzed. This work demonstrates that NPHDEP behaves as a monomer in solution and suggests that all three pleckstrin domains contribute to the dimerization interface. Furthermore, based on the binding properties of NPHDEP, the C-terminal PH domain appears to increase the specificity of pleckstrin for phosphoinositides. This work represents a significant step towards determining the structure of pleckstrin.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2012

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of Val57 mutants of the amyloidogenic protein human cystatin C

Human cystatin C (hCC) is a low-molecular-mass protein (120 amino-acid residues, 13 343 Da) found in all nucleated cells. Its main physiological role is regulation of the activity of cysteine proteases. Biologically active hCC is a monomeric protein, but all crystallization efforts have resulted in a dimeric domain-swapped structure. Recently, two monomeric structures were reported for cystatin C variants. In one of them stabilization was achieved by abolishing the possibility of domain swapping by the introduction of an additional disulfide bridge connecting the two protein domains (Cys47-Cys69). In the second structure, reported by this group, the monomeric hCC fold was preserved by stabilization of the conformationally constrained loop (L1) by a single-amino-acid substitution (V57N). To further assess the influence of changes in the sequence and properties of loop L1 on the dimerization propensity of cystatin C, two additional hCC mutants were obtained: one with a residue favoured in {beta}-turns (V57D) and another with proline (V57P), a residue that is known to be a structural element that can rigidify but also broaden turns. Here, the expression, purification and crystallization of V57D and V57P variants of recombinant human cystatin C are described. Crystals were grown by the vapour-diffusion method. Several diffraction data sets were collected using a synchrotron source at the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Chicago, USA.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Shifting and tilting towards enhanced piezoelectricity in high-temperature ceramics: an average structure study of (1 − x )BiFe 2/8 Ti 3/8 Mg 3/8 O 3 – x PbTiO 3 through X-ray and neutron diffraction

A comprehensive report is provided of the average structure of a high Curie temperature ferroelectric ceramic, (1 − x)BiFe 2/8 Ti 3/8 Mg 3/8 O 3 –xPbTiO 3 (BFTM–xPT) when x = 0.25–0.375 at room temperature. Both neutron and synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data were collected and combined Rietveld refinements were completed. These data revealed that, of the compositions studied, BFTM–xPT crystallizes as mixed phase material. At x = 0.25–0.275, the average structure of each phase is best described by space groups R3c and Cc. At 0.30 ≥ x ≥ 0.35, a morphotropic phase boundary is present and is best modelled by space groups P4mm and Cc, where space group Cc is the dominant phase. As the concentration of PbTiO 3 increases, the amount of octahedral tilting decreases and x = 0.375 exhibits a loss of octahedral tilting and crystallizes in space groups P4mm and Cm. In conclusion, an updated phase diagram at room temperature of this novel system is given and structural intricacies responsible for its piezoelectric properties are revealed.

high Curie temperature↗