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Thin films of LaF3 deposited on Si or GaAs substrates have been observed to form blocking contacts with very high capacitances. This results in comparatively hysteresis-free and sharp C-V (capacitance-voltage) characteristics for MIS structures. Such structures have been used to study the interface states of GaAs with increased resolution and to construct improved photocapacitive infrared detectors.
An induction powered implanted monitor for epidurally measuring intracranial pressure and telemetering the pressure information to a remote readout is disclosed. The monitor utilizes an inductance-capacitance (L-C) oscillator in which the C comprises a variable capacitance transducer, one electrode of which is a small stiff pressure responsive diaphragm. The oscillator is isolated from a transmitting tank circuit by a buffer circuit and all electric components in the implanted unit except an input and an output coil are shielded by a metal housing.
Spacecraft charging on the differential charging and artificial particle emission experiments on ATS 5 and ATS 6 were studied. Differential charging of spacecraft surfaces generated large electrostatic barriers to spacecraft generated electrons, from photoemission, secondary emission, and thermal emitters. The electron emitter could partially or totally discharge the satellite, but the mainframe recharged negatively in a few 10's of seconds. The time dependence of the charging behavior was explained by the relatively large capacitance for differential charging in comparison to the small spacecraft to space capacitance. A daylight charging event on ATS 6 was shown to have a charging behavior suggesting the dominance of differential charging on the absolute potential of the mainframe. Ion engine operations and plasma emission experiments on ATS 6 were shown to be an effective means of controlling the spacecraft potential in eclipse and sunlight. Elimination of barrier effects around the detectors and improving the quality of the particle data are discussed.
New resolvers for vectorially summing outputs of aircraft-mounted magnetometers are lighter and more economical to fabricate than conventional electromagnetic resolvers. One resolver is based on potentiometric principles, the second uses polarization filters, and the third has variable-capacitance elements. Optical, capacitive and potentiometric devices have applications in aircraft navigation systems.
For electrostatic capacitors the breakdown voltage is inherently related to the properties of the dielectric, with the important parameters being the dielectric field strength which is related to the dielectric constant and the dielectric thickness. These are not necessarily related to the capacitance value and the rated voltage, but generally the larger values of capacitance have lower breakdown voltages. Foil and wet slug electrolytics can withstand conduction currents pulses without apparent damage (in either direction for foil types). For solid tantalums, damage occurs whenever the capacitor charges to the forming voltage.
A discrete-gradient optimization algorithm is used to identify the parameters in a one-node and a two-node capacitance model of a flat-plate collector. Collector parameters are first obtained by a linear-least-squares fit to steady state data. These parameters, together with the collector heat capacitances, are then determined from unsteady data by use of the discrete-gradient optimization algorithm with less than 10 percent deviation from the steady state determination. All data were obtained in the indoor solar simulator at the NASA Lewis Research Center.
It is noted that the combustor, a critical hot section component, can suffer failure through crack formation, buckling, and liner burn-through. Thus, there is a need to develop instrumentation which can function reliably in the combustor liner environment during testing and provide data to verify the accuracy of the analytical predictive tools used in designing the combustors. The results of an investigation into the suitability of a number of resistive, capacitive, optical, and electronic sensors are presented. The three sensors judged to possess the potential for measuring static strains up to + or - 2,000 micro-strain at temperatures to 1150 K with an accuracy of + or - 10% are the Kanthal A-1 Wire Strain Gage, Speckle Photography with Heterodyne Halo Evaluation, and the Thin Film Capacitive Sensor.
Ferroelectric films of barium titanate were synthesized on silicon and quartz substrates, and the photoelectric effect in the structure consisting of metal deposited ferroelectric barium titanate film silicon was studied. A photovoltage with polarity that depends on the direction of the remanent polarization was observed. The deposition of BaTiO3 on silicon and fused quartz substrates was accomplished by an rf sputtering technique. A series of experiments to study the growth of ferroelectric BaTiO3 films on single crystal silicon and fused quartz substrates were conducted. The ferroelectric character in these films was found on the basis of evidence from the polarization electric field hysteresis loops, capacitance voltage and capacitance temperature techniques and from X-ray diffraction studies.
The electrostatic analysis of a multiple-capacitance 3-axis drag-free sensor is presented in this paper. The instrument consists of a proof-mass (a dense metallic ball) floating freely inside a spherical cavity enclosed by the sensor plates and the shield. Since the ball and the cavity are not necessarily concentric, the problem in three-dimensional potential theory for electrostatics is solved by the method of boundary perturbations and specifically in terms of spherical harmonics. The capacitance outputs of the instrument and the electrostatic forces acting on the system are derived as non-linear functions of the ball position, ball charge and the sensor plate potentials. The instrument sensitivity and cross-coupling effects are discussed. The analysis may also be useful for electrostatic gyros and suspensions.
Capacitive probes succeed where X-ray and ultrasonic equipment do not. Crossbar switching of pairs of conductors enables detection of dielectric inhomogeneities in selected small volume elements of slab of material. Large void in sample detected as low capacitance reading for volume element containing void. Applicable in nondestructive testing of other dielectric objects for internal defects that exhibit dielectric inhomogeneities.
Inherent or "natural" device capacitance exploited. Band-Pass Circuit has input impedance of equivalent circuit at frequencies much greater than operational-amplifier rolloff frequency. Apparent inductance and capacitance arise from combined effects of feedback and reactive component of amplifier gain in frequency range.
Differencing circuit cancels error caused by switching transistors capacitance. In integrate and hold circuit using JFET switch, gate-to-source capacitance causes error in output voltage. Differential connection cancels out error. Applications in systems where very low voltages sampled or many integrate-and -hold cycles before circuit is reset.
Various experimental studies of elastohydrodynamic lubrication have been reviewed. The various types of machines used in these investigations, such as the disc, two and four ball, crossed-cylinders, and crossed-axes rolling disc machine, are described. The measurement of the most important parameters, such as film shape, film thickness, pressure, temperature, and traction, is considered. Determination of the film thickness is generally the most important of these effects since it dictates the extent to which the asperities on opposing surfaces can come into contact and thus has a direct bearing on wear and fatigue failure of the contacting surfaces. Several different techniques for measuring film thickness have been described, including electrical resistance, capacitance, X-ray, optical interferometry, laser beam diffraction, strain gage, and spring dynamometer methods. An attempt has been made to describe the basic concepts and limitations of each of these techniques. These various methods have been used by individual researchers, but there is no universally acceptable technique for measuring elastohydrodynamic film thickness. Capacitance methods have provided most of the reliable data for nominal line or rectangular conjunctions, but optical interferometry has proved to be the most effective procedure for elliptical contacts. Optical interferometry has the great advantage that it reveals not only the film thickness, but also details of the film shape over the complete area of the conjunction.
The foamed glasses that are being considered for structural support in solar thermal energy system silvered glass concentrator mirrors are assessed for strength-limiting defects by a nondestructive technique which measures the capacitance of well defined regions. The feasibility of locating large defects is demonstrated for the case of one type of cellular mass. Observed capacitance variations are believed to be due to small voids or other irregularities in the material. If the defects are equal to or greater than approximately 20 times the glass matrix pore size, they can be resolved with sufficient accuracy to delineate their spatial extent.
The two techniques which have provided most of the information on interface states in MIS-C (metal-insulator-semiconductor-capacitor) structures are the 'quasi-static method' and the 'conductance method'. Sher et al. (1979) and Su et al. (1980) have suggested a number of improvements concerning these methods. The present investigation has the objective to extend the earlier results and to offer a new tentative interpretation of the data. A critical review is conducted of the data collection and reduction techniques for the quasi-static method, taking into account the sample, the quasi-static capacitance, and the surface potential. In connection with a discussion of the conductance method, attention is given to parallel conductance and capacitance measurements, interface-state densities, time constants, and measurements on a (110) surface orientation.
A parametric analysis was performed of transmission cables for transmitting electrical power at high voltage (up to 1000 V) and high frequency (10 to 30 kHz) for high power (100 kW or more) space missions. Large diameter (5 to 30 mm) hollow conductors were considered in closely spaced coaxial configurations and in parallel lines. Formulas were derived to calculate inductance and resistance for these conductors. Curves of cable conductance, mass, inductance, capacitance, resistance, power loss, and temperature were plotted for various conductor diameters, conductor thickness, and alternating current frequencies. An example 5 mm diameter coaxial cable with 0.5 mm conductor thickness was calculated to transmit 100 kW at 1000 Vac, 50 m with a power loss of 1900 W, an inductance of 1.45 micron and a capacitance of 0.07 micron-F. The computer programs written for this analysis are listed in the appendix.
Metal-carbon-metal structures were fabricated using either gold or aluminum evaporated electrodes and RF plasma (methane) deposited 'diamondlike' carbon films. Alternating-current conductance and capacitance versus voltage and frequency (10 Hz to 13 MHz) data were taken to determine the dielectric properties of these films. Conductance versus frequency data fit a generalized power law, consistent with both dc and hopping conduction components. The capacitance versus frequency data are well matched to the conductance versus frequency data, as predicted by a Kramers-Kronig analysis. The dielectric loss tangent is nearly constant at 0.5 to 1.0 percent over the frequency range from 1 to 100 kHz. The dc resistivity is above 10 to the 13th ohm cm, and the dc breakdown strength is above 8 x 10 to the 6th V/cm is properly prepared samples.
The potential distribution in a plasma containing dust grains were derived where the Debye length can be larger or smaller than the average intergrain spacing. Three models were treated for the grain-plasma system, with the assumption that the system of dust and plasma is charge-neutral: a permeable grain model, an impermeable grain model, and a capacitor model that does not require the nearest neighbor approximation of the other two models. A gauge-invariant form of Poisson's equation was used which is linearized about the average potential in the system. The charging currents to a grain are functions of the difference between the grain potential and this average potential. Expressions were obtained for the equilibrium potential of the grain and for the gauge-invariant capacitance between the grain and the plasma. The charge on a grain is determined by the product of this capacitance and the grain-plasma potential difference.