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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 1,603 records · Page 89
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Ultrafast Carrier–Lattice Interactions and Interlayer Modulations of Bi 2 Se 3 by X-ray Free-Electron Laser Diffraction

We report as a 3D topological insulator, bismuth selenide (Bi 2 Se 3 ) has potential applications for electrically and optically controllable magnetic and optoelectronic devices. Understanding the coupling with its topological phase requires studying the interactions of carriers with the lattice on time scales down to the sub-picosecond regime. Here we investigate the ultrafast carrier-induced lattice contractions and interlayer modulations in Bi 2 Se 3 thin films by time-resolved diffraction using an X-ray free-electron laser. The lattice contraction depends on the carrier concentration and is followed by an interlayer expansion accompanied by oscillations. Using density functional theory (DFT) and the Lifshitz model, the initial contraction can be explained by van der Waals force modulation of the confined free carrier layers. Our theory suggests that band inversion, related to a topological phase transition, is modulated by the expansion of the interlayer distance. These results provide insights into the topological phase control by light-induced structural change on ultrafast timescales.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Ultrasonic waveguide reflectometry for quench detection (CRADA Final Report)

Early detection of thermal runaway (quench) is critical for safely operating high-temperature superconductor (HTS) magnets. Voltage-based techniques provide late detection of quenching in HTS, which can lead to magnet burnout and system damage. Various non-voltage quench-detection approaches are therefore investigated nowadays that are based on magnetic, acoustic, and optical sensing. LBNL has been actively developing the quench detection principle based on diffuse ultrasonic wave propagation since 2017 and has demonstrated the approach's viability with several peer-reviewed publications and a patent application. Over the last decade, Etegent, LBNL partner for this proposal and effort, has been developing a sensing technology that utilizes the propagation of stress waves through the solid metallic and nonmetallic waveguides (WG). The method is based on the dependence of materials' elastic properties and the speed of sound on temperature. Compared with optical analog, acoustic WG operates at much lower frequencies, eliminating the need for expensive, complex, highly sensitive receivers and data processing. Etegent proved this technology in many harsh environments, mainly concentrated high-temperature measurements. The initial contact between LBNL and Etegent started in 2020, aiming at combining our knowledge and effort toward developing a viable ultrasound-based quench detection technique for use with HTS magnets. A preliminary study conducted jointly in 2022 found no principle restrictions for expanding the WG technology toward cryogenic temperature operation. The present CRADA work aimed at designing, building, and testing ultrasonic waveguide temperature sensors at relevant cryogenic conditions, and demonstrating this technology's applicability to detecting heating and quenching in High Temperature Superconductor (HTS)-based cables and magnets. The technical objectives of the project included: (1) Design and fabricate ultrasonic WG sensors suitable for cryogenic operation, (2) Test ultrasonic WGs under cryogenic conditions, (3) Determining a suitable way of insulating WGs to prevent ultrasonic leakage while maintaining good thermal contact with the surrounding medium, (4) WG integration and cryogenic test with HTS conductors and HTS magnets, and (5) Design and basic prototyping of a standalone WG-based quench detection system. This project adds value to the present LBNL magnet diagnostics portfolio and enables a breakthrough in addressing the HTS magnet quench detection challenge.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Pressure-induced metallization and loss of surface magnetism in FeSi

Single-crystalline FeSi samples with a conducting surface state were studied under high pressure and magnetic field by means of electrical resistance measurements to explore how the bulk semiconducting state and the surface state are tuned by the application of pressure. Here, we found that the energy gap associated with the semiconducting bulk phase begins to close abruptly at a critical pressure of ~10 GPa and the bulk material becomes metallic with no obvious sign of any emergent phases or non-Fermi liquid behavior in temperature dependent electrical resistance in the neighborhood of the critical pressure above 3 K. Moreover, the metallic phase appears to remain at near-ambient pressure upon release of the pressure. Interestingly, the hysteresis in the electrical resistance vs magnetic field curve associated with the magnetically ordered conducting surface state decreases with pressure and vanishes at the critical pressure, while the slope of the electrical resistance vs magnetic field curve, which has a negative value for pressure below the critical pressure, decreases in magnitude with pressure and changes sign at the critical pressure. Thus the conducting surface state and the corresponding two-dimensional magnetic order collapse at the critical pressure where the energy gap of the bulk material starts to close abruptly, revealing the connection between the conducting surface state and the semiconducting bulk state in FeSi.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Strongly Coupled Magnetic and Electronic Transitions in Multivalent Strontium Cobaltites

Here, the topotactic phase transition in SrCoO x (x = 2.5–3.0) makes it possible to reversibly transit between the two distinct phases, i.e. the brownmillerite SrCoO 2.5 that is a room-temperature antiferromagnetic insulator (AFM-I) and the perovskite SrCoO 3 that is a ferromagnetic metal (FM-M), owing to their multiple valence states. For the intermediate x values, the two distinct phases are expected to strongly compete with each other. With oxidation of SrCoO 2.5 , however, it has been conjectured that the magnetic transition is decoupled to the electronic phase transition, i.e., the AFM-to-FM transition occurs before the insulator-to-metal transition (IMT), which is still controversial. Here, we bridge the gap between the two-phase transitions by density-functional theory calculations combined with optical spectroscopy. We confirm that the IMT actually occurs concomitantly with the FM transition near the oxygen content x = 2.75. Strong charge-spin coupling drives the concurrent IMT and AFM-to-FM transition, which fosters the near room-T magnetic transition characteristic. Ultimately, our study demonstrates that SrCoO x is an intriguingly rare candidate for inducing coupled magnetic and electronic transition via fast and reversible redox reactions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Design and fabrication of a superconducting magnet for an 18 GHz electron cyclotron resonance ion/photon source NFRI-ECRIPS

A superconducting magnet was designed and fabricated for an 18 GHz ECR ion/photon source, which will be installed at National Fusion Research Institute (NFRI) in South Korea. The magnetic system consists of a set of four superconducting coils for axial mirror field and 36 pieces of permanent magnets for hexapolar field. The superconducting coils with a cryocooler (1.5 W - 4.2 K) allow one to reach peak mirror fields of 2.2 T in the injection and those of 1.5 T in the extraction regions on the source axis, and the resultant hexapolar field gives 1.35 T on the plasma chamber wall. The unbalanced magnetic force between the coils and surrounding yoke has been minimized to 16 ton by a coil arrangement and their electrical connection, and then was successfully suspended by 12 strong thermal insulating supports made of large numbers of carbon fibers. In order to block radiative thermal losses, multilayer thermal insulations are covered on the coil windings as well as 40-K aluminum thermal shield. Also new schemes of quench detection and safety system (coil divisions, quench detection coils, and heaters) were employed. For impregnation of the windings a special epoxy has been selected and treated to have a higher breaking strength and a higher thermal conductivity, which enables the superconductors to be uniformly and rapidly cooled down or heated during a quench.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Observation of Topological Chirality Switching Induced Freezing of a Skyrmion Crystal

Magnetic skyrmions are topologically protected quasi-particles with a well-defined chirality. Control over their chirality is proposed as an additional feature for encoding data bits or as qubits in quantum computing due to their high efficiency and stability against achiral magnetic textures. Here it is shown that an in-plane magnetic field can be utilized to reshape the energy barriers between different skyrmionic bubbles (e.g., Bloch type, type-II) enabling spontaneous chirality fluctuations with a frequency that increases with the strength of the in-plane field. The insulating van der Waals ferromagnet CrBr3 is used as an archetypal system for low damping, reduced energy dissipation and a high number of magnetic phases to capture the chirality dynamics in real time through cryo-Lorentz transmission electron microscopy. It is observed that the interplay between the intrinsic Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction and out-of-plane field biased the chirality dynamics, favoring one handedness over the other. A remarkable consequence of the spontaneous chirality switching mechanism is that it induces a freezing (or crystallization) process in the skyrmion lattice. As the bubbles fluctuate between Bloch and type-II they elongate and shrink parallel to the in-plane field. Subsequently, the overall lattice crystallizes along the in-plane field direction, inducing a phase transition from a disordered liquid state to a hexatic phase where skyrmions are highly ordered resembling that of a solid. The results indicate chirality as an active element in the creation of topologically protected skyrmion crystals unveiling pathways toward chiral spintronic device platforms with tunable embedded configuration.

2D Phase Transition↗
DOE OSTI2012

History Dependent Magnetoresistance in Lightly Doped LaZxSrxCuO4Thin Films

The in-plane magnetoresistance (MR) in atomically smooth La{sub 2-x}Sr{sub x}CuO{sub 4} thin films grown by molecular-beam-epitaxy was measured in magnetic fields B up to 9 T over a wide range of temperatures T. The films, with x = 0.03 and x = 0.05, are insulating, and the positive MR emerges at T < 4 K. The positive MR exhibits glassy features, including history dependence and memory, for all orientations of B. The results show that this behavior, which reflects the onset of glassiness in the dynamics of doped holes, is a robust feature of the insulating state.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Exquisite growth control and magnetic properties of yttrium iron garnet thin films

A layer-by-layer epitaxial growth up to 227 atomic layers of ferrimagnetic insulator yttrium iron garnet (YIG) thin films is achieved on (110)-oriented gadolinium gallium garnet substrates using pulsed laser deposition. Atomically smooth terraces are observed on YIG films up to 100 nm in thickness. The root-mean-square roughness is as low as 0.067 nm. The easy-axis lies in the film plane, indicating the dominance of shape anisotropy. For (110)-YIG films, there is well-defined two-fold in-plane anisotropy, with the easiest axis directed along [001]. The Gilbert damping constant is determined to be 1.0 × 10{sup −4} for 100 nm thick films.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Large Fermi Surface of Heavy Electrons at the Border of Mott Insulating State in NiS 2

One early triumph of quantum physics is the explanation why some materials are metallic whereas others are insulating. While a treatment based on single electron states is correct for most materials this approach can fail spectacularly, when the electrostatic repulsion between electrons causes strong correlations. Not only can these favor new and subtle forms of matter, such as magnetism or superconductivity, they can even cause the electrons in a half-filled energy band to lock into position, producing a correlated, or Mott insulator. The transition into the Mott insulating state raises important fundamental questions. Foremost among these is the fate of the electronic Fermi surface and the associated charge carrier mass, as the Mott transition is approached. We report the first direct observation of the Fermi surface on the metallic side of a Mott insulating transition by high pressure quantum oscillatory measurements in NiS 2 . We find our results point at a large Fermi surface consistent with Luttinger's theorem and a strongly enhanced quasiparticle effective mass. These two findings are in line with central tenets of the Brinkman-Rice picture of the correlated metal near the Mott insulating state and rule out alternative scenarios in which the carrier concentration vanishes continuously at the metal-insulator transition.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Dynamics of the photoinduced insulator-to-metal transition in a nickelate film

Material properties can be controlled via strain, pressure, chemical composition, or dimensionality. Nickelates are particularly susceptible due to their strong variations of the electronic and magnetic properties on such external stimuli. Here, we analyze the photoinduced dynamics in a single crystalline NdNiO3 film upon excitation across the electronic gap. Using time-resolved reflectivity and resonant x-ray diffraction, we show that the pump pulse induces an insulator-to-metal transition, accompanied by the melting of the charge order. Finally, we compare our results with similar studies in manganites and show that the same model can be used to describe the dynamics in nickelates, hinting towards a unified description of these photoinduced electronic ordering phase transitions. © 2018 Author(s).

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Suppression of metal-to-insulator transition and stabilization of superconductivity by pressure in Re 3 Ge 7

The effect of pressure on the low-temperature states of the Re 3 ⁡Ge 7 is investigated by both electrical and Hall resistance and magnetization measurements. At ambient pressure, the temperature-dependent resistance of Re 3 ⁡Ge 7 behaves quasilinearly from room temperature down to 60 K, then undergoes a two-step metal-to-insulator transition (MIT) at temperatures T 1 =59.4K and T 2 =58.7K, which may be related to a structural phase transition or occurrence of charge-density wave ordering. Upon applying pressure, the two-step (T 1 ,T 2 ) MIT splits into three steps (T 1 ,T 2 . and T 3 ) above 1 GPa, and all traces of MITs are fully suppressed by ~8 GPa. Subsequently, the onset of bulk superconductivity (SC) occurs between 10.8 and 12.2 GPa and persists to our highest pressure of 26.8 GPa. At 12.2 GPa the superconducting transition temperature, T c , and upper critical field, H c ⁢2 reach the maximum of T c (onset) ~5.9 K and H c ⁢2 (1.8 K) ~14 kOe. Finally, our results not only present the observation of SC under high pressure in Re 3 ⁡Ge 7 but also delineate the interplay between SC and other competing electronic states by creating a T-p phase diagram for this potentially topologically nontrivial system Re 3 ⁡Ge 7 .

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2025

Multipolar multiferroics in 4⁢𝑑 2 /5⁢𝑑 2 Mott insulators

Here, we extend the concept of conventional multiferroicity—where ferroelectric and ferromagnetic orders coexist—to include multipolar degrees of freedom. Specifically, we explore how this phenomenon emerges in 4⁢𝑑 2 /5⁢𝑑 2 Mott insulators with strong spin-orbit and Hund's couplings. Our study uncovers the origin of magnetic multipolar interactions in these systems and demonstrates that a combination of quadrupolar and octupolar magnetic order can simultaneously induce both electrical quadrupolar moments and ferroelectric polarization. By expanding the multiferroic framework to higher-order multipoles, we reveal the possibility of coexisting multipolar orders of different or same ranks, paving the way for different functional properties in a large class of strongly correlated materials.

Mott insulators↗
DOE OSTI2016

Voltage-controlled low-energy switching of nanomagnets through Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida interactions for magnetoelectric device applications

In this article, we consider through simulation low-energy switching of nanomagnets via electrostatically gated inter-magnet Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interactions on the surface of three-dimensional topological insulators, for possible memory and nonvolatile logic applications. We model the possibility and dynamics of RKKY-based switching of one nanomagnet by coupling to one or more nanomagnets of set orientation. Potential applications to both memory and nonvolatile logic are illustrated. Sub-attojoule switching energies, far below conventional spin transfer torque (STT)-based memories and even below CMOS logic appear possible. Switching times on the order of a few nanoseconds, comparable to times for STT switching, are estimated for ferromagnetic nanomagnets, but the approach also appears compatible with the use of antiferromagnets which may allow for faster switching.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS1986

Magnetized thermal conduction fronts

The evolution of planar thermal conduction fronts in the presence of a dynamically weak, but otherwise self-consistent, magnetic field is considered. The field is assumed to be connected and untangled. In the diffusion limit for the thermal conductivity, these fronts exhibit self-similar behavior, even in the presence of a field. The role of the field is restricted to channeling the heat flux along its lines of force, and it enters into the problem as a dimensionless angle variable. 'Combing' (or opening) of insulating field lines by the evaporative flow is explicitly demonstrated. Unless the field is nearly perpendicular to the front normal in the hot gas, insulating effects are not profound. Self-similarity breaks down if the front becomes saturated, and under certain conditions magnetized saturated conduction fronts cannot propagate: the solution characteristics of the wave equation form caustics. The physical resolution is the advent of two-fluid (nonlocal) heating. Such Coulomb-heated fronts are expected to be relatively rare in typical astrophysical systems. The large-scale effects of a magnetic field on cloud evaporation in the interstellar medium are briefly discussed, and it is suggested that these fields preclude the presence of time-independent evaporative solutions. Thermal interfaces may then continue to evolve until radiative cooling halts their development; large tracts of warm 10,000 K gas may result.

Balbus, S. A.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Symmetry breaking forms split-off flat bands in quantum oxides controlling metal versus insulator phases

The crystal structure used as input to electronic structure calculation of conventionally bonded solids consists primarily of the standard crystallographic degrees of freedom. Quantum solids sometimes have additional microscopic degrees of freedom (m-DOF) nested within the crystallographic structure. These might include local motifs including positional (Peierls dimers, deformed octahedra, Jahn-Teller distortions), magnetic (local moment configurations) and dipolar (local ferroelectric configurations). Such motifs can be observed experimentally via local probes that avoid averaging, and theoretically as distinct total energy lowering features relative to more simplified “average crystallographic structures”. Here we examine the ability of electronic structure methods independent of strong correlation physics to explain the broad phenomenology of metal-insulator selectivity in quantum oxides by energy-lowering symmetry breaking. We do this by avoiding the restriction of considering only (i) electron-electron interactions in a fixed unresponsive lattice—as done in Mott strong correlation explanations—allowing, however, (ii) local positional and magnetic motifs that coexist within a crystallographic landscape. We find in a broad range of quantum oxides with different symmetry breaking modes the formation of split-off flat bands that can also control metallic versus insulating characteristics. The split-off band effect is common to magnetic and non-magnetic materials, including both binary and ternary oxides. One finds that when such local symmetry breaking motifs are considered in mean-field-like (e.g. density functional theory) electronic structure calculations of quantum oxides, they explain many of the observed trends in metal vs insulator phases discussed otherwise in prior literature via strong correlation in symmetry unbroken view.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2019

Quantum Griffiths singularities in TiO superconducting thin films with insulating normal states

A superconductor–metal transition (SMT) with an unconventional diverging dynamic critical exponent was recently discovered, and it drew tremendous attention because this signature of a quantum Griffiths singularity (QGS) was thought to be a common characteristic of low-disorder crystalline superconductors. However, because the QGS was observed only in limited materials with metallic normal states, the question of whether the QGS exists in other superconducting systems is still unanswered. In this paper, a superconductor–insulator transition (SIT) is observed in TiO thin films with insulating normal states, which offers a more universal platform for investigating the QGS. A thickness-tuned SIT is obtained when the magnetic field is zero. Importantly, a magnetic field-tuned SIT with a diverging dynamic critical exponent, which is direct evidence of a QGS, is observed in TiO thin films with different thicknesses. By constructing a comprehensive phase diagram, it is demonstrated that the critical magnetic field H c tends to saturate as the temperature approaches 0 K, which is different from the upturn trend of H c observed in SMT systems and probably due to the weaker Josephson coupling of the locally ordered superconducting islands (rare regions) in a weakly insulating normal state background. The results extend the QGS scenario from only SMT systems to SIT systems, and they provide vital evidence that QGSs are common in crystalline superconducting thin films, which has possible applications in quantum-computing devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Prediction of orbital-selective Mott phases and block magnetic states in the quasi-one-dimensional iron chain Ce 2 O 2 FeSe 2 under hole and electron doping

The recent detailed study of quasi-one-dimensional iron-based ladders, with the 3d iron electronic density n=6, has unveiled surprises, such as orbital-selective phases. However, similar studies for n=6 iron chains are still rare. Here a three-orbital electronic Hubbard model was constructed to study the magnetic and electronic properties of the quasi-one-dimensional n=6 iron chain Ce 2 O 2 FeSe 2 , with focus on the effect of doping. Specifically, introducing the Hubbard U and Hund J H couplings and studying the model via the density matrix renormalization group, we report the ground-state phase diagram varying the electronic density away from n=6. For the realistic Hund coupling J H /U=1/4, several electronic phases were obtained, including a metal, orbital-selective Mott, and Mott insulating phases. Doping away from the parent phase, the competition of many tendencies leads to a variety of magnetic states, such as ferromagnetism, as well as several antiferromagnetic and magnetic “block” phases. In the hole-doping region, two different interesting orbital-selective Mott phases were found: OSMP1 (with one localized orbital and two itinerant orbitals) and OSMP2 (with two localized orbitals and one itinerant orbital). Moreover, charge disproportionation phenomena were found in special doping regions. We argue that our predictions can be tested by simple modifications in the original chemical formula of Ce 2 O 2 FeSe 2 .

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2018

The finite size effect on the transport and magnetic properties of epitaxial Fe 3 O 4 thin films

Here, magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) has great potential for use in the new field of spintronics due to its interesting physical properties, e.g., half-metallic ferromagnetic nature and metal–insulator transition (Verwey transition). Therefore, a basic understanding of these properties is essential for applications in spintronics devices, especially as the film thickness is reduced. In this work, the transport and magnetic properties of stoichiometric ultrathin epitaxial Fe 3 O 4 films have been investigated. The Fe 3 O 4 films were grown on MgO (001) substrates using molecular beam epitaxy under optimal growth conditions. Low energy electron diffraction and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy confirmed that the films are single phase Fe 3 O 4 . The Verwey transition has been investigated using both transport and magnetization measurements. The magnetization measurements show a sharp Verwey transition in all of these films, which indicates that the films have properties comparable to the bulk. Furthermore, the magnetization measurements at room temperature show that the ultrathin films with thickness t < 20 nm are ferromagnetic with magnetization values greater than those for bulk magnetite. Such enhanced magnetization in ultrathin Fe 3 O 4 films is very promising for spin injection and other applications.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗