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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 163 records · Page 9

Why is CDMA the solution for mobile satellite communication

It is demonstrated that spread spectrum Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) systems provide an economically superior solution to satellite mobile communications by increasing the system maximum capacity with respect to single channel per carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) systems. Following the comparative analysis of CDMA and FDMA systems, the design of a model that was developed to test the feasibility of the approach and the performance of a spread spectrum system in a mobile environment. Results of extensive computer simulations as well as laboratory and field tests results are presented.

Gilhousen, Klein S.↗

Wake flow measurements with a mobile laser Doppler velocimeter system

Wake flow measurements were conducted with a mobile laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV). The measurements included surveys of aircraft wake vortices behind a B-747 aircraft, aircraft carrier wake measurements from aboard the U.S.S. Nimitz, and tower wake measurements for a 100 kW wind turbine. Results of these tests demonstrated that a mobile ground-based LDV is a versatile and useful tool for the measurement of full-scale three-dimensional wake flows. The potential is demonstrated for utilization of this system to study complex wakes for a variety of applications.

Wilson, D. J.↗

Temperature dependence (4K to 300K) of the electrical resistivity of methane grown carbon fibers

Experimental measurements of the electrical resistivity vs temperature of methane vapor grown carbon fibers are presented. The fibers are heat treated from 1100 C (as-grown) to 3000 C. Data are fit to a standard two band model, which yields values for boundary scattering limited electron mobility, in-plane mean free path, energy band overlap, and total carrier density. The data are also fit to an ellipsoidal band model, where data fits yield effective masses, band overlap, Fermi velocity, phonon contributions to scattering, and ionized impurity scattering rates.

Woollam, John A.↗

Mixed Carrier Conduction in Modulation-doped Field Effect Transistors

The contribution of more than one carrier to the conductivity in modulation-doped field effect transistors (MODFET) affects the resultant mobility and complicates the characterization of these devices. Mixed conduction arises from the population of several subbands in the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG), as well as the presence of a parallel path outside the 2DEG. We characterized GaAs/AlGaAs MODFET structures with both delta and continuous doping in the barrier. Based on simultaneous Hall and conductivity analysis we conclude that the parallel conduction is taking place in the AlGaAs barrier, as indicated by the carrier freezeout and activation energy. Thus, simple Hall analysis of these structures may lead to erroneous conclusions, particularly for real-life device structures. The distribution of the 2D electrons between the various confined subbands depends on the doping profile. While for a continuously doped barrier the Shubnikov-de Haas analysis shows superposition of two frequencies for concentrations below 10(exp 12) cm(exp -2), for a delta doped structure the superposition is absent even at 50% larger concentrations. This result is confirmed by self-consistent analysis, which indicates that the concentration of the second subband hardly increases.

Schacham, S. E.↗

Growth and characterization of Hg(1-x)Zn(x)Se

Hg sub 1-xZn sub xSe alloys of composition x=0.10 were grown in a Bridgman-Stockbarger growth furnace at translation rates of 0.3 and 0.1 micron sec. The axial and radial composition profiles were determined using precision density measurements and IR transmission-edge-mapping, respectively. A more radially homogeneous alloy was produced at the slower growth rate, while the faster growth rate produced more axially homogeneous alloys. A determination of the electrical properties of the Hg sub 1-xZn sub xSe samples in the temperature range 300K-20K was also made. Typical carrier concentrations were on the order of magnitude of 10 to the 18th power cu/cm, and remained fairly constant as a function of temperature. A study was also made of the temperature dependence of the resistivity and Hall mobility. The effect of annealing in a selenium vapor on both the IR transmission and the electrical properties was determined. Annealing was effective in reducing the number of native donor defects and at the resulting lower carrier concentrations, charge carrier concentration was shown to be a function of temperature. Annealing caused the mobility to increase, primarily at the lower temperature, and the room temperature resistivity to increase. Annealing was also observed to greatly enhance the % IR transmittance of the samples. This was due primarily to the effect of annealing on decreasing the charge carrier concentration.

Andrews, R. N.↗

Lighter-Than-Air (LTA) "AirStation": Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Carrier Concept

The advantages of utilizing an airship as an airborne carrier for support and deployment of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) are examined. Whether as a stand-alone platform or in concert with conventional aircraft, the airship UAS carrier provides a number of compelling benefits for both military and civilian missions. As a mobile base it can remain operational despite political fallout that may render ground or ocean based UAS sites unavailable. It offers the psychological impact of a power projection tool that has few geographical limits, and holds promise as a new method for cost-saving intelligence gathering. It is also adaptable for civilian variants for supporting: emergency response, security/surveillance, delivery of medical/food supplies, as well as commercial package delivery to metropolitan and remote communities. This paper presents the background on airship-aircraft operations, and explores the general airship carrier concept. Additionally, a catalog of contemporary technologies available to support the airship carrier concept are discussed, and essential elements for an Air-Station Development program proposed.

Hochstetler, Ronald D.↗

Exploratory study on microanalysis of thin films by backscattering techniques

Solid phase epitaxial growth of Si layers was studied by backscattering spectrometry for controllable electrical characteristics. Samples were fabricated by vacuum deposition on a thin layer of Sb before deposition of the amorphous Si layer. Analysis of the resulting SPEG layer showed that Sb was present in the SPEG layer of Si. The characteristic of the SPEG layer against the Si substrate was rectifying. A scanning microprobe picture of a cleaved sample established the presence of a depletion region more than 1 micron below the surface. Hall effect data indicated that the SPEG layer was n-type, with average free carrier concentration of about 10 to the 19th power cm/3 and average electron mobility of about 40 sq cm/Vs. SPEG with Pd silicide or Ni silicide transport layers showed fast initial transient growth regimes with slower growth in the steady state regimes.

Mayer, J. W.↗

GPS-based geodesy in California, Mexico and the Caribbean

The NASA GPS-based geophysical geodetics system will be capable of 1-3 cm relative position accuracies on regional baselines and GPS ephemerides with submeter accuracies. Simultaneity and mutual visibility allow high differential carrier phase and group delay measurements to be obtained without clock errors. Both mobile GPS terminal sites and fiducial sites whose locations are accurately maintained by independent VLBI and SLR systems are to be used. A system validation and multiyear measurement program is under way.

Melbourne, W. G.↗

Ion-implanted epitaxially grown ZnSe

The use of ZnSe to obtain efficient, short wavelength injection luminescence was investigated. It was proposed that shorter wavelength emission and higher efficiency be achieved by employing a p-i-n diode structure rather than the normal p-n diode structure. The intervening i layer minimizes concentration quenching effects and the donor-acceptor pair states leading to long wavelength emission. The surface p layer was formed by ion implantation; implantation of the i layer rather than the n substrate permits higher, uncompensated p-type doping. An ion implanted p-n junction in ZnSe is efficiency-limited by high electron injection terminating in nonradiative recombination at the front surface, and by low hole injection resulting from the inability to obtain high conductivity p-type surface layers. While the injection ratio in p-n junctions was determined by the radio of majority carrier concentrations, the injection ratio in p-i-n structures was determined by the mobility ratios and/or space charge neutrality requirements in the i layer.

Chernow, F.↗

Fast Correction For Doppler In MDPSK Signals

Detector of multiple differential phase-shift-keyed (MDPSK) signals designed to effect combination of open-loop estimation of frequency and differential detection of digital modulation. Improved design expected to decrease probability of bit errors in situations in which carrier frequency uncertain and signals transmitted in bursts too short to allow closed-loop tracking of carrier frequency - for example, in transmission of digitally-coded voice signals in land-mobile/satellite communications at ultra-high frequencies.

Simon, M. K.↗

A new coherent demodulation technique for land-mobile satellite communications

An advanced coherent demodulation technique is described for land mobile satellite (LMS) communications. The proposed technique features a combined narrow/wind band dual open loop carrier phase estimator, which is effectively able to compensate the fast carrier phase fluctuation by fading with sacrificing a phase slip rate. Also included is the realization of quick carrier and clock reacquisition after shadowing by taking open loop structure. Its bit error rate (BER) performance is superior to that of existing detection schemes, showing a BER of 1 x 10(exp -2) at 6.3 dB E sub b/N sub o over the Rician channel with 10 dB C/M and 200 Hz (1/16 modulation rate) fading pitch f sub d for QPSK. The proposed scheme consists of a fast response carrier recovery and a quick bit timing recovery with an interpolation. An experimental terminal model was developed to evaluate its performance at fading conditions. The results are quite satisfactory, giving prospects for future LMS applications.

Yoshida, Shousei↗

High Mobility SiGe/Si n-MODFET Structures and Devices on Sapphire Substrates

Si/Ge/Si n-type modulation doped field effect structures and transistors (n-MODFET's) have been fabricated on r-plane sapphire substrates. Mobilities as high as 1380 cm(exp 2)/Vs were measured at room temperature. Excellent carrier confinement was shown by Shubnikov-de Haas measurements. Atomic force microscopy indicated smooth surfaces, with rm's roughness less than 4 nm, similar to the quality of SiGe/Si n-MODFET structures made on Si substrates. Transistors with 2 micron gate lengths and 200 micron gate widths were fabricated and tested.

Mueller, Carl↗

Miniature Ion-Mobility Spectrometer

The figure depicts a proposed miniature ion-mobility spectrometer that would be fabricated by micromachining. Unlike prior ion-mobility spectrometers, the proposed instrument would not be based on a time-of-flight principle and, consequently, would not have some of the disadvantageous characteristics of prior time-of-flight ion-mobility spectrometers. For example, one of these characteristics is the need for a bulky carrier-gas-feeding subsystem that includes a shutter gate to provide short pulses of gas in order to generate short pulses of ions. For another example, there is need for a complex device to generate pulses of ions from the pulses of gas and the device is capable of ionizing only a fraction of the incoming gas molecules; these characteristics preclude miniaturization. In contrast, the proposed instrument would not require a carrier-gas-feeding subsystem and would include a simple, highly compact device that would ionize all the molecules passing through it. The ionization device in the proposed instrument would be a 0.1-micron-thick dielectric membrane with metal electrodes on both sides. Small conical holes would be micromachined through the membrane and electrodes. An electric potential of the order of a volt applied between the membrane electrodes would give rise to an electric field of the order of several megavolts per meter in the submicron gap between the electrodes. An electric field of this magnitude would be sufficient to ionize all the molecules that enter the holes. Ionization (but not avalanche arcing) would occur because the distance between the ionizing electrodes would be less than the mean free path of gas molecules at the operating pressure of instrument. An accelerating grid would be located inside the instrument, downstream from the ionizing membrane. The electric potential applied to this grid would be negative relative to the potential on the inside electrode of the ionizing membrane and would be of a magnitude sufficient to generate a moderate electric field. Positive ions leaving the membrane holes would be accelerated in this electric field. The resulting flux of ions away from the ionization membrane would create a partial vacuum that would draw more of the gas medium through the membrane. The figure depicts a filter electrode and detector electrodes located along the sides of a drift tube downstream from the accelerator electrode. These electrodes would apply a transverse AC electric field superimposed on a ramped DC electric field. The AC field would effect differential transverse dispersal of ions. At a given instant of time, the trajectories of most of the ions would be bent toward the electrodes, causing most of the ions to collide with the electrodes and thereby become neutralized. The DC field would partly counteract the dispersive effect of the AC field, straightening the trajectories of a selected species of ions; the selection would vary with the magnitude of the applied DC field. The straightening of the trajectories of the selected ions would enable them to pass into the region between the detector electrodes. Depending on the polarity of the voltage applied to the detector electrodes, the electric field between the detector electrodes would draw the selected ions to one of these electrodes. Hence, the current collected by one of the detector electrodes would be a measure of the abundance of ions of the selected species. The ramping of the filter- electrode DC voltage would sweep the selection of ions through the spectrum of ionic species.

Hartley, Frank T.↗

Future Trends in Logistics and Sustainment

Airship Industry Study: In 2015, NASA Ames Research Center completed a study of the overall airship industry. The project called for a report that describes airship concepts proposed or projects initiated in recent years, airship performance or capability targets, and the missions these activities were addressing. The resulting report details the principal technical features of these airships, the proposed value/advantages of the features, notional concepts of operation, and challenges associated with such vehicles. The study investigated the current status and near-term prospects of these airship development activities, whether they are active or, if curtailed, the circumstances and possible reasons for that conclusion, including technical, business, or other mitigating factors. This presentation provides highlights of the Airship Industry Study investigations, findings, and recommendations. UAS Carrier Concept: The advantages of utilizing an airship as an airborne carrier for support and deployment of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) are examined. Whether as a stand-alone platform or in concert with conventional aircraft, the airship UAS carrier provides a number of compelling benefits for both military and civilian missions. As a mobile base it can remain operational despite political fallout that may render ground or ocean based UAS sites unavailable. It offers the psychological impact of a power projection tool that has few geographical limits, and holds promise as a new method for cost-saving intelligence gathering. It is also adaptable for civilian variants for supporting: emergency response, security/surveillance, delivery of medical/food supplies, as well as commercial package delivery to metropolitan and remote communities.

Hochstetler, Ron↗

Estimation of frequency offset in mobile satellite modems

In mobilesat applications, frequency offset on the received signal must be estimated and removed prior to further modem processing. A straightforward method of estimating the carrier frequency offset is to raise the received MPSK signal to the M-th power, and then estimate the location of the peak spectral component. An analysis of the lower signal to noise threshold of this method is carried out for BPSK signals. Predicted thresholds are compared to simulation results. It is shown how the method can be extended to pi/M MPSK signals. A real-time implementation of frequency offset estimation for the Australian mobile satellite system is described.

Cowley, W. G.↗

Current conduction in junction gate field effect transistors

The internal physical mechanism that governs the current conduction in junction-gate field effect transistors is studied. A numerical method of analyzing the devices with different length-to-width ratios and doping profiles is developed. This method takes into account the two dimensional character of the electric field and the field dependent mobility. Application of the method to various device models shows that the channel width and the carrier concentration in the conductive channel decrease with increasing drain-to-source voltage for conventional devices. It also shows larger differential drain conductances for shorter devices when the drift velocity is not saturated. The interaction of the source and the drain gives the carrier accumulation in the channel which leads to the space-charge-limited current flow. The important parameters for the space-charge-limited current flow are found to be the L/L sub DE ratio and the crossover voltage.

Kim, C.↗

Evolutionary space station fluids management strategies

Results are summarized for an 11-month study to define fluid storage and handling strategies and requirements for various specific mission case studies and their associated design impacts on the Space Station. There are a variety of fluid users which require a variety of fluids and use rates. Also, the cryogenic propellants required for NASA's STV, Planetary, and Code Z missions are enormous. The storage methods must accommodate fluids ranging from a high pressure gas or supercritical state fluid to a sub-cooled liquid (and superfluid helium). These requirements begin in the year 1994, reach a maximum of nearly 1800 metric tons in the year 2004, and trail off to the year 2018, as currently planned. It is conceivable that the cryogenic propellant needs for the STV and/or Lunar mission models will be met by LTCSF LH2/LO2 tanksets attached to the SS truss structure. Concepts and corresponding transfer and delivery operations have been presented for STV propellant provisioning from the SS. A growth orbit maneuvering vehicle (OMV) and associated servicing capability will be required to move tanksets from delivery launch vehicles to the SS or co-orbiting platforms. Also, appropriate changes to the software used for OMV operation are necessary to allow for the combined operation of the growth OMV. To support fluid management activities at the Space Station for the experimental payloads and propellant provisioning, there must be truss structure space allocated for fluid carriers and propellant tanksets, and substantial beam strengthening may be required. The Station must have two Mobile Remote Manipulator Systems (MRMS) and the growth OMV propellant handling operations for the STV at the SS. Propellant needs for the Planetary Initiatives and Code Z mission models will most likely be provided by co-orbiting propellant platform(s). Space Station impacts for Code Z mission fluid management activities will be minimal.

Source record↗

US Navy Submarine Sea Trial of the NASA Air Quality Monitor

For the past four years, the Air Quality Monitor (AQM) has been the operational instrument for measuring trace volatile organic compounds on the International Space Station (ISS). The key components of the AQM are the inlet preconcentrator, the gas chromatograph (GC), and the differential mobility spectrometer. Most importantly, the AQM operates at atmospheric pressure and uses air as the GC carrier gas, which translates into a small reliable instrument. Onboard ISS there are two AQMs, with different GC columns that detect and quantify 22 compounds. The AQM data contributes valuable information to the assessment of air quality aboard ISS for each crew increment. The U.S. Navy is looking to update its submarine air monitoring suite of instruments, and the success of the AQM on ISS has led to a jointly planned submarine sea trial of a NASA AQM. In addition to the AQM, the Navy is also interested in the Multi-Gas Monitor (MGM), which was successfully flown on ISS as a technology demonstration to measure major constituent gases (oxygen, carbon dioxide, water vapor, and ammonia). A separate paper will present the MGM sea trial results. A prototype AQM, which is virtually identical to the operational AQM, has been readied for the sea trial. Only one AQM will be deployed during the sea trial, but it is sufficient to detect the compounds of interest to the Navy for the purposes of this trial. A significant benefit of the AQM is that runs can be scripted for pre-determined intervals and no crew intervention is required. The data from the sea trial will be compared to archival samples collected prior to and during the trial period. This paper will give a brief overview of the AQM technology and protocols for the submarine trial. After a quick review of the AQM preparation, the main focus of the paper will be on the results of the submarine trial. Of particular interest will be the comparison of the contaminants found in the ISS and submarine atmospheres, as both represent closed environments. In U.K. submarine trials in the early 2000s, the submarine and ISS atmospheres were found to be remarkably similar.

Limero, Thomas↗