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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
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Direct observation of anyonic braiding statistics

Anyons are quasiparticles that, unlike fermions and bosons, show fractional statistics when two of them are exchanged. Here, we report experimental observation of anyonic braiding statisticsfor the ν 1/3 fractional quantum Hall state using a device that is equivalent to a Fabry-Perot interferometer. Strong Aharonov-Bohm interference of the edge mode is punctuated by discrete phase slips that indicate an anyonic phase of $\theta$ anyon = 2π/3. Here, our results are consistent with a recent theory for an interferometer operated in a regime in which device charging energy is small compared to the energy of formation of charged quasiparticles, indicating that we have observed anyonic braiding.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2022

Topological flat bands in a kagome lattice multiorbital system

Flat bands and dispersive Dirac bands are known to coexist in the electronic bands in a two-dimensional kagome lattice. Including the relativistic spin-orbit coupling, such systems often exhibit nontrivial band topology, allowing for gapless edge modes between flat bands at several locations in the band structure, and dispersive bands or at the Dirac band crossing. Here, we theoretically demonstrate that a multiorbital system on a kagome lattice is a versatile platform to explore the interplay between nontrivial band topology and electronic interaction. Specifically, here we report that the multiorbital kagome model with the atomic spin–orbit coupling naturally supports topological bands characterized by nonzero Chern numbers $\mathscr{C}$, including a flat band with |$\mathscr{C}$|=1. When such a flat band is 1/3 filled, the non-local repulsive interactions induce a fractional Chern insulating state. We also discuss the possible realization of our findings in real kagome materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

1D topological phases in transition-metal monochalcogenide nanowires

The Su–Schrieffer–Heeger (SSH) model is a prototypical one-dimensional (1D) diatomic lattice model for non-trivial topological phases and topological excitations. In theory, many variations and extensions of the SSH model have been proposed and explored to better understand the novel aspects of topological physics in low dimensions on the nanoscale. However, the outstanding challenge remains to find real nanomaterials with robust structural stability for realizing the 1D topological states. Here, we develop an extended version of the SSH model with multi-atomic bases of four, six and eight atoms and an imposed screw rotation symmetry. Furthermore, based on first-principles calculations, we demonstrate the realization of this model in transition metal monochalcogenide M 6 X 6 (M = Mo and W; X = S, Se and Te) nanowires. The topological features of the doped M 6 X 6 nanowires are confirmed with non-trivial edge modes and e/2 fractional charges, representative of the 1D non-trivial Zak phase. Our finding not only sheds new light on our fundamental understanding of 1D topological physics, but also significantly extends the scope of 1D topological materials that will attract immediate experimental interest, since isolated M 6 X 6 nanowires have already been synthesized in experiments.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Role of sheared E × B flow in self-organized, improved confinement states in magnetized plasmas

A great scientific success story of magnetic fusion research in the past several decades is the theoretical development and experimental testing of the process of turbulence decorrelation and stabilization by sheared E×B flow which shows that E×B shear effects are ubiquitous in magnetized plasmas. This concept of turbulence decorrelation and stabilization has the universality needed to explain the H-mode edge transport barriers seen in limiter and divertor tokamaks, stellarators, and mirror machines; the broader edge transport barrier seen in VHmode plasmas; and the core transport barriers formed in tokamaks. Similar effects are seen in linear devices. These examples of confinement improvement are of considerable physical interest; it is not often that a system self-organizes to reduce transport when an additional source of free energy is applied to it. The transport decrease associated with E×B velocity shear is also of great practical benefit to fusion research, since it contributed to substantially increased fusion yield in all DT magnetic fusion experiments conducted to date. The fundamental physics involved in transport reduction is the effect of E×B shear on the growth, radial extent, and phase correlation of turbulent eddies in the plasma. The same basic transport reduction process can be operational in various portions of the plasma because there are a number of ways to change the radial electric field Er. An important secondary theme in this area is the synergistic effect of E×B velocity shear and magnetic shear. Although the E×B velocity shear appears to have an effect on broader classes of microturbulence, magnetic shear can mitigate some potentially harmful effects of E×B velocity shear and facilitate turbulence stabilization. Our present understanding in this area is the result of a multi-decade, intertwined effort in theory, modeling and diagnostic development combined with continuing experimental investigations. These experiments have clearly demonstrated that increased E×B shear causes reductions in turbulence and transport. Finally, the experimental findings are generally consistent with the basic theoretical models although considerable work remains to be done before we have a fully predictive theory of transport in magnetized plasmas including E×B shear effects.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Precision-controlled ultrafast electron microscope platforms. A case study: Multiple-order coherent phonon dynamics in 1T-TaSe2 probed at 50 fs–10 fm scales

We report on the first detailed beam tests attesting the fundamental principle behind the development of high-current-efficiency ultrafast electron microscope systems where a radio frequency (RF) cavity is incorporated as a condenser lens in the beam delivery system. To allow for the experiment to be carried out with a sufficient resolution to probe the performance at the emittance floor, a new cascade loop RF controller system is developed to reduce the RF noise floor. Temporal resolution at 50 fs in full-width-at-half-maximum and detection sensitivity better than 1% are demonstrated on exfoliated 1T-TaSe2 system under a moderate repetition rate. To benchmark the performance, multi-terahertz edge-mode coherent phonon excitation is employed as the standard candle. The high temporal resolution and the significant visibility to very low dynamical contrast in diffraction signals via high-precision phase-space manipulation give strong support to the working principle for the new high-brightness femtosecond electron microscope systems.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

Improvements to the Faraday cup fast ion loss detector and magnetohydrodynamic induced fast ion loss measurements in Joint European Torus plasmas

Upgrades to electronic hardware and detector design have been made to the JET thin-foil Faraday cup fast ion loss detector in anticipation of the upcoming deuterium–tritium (DT) campaign. An improved foil stack design has been implemented, which greatly reduces the number of foil-to-foil shorts, and triaxial cabling has mitigated ambient noise pickup. Initial tests of 200 kHz digitizers, as opposed to the original 5 kHz digitizers, have provided enhanced analysis techniques and direct coherence measurements of fast ion losses with magnetohydrodynamic activity. Here, we present recent loss measurements in JET deuterium plasmas correlated with kink modes, fishbone modes, edge-localized modes, and sawteeth. Sources of systematic noise are discussed with emphasis on capacitive plasma pickup. Overall, the system upgrades have established a diagnostic capable of recording alpha particle losses due to a wide variety of resonant fast ion transport mechanisms to be used in future DT-experiments and modeling efforts.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2023

Implementing microwave impedance microscopy in a dilution refrigerator

We report the implementation of a dilution refrigerator-based scanning microwave impedance microscope with a base temperature of ∼100 mK. The vibration noise of our apparatus with tuning-fork feedback control is as low as 1 nm. Using this setup, we have demonstrated the imaging of quantum anomalous Hall states in magnetically (Cr and V) doped (Bi, Sb)2Te3 thin films grown on mica substrates. Both the conductive edge modes and topological phase transitions near the coercive fields of Cr- and V-doped layers are visualized in the field-dependent results. Our study establishes the experimental platform for investigating nanoscale quantum phenomena at ultralow temperatures.

Instruments & Instrumentation↗
DOE OSTI2026

Interpreting AI for fusion: An application to plasma profile analysis for tearing mode stability

Artificial intelligence models have demonstrated strong predictive capabilities for various instabilities in fusion devices such as Tokamaks, including tearing modes (TM), edge localized modes, and disruptive events, but their opaque nature raises concerns about safety and trustworthiness when applied to fusion power plants. Here, we present a physics-based interpretation framework using a TM prediction model as a demonstration that is validated through a dedicated DIII-D TM avoidance experiment. By applying Shapley analysis, we identify how profiles such as rotation, temperature, and density contribute to the model's prediction of TM stability. Our analysis shows that in our experimental scenario, core electron temperature and rotation peaking play the primary role in TM stability, while density changes have smaller effects on stability. We show that off-axis ion temperature stabilizes TMs, suggesting that off-axis neutral beam heating can further stabilize this scenario. This work presents a generalizable ML-based event prediction methodology, from training to physics-driven interpretation, bridging the gap between physics understanding and opaque ML models.

Farre-Kaga, Hiro J. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United S↗
DOE OSTI2026

Nanoscale Imaging of Magnetotransport around a Circular 𝑝−𝑛 Junction in Graphene

Magnetoresistance studies of 2D systems are often shaped by the motion of electrons that occupy spatially confined wave functions, such as topological edge modes and disorder-induced bound states. Directly probing how such states form and behave in situ , under applied currents, provides a clear way of connecting microscopic physics to the macroscopic transport response. Here, in this Letter, scanning tunneling potentiometry is used to probe the local, current-induced electrochemical potential of carriers in graphene near circular 𝑝−𝑛 junctions in an out-of-plane magnetic field ranging from 0 to 1.4 T. These measurements provide detailed information about the motion of carriers at the nanometer scale, revealing how it evolves with increasing field. The electrochemical potential displays distinct patterns, such as dipoles, spirals, and concentric disks in weak, moderate, and high fields, respectively. The size and orientation of these patterns can be used to understand how local carrier dynamics change in different transport regimes as well as to directly extract physical parameters such as the electron mean free path and cyclotron diameter.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Spontaneously Broken Noninvertible Symmetries in Transverse-Field Ising Qudit Chains

Recent developments have revealed that symmetries need not form a group, but instead can be noninvertible. Here we use analytical arguments and numerical evidence to illuminate how spontaneous symmetry breaking of a noninvertible symmetry is similar yet distinct from ordinary, invertible, symmetry breaking. We consider one-dimensional chains of group-valued qudits, whose local Hilbert space is spanned by elements of a finite group 𝐺 (reducing to ordinary qubits when 𝐺=ℤ 2 ). We construct Ising-type transverse-field Hamiltonians with Rep⁡(𝐺) symmetry whose generators multiply according to the tensor product of irreducible representations (irreps) of the group 𝐺 . For non-Abelian 𝐺 , the symmetry is noninvertible. In the symmetry broken phase there is one ground state per irrep on a closed chain. The symmetry breaking can be detected by local order parameters but, unlike the invertible case, different ground states have distinct entanglement patterns. We show that for each irrep of dimension greater than one the corresponding ground state exhibits string order, entanglement spectrum degeneracies, and has gapless edge modes on an open chain—features usually associated with symmetry-protected topological order. Consequently, domain wall excitations behave as one-dimensional non-Abelian anyons with nontrivial internal Hilbert spaces and fusion rules. Our Letter identifies properties of noninvertible symmetry breaking that existing quantum hardware can probe.

1-dimensional spin chains↗
DOE OSTI2020

Flat bands and ferrimagnetic order in electronically correlated dice-lattice ribbons

In this work, we study ribbons of the dice two-dimensional lattice (that we call “dice ladders”) known to have nontrivial topological properties, such as Chern numbers 2. Our main results are two fold. (1) Analyzing the tight-binding model in the presence of Rashba spin-orbit coupling and an external magnetic field, we observed that dice ladders qualitatively display properties similar to their two-dimensional counterpart all the way to the limit of only two legs in the short direction. This includes flat bands near the Fermi level, edge currents and edge charge localization near zero energy when open boundary conditions are used, two chiral edge modes, and a nonzero Hall conductance. (2) We studied the effect of Hubbard correlation U in the two-leg dice ladder using Lanczos and density matrix renormalization group techniques. We show that by increasing U the flat bands split without the need of introducing external fields. Moreover, robust ferrimagnetic order develops. Overall, our work establishes dice ladders as a promising playground to study the combined effect of topology and correlation effects, one of the frontiers in quantum materials.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2020

Topological superconductivity induced by a triple- q magnetic structure

Here we demonstrate that the recently discovered triple- q (3 q ) magnetic structure, when embedded in a magnet-superconductor hybrid (MSH) system, gives rise to the emergence of topological superconductivity. We investigate the structure of chiral Majorana edge modes at domain walls, and show that they can be distinguished from trivial in-gap modes through the spatial distribution of the induced supercurrents. Finally, we show that topological superconductivity in 3 q MSH systems is a robust phenomenon that does not depend on the relative alignment of the magnetic and superconducting layers, or on the presence of electronic degrees of freedom in the magnetic layer.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2021

Observation of a chiral wave function in the twofold-degenerate quadruple Weyl system BaPtGe

Topological states in quantum materials are defined by bulk wave functions that possess nontrivial topological invariants. While edge modes are widely presented as signatures of nontrivial topology, how bulk wave functions can manifest explicitly topological properties remains unresolved. Here, using high-resolution inelastic x-ray spectroscopy (IXS) combined with first principles calculations, we report experimental signatures of chiral wave functions in the bulk phonon spectrum of BaPtGe, which we show to host a previously undiscovered twofold-degenerate quadruple Weyl node. The chirality of the degenerate phononic wave function yields a nontrivial phonon dynamical structure factor, S(Q,ω), along high-symmetry directions, that is in excellent agreement with numerical and model calculations. Furthermore, our results establish IXS as a powerful tool to uncover topological wave functions, providing a key missing ingredient in the study of topological quantum matter.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2021

Topological and symmetry-enriched random quantum critical points

In this work, we study how symmetry can enrich strong-randomness quantum critical points and phases, and lead to robust topological edge modes coexisting with critical bulk fluctuations. These are the disordered analogs of gapless topological phases. Using real-space and density matrix renormalization group approaches, we analyze the boundary and bulk critical behavior of such symmetry-enriched random quantum spin chains. We uncover a new class of symmetry-enriched infinite randomness fixed points: while local bulk properties are indistinguishable from conventional random singlet phases, nonlocal observables, and boundary critical behavior are controlled by a different renormalization group fixed point. We also illustrate how such new quantum critical points emerge naturally in Floquet systems.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Optical control of topological memory based on orbital magnetization

Under suitable conditions, some twisted graphene multilayers and transition-metal dichalcogenides become Chern insulators, exhibiting the anomalous quantum Hall effect and orbital magnetization due to spontaneous valley polarization. We study the interaction of a Chern insulator with circularly polarized light. Here, the interaction energy contains an antisymmetric term that couples to the helicity of incident light. For a two-band Chern insulator, this term is expressed as an integral involving the Berry curvature of the system. Taking advantage of this interaction, we propose an experimental protocol for switching topological memory based on orbital magnetization by circularly polarized light. Moreover, two laser beams of opposite circular polarization can nucleate domains of opposite magnetization and thus produce an optically configurable domain wall carrying topologically protected chiral edge modes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Kramers' degeneracy for open systems in thermal equilibrium

Kramers' degeneracy theorem underpins many interesting effects in quantum systems with time-reversal symmetry. We show that the generator of dynamics for Markovian open fermionic systems can exhibit an analogous degeneracy, protected by a combination of time-reversal symmetry and the microreversibility (detailed balance) property of systems at thermal equilibrium—the degeneracy is lifted if either condition is not met. We provide simple examples of this phenomenon and show that the degeneracy is reflected in the single-particle Green's functions. Furthermore, we show that certain experimental signatures of topological edge modes in open many-body systems can be protected by microreversibility in the same way. Our results highlight the importance of detailed balance in characterizing open topological matter.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Quantum spin liquid with emergent chiral order in the triangular-lattice Hubbard model

The interplay between spin frustration and charge fluctuation gives rise to an exotic quantum state in the intermediate-interaction regime of the half-filled triangular-lattice Hubbard model, while the nature of the state is under debate. Using the density matrix renormalization group with SU(2) spin ⓍU(1) charge symmetries implemented, we study the triangular-lattice Hubbard model defined on the long cylinder geometry up to circumference W=6. A gapped quantum spin liquid, with on-site interaction 9≲U/t≲10.75, is identified between the metallic and the antiferromagnetic Mott insulating phases. In particular, we find that this spin liquid develops a robust long-range spin scalar-chiral correlation as the system length L increases, which unambiguously unveils the spontaneous time-reversal symmetry breaking. In addition, the degeneracy of the entanglement spectrum supports symmetry fractionalization and spinon edge modes in the obtained ground state. The possible origin of chiral order in this intermediate spin liquid and its relation to the rotonlike excitations have also been discussed.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Competing topological superconducting phases in FeSe 0.45 ⁢Te 0.55

We demonstrate that recent angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy experiments provide strong evidence for the existence of two competing topological superconducting phases in FeSe 0.45⁢ Te 0.55 . The coupling of their underlying microscopic mechanisms—one based on a three-dimensional topological insulator, one based on two-dimensional superconductivity—stabilizes topological superconductivity over a wide range of parameters, and gives rise to two disjoint topological regions in the phase diagram of FeSe 0.45 ⁢Te 0.55 . Here, we show that the topological origin of these regions can be identified by considering the form of Majorana edge modes at domain walls.

Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy↗