Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “quantum diffraction”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 163 records · Page 9

Wide Dynamic Range, 10 kHz Framing Detector for 4D-STEM

Hybrid pixel array detectors (PADs) have expanded the fidelity, frame rate and dynamic range for diffractive imaging in electron microscopes. With their high detective quantum efficiencies (DQE), the noise performance limited is by counting statistics. Consequently, improving the precision and quality of high-speed images requires increasing the linear dynamic range and the maximum usable beam current. Here we describe a new prototype hybrid PAD, our next-generation electron microscope pixel array detector (NG-EMPAD) that expands both the framing speed and dynamic range of our earlier EMPAD design. Like the EMPAD, electrons are detected directly in a 500 μm thick silicon sensor bonded pixel-by-pixel to a custom signal processing integrated circuit (IC). Each pixel in the IC integrates charge carriers produced by the high-energy incident electrons. Here, in-pixel circuitry uses a combination of techniques to extend the dynamic range, including adaptive gain switching and the quantitative excess charge dumping similar to the EMPAD. In-pixel buffering of signals during readout allows acquiring a new image while reading out the previously collected image, yielding an image collection duty cycle of nearly 100%.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Correlation control of the Mott transition in LaTiO 3 /SrTiO 3 heterostructures

The Mott metal-insulator transition arises from electron-electron interactions determined by the ratio of Coulomb to kinetic energy scales (U/t). While temperature, pressure, and doping can induce Mott transitions, direct control of U in solid-state systems remains largely unexplored, particularly in the inhomogeneous environments of emerging neuromorphic devices, where conductive filaments create complex gradients of local properties. Here we show that interface-induced screening can continuously tune the electron-electron interaction strength U to drive an isothermal Mott transition. Using thickness-graded LaTiO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures, we used diffraction and photoemission spectroscopy to reveal a continuous, isothermal quantum phase transition from a Fermi liquid quasiparticle with incoherent excitations to a Mott insulator with Hubbard bands. The primary determinant of the transition is the enhanced local screening environment, which directly influences the interaction strength U, driving the system metallic. This demonstrates that interface engineering of the local screening environment provides a promising approach to manipulate Mott physics through correlation control, beyond traditional bandwidth or filling approaches.

Electronic and spintronic devices↗

On Diffraction Phenomena in Sensors of Surface Waves

The diffraction phenomena associated with the limited aperture size of an incident wave are considered on the basis of a theoretical method for studying the reflection of a plane electromagnetic wave from a plane-layered multifilm structure with homogeneous films. The proposed theory is applied to the analysis of the sensitivity of sensors based on surface waves.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Long-Wave Infrared Dyson Spectrometer

Preliminary results are presented for an ultra compact long-wave infrared slit spectrometer based on the dyson concentric design. The dyson spectrometer has been integrated in a dewar environment with a quantum well infrared photodetecor (QWIP), concave electron beam fabricated diffraction grating and ultra precision slit. The entire system is cooled to cryogenic temperatures to maximize signal to noise ratio performance, hence eliminating thermal signal from transmissive elements and internal stray light. All of this is done while maintaining QWIP thermal control. A general description is given of the spectrometer, alignment technique and predicated performance. The spectrometer has been designed for optimal performance with respect to smile and keystone distortion. A spectral calibration is performed with NIST traceable targets. A 2-point non-uniformity correction is performed with a precision blackbody source to provide radiometric accuracy. Preliminary laboratory results show excellent agreement with modeled noise equivalent delta temperature and detector linearity over a broad temperature range.

imaging↗

Correlating dynamic strain and photoluminescence of solid-state defects with stroboscopic x-ray diffraction microscopy

Abstract Control of local lattice perturbations near optically-active defects in semiconductors is a key step to harnessing the potential of solid-state qubits for quantum information science and nanoscale sensing. We report the development of a stroboscopic scanning X-ray diffraction microscopy approach for real-space imaging of dynamic strain used in correlation with microscopic photoluminescence measurements. We demonstrate this technique in 4H-SiC, which hosts long-lifetime room temperature vacancy spin defects. Using nano-focused X-ray photon pulses synchronized to a surface acoustic wave launcher, we achieve an effective time resolution of ~100 ps at a 25 nm spatial resolution to map micro-radian dynamic lattice curvatures. The acoustically induced lattice distortions near an engineered scattering structure are correlated with enhanced photoluminescence responses of optically-active SiC quantum defects driven by local piezoelectric effects. These results demonstrate a unique route for directly imaging local strain in nanomechanical structures and quantifying dynamic structure-function relationships in materials under realistic operating conditions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Nonlocal Coherent Optical Nonlinearities of a Macroscopic Quantum System

The optical responses of solids are typically understood to be local in space. Whether locality holds for the optical response of a macroscopic quantum system has, however, been largely unexplored. Here, we use multidimensional coherent spectroscopy at the optical diffraction limit to demonstrate nonlocal optical nonlinearities in a semiconductor microcavity. In conclusion, these nonlocal optical responses are both coherent and quantum in nature, deriving from the macroscopic length scale of confined exciton-polariton wave functions.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Acousto-Optic Diffraction in Paratellurite by a Slow Acoustic Mode. Increase of Diffraction Efficiency of Divergent Light

Peculiarities of anisotropic acousto-optic Bragg diffraction in paratellurite by a slow acoustic wave have been considered. The ranges of frequency-angular dependences have been found, in which effective diffraction occurs, and their practical relevance has been formulated. The numerical values for light radiation with a wavelength of 1.06 μm have been obtained. We have proposed the method of enhancement of a diffraction efficiency of divergent optical radiation, which in turn leads to the increase of the response time of an acousto-optical modulator. The method is based on a multifrequency electric control of the acousto-optical modulator. We have shown experimentally that, as distinct from the single-frequency control, a considerable intensity suppression of the zero diffraction order from 30 to 8% is achieved.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Optical Control of Non-Equilibrium Phonon Dynamics

The light-induced selective population of short-lived far-from-equilibrium vibration modes is a promising approach for controlling ultrafast and irreversible structural changes in functional nanomaterials. This requires a detailed understanding of the dynamics and evolution of these phonon modes and their coupling to the excited-state electronic structure. Here, we combine femtosecond mega-electronvolt electron diffraction experiments on a prototypical layered material, MoTe 2 , with non-adiabatic quantum molecular dynamics simulations and ab initio electronic structure calculations to show how non-radiative energy relaxation pathways for excited electrons can be tuned by controlling the optical excitation energy. We show how the dominant intravalley and intervalley scattering mechanisms for hot and band-edge electrons leads to markedly different transient phonon populations evident in electron diffraction patterns. This understanding of how tuning optical excitations affect phonon populations and atomic motion is critical for efficiently controlling light-induced structural transitions of optoelectronic devices.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

Accounting for the instrument function of crystal spectrometers operating in many reflection orders in the diagnostics of laser plasma from its continuum spectrum

By the example of an X-ray spectrometer with a spherically bent mica crystal we consider the diagnostic errors entailed when the observed bremsstrahlung spectrum is attributed to a single spectrum of reflection. As an illustration we choose the X-ray emission spectrum of the plasma produced at the surface of a steel foil by femtosecond laser pulses of relativistic intensity. It is shown that obtaining adequate results in the case of a high-temperature plasma calls for the consistent inclusion of all orders of reflection or diffraction with a dispersing device. (paper)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

A source of THz radiation with electric field strength of more than 1 MV cm{sup −1} on the basis of 100-Hz femtosecond Cr : forsterite laser system

A source of terahertz (THz) radiation with a bandwidth of 0.5 – 2.5 THz and a pulse repetition rate of 100 Hz has been developed. The THz generation is based on optical rectification of femtosecond pulses (generated by a Cr : forsterite laser system) in a nonlinear organic crystal OH1. An optical scheme of a multipass amplifier for the Cr : forsterite laser system is developed to increase the pulse energy to 2.2 mJ. The conversion efficiency for pump laser radiation at a wavelength of 1.24 μm into THz radiation is found to be to 2 %. An electric field strength of 3.5 MV cm{sup −1} is attained when focusing a THz beam into a near diffraction-limited spot. (terahertz radiation)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Production of Airy-related beams by an Airy transform optical system

Based on the process of Huygens–Fresnel diffraction integral, we investigate theoretically the characteristics of fields generated by diffracted controllable dark-hollow beams (CDHBs) through an Airy transform optical system. It is shown that the CDHB is transformed into Airy-related beams and the dark central spot is converted into peak intensity. The effects of the incident CDHB parameters such as the mode number N, central spot width w{sub 0} and ε as well as the phase pattern parameters of Airy transform optical system on the generated beam are analyzed in detail with numerical examples.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Wave transport in fractional Schrodinger equations

In this paper, we have investigated the localization of an input spatial soliton as it propagates through a system where can be described by a fractional Schrodinger equation. In order to solve the Schrödinger equation, we have used a split-step Fourier method. We have also precisely presented the algorithm. We have found that by increasing the Lévy index α the wave localization increases while the dispersion of the soliton decreases. Also, by increasing the parameter α, the amplitude of the oscillations decreases and the wave becomes more localized. By using the fractional parameter α, both peak intensity and position of the peak intensity can be tuned along the propagation distance. Finally, by decreasing the fractional parameter α the initial beam undergoes asymmetric diffraction with the position of the peak intensity moving toward positive x-axis and the symmetry of the input beam envelop breaks.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Formation of short-range magnetic order and avoided ferromagnetic quantum criticality in pressurized LaCrGe 3

LaCrGe 3 has attracted attention as a paradigm example of the avoidance of ferromagnetic (FM) quantum criticality in an itinerant magnet. In this work, we combined thermodynamic (specific heat and thermal expansion), transport, x-ray, and neutron scattering as well as μSR measurements to obtain insights on the temperature-pressure phase diagram of LaCrGe 3 . Consistent with previous studies of the phase diagram by transport measurements, our thermodynamic data shows clearly that the FM transition at T FM changes its character from second order to first order when it is suppressed to low temperatures by pressure. In addition, previous studies demonstrated that for high pressures a new phase occurs below T 2 , which was proposed to be a long-wavelength antiferromagnetic state (AFM q ). In this paper, we provide evidence from our thermodynamic data that this phase transition is preceded by yet another phase transition at T 1 >T 2 . Our μSR data indicate that full magnetic volume fraction is only established below T 2 , but that this magnetism is characterized by a short correlation length. Within the experimental resolution, our neutron-scattering data is not able to identify any magnetic Bragg peaks. Overall, the microscopic magnetic data is therefore consistent with the formation of FM clusters in the proximity of the avoided FM quantum critical point in LaCrGe 3 . This conclusion is at odds with the previous proposal of AFM q order and raises questions on the role of disorder in this stochiometric compound.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Acousto-optic mode-locked Tm:LuAG laser with nearly diffraction-limited beam

We reported an acousto-optic mode-locked Tm:LuAG laser pumped by a 786 nm laser diode and realized continuous-wave mode-locked operation. At the pump power of 8.2 W, the output average power was 335 mW with the wavelength of 2023.2 nm. The pulse width was 240 ps at the pulse repetition frequency of 81.60 MHz, and the beam quality factor M{sup 2} was 1.04. The output wavelength was tuned from 2022.6 to 2025.3 nm, corresponding to the output average power of 310 to 353 mW. In addition, the self-mode-locking phenomenon was found.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Transformation of double-half inverse Gaussian hollow beams into superposition of finite Airy beams using an optical Airy transform

In the present work, we investigate theoretically the transformation of a double-half inverse Gaussian hollow (DHIGH) beam into a superposition of finite Airy beams by using an optical Airy transform system. The analytical expression of the generated finite Airy beam is derived by means of the generalized Huygens–Fresnel integral diffraction. Numerical calculations show that the optical Airy transform system converts the central dark spot of the hollow incident beam into peak intensity. It is demonstrated that the characteristics of the transverse intensity distribution of the output finite Airy beam are determined by the phase pattern’s constants of the Airy transform system and the radius size of the incident DHIGH beam. Moreover, it is shown that the profile of the central peak intensity of the generated beam can be controlled by means of the radius size of the incident hollow DHIGH beam.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

New modulation method in acousto-optic spectrometers

A new method is proposed for modulating radiation in collinear acousto-optic (AO) spectrometers, which is based on the sequential diffraction of incident polarised optical radiation using two sound packets with the same frequencies and initial phases. A theory of diffraction of optical radiation on two successive packets of sound waves propagating in a crystal is constructed, and the instrumental function of the AO spectrometer is found. It is established that the instrumental function of such a spectrometer becomes time-dependent, and the modulation frequency of this dependence, in turn, depends on the intensity of the sound wave and on the detuning from the phase-matching conditions. The frequency dependence of the measured photocurrent for some finite number of sound packets is obtained explicitly, and it is shown that its measurement allows the spectral composition of the incident optical radiation to be determined with greater accuracy. (invited paper)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Stabilization of dinitrosyl iron complexes under matrix isolation conditions: solvent and polymer effects on the synthesis of composites based on poly(methyl methacrylate) and iron complexes [Fe{sub 2}(μ-NCS-R){sub 2}(NO){sub 4}]

Homogeneous composites based on poly(methyl methacrylate) and its copolymers with methacrylic acid and on the nitrosyl iron complexes with 2-mercaptobenzimidazole and 2-mercaptobenzthiazole were synthesized. An analysis of the experimental data obtained by the methods of small-angle X-ray diffraction and SQUID magnetometry in combination with the results of quantum chemical calculations showed that the nitrosyl complexes did not retain their initial binuclear structure under the matrix isolation conditions: some complexes decompose to mononuclear ones. The percentage ratio of the dimers and monomers depends on the fraction of the methacrylic acid copolymer in the polymeric matrix and is almost independent of the type of thiol ligand in the iron complex.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Characterization of Mn 5 Ge 3 Contacts on a Shallow Ge/SiGe Heterostructure

Mn 5 Ge 3 is a ferromagnetic phase of the Mn-Ge system that is a potential contact material for efficient spin injection and detection. Here, we investigate the creation of Mn 5 Ge 3 -based contacts on a Ge/SiGe quantum well heterostructure via solid-state synthesis. X-ray diffraction spectra fitting indicates the formation of Mn 5 Ge 3 -based contacts on bulk Ge and Ge/SiGe. High-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy imaging and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy verify the correct Mn 5 Ge 3 -based phase formation. Schottky diode measurements, transmission line measurements, and Hall measurements reveal that Mn 5 Ge 3 -based contacts serve as good p-type contacts for Ge/SiGe quantum well heterostructures due to having a low Schottky barrier height of 0.10 eV (extracted from a Mn 5 Ge 3 /n-Ge analogue) and a contact resistance in the order of 1 kΩ. Furthermore, we show that these electrical characteristics have a gate-voltage dependence, thereby providing tunability.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗