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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 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Kinetic Inductance Traveling Wave Amplifier Designs for Practical Microwave Readout Applications

Abstract A Kinetic Inductance Traveling Wave Amplifier (KIT) utilizes the nonlinear kinetic inductance of superconducting films, particularly niobium titanium nitride (NbTiN), for parametric amplification. These amplifiers achieve remarkable performance in terms of gain, bandwidth, and compression power and frequently approach the quantum limit for noise. However, most KIT demonstrations have been isolated from practical device readout systems. Using a KIT as the first amplifier in the readout chain of an unoptimized microwave SQUID multiplexer coupled to a transition-edge sensor microcalorimeter, we see an initial improvement in the flux noise [1]. One challenge in KIT integration is the considerable microwave pump power required to drive the non-linearity. To address this, we have initiated efforts to reduce the pump power by using thinner NbTiN films and an inverted microstrip transmission line design. In this article, we present the new transmission line design, fabrication procedure, and initial device characterization—including gain and added noise. These devices exhibit over 10 dB of gain with a 3 dB bandwidth of approximately 5.5–7.25 GHz, a maximum practical gain of 12 dB, and typical gain ripple under 4 dB peak to peak. We observe an appreciable impedance mismatch in the NbTiN transmission line, which is likely the source of the majority of the gain ripple. Finally, we perform an initial noise characterization and demonstrate system-added noise of three quanta or less over nearly the entire 3 dB bandwidth.

Physics↗
DOE OSTI2026

Cryogenic-Refined MOSFET Modeling for Oscillator, Frequency Divider, and Amplifier Designs Below 4 K

Capturing device characteristic changes at cryogenic temperatures is crucial for cryo-CMOS circuit designs. In this work, we present an isothermal cryogenic-refined modeling approach for CMOS transistors that is simple, low overhead, and easy to implement while offering the required accuracy for predicting circuit performance at the designated temperatures. Guided by die-level measurement data and circuit design principles, the model introduces corrections to only five critical parameters: threshold voltage, carrier mobility, elevated low-frequency flicker noise, dominant high-frequency shot noise, and subthreshold swing (SS). These refinements are implemented around the foundry-provided SPICE model, which is typically validated only down to about 200 K. With these adjustments, the proposed cryogenic-refined model achieves less than 5% error in both large-signal metrics (I–V characteristics) and small-signal parameters (e.g., transconductance) when compared with device measurements at deep-cryogenic temperatures. The methodology is validated in two advanced technologies: TSMC 40-nm CMOS and GlobalFoundries (GF) 45-nm RF-SOI. We further demonstrate its applicability in three representative RF circuits: a 30-GHz LC oscillator, a high-speed current-mode-logic (CML) frequency divider (FD), and a subthreshold Gb/s amplifier, all showing close agreement between simulated predictions and measurements performed at 4 and 2.5 K. Finally, we believe that the proposed approach is implementation-friendly and can significantly accelerate the development of cryo-CMOS integrated circuits.

circuit modeling↗
DOE OSTI2021

Temporal prepulse contrast degradation in high-intensity CPA lasers from anisotropy of amplifier gain media

Here, we present a study of the temporal pre-pulse contrast degradation of high focused intensity pulses produced in CPA laser systems due to imperfections in amplifier design, alignment of amplifier components, and crystal inhomogeneity. Using an extended cross-polarized imaging technique, we demonstrate the presence of multiple crystal domains inside Ti:sapphire slabs with ≈10 cm diameter. Furthermore, the results of our numerical calculations show that crystalline c-axis orientation inhomogeneity caused by these crystal domains can lead to generation of pre-pulses with relative contrast >10 -10 within several picoseconds before the main pulse. In a multiple-slab amplifier head configuration sometimes used in high repetition rate systems, the misalignment of the amplifier slabs crystalline c-axes with respect to each other can lead to the generation of pre-pulses with relative contrast as high as 10 -6 , depending on the magnitude of misalignment.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2024

PHIL Interface Design for Use With a Voltage-Regulated Amplifier

Power hardware-in-the-loop (PHIL) has emerged as a leading strategy to thoroughly assess the impact of proprietary inverter controls on a specific power system. The development of a PHIL test bed typically involves an inverter under test, a power amplifier, controllable DC supply, and a digital real-time simulator (DRTS) to simulate the power system under study. As a result of PHIL nonidealities, a form of digital compensation within the DRTS is used, which is commonly referred to as a PHIL interface. Many existing methods use legacy power amplifiers that do not contain internal voltage regulation. These existing interface methods are based around a voltage regulator within the DRTS and do not consider the interaction with the controls in newer amplifiers. In this study, a three-step approach of PHIL interface development for modern power amplifiers with built-in voltage regulation is introduced and is validated in hardware with a 30-kW grid-following inverter.

DRTS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Design of an optical amplifier for amplified OSC in IOTA facility at Fermilab

Optical stochastic cooling (OSC) is a cutting-edge beam cooling technology to reduce, control the 3 dimensional spread and the motion of particle beams. It has recently been successfully, experimentally, demonstrated in Fermilab's IOTA storage ring, marking a major step forward in beam cooling. OSC has the potential to significantly improve both the performance and flexibility as a beam cooling system. One promising way to boost OSC performance is by adding a high-gain optical amplifier. However, this amplifier must be carefully designed to meet the specific constraints of the OSC system. A major challenge lies in the limited optical delay, which is just 6 mm for the case of IOTA, set by the beam bypass, restricts us to use a short-length gain medium. This, along with IOTA’s high repetition rate and the relatively long duration of the optical pulses, limits the peak power available for the pump laser without damaging the crystal, which is crucial for achieving strong nonlinear gain. Additionally, it's essential to preserve the phase coherence of the undulator radiation during amplification, which further complicates the amplifier design. This report details a specialized amplifier setup that addresses these challenges, includes simulations of the integrated system, and summarizes the latest experimental progress and results.

Mondal, Abhishek [Fermilab]↗
DOE OSTI2021

Characterization and QC practice of 16-channel ADC ASIC at cryogenic temperature for Liquid Argon TPC front-end readout electronics system in DUNE experiment

ColdADC is a low-noise 16-channel analog-to-digital converter ASIC designed for cold readout electronics of Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers (LArTPCs) in the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). ColdADC was specifically designed for operation at cryogenic temperatures (77 K–89 K). Cold electronics is considered to be an enabling technology for liquid argon detectors in neutrino experiments. The main function of the chip is to digitize signals from the 16-channel charge-sensitive amplifier designed at BNL (LArASIC) and send digitized signals to the data aggregator and serializer chip (COLDATA). ColdADC operates with a resolution of 12 bits and a sampling rate of 2 MS/s per channel. A complete characterization of prototype chips was conducted at cryogenic temperature, involving power consumption, noise and linearity performance. In the first DUNE Far-Detector module, 384000 data channels will be read out, corresponding to 24000 ColdADC chips. Therefore, systematic testing of ColdADC chips at cryogenic temperature is vital for the quality and reliability of DUNE Single-Phase modules. We have developed a Quality Control (QC) test stand that includes ColdADC evaluation and characterization at cryogenic temperature. The QC procedure was applied to a first batch of 33 chips, corresponding to 528 data channels. The obtained results meet all the required DUNE specifications for ColdADC. Moreover, the testing outcome allowed us to identify possibilities of performance optimization that are currently being addressed in the design of the next version of the chip. The Quality Control procedure is proved to be successful and will be a reference design for future large-batch production testing of final ColdADC ASICs.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2026

Accessing terapascal pressures on two-stage light-gas guns for high-energy-density research

We present pressure amplifiers that have been developed to enable the study of material behavior at terapascal (TPa) pressures using two-stage light-gas gun (2SLGG) facilities. When impacted by a hyper-velocity projectile, Mach reflections within the pressure amplifier eventually merge to form a Mach stem, generating a planar output shock that greatly exceeds the initial drive. Validation experiments demonstrated that peak pressures of 0.6 and 1.073 TPa were achieved in quartz samples for two different amplifier designs. These pressures represent an approximately fivefold increase over the sample pressures typically attainable at 2SLGG facilities. The temporal and spatial uniformity of the pressure drive is suitable for high-precision equation-of-state measurements of materials relative to a shock standard. This work greatly extends the capabilities of 2SLGG facilities and opens new avenues of study in high-energy-density physics using these drivers.

Gorman, Martin G. [First Light Fusion, Oxford (Uni↗
DOE OSTI2018

Test beam measurement of ams H35 HV-CMOS capacitively coupled pixel sensor prototypes with high-resistivity substrate

In the context of the studies of the ATLAS High Luminosity LHC programme, radiation tolerant pixel detectors in CMOS technologies are investigated. To evaluate the effects of substrate resistivity on CMOS sensor performance, the H35DEMO demonstrator, containing different diode and amplifier designs, was produced in ams H35 HV-CMOS technology using four different substrate resistivities spanning from 80 cm to 1000 cm. A glueing process using a high-precision flip-chip machine was developed in order to capacitively couple the sensors to FE-I4 Readout ASIC using a thin layer of epoxy glue with good uniformity over a large surface. The resulting assemblies were measured in beam test at the Fermilab Test Beam Facilities with 120 GeV protons and CERN SPS H8 beamline using 180 GeV pions. Furthermore, the in-time efficiency and tracking properties measured for the different sensor types are shown to be compatible with the ATLAS ITk requirements for its pixel sensors.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Performance of Hamamatsu VUV4 SiPMs for detecting liquid argon scintillation

Detection of light signals is crucial to a wide range of particle detectors. In particular, efficient detection of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) light will provide new opportunities for some novel detectors currently being developed, but is technically challenging. In this paper, we characterized the performance of Hamamatsu VUV4 silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) for detecting VUV argon scintillation light without wavelength shifting. Using a customized cryogenic amplifier design, we operated two models of VUV4 SiPMs inside liquid argon and thoroughly examined their direct sensitivities to liquid argon scintillation. In addition to describing their cryogenic performance, we measured a photon detection efficiency of 14.7 +1.1 -2.4 % and 17.2 +1.6 -3.0 % at 128 nm for these two VUV4 models for operation at 4 V of overvoltage, with the main uncertainty arising from the SiPM reflectivity for VUV light.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2022

Impact of the optical parametric amplification phase on laser pulse compression

Optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA) is an effective way to generate ultrashort pulses that has been used extensively for a variety of applications requiring high peak intensities. Precise control and measurement of a system’s spectral and spatial phases are required for Fourier transform–limited pulse compression and diffraction-limited focusing. Phase accumulated during optical parametric amplification (OPA) can degrade the compressibility and focusability of the pulse, reducing peak intensity. We used analytic and numerical analysis of OPA to study the influence of crystal parameters, wavefront of the pump and signal, and their relative optical alignment on the accumulated phase. Here, we show that the accumulated signal phase is largely independent of amplifier saturation and, with significant local wavefront gradients in the signal or pump beam, the quality of the compressed pulses can be degraded. We use first-order expressions for the pump- and signal-angle sensitivity to evaluate an OPCPA system consisting of a highly deuterated potassium dihydrogen phosphate (DKDP) amplifier designed to support bandwidth for 15 fs pulses centered at 920 nm.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2022

Characterization of Hamamatsu VUV4 SiPM Performance for Liquid Argon Scintillation

Detection of light signals is crucial to a wide range of particle detectors. In particular, efficient detection of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) light will provide new opportunities for some novel detectors currently being developed, but is technically challenging. In this article, we characterized the performance of Hamamatsu VUV4 silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) for detecting VUV argon scintillation light without wavelength shifting. Here, using a customized cryogenic amplifier design, we operated two models of VUV4 SiPMs inside liquid argon and thoroughly examined their direct sensitivities to liquid argon scintillation. In addition to describing their cryogenic performance, we measured a photon detection efficiency of 14.7+1.1–2.4% and 17.2+1.6–3.0% at 128 nm for these two VUV4 models for operation at 4 V of overvoltage, with the main uncertainty arising from the SiPM reflectivity for VUV light.

Pershing, Teal↗
DOE OSTI2018

Design and Simulation for Pre-amplifier of ITER Radial X-ray Camera

The radial X-ray camera, which is used to measure magnetohydrodynamic phenomenon and monitor edge localised mode events, is a key diagnostic system for physics studies in the international thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER) tokamak. Considering the special requirements of physics measurements and spatial resolution, 144 detector channels are required. The board card of the pre-amplifier is designed to improve the integration, on which 16 signal channels have been integrated. In order to suppress the noise and improve the stability of the pre-amplifier, the target impedance analysis method is applied in the design of the power supply, the trans-impedance amplifier and a two-stage active low pass filter are applied in the design. Simulation with Cadence OrCAD and ANSYS SIwave has been adopted to optimize the characteristics of the pre-amplifier. A test of the pre-amplifier shows its good performance for ITER application. After optimization of the pre-amplifier, the band width is 270 kHz, the amplification is 10{sup 7} V/A, and the noise attenuation is − 30 dB, the noise of the pre-amplifier is reduced to 10 mV (noise of the power supply is included).

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Development of X-Ray FEL Oscillators with Higher Out-Coupling Efficiency

This program focused on the development of high-outcoupling efficiency resonators for x-ray free-electron laser oscillators (XFELOs). The goal was to produce a viable design for an XFELO that can be implemented on the LCLS-II which is the x-ray FEL facility under construction at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC). The program designed at regenerative amplifier (RAFEL) design that employs a high-gain undulator with a low-Q resonator with the goal of producing a scientific design for the RAFEL as well as a software suite that can be used to design XFELOs. The Phase I program considered a resonator consisting of six diamond Bragg reflectors/mirrors with two focusing lenses. This resonator was used in conjunction with the electron beam produced by the LCLS-II and the HXR undulator to design a RAFEL producing 3.05 keV photons in the fundamental resonance and 9.15 keV photons in the 3rd harmonic. The research program included the extension of the Optics Propagation Code (OPC) to describe Bragg reflection from diamond crystal mirrors and went on to use OPC, in conjunction with the MINERVA simulation code to treat the undulator interaction, to simulate the RAFEL. Simulations were conducted in both the steady-state and time-dependent regimes to determine the basic performance characteristics of the RAFEL.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Simons Observatory Microwave SQUID Multiplexing Readout: Cryogenic RF Amplifier and Coaxial Chain Design

The Simons Observatory (SO) is an upcoming polarization-sensitive cosmic microwave background experiment on the Cerro Toco Plateau (Chile) with large overlap with other optical and infrared surveys (e.g., DESI, LSST, HSC). To enable the readout of O(10,000) detectors in each of the four telescopes of SO, we will employ the microwave SQUID multiplexing technology. With a targeted multiplexing factor of O(1000), microwave SQUID multiplexing has never been deployed on the scale needed for SO. Here we present the design of the cryogenic coaxial cable and RF component chain that connects room temperature readout electronics to superconducting resonators that are coupled to transition edge sensor bolometers operating at sub-Kelvin temperatures. We describe design considerations including cryogenic RF component selection, system linearity, noise, and thermal power dissipation.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2019

The JET upgraded toroidal Alfvén Eigenmode Diagnostic System

The Alfvén Eigenmode Active Diagnostic system (AEAD) has undergone a major upgrade and redesign to provide a state-of-the-art excitation and real-time detection system for JET. The new system consists of individual 4 kW amplifiers allowing for increased current, separate excitation and real time control of relative phasing between antenna currents. The amplifiers have a frequency range of 10–1000 kHz, divided into various frequency bands by external matching filters. Due to the varying transmission line impedance throughout the frequency range, the amplifiers were designed with a very high resilience to reflected power. The existing amplifier control electronics have been replaced with a digital control system incorporating a National Instruments platform and Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) modules for frequency, gain and phase control with a frequency and phase resolution of less than 1 kHz and 1 degree respectively. Complementing the digital control system is the Protection and Control System, which utilizes Field Programmable Analog Arrays (FPAAs) and an array of electronic devices to monitor and control the AEAD. New capabilities such as independent antenna current/phase control, allow for improved excitation control, better definition of antenna spectrum combined with enhanced system reliability. This paper will review the new AEAD system, its unique capabilities and improvements over the previous diagnostic system.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Importance of appropriate genome information for the design of mating type primers in black and yellow morel populations

Abstract Morels are highly prized edible fungi where sexual reproduction is essential for fruiting-body production. As a result, a comprehensive understanding of their sexual reproduction is of great interest. Central to this is the identification of the reproductive strategies used by morels. Sexual reproduction in fungi is controlled by mating-type ( MAT ) genes and morels are thought to be mainly heterothallic with two idiomorphs, MAT1-1 and MAT1-2. Genomic sequencing of black (Elata clade) and yellow (Esculenta clade) morel species has led to the development of PCR primers designed to amplify genes from the two idiomorphs for rapid genotyping of isolates from these two clades. To evaluate the design and theoretical performance of these primers we performed a thorough bioinformatic investigation, including the detection of the MAT region in publicly available Morchella genomes and in-silico PCR analyses. All examined genomes, including those used for primer design, appeared to be heterothallic. This indicates an inherent fault in the original primer design which utilized a single Morchella genome, as the use of two genomes with complementary mating types would be required to design accurate primers for both idiomorphs. Furthermore, potential off-targets were identified for some of the previously published primer sets, but verification was challenging due to lack of adequate genomic information and detailed methodologies for primer design. Examinations of the black morel specific primer pairs (MAT11L/R and MAT22L/R) indicated the MAT22 primers would correctly target and amplify the MAT1-2 idiomorph, but the MAT11 primers appear to be capable of amplifying incorrect off-targets within the genome. The yellow morel primer pairs (EMAT1-1 L/R and EMAT1-2 L/R) appear to have reporting errors, as the published primer sequences are dissimilar with reported amplicon sequences and the EMAT1-2 primers appear to amplify the RNA polymerase II subunit ( RPB2 ) gene. The lack of the reference genome used in primer design and descriptive methodology made it challenging to fully assess the apparent issues with the primers for this clade. In conclusion, additional work is still required for the generation of reliable primers to investigate mating types in morels and to assess their performance on different clades and across multiple geographical regions.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Stacked-mosaic amplifier and diode delivery concept for kJ-class inertial fusion energy laser driver

We report on a laser amplifier architecture designed as a modular element for scaling to multi-megajoule laser facilities intended for inertial fusion energy (IFE) power plants. This kilojoule-class module features a stacked mosaic of gain media integrated with a diode delivery system for efficient optical pumping of the mosaic-structured gain medium, enabling high-repetition-rate operation at high wall plug efficiencies, necessary for an IFE driver. Details of a diode delivery system capable of pumping the mosaic architecture are presented. Comprehensive numerical modeling demonstrates that the stacked-mosaic approach reduces transverse gain by five orders of magnitude compared to a conventional full-aperture Yb:YAG based amplifier, substantially suppressing transverse amplified spontaneous emission (TASE) and enabling enhanced longitudinal energy extraction. Detailed analysis of thermal management and wavefront distortion in a 4 × 4 mosaic array indicates that temperature gradients and thermally induced aberrations are effectively controlled using gas cooling and commercially available phase-plate and deformable mirror technologies. We further discuss the applicability of a stacked-mosaic architecture to direct-drive IFE schemes, where broad spectral bandwidth is critical, and its compatibility with frequency conversion modules for up-conversion to blue wavelengths. Finally, an example point design for a 10 kJ, 10 Hz Yb:YAG module operating at 175 K with wall-plug efficiency exceeding 10 % is presented, underscoring the feasibility of this approach for next-generation high-energy lasers for IFE drivers. The results establish the stacked-mosaic amplifier as a scalable, robust platform not only for IFE but also for a broad range of advanced scientific and industrial laser applications.

Lasers↗