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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

Gallium Oxide Heterojunction Diodes for 400 °C High‐Temperature Applications

β ‐Ga 2 O 3 ‐based semiconductor devices are expected to have significantly improved high‐power and high‐temperature performance due to its ultrawide bandgap of close to 5 eV. However, the high‐temperature operation of these ultrawide‐bandgap devices is usually limited by the relatively low 1–2 eV built‐in potential at the Schottky barrier with most high‐work‐function metals. Herein, heterojunction p ‐NiO/n‐ β ‐Ga 2 O 3 diodes fabrication and optimization for high‐temperature device applications are reported, demonstrating a current rectification ratio ( I ON / I OFF ) of more than 10 6 at 410 °C. The NiO heterojunction diode can achieve higher turn‐on ( V ON ) voltage and lower reverse leakage current compared to the Ni‐based Schottky diode fabricated on the same single‐crystal β ‐Ga 2 O 3 substrate, despite charge transport dominated by interfacial recombination. Electrical characterization and device modeling show that these advantages are due to a higher built‐in potential and additional band offset. These results suggest that heterojunction p–n diodes based on β ‐Ga 2 O 3 can significantly improve high‐temperature electronic device and sensor performance.

Sohel, Shahadat H.↗

Characterization of self-magnetic pinch (SMP) radiographic diode performance on RITS-6 at Sandia National Laboratories. I. Diode dynamics, DC heating to extend radiation pulse

Radiographic diodes focus on an intense electron beam to a small spot size to minimize the source area of energetic photons for radiographic interrogation. The self-magnetic pinch (SMP) diode has been developed as such a source and operated as a load for the six-cavity radiographic integrated test stand (RITS-6) inductive voltage adder driver. While experiments support the generally accepted conclusion that a 1:1 aspect diode (cathode diameter equals anode–cathode gap) delivers optimum SMP performance, such experiments also show that reducing the cathode diameter, while reducing spot size, also results in reduced radiation dose, by as much as 50%, and degraded shot reproducibility. Analysis of the effective electron impingement angle on the anode converter with time made possible by a newly developed dose-rate array diagnostic indicates that fast-developing oscillations of the angle are correlated with early termination of the radiation pulse on many of the smaller-diameter SMP shots. This behavior as a function of relative cathode size persists through experiments with output voltages and currents up to 11.5 MV and 225 kA, respectively, and with spot sizes below approximately few millimeters. Since simulations to date have not predicted such oscillatory behavior, considerable discussion of the angle behavior of SMP shots is made to lend credence to the inference. We report there is clear anecdotal evidence that DC heating of the SMP diode region leads to stabilization of this oscillatory behavior. This is the first of two papers on the performance of the SMP diode on the RITS-6 accelerator.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

An antiferromagnetic diode effect in even-layered MnBi 2 Te 4

In a p–n junction, the separation of positive and negative charges leads to diode transport, in which charge flows in only one direction. Non-centrosymmetric polar conductors are intrinsic diodes that could be of use in the development of nonlinear applications. Such systems have recently been extended to non-centrosymmetric superconductors, and the superconducting diode effect has been observed. Here, in this paper, we report an antiferromagnetic diode effect in a centrosymmetric crystal without directional charge separation. We observed large second-harmonic transport in a nonlinear electronic device enabled by the compensated antiferromagnetic state of even-layered MnBi 2 Te 4 . We show that this antiferromagnetic diode effect can be used to create in-plane field-effect transistors and microwave-energy-harvesting devices. We also show that electrical sum-frequency generation can be used as a tool to detect nonlinear responses in quantum materials.

electronic properties and materials↗

Characterization of Self-Magnetic Pinch (SMP) radiographic diode performance on RITS-6 at Sandia National Laboratories: 1) Diode Dynamics, DC Heating to extend Radiation Pulse

Radiographic diodes focus an intense electron beam to a small spot size to minimize the source area of energetic photons for radiographic interrogation. The self-magnetic pinch (SMP) diode has been developed as such a source and operated as a load for the RITS-6 Inductive Voltage Adder (IVA) driver. While experiments support the generally accepted conclusion that a 1:1 aspect diode (cathode diameter equals anode-cathode gap) delivers optimum SMP performance, such experiments also show that reducing the cathode diameter, while reducing spot size, also results in reduced radiation dose, by as much as 50%, and degraded shot reproducibility. Analyzation of the effective electron impingement angle on the anode converter with time made possible by a newly developed dose-rate array diagnostic indicates that fast-developing oscillations of the angle are correlated with early termination of the radiation pulse on many of the smaller-diameter SMP shots. This behavior as a function of relative cathode size persists through experiments with output voltages and currents up to 11.5 MV and 225 kA, respectively, and with spot sizes below ~ few mm. Since simulations to date have not predicted such oscillatory behavior, considerable discussion of the angle-behavior of SMP shots is made to lend credence to the inference. There is clear anecdotal evidence that DC heating of the SMP diode region leads to stabilization of this oscillatory behavior. This is the first of two papers on the performance of the SMP diode on the RITS-6 accelerator.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Environmental testing of a diode-laser-pumped Nd:YAG laser and a set of diode-laser-arrays

Results of the environmental test of a compact, rigid and lightweight diode-laser-pumped Nd:YAG laser module are discussed. All optical elements are bonded onto the module using space applicable epoxy, and two 200 mW diode laser arrays for pump sources are used to achieve 126 mW of CW output with about 7 percent electrical-to-optical conversion efficiency. This laser assembly and a set of 20 semiconductor diode laser arrays were environmentally tested by being subjected to vibrational and thermal conditions similar to those experienced during launch of the Space Shuttle, and both performed well. Nevertheless, some damage to the laser front facet in diode lasers was observed. Significant degradation was observed only on lasers which performed poorly in the life test. Improvements in the reliability of the Nd:YAG laser are suggested.

Hemmati, H.↗

Insights into negative differential resistance in MoS 2 Esaki diodes: A first-principles perspective

MoS 2 is a two-dimensional material with a band gap depending on the number of layers and tunable by an external electric field. The experimentally observed intralayer band-to-band tunneling and interlayer band-to-band tunneling in this material present an opportunity for new electronic applications in tunnel field-effect transistors. However, such a widely accepted concept has yet to be been supported by theoretical investigations based on first principles. In this paper, using density functional theory, in conjunction with nonequilibrium Green's function techniques and our electric field gating method, enabled by a large-scale computational approach, we study the relation between band alignment and transmission in planar and side-stack MoS 2 p–i–n junction configurations. Here, we demonstrate the presence of negative differential resistance for both in-plane and interlayer current, a staple characteristic of tunnel diode junctions, and analyze the physical origin of such an effect. Electrostatic potentials, the van der Waals barrier, and a complex band analysis are also examined for a thorough understanding of Esaki diodes.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

Direct Optical Patterning of Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diodes via In Situ Ligand Exchange

Precise patterning of quantum dot (QD) layers is an important prerequisite for fabricating QD light-emitting diode (QLED) displays and other optoelectronic devices. However, conventional patterning methods cannot simultaneously meet the stringent requirements of resolution, throughput, and uniformity of the pattern profile while maintaining a high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of the patterned QD layers. Here, a specially designed nanocrystal ink is introduced, "photopatternable emissive nanocrystals" (PENs), which satisfies these requirements. Photoacid generators in the PEN inks allow photoresist-free, high-resolution optical patterning of QDs through photochemical reactions and in situ ligand exchange in QD films. Various fluorescence and electroluminescence patterns with a feature size down to approximate to 1.5 mu m are demonstrated using red, green, and blue PEN inks. The patterned QD films maintain approximate to 75% of original PLQY and the electroluminescence characteristics of the patterned QLEDs are comparable to thopse of non-patterned control devices. The patterning mechanism is elucidated by in-depth investigation of the photochemical transformations of the photoacid generators and changes in the optical properties of the QDs at each patterning step. This advanced patterning method provides a new way for additive manufacturing of integrated optoelectronic devices using colloidal QDs.

Cho, Himchan↗

Entangled Photon Correlations Allow a Continuous-Wave Laser Diode to Measure Single-Photon, Time-Resolved Fluorescence

Fluorescence lifetime experiments are a standard approach for measuring excited state dynamics and local environment effects. Here, we show that entangled photon pairs produced from a continuous-wave (CW) laser diode can replicate pulsed laser experiments without phase modulation. As a proof of principle, picosecond fluorescence lifetimes of indocyanine green are measured in multiple environments. Here, the use of entangled photons has three unique advantages. First, low power CW laser diodes and entangled photon source design lead to straightforward on-chip integration for a direct path to distributable fluorescence lifetime measurements. Second, the entangled pair wavelength is easily tuned by temperature or electric field, allowing a single source to cover octave bandwidths. Third, femtosecond temporal resolutions can be reached without requiring major advances in source technology or external phase modulation. Entangled photons could therefore provide increased accessibility to time-resolved fluorescence while also opening new scientific avenues in photosensitive and inherently quantum systems.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Green syntheses of stable and efficient organic dyes for organic hybrid light-emitting diodes

Organic hybrid light-emitting diodes (hybrid-LEDs) employ organic dyes as light converters on top of commercial blue inorganic LEDs, replacing incumbent inorganic phosphor light converters synthesized from rare-earth and/or toxic metallic elements to optimize device environmental sustainability. Here, we present two naturally derived organic dyes for hybrid-LEDs, highlighting stability and efficiency enhancement based on a novel “acceptor–acceptor” molecular design. This “acceptor–acceptor” skeleton comprises theobromine and thiadiazole, two electron-withdrawing groups that lower energy levels and suppress photooxidation. This differentiates these dyes from the widely adopted “donor–acceptor” skeleton, where photooxidation is facilitated by the presence of electron-donating units. Simultaneously, sidechains on organic dyes used to enhance solution processability, crucial for film transparency, introduce an additional photooxidation pathway. With this “acceptor–acceptor” skeleton, the destabilization from sidechains was offset by the stability enhancement from the electronic effects in the backbone. Additionally, when blended within an industrial polymer, poly(styrene-butadiene-styrene) (SBS), their enhanced solubility enables the formation of highly transparent films, crucial for reducing scattering loss in LEDs. Furthermore, resultant dye-SBS films achieved photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs) of around 90% under ambient conditions. Taking advantage of their transparency and solution processability, we fabricated a waveguide with this theobromine-dye-SBS composite, which was subsequentially assembled into an edge-lit LED device of no glare and enhanced aesthetics.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Diode assembly and method of forming a diode assembly for pulsed fusion events

A diode assembly for producing a pulsed fusion event in a z-pinch driver. The diode assembly includes an inner core formed of a fusionable fuel source material including a lithium compound formed of one or more lithium isotopes and one or more hydrogen isotopes. A lithium metal outer sheath is integrally formed around the inner core by decomposing a surface of the fusionable fuel source material.

Brown, Sam W.↗

Comprehensive defect suppression in perovskite nanocrystals for high-efficiency light-emitting diodes

Electroluminescence efficiencies of metal halide perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) are limited by a lack of material strategies that can both suppress the formation of defects and enhance the charge carrier confinement. Here we report a one-dopant alloying strategy that generates smaller, monodisperse colloidal particles (confining electrons and holes, and boosting radiative recombination) with fewer surface defects (reducing non-radiative recombination). Doping of guanidinium into formamidinium lead bromide PNCs yields limited bulk solubility while creating an entropy-stabilized phase in the PNCs and leading to smaller PNCs with more carrier confinement. Further, the extra guanidinium segregates to the surface and stabilizes the undercoordinated sites. Furthermore, a surface-stabilizing 1,3,5-tris(bromomethyl)-2,4,6-triethylbenzene was applied as a bromide vacancy healing agent. The result is highly efficient PNC-based light-emitting diodes that have current efficiency of 108 cd A –1 (external quantum efficiency of 23.4%), which rises to 205 cd A –1 (external quantum efficiency of 45.5%) with a hemispherical lens.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

JAN transistor and diode characterization test program, JANTX diode 1N5623

A statistical summary of the electrical characterization of diodes and transistors is presented. Each parameter is presented with test conditions, mean, standard deviation, lowest reading, 10% point (where 10% of all readings are equal to or less than the indicated reading), 90% point (where 90% of all readings are equal to or less than indicated reading) and the highest reading.

Takeda, H.↗