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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 OSTI2025

Interplay Between Time and Energy in Bosonic Noisy Quantum Metrology

Quantum entanglement and coherence often allow for protocols that outperform classical ones in estimating a system’s parameter. When using infinite-dimensional probes (such as a bosonic mode), one could, in principle, obtain infinite precision in a finite time for both classical and quantum protocols, which makes it hard to quantify potential quantum advantage. However, such a situation is unphysical, as it would require infinite resources, so one needs to impose some additional constraint: typically the average energy employed by the probe is finite. Here we treat both energy and time as a resource, showing that, in the presence of noise, there is a nontrivial interplay between the average energy and the time devoted to the estimation. Our results are valid for the most general metrological schemes (e.g., adaptive schemes, which may involve entanglement with external ancillae or any kind of continuous measurement). We apply recently derived precision bounds for all parameters characterizing the paradigmatic case of a bosonic mode, subject to Lindbladian noise. We show how the time employed in the estimation should be partitioned in order to achieve the best possible precision. In most cases, the optimal performance may be obtained without the necessity of adaptivity or entanglement with ancilla. We compare results with classical strategies. Interestingly, for temperature estimation, applying a fast-prepare-and-measure protocol with Fock states provides better scaling with the number of photons than any classical strategy.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Vapor-Cell-Based Atomic Electrometry for Detection Frequencies below 1 kHz

Rydberg-assisted atomic electrometry using alkali-metal atoms contained inside a vacuum environment for detecting external electric fields at frequencies below a few kilohertz has been quite challenging due to the low-frequency electric-field-screening effect that is caused by the alkali-metal atoms adsorbed on the inner surface of the container. In this work, we report a very slow electric-field-screening phenomenon with a timescale up to the order of seconds on a rubidium-vapor cell that is made of monocrystalline sapphire. Furthermore, using this sapphire rubidium-vapor cell with an optically induced, internal bias electric field, we demonstrate vapor-cell-based, low-frequency atomic electrometry that responds to the electric field strength linearly. Limited by the given experimental conditions, this demonstrated atomic electrometer uses an active volume of 11 mm 3 and delivers a spectral noise floor of around 0.34 mV/m √Hz and a 3-dB low cutoff frequency of around 770 Hz inside the vapor cell. This work investigates a regime of vapor-cell-basedatomic electrometry that was seldom studied before, which may enable more applications that use atomicelectric-field-sensing technology.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Quantum embedding study of strain- and electric-field-induced Stark effects on the NV - center in diamond

The NV - color center in diamond has been demonstrated as a powerful nanosensor for quantum metrology due to the sensitivity of its optical and spin properties to external electric, magnetic, and strain fields. In view of these applications, we use quantum embedding to derive a many-body description of strain- and electric-field-induced Stark effects on the NV - center. Here, we quantify how strain longitudinal to the axis of NV - shifts the excited states in energy, while strain with a component transverse to the NV - axis splits the degeneracies of the 3 E and 1 E states. The largest effects are for the optically relevant 3 E manifold, which splits into E x and E y with transverse strain. From these responses we extract strain susceptibilities for the E x/y states within the quasilinear regime. Additionally, we study the many-body dipole matrix elements of the NV - and find a permanent dipole 1.6 D at zero strain, which is somewhat smaller than that obtained from recent density functional theory calculations. We also determine the transition dipole between the E x and E y and how it evolves with strain.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2024

QPress: Quantum Press for Next-Generation Quantum Information Platforms

Quantum information science (QIS) holds promise for revolutionizing computation, communication, and sensing. Of course, realizing this promise requires material platforms that can host quantum bits with pre-assigned characteristics that are uniquely attuned to such functionalities. For example, quantum bits for computation should be as immune as possible to any external perturbation, controllable on short time scales and scalable. In contrast, quantum bits for local metrology should be as small as possible and sensitive to specific fields of interest. While tremendous advances in QIS have been achieved in recent years, the underlying properties of the materials that host these quantum bits remains one of the key limitations in their performance.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Semicomputational calculation of Bragg shift in stratified materials

The fiber Bragg grating (FBG) may be viewed as a one dimensional photonic band-gap crystal by virtue of the periodic spatial perturbation imposed on the fiber core dielectric material. Similar to media supporting Bloch waves, the engraved weak index modulation, presenting a periodic “potential” to an incoming guided mode photon of the fiber, yields useful spectral properties that have been the basis for sensing applications and emerging quantum squeezing and solitons. The response of an FBG sensor to arbitrary external stimuli represents a multiphysics problem without a known analytical solution despite the growing use of FBGs in classical and quantum sensing and metrology. Here, we study this problem by first presenting a solid mechanics model for the thermal and elastic states of a stratified material. Additionally, the model considers an embedded optical material domain that represents the Bragg grating, here in the form of an FBG. Using the output of this model, we then compute the optical modes and their temperature- and stress-induced behavior. The developed model is applicable to media of arbitrary shape and composition, including soft matter and materials with nonlinear elasticity and geometric nonlinearity. Finally, we employ the computed surface stress and temperature distributions along the grating to analytically calculate the Bragg shift, which is found to be in reasonable agreement with our experimental measurements.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2024

Broadband coplanar-waveguide-based impedance-transformed Josephson parametric amplifier

Quantum-limited Josephson parametric amplifiers play a pivotal role in advancing the field of circuit quantum electrodynamics by enabling the fast and high-fidelity measurement of weak microwave signals. Therefore, it is necessary to develop robust parametric amplifiers with low noise, broad bandwidth, and reduced design complexity for microwave detection. However, current broadband parametric amplifiers either have degraded noise performance or rely on complex designs. Here, we present a device based on the broadband impedance-transformed Josephson parametric amplifier that integrates a hornlike coplanar waveguide transmission line, which significantly decreases the design and fabrication complexity while keeping comparable performance. The device shows an instantaneous bandwidth of 700 (200) MHz for 15 (20) dB gain with an average input saturation power of − 110 dBm and near quantum-limited added noise. The operating frequency can be tuned over 1.4 GHz using an external flux bias. We further demonstrate the negligible backaction from our device on a transmon qubit. The amplification performance and simplicity of our device promise its wide adaptation in quantum metrology, quantum communication, and quantum information processing. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Qing, Bingcheng (ORCID:0000000345227017)↗
DOE OSTI2020

All-vacuum-deposited inorganic cesium lead halide perovskite light-emitting diodes

Polycrystalline CsPbBr 3 thin films are deposited by vacuum co-evaporation of cesium halide and lead halide precursors, leading to uniform pinhole-free morphology and precise control over the film thickness and precursor stoichiometry. By utilizing the organic hole and electron transport layers, all-vacuum-deposited perovskite LEDs are fabricated. The resulting devices exhibit a maximum luminance of 1800 cd/m 2 , a 531 nm emission wavelength peak with a spectral linewidth of 21 nm, and an external quantum efficiency of 1.1%.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Derivation of at-birth neutron energy distribution of americium-beryllium source based on ISO8529 spectral data

In many practical applications, the accuracy of neutron transport calculations depends on an estimate of the energy distribution provided in the source definition. While the energy distribution of neutrons emitted by spontaneous fission sources is well-defined, the spectra of neutrons produced in (α,n) reactions in compound mixtures, such as americium-beryllium (AmBe), depend on the microstructural properties of the source material, which may vary. Although the energy of neutrons produced in nuclear reactions can be calculated from first principles, such computations require detailed knowledge of the key characteristics of the source material, which are often unknown. Here, this study focuses on deriving the at-birth neutron energy distribution for an AmBe source by applying reverse transport calculations to the externally measured high-precision spectrum recommended in the latest revision of the international standard. The derived at-birth spectrum was validated through indirect energy-sensitive neutron emission rate measurements of AmBe sources calibrated at national primary metrology institutions. The resulting at-birth neutron energy distribution serves as essential input data for radiation transport modeling, providing a validated spectrum for broader experimental and computational applications.

AmBe↗
DOE OSTI2021

Integrated reference cavity with dual-mode optical thermometry for frequency correction

Photonic integrated resonators have advantages over traditional benchtop cavities in terms of size, weight, and cost with the potential to enable applications that require spectrally pure light. However, integrated resonators suffer from temperature-dependent frequency variations and are sensitive to external environmental perturbations, which hinders their usage in precision frequency applications. One solution is to use interrogation of the cavity temperature through dual-mode optical thermometry (DMOT) by measuring the shift of the resonance frequency difference between two polarization or optical frequency modes. Yet this approach has only been demonstrated in bulk-optic whispering gallery mode and fiber resonators. In this paper, we implement dual-mode optical thermometry in an ultra-high Q integrated silicon nitride resonator. A dual-mode resonance frequency difference temperature sensitivity of 188 ± <#comment/> 15 M H z / K is measured. We demonstrate feedforward DMOT frequency correction that, under an applied external temperature ramp, is able to reduce the optical frequency change to 0.31 kHz/s as compared to an uncorrected 10.03 kHz/s, a factor of 30 × <#comment/> reduction. These results show promise for on-chip frequency correction solutions for quantum, metrology, atomic, and coherent optical communications applications.

Zhao, Qiancheng (ORCID:0000000206968667)↗
DOE OSTI2024

Self-calibration strategies for reducing systematic slope measurement errors of autocollimators in deflectometric profilometry

Deflectometric profilometers are used to precisely measure the form of beam shaping optics of synchrotrons and X-ray free-electron lasers. They often utilize autocollimators which measure slope by evaluating the displacement of a reticle image on a detector. Based on our privileged access to the raw image data of an autocollimator, novel strategies to reduce the systematic measurement errors by using a set of overlapping images of the reticle obtained at different positions on the detector are discussed. It is demonstrated that imaging properties such as, for example, geometrical distortions and vignetting, can be extracted from this redundant set of images without recourse to external calibration facilities. This approach is based on the fact that the properties of the reticle itself do not change – all changes in the reticle image are due to the imaging process. Firstly, by combining interpolation and correlation, it is possible to determine the shift of a reticle image relative to a reference image with minimal error propagation. Secondly, the intensity of the reticle image is analysed as a function of its position on the CCD and a vignetting correction is calculated. Thirdly, the size of the reticle image is analysed as a function of its position and an imaging distortion correction is derived. It is demonstrated that, for different measurement ranges and aperture diameters of the autocollimator, reductions in the systematic errors of up to a factor of four to five can be achieved without recourse to external measurements.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2023

Self-consistent integrated modeling of combined hybrid discharge-laser produced plasma devices for extreme ultraviolet metrology

Discharge- and laser-produced plasma (DLPP) devices are being used as light sources for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) generation. A key challenge for both, DPP and LPP, is achieving sufficient brightness to support the throughput requirements of nanometrology tools. To simulate the environment of a hybrid DLPP device and optimize the EUV output, we have developed an integrated HEIGHTS-DLPP computer simulation package. The package integrates simulation of two evolving plasmas (DPP and LPP) and includes modeling of a set of integrated self-consistent processes: external power source and plasma energy balance, plasma resistive magnetohydrodynamics, plasma heat conduction, detailed radiation transport (RT), and laser absorption and refraction. We simulated and optimized DLPP devices using Xe gas as a target material. We synchronized the external circuit parameters, chamber gas parameters, and laser beam temporal and spatial profiles to achieve maximum EUV output. The full 3D Monte Carlo scheme was integrated for detailed RT and EUV output calculations in Xe using more than 3600 spectral groups. The modeling results are in good agreement with Julich Forschungszentrum experimental data. Theoretical models, developed and integrated into the HEIGHTS package, showed wide capabilities and flexibility. In conclusion, the models and package can be used for optimization of the experimental parameters and settings, investigation of DLPP devices with complex design, analyzing the impact of integrated spatial effects and working timeline arrangement on the final EUV output, and EUV source size, shape, and angular distribution.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Status of CHIP-TRAP: The Central Michigan University High-Precision Penning Trap

Precise and accurate atomic mass data provide crucial information for applications in a wide range of fields in physics and beyond, including astrophysics, nuclear structure, particle and neutrino physics, fundamental symmetries, chemistry, and metrology. The most precise atomic mass measurements are performed on charged particles confined in a Penning trap. Here, we describe the development, status, and outlook of CHIP-TRAP: the Central Michigan University high-precision Penning trap. CHIP-TRAP aims to perform ultra-high precision (~1 part in 10 11 fractional precision) mass measurements on stable and long-lived isotopes produced with external ion sources and transported to the Penning traps. Along the way, ions of a particular m/q are selected with a multi-reflection time-of-flight mass separator (MR-TOF-MS), with further filtering performed in a cylindrical capture trap before the ions are transported to a pair of hyperbolic measurement traps. In this paper, we report on the design and status of CHIP-TRAP and present results from the commissioning of the ion sources, MR-TOF-MS, and capture trap. We also provide an outlook on the continued development and commissioning of CHIP-TRAP.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Approaching the Radiative Efficiency Limit in Perovskite Solar Cells with Scalable Defect Passivation and Selective Contacts

This award aimed to enable perovskite solar cells to approach the radiative efficiency limit in scalable manufacturing environments by controlling recombination losses, especially surface recombination losses at electrodes and interfaces. The project combined organic molecular synthesis, perovskite film processing and characterization, and spectroscopic tool development for probing recombination centers. The project ultimately achieved record-low surface recombination velocity (SRV) in mixed cation methylammonium-free perovskite thin films, demonstrated photoluminescence as an effective process metrology tool to optimizing processing of device stacks, and showed that the aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) is suitable for passivating the exposed perovskite interface in p-i-n stack devices. The project used combinations of phosphonic acids to modify the transparent conducting oxide and APTMS to passivate the perovskite/electron transport layer interface, thereby demonstrating reduction of SRVs in both partial and full device stacks. The project showed concomitant improvements in device performance, and demonstrated that APTMS passivation was compatible with large area coating of external stakeholder perovskite films using both scalable solution and vapor methods. Notably, the project also supplied surface passivating materials to a number of other US based and SETO-funded teams.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Tunable semiconductor laser with two acousto-optic tunable filters in its external cavity

We report a laser with a linear external cavity containing a near-IR injection semiconductor optical amplifier as a gain element and two acousto-optic tunable filters (AOTFs) with quasi-collinear interaction of acoustic and light waves. At identical frequencies of RF signals that control the filters and ensure compensation for the Doppler frequency shift of light passing through the AOTFs, the steady-state laser emission linewidth can be reduced to about 25 MHz, which is almost three orders of magnitude smaller than that in the case of one filter (20 GHz). The position of the emission line, which remains narrow, slowly fluctuates within a spectral range about 3 GHz wide, which seems to be due to the large length of the external cavity and insufficient thermal stabilization of its components. This does not prevent us from obtaining light with a large coherence length. In emission wavelength sweep mode, the instantaneous emission linewidth increases with tuning rate, reaching 0.022 nm (8.8 GHz) at the highest tuning rate: 10{sup 4} nm s{sup −1}. In the case of automatic control over the output optical power at a level of 3 mW, the tuning range is 815 – 875 nm. Such instruments are of practical interest for optical coherence tomography, spectroscopy, optical metrology, and other application areas. (lasers)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2023

Magneto-optical measurement of magnetic field and electrical current on a short pulse high energy pulsed power accelerator

We describe a direct magneto-optical approach to measuring the magnetic field driven by a narrow pulse width (<10 ns), 20 kA electrical current flow in the transmission line of a high energy pulsed power accelerator. The magnetic field and electrical current are among the most important operating parameters in a pulsed power accelerator and are critical to understanding the properties of the radiation output. However, accurately measuring these fields and electrical currents using conventional pulsed power diagnostics is difficult due to the strength of ionizing radiation and electromagnetic interference. Our approach uses a fiber coupled laser beam with a rare earth element sensing crystal sensor that is highly resistant to electromagnetic interference and does not require external calibration. Here, we focus on device theory, operating parameters, results from an experiment on a high energy pulsed power accelerator, and comparison to a conventional electrical current shunt sensor.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Design and validation of a cold load for characterization of CMB-S4 detectors

We present the design and validation of a variable temperature cryogenic blackbody source, hereinafter called a cold load, that will be used to characterize detectors to be deployed by CMB-S4, the next-generation ground-based cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiment. Although cold loads have been used for detector characterization by previous CMB experiments, this cold load has three novel design features: (1) the ability to operate from the 1 K stage of a dilution refrigerator (DR), (2) a 3He gas-gap heat switch to reduce cooling time, and (3) the ability to couple small external optical signals to measure detector optical time constants under low optical loading. The efficacy of this design was validated using a 150 GHz detector array previously deployed by the Spider experiment. Here, thermal tests showed that the cold load can be heated to temperatures required for characterizing CMB-S4’s detectors without significantly impacting the temperatures of other cryogenic stages when mounted to the DR’s 1 K stage. Additionally, optical tests demonstrated that external signals can be coupled to a detector array through the cold load without imparting a significant optical load on the detectors, which will enable measurements of the CMB-S4 detectors’ optical time constants.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Optimizing qubit control pulses for state preparation

In the burgeoning field of quantum computing, the precise design and optimization of quantum pulses are essential for enhancing qubit operation fidelity. This study focuses on refining the pulse engineering techniques for superconducting qubits, employing a detailed analysis of square and Gaussian pulse envelopes under various approximation schemes. We evaluated the effects of coherent errors induced by naive pulse designs. Furthermore, we identified the sources of these errors in the Hamiltonian model’s approximation level. We mitigated these errors through adjustments to the external driving frequency and pulse durations, thus implementing a pulse scheme with stroboscopic error reduction. Our results demonstrate that these refined pulse strategies improve performance and reduce coherent errors. Moreover, the techniques developed herein are applicable across different quantum architectures, such as ion-trap, atomic, and photonic systems.

Chirp modulation↗