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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 OSTI2026

Measurement of the QE Map

113 MHz SRF gun utilized CsK 2 Sb and Na 2 KSb cathodes, which were irradiated with a pulsed green laser with a wavelength of 0.53 microns. The drive laser generated 78 kHz pulses with an acousto-optic modulator selecting the desired number of pulses reaching the cathode. The operator can select the aperture size, defining the laser spot diameter on the cathode, and the power level, which is controlled by a rotating polarizer. The laser power reaching the cathode can be measured with a meter based on a photodiode. The quantum efficiency (QE) of a photocathode serves as a primary indicator of its state. Small QE renders the cathode unusable when the desired bunch charge cannot be achieved. Strong variations in the quantum efficiency on the cathode surface might lead to the growth of the beam emittance due to the space charge effects. We have created a routine to measure the distribution of the QE on the cathode. The operator selects the aperture size, the central spot location, and the scan ranges for both planes. The scan starts from the central spots and proceeds along a spiral-like trajectory, making N rounds. The number of rounds can be chosen, and the total number of measured points is (2N+1) 2 . The laser spot movement is shown in Fig. 1.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2026

CP26 is not involved in qE- or qZ-type non-photochemical quenching in Arabidopsis

CP26 is a monomeric minor light-harvesting complex of Photosystem II (LHCII) protein located at the interface between LHCII trimers and the PSII core in thylakoid membranes. Previous studies have proposed that CP26 plays a role in non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) in addition to light harvesting. Here, we utilized biophysical and pharmacological approaches to investigate this role using single- and higher-order Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) cp26 mutants, examining its relationship to known NPQ regulators (Photosystem II subunit S, PsbS, violaxanthin de-epoxidase, and the pH gradient across the thylakoid membrane). cp26 mutants showed significantly reduced maximum PSII quantum efficiencies (F v /F m ) in darkness, indicating a constitutively quenched state, further confirmed by fluorescence lifetime measurements. Destabilized PSII-LHCII supercomplexes observed in native gel electrophoresis and tighter PSII supercomplex packing were potential causes, with no other antenna proteins capable of rescuing this phenotype. In addition, the cp26 mutants exhibited altered NPQ capacity—modest in single mutants but substantial in double mutants—independent of PsbS and violaxanthin de-epoxidase. Together, these results show that CP26 is not involved in qE or qZ but may primarily play an indirect role in apparent NPQ responses via PSII-LHCII supercomplex organization.

Walter, Julia [University of Cambridge (United Kin↗
DOE OSTI2020

Development of High-QE GaN Photodectors for Liquid Noble Particle Detectors

Detection of the handful of photons generated when a dark matter particle interacts in a liquid Xenon detector requires a new type of photodetector with very high detection efficiency at ultraviolet wavelengths, very low radioactive backgrounds, and essentially no measureable readout noise (achieved with devices with high intrisic gain). Such devices would find wide applicability to not only high energy physics experiments, but to a number of commercial applications including, e.g., biomedical imaging of fluorescent tags. We developed photodetectors based on amorphous GaN thin film structures (photocathodes) grown by molecular beam epitaxy on quartz windows. We also developed approaches to integrate these photocathode device structures with vacuum electron multipliers. All materials and fabrication techniques were developed to minimize radioactive backgrounds in materials, so these detectors could be used for very low count rate experiments, such as the future liquid-Xenon dark matter detectors, and future liquid-Argon neutrino detectors. We demonstrated growth of very high quantum efficiency amorphous GaN cathodes grown on a number of different substrates (Stainless steel, p-Silicon) reaching detection efficiencies of 80% at 220nm. The key to this growth was to use nitrogen plasma-assistend MBEs and very low growth temperatures. We also discovered that thinner structures (e.g.,40nm a-GaN thin films) had the best performance. We successfully demonstrated techniques for the vacuum transfer of these photocathode structures to a novel chamber that used hydraulics and bellow to form a cold indium bond needed to integrate these cathodes into sealed-tube devices. A complete, stand-along, device could not be completed during this proposal period due to difficulties in growing structures on the thick quartz window. Subsequent work is aimed at addressing this difficulty, by growing a buffer layer on the quartz substrate.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Enhancing the Design of Photocathodes with 90% polarization and QE > 1% for DOE NP (Final Report)

This project’s 3 major goals were the following: 1. Fabricate state-of-the-art spin-polarized photocathodes using MOCVD and develop knowledge of fabrication parameters. 2. Enhance the design of 2 structures of spin-polarized photocathodes (strained-superlattice and strained-superlattice with distributed Bragg reflector) to assess paths to the next generation of spin-polarized photocathodes. 3. Provide a supply of state-of-the-art spin-polarized photocathodes to both Brookhaven National Laboratory and the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Search for numu Disappearance in the Short-Baseline Neutrino Program Utilizing an Exclusive 1mu1p QE-Like Final State

The Short-Baseline Neutrino (SBN) program at Fermilab is searching for neutrino oscillations over a short baseline as a signature of a sterile neutrino with a mass splitting of about 1eV2. Such oscillations would drive the disappearance of muon neutrinos in the Booster Neutrino Beam between the detectors of the SBN Program. We present progress on an analysis to search for muon neutrino disappearance between the SBND and ICARUS detectors (the SBN Program's near and far detectors, respectively). This analysis leverages the one muon, one proton, quasi-elastic-like final state, which provides the best resolution for reconstructing the neutrino energy. The analysis incorporates a comprehensive set of systematic uncertainties in the neutrino flux, interaction, and detector model. This analysis will soon be completed as part of the first oscillation results at SBN.

Rowe, Nathaniel [U. Chicago (main)]↗
DOE OSTI2020

Comparison of optical potential for nucleons and $\varDelta $ resonances

Precise modeling of neutrino interactions on nuclear targets is essential for neutrino oscillations experiments. The modeling of the energy of final state particles in quasielastic (QE) scattering and resonance production on bound nucleons requires knowledge of both the removal energy of the initial state bound nucleon as well as the average Coulomb and nuclear optical potentials for final state leptons and hadrons. We extract the average values of the real part of the nuclear optical potential for final state nucleons ( $U_{opt}^{QE}$ U opt QE ) as a function of the nucleon kinetic energy from inclusive electron scattering data on nuclear targets ( $_\mathbf{6 }^\mathbf{12 }{} \mathbf{C} $ 6 12 C + $_\mathbf{8 }^\mathbf{16 }{} \mathbf{O} $ 8 16 O , $_\mathbf{20 }^\mathbf{40 }{} \mathbf{Ca} $ 20 40 Ca + $_\mathbf{18 }^\mathbf{40 }{} \mathbf{Ar} $ 18 40 Ar , $_\mathbf{3 }^\mathbf{6 }{} \mathbf{Li} $ 3 6 Li , $_\mathbf{18 }^\mathbf{27 }{} \mathbf{Al} $ 18 27 Al , $_\mathbf{26 }^\mathbf{56 }{} \mathbf{Fe} $ 26 56 Fe , $_\mathbf{82 }^\mathbf{208 }{} \mathbf{Pb} $ 82 208 Pb ) in the QE region and compare to calculations. We also extract values of the average of the real part of the nuclear optical potential for a $\varDelta (1232)$ Δ ( 1232 ) resonance in the final state ( $U^\varDelta _{opt}$ U opt Δ ) within the impulse approximation. We find that $U^\varDelta _{opt}$ U opt Δ is more negative than $U_{opt}^{QE}$ U opt QE with $U^\varDelta _{opt}\approx $ U opt Δ ≈ 1.5 $U_{opt}^{QE}$ U opt QE for $_\mathbf{6 }^\mathbf{12 }{} \mathbf{C} $ 6 12 C .

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Graphene as reusable substrate for bialkali photocathodes

Bialkali photocathodes, such as cesium potassium antimonide (CsK 2 Sb), can generate a high-brightness electron beam using a high-power green laser. These photocathode materials have potential applications in advanced accelerators and electron microscopes. It is known that the quantum efficiency (QE) of these photocathodes is affected severely by their substrates; however, reusability of the substrates is not well known. Here, we use graphene, silicon (Si), and molybdenum (Mo) substrates to evaluate the effects of substrates on the QE of redeposited CsK 2 Sb photocathodes after thermal cleanings. We found the QE of CsK 2 Sb photocathodes redeposited on a graphene substrate after a thermal cleaning at 500 °C remained largely unchanged. On the other hand, the QE of redeposited photocathodes on Si and Mo substrates after thermal cleaning at the same temperature decreased drastically. We used X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to quantitatively evaluate the residues of photocathodes after thermal cleaning at 400 °C and 500 °C. We found that the Sb, K, and Cs are removed by thermal cleaning at 500 °C for the graphene substrate, but all or the majority of these elements remained on the Si and Mo substrates. The results were consistent with our density functional theory (DFT) calculations for the case of Si, which we investigated. Furthermore, our angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) on graphene indicated that its intrinsic electronic structure is preserved after photocathode deposition and thermal cleaning at 500 °C. Hence, we attributed the difference in amount of photocathode residue to the unique dangling-bond- free surface of inert graphene. Our results provide a foundation for graphene-based reusable substrates for high-QE semiconductor photocathodes.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Robust method for broadband efficiency enhancement of electron photocathodes using optical interferences

In this work, we demonstrate the key features of an interference cathode using both simulations and experiments. We deposit Cs 3 Sb photocathodes on Ag to produce an interference enhanced photocathode with 2–5× quantum efficiency (QE) enhancement using a robust procedure that requires only a smooth metal substrate and QE monitoring during growth. We grow both an interference cathode (Ag substrate) and a typical photocathode (Si reference substrate) simultaneously to confirm that the effects are due to optical interactions with the substrate rather than photocathode composition or surface electron affinity differences. Growing the cathodes until the QE converges shows both the characteristic interference peaks during growth and the identical limiting case where the cathode is “infinitely thick,” in agreement with simulations. We also grow a cathode until the QE on Ag peaks and then stop the growth, demonstrating broadband QE enhancement.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Enhanced quantum efficiency from optical interference in alkali antimonide photocathodes: Modeling and experimental results

We present measurements of enhanced quantum efficiency (QE) in thin film alkali antimonide photocathodes from optical interference in the cathode-substrate multilayer. Modulations in the spectral response are observed over a range of visible wavelengths and are shown to increase the QE by more than a factor of two at specific wavelengths. We present a model describing the QE modulations based on the three step photoemission process incorporating cases of both constant density of states and density functional theory-derived density of states and show that the calculated results are in good agreement with the measurements. Model predictions demonstrate that QE can be enhanced by more than a factor of 5 by optimization of cathode and substrate layer thicknesses. Additionally, these calculations reveal that optical interference can yield higher quantum efficiencies in thin films compared to thick, optically dense films. We model the QE vs excitation wavelength of multiple alkali antimonide compounds at different thicknesses. We then discuss the advantages of this interference effect for electron accelerators.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Bias‐Dependent Quantum Efficiency Reveals Recombination Pathways in Thin Film Solar Cells

Identifying where recombination predominantly occurs—whether at the front interface, back interface, or throughout the bulk—is crucial for optimizing CdSeTe solar cells and many other photovoltaic device architectures. Here, a simple and effective diagnostic is demonstrated: measuring external quantum efficiency (QE) under varying forward biases. The drift–diffusion simulations reveal that each recombination pathway leaves a distinct bias-induced signature in the normalized QE: a progressive drop at long wavelengths for back-limited devices, a short-wavelength decline for front-limited devices, and a relatively uniform decrease across all wavelengths for bulk-limited devices. These predictions are validated with experiments on As-doped and Cu-doped CdSeTe devices, with and without passivation layers or different front buffers. In each case, the observed bias-dependent QE spectral changes align with the simulated recombination map. Because this method uses standard QE instrumentation, it offers a broadly accessible and cost-efficient means to diagnose recombination pathways—extending beyond CdSeTe to other thin-film and emerging solar cell technologies. By pinpointing recombination bottlenecks, researchers and manufacturers can strategically refine doping profiles, passivation schemes, and interface designs to further improve device performance.

CdTe↗
DOE OSTI2024

Parallel expansion of a fuel pellet plasmoid

The problem of the assimilation of a cryogenic fuel pellet injected into a hot plasma is considered. Due to the transparency to ambient particles of the plasmoid, the localised region of high-density plasma created by ionisation of the ablated pellet material, electrons reach a ‘quasiequilibrium’ (QE) state which is characterised by a steady-state on the fastest collisional time scale. The simplified electron kinetic equation of the QE state is solved. Taking a velocity moment of the higher-order electron kinetic equation, which is valid on the expansion time scale, permits a fluid closure, yielding an evolution equation for the macroscopic parameters describing the QE distribution function. In contrast to the Braginskii equations, the closure does not require that electrons have a short mean free path compared with the size of density perturbations, and permits an anisotropic and highly non-Maxwellian distribution function. As the QE distribution function accounts for both trapped and passing electrons, the self-consistent electric potential that causes the expansion can be properly described, in contrast to earlier models of pellet plasmoid expansion with an unbounded potential. The plasmoid expansion is simulated using both a Vlasov model and a cold-fluid model for the ions. During the expansion plasmoid ions and electrons obtain nearly equal amounts of energy; as hot ambient electrons provide this energy in the form of collisional heating of plasmoid electrons, the expansion of a pellet plasmoid is expected to be a potent mechanism for the transfer of energy from electrons to ions on a time scale shorter than that of ion–electron thermalisation.

Physics↗
DOE OSTI2026

Dissecting the contributions to non-photochemical quenching in a land plant under fluctuating light

Photosynthetic organisms have evolved multiple non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) processes, providing photoprotection by safely dissipating excess excitation energy. These processes involve various molecular players functioning on overlapping timescales from seconds to days, making it challenging to isolate and quantify their individual kinetics. In this study, we perform whole-leaf chlorophyll fluorescence lifetime and xanthophyll concentration measurements on wild-type and various newly characterized NPQ mutants of Nicotiana benthamiana, a vascular land plant. Based on these measurements, we construct a fluorescence lifetime-based quantitative kinetic model that disentangles individual photoprotection components and, when integrated additively, accurately predicts wild-type and mutant NPQ behaviors under various light-dark regimes. Additionally, the model quantifies the per-molecule quenching effectiveness of various xanthophylls and the contributions of six quenching components (qE V , qE A , qE Z , qE L , qZ, and qI) across different genotypes. It also suggests improved overall quenching efficiency at specific VDE:ZEP:PsbS overexpression stoichiometries, aligning with previous studies and supporting translational efforts to optimize photoprotection and enhance crop yields under dynamic light environments.

Lam, Lam [University of California, Berkeley, CA (↗
DOE OSTI2023

Rugged bialkali photocathodes encapsulated with graphene and thin metal film

Protection of free-electron sources has been technically challenging due to lack of materials that transmit electrons while preventing corrosive gas molecules. Two-dimensional materials uniquely possess both of required properties. Here, we report three orders of magnitude increase in active pressure and factor of two enhancement in the lifetime of high quantum efficiency (QE) bialkali photocathodes (cesium potassium antimonide (CsK 2 Sb)) by encapsulating them in graphene and thin nickel (Ni) film. The photoelectrons were extracted through the graphene protection layer in a reflection mode, and we achieved QE of ~ 0.17% at ~ 3.4 eV, 1/e lifetime of 188 h with average current of 8.6 nA under continuous illumination, and no decrease of QE at the pressure of as high as ~ 1 × 10 –3 Pa. In comparison, the QE decreased drastically at 10 –6 Pa for bare, non-protected CsK 2 Sb photocathodes and their 1/e lifetime under continuous illumination was ~ 48 h. We attributed the improvements to the gas impermeability and photoelectron transparency of graphene.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Improved robustness of sequentially deposited potassium cesium antimonide photocathodes achieved by increasing the potassium content towards theoretical stoichiometry

Alkali antimonide semiconductor photocathodes are promising candidates for high-brightness electron sources for advanced accelerators, including free-electron lasers (FEL), due to their high quantum efficiency (QE), low emittance, and high temporal resolution. Two challenges with these photocathodes are (1) the lack of a universal deposition recipe to achieve crystal stoichiometries and (2) their high susceptibility to vacuum contamination, which restricts their operation pressure to ultrahigh vacuums and leads to a short lifetime and low extraction charge. To resolve these issues, it is essential to understand the elemental compositions of deposited photocathodes and correlate them to robustness. Here, we report depth profiles for potassium cesium antimonide photocathodes, which were investigated using synchrotron radiation x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and the robustness of those photocathodes. We prepared two types of photocathodes with different potassium contents via sequential thermal evaporation. Depth profiles revealed that the photocathodes with a potassium deficit had excess cesium at the surface, while the ratio of potassium and cesium to antimony decreased rapidly within the film. In contrast, the photocathodes with sufficient potassium had close to the theoretical stoichiometry of K 2 CsSb at the surface and maintained that stoichiometry for over half the entire film thickness. Both photocathode types had a similar maximum QE at 532 nm; however, exposure to oxygen revealed that the photocathode with a crystalline stoichiometry of K 2 CsSb maintained QE at one order of magnitude higher pressure compared to its potassium-deficit counterpart. These results highlight the importance of synthesizing potassium cesium antimonide photocathodes with sufficient potassium to achieve the theoretical crystalline stoichiometry for both high QE and improved robustness.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2023

Degenerate parametric down-conversion facilitated by exciton-plasmon polariton states in a nonlinear plasmonic cavity

Abstract We study the effect of degenerate parametric down-conversion (DPDC) in an ensemble of two-level quantum emitters (QEs) coupled via near-field interactions to a single surface plasmon (SP) mode of a nonlinear plasmonic cavity. For this purpose, we develop a quantum driven-dissipative model capturing non-equilibrium dynamics of the system in which incoherently pumped QEs have transition frequency tuned near the second-harmonic response of the SPs. Considering the strong coupling regime, i.e. the SP-QE interaction rate exceeds system dissipation rates, we find a critical SP-QE coupling attributed to the phase transition between normal and lasing steady states. Examining fluctuations above the system’s steady states, we predict new elementary excitations, namely, the exciton-plasmon polaritons formed by the two-SP quanta and single-exciton states of QEs. The contribution of two-SP quanta results in the linear scaling of the SP-QE interaction rate with the number of QEs,  o , as opposed to the  o -scaling known for the Dicke and Tavis–Cummings models. We further examine how SP-QE interaction scaling affects the polariton dispersions and power spectra in the vicinity of the critical coupling. For this purpose, we compare the calculation results assuming a finite ensemble of QEs and the model thermodynamic limit. The calculated power spectra predict an interplay of coherent photon emission by QEs near the second-harmonic frequency and correlated photon-pair emission at the fundamental frequency by the SPs (i.e. the photonic DPDC effect).

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

The role of electron-scale turbulence in the JET tokamak: experiments and modelling

Dedicated electron heat transport experiments have been carried out in L- and H-mode Deuterium plasmas of the JET-ILW tokamak to identify the amount of electron heat carried by electron-scale electron temperature gradient (ETG) modes. Ion cyclotron resonance heating at different positions has been used to probe the response of the electron temperature inverse gradient length R/L Te to changes in electron heat flux qe, while different amounts of neutral beam heating allowed to scan the ratio of ion to electron temperature T e /T i , which is a key parameter for the onset of ETGs. Results indicate a steepening of the normalized qe vs R/L Te curve above R/LT e ~ 8 for T e /T i ≤ 1, suggestive of the ETG onset. Ion-scale gyro-kinetic (GK) simulations match the ion heat flux and the low-R/L Te part of the qe curve, but do not reproduce such steepening at high R/L Te . Multi-scale GK simulations covering both ion and electron scales and including one impurity bundling light and heavy species indicate an ETG contribution only for R/L Te values larger than the experimental ones. Sensitivity studies of such result are difficult to achieve due to limitation in numerical resources. The quasi-linear TGLF model has been used for sensitivity studies. With the same bundled impurity as the GK multi-scale, TGLF shows the qe steepening at much larger R/L Te values than in experiment, but when using the real mix of light impurities neglecting the heavy impurities, TGLF gets closer to the experimental results. Profile simulations with TGLF including both light and heavy impurities show over-prediction of T e profiles and in some cases also of density, but good T i predictions, confirming issues with the model electron stiffness for these plasmas.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗