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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
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NASA NTRS1982

Thermodynamic limits to the conversion of blackbody radiation by quantum systems

Using general thermodynamic arguments, we analyze the conversion of the energy contained in the radiation from a blackbody to useful work by a quantum system. We show that the energy available for conversion is bounded above by the change in free energy in the incident and reradiated fields and that this free energy change depends upon the temperature of the receiving device. Universal efficiency curves giving the ultimate thermodynamic conversion efficiency of the quantum system are presented in terms of the blackbody temperature and the temperature and threshold energy of the quantum system. Application of these results is made to a variety of systems including biological photosynthetic, photovoltaic, and photoelectrochemical systems.

Buoncristiani, A. M.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Communication theory of quantum systems

Communication theory problems incorporating quantum effects for optical-frequency applications are discussed. Under suitable conditions, a unique quantum channel model corresponding to a given classical space-time varying linear random channel is established. A procedure is described by which a proper density-operator representation applicable to any receiver configuration can be constructed directly from the channel output field. Some examples illustrating the application of our methods to the development of optical quantum channel representations are given. Optimizations of communication system performance under different criteria are considered. In particular, certain necessary and sufficient conditions on the optimal detector in M-ary quantum signal detection are derived. Some examples are presented. Parameter estimation and channel capacity are discussed briefly.

Yuen, H. P. H.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Time-dependent perturbation of a two-state quantum system by a sinusoidal field

Different methods for solving the 'two-level problem' are discussed, namely, the problem of what happens to a material system having only two nondegenerate energy levels when it is perturbed by an electromagnetic field that varies with time in a monochromatic sinusoidal fashion. The various methods discussed include: (1) the Sen Gupta technique using nondegenerate Rayleigh-Schroedinger perturbation theory, (2) the Salwen-Winter-Shirley partitioning perturbation technique, (3) the Shirley and series degenerate Rayleigh-Schroedinger expansion, (4) the degenerate Rayleigh-Schroedinger technique for considering high frequency fields, and (5) the singular perturbation expansion technique.

Dion, D. R.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Identifying decohering paths in closed quantum systems

A specific proposal is discussed for how to identify decohering paths in a wavefunction of the universe. The emphasis is on determining the correlations among subsystems and then considering how these correlations evolve. The proposal is similar to earlier ideas of Schroedinger and of Zeh, but in other ways it is closer to the decoherence functional of Griffiths, Omnes, and Gell-Mann and Hartle. There are interesting differences with each of these which are discussed. Once a given coarse-graining is chosen, the candidate paths are fixed in this scheme, and a single well defined number measures the degree of decoherence for each path. The normal probability sum rules are exactly obeyed (instantaneously) by these paths regardless of the level of decoherence. Also briefly discussed is how one might quantify some other aspects of classicality. The important role that concrete calculations play in testing this and other proposals is stressed.

Albrecht, Andreas↗
NASA NTRS1989

Advantages of an indirect semiconductor quantum well system for infrared detection

The infrared intersubband absorption process in quantum well systems with anisotropic bulk effective masses, which usually occurs in indirect semiconductors was analyzed. It is found that the anisotropic effective mass can be utilized to provide allowed intersubband transitions at normal incidence to the quantum well growth direction. This transition is known to be forbidden for cases of isotropic effective mass. This property can be exploited for infrared sensor application of quantum well structures by allowing direct illumination of large surface areas without using special waveguide structures. The 10-micron intersubband absorption in quantum wells made of the silicon-based system Si/Si(1-x)Ge(x) was calculated. It is found that it is readily possible to achieve an absorption constant of the order of 10,000/cm in these Si quantum wells with current doping technology.

Yang, Chan-Lon↗
NASA NTRS1978

Upconversion of broadband infrared spectra

An experimental device successfully upconverts IR radiation in the 3.2-5.0 micron wavelength range simultaneously to visible light at 0.80-0.88 microns, while preserving frequency coding and is thus applicable to IR spectroscopy. The 1.8-micron bandwidth of IR radiation that is upconverted without temperature or phase match tuning is the largest yet reported. The over-all system quantum efficiency of the upconverter/spectrometer system is 0.01% and could be improved to 0.4%.

Gurski, T. R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Limits to solar power conversion efficiency with applications to quantum and thermal systems

An analytical framework is presented that permits examination of the limit to the efficiency of various solar power conversion devices. Thermodynamic limits to solar power efficiency are determined for both quantum and thermal systems, and the results are applied to a variety of devices currently considered for use in space systems. The power conversion efficiency for single-threshold energy quantum systems receiving unconcentrated air mass zero solar radiation is limited to 31 percent. This limit applies to photovoltaic cells directly converting solar radiation, or indirectly, as in the case of a thermophotovoltaic system. Photoelectrochemical cells rely on an additional chemical reaction at the semiconductor-electrolyte interface, which introduces additional second-law demands and a reduction of the solar conversion efficiency. Photochemical systems exhibit even lower possible efficiencies because of their relatively narrow absorption bands. Solar-powered thermal engines in contact with an ambient reservoir at 300 K and operating at maximum power have a peak conversion efficiency of 64 percent, and this occurs for a thermal reservoir at a temperature of 2900 K. The power conversion efficiency of a solar-powered liquid metal magnetohydrodydnamic generator, a solar-powered steam turbine electric generator, and an alkali metal thermoelectric converter is discussed.

Byvik, C. E.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Radioactive transitions in the helium isoelectronic sequence

The principles of the atomic spectrum theory are used to quantitatively analyze radiation transitions in two-electron helium-like atomic systems. Quantum theoretical methods, describing absorption and emission of a single photon in a radiative transition between two stationary states of an atomic system, reproduced the energy level diagram for the low lying states of helium. Reliable values are obtained from accurate variationally determined two-electron nonrelativistic wave functions for radiative transition probabilities of 2 3p states in the helium isoelectric sequence, and for the 2 1s and 2 3s1 states of the helium sequence.

Dalgarno, A.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Toward a proof of entropy increase in the presence of quantum black holes

A sufficient condition for the quantum entropy to be nondecreasing under a trace-preserving positive linear map is that the 'totally random' state be stationary. It is argued that this condition will be satisfied by the quantum system consisting of the region external to one or more black holes. This would explain why a 'generalized second law of thermodynamics' appears to hold in the presence of black holes.

Sorkin, R. D.↗