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At least 19 records

Nb3Sn growth on niobium in vapor diffusion process and its application to large RF surface

Nb3Sn-coated SRF cavities can potentially achieve superior performance in terms of quality factor, accelerating gradient, and operating temperature. Tin vapor diffusion process of Nb3Sn coating on Nb is a simple, yet efficacious technique to fabricate Nb3Sn-coated SRF cavities. The process comprises two¬ steps: ?nucleation? followed by ?deposition?. The crucible with Sn/SnCl2 and the substrate at a constant temperature of about 500 °C for several hours is the ?nucleation?; the crucible and the substrate at a constant temperature, typically, above 1000 °C is the ?deposition? step. Using custom-built sample coating chamber, we have coated over a hundred samples to systematically study the vapor diffusion process under varying process conditions and at different stages of the coating process. The surfaces, thus obtained, were investigated with surface studies techniques, such as SEM/EDS, AFM, XPS, SAM, SIMS, EBSD and TEM. Based on the experimental results, we will discuss nucleation and growth of Nb3Sn coating during vapor diffusion process.

Pudasaini, Uttar↗

Coercivity enhancement in heavy rare earth-free NdFeB magnets by grain boundary diffusion process

Grain boundary diffusion of a Pr 3 (Co,Cu) eutectic alloy has been performed for coercivity enhancement on Nd-lean Nd 10 Fe 84 B 6 nanocrystalline ribbons. The coercivity increases from 0.5 T to 2.5 T after 6 h of infiltration at 600 °C. High resolution electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy show that the excess α-Fe present in the initial samples diminishes during infiltration, giving rise to the formation of a Rare Earth-rich RE-Fe inter-boundary phase and a layer of (Nd,Pr) 2 Fe 14 B close to the surface of the hard magnetic grains. Such a microstructure favours the coercivity by increasing the nucleation field for reversal magnetization and providing magnetically isolated/decoupled hard grains.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

A local diffusion process associated with the sweeping of energetic particles by Io

A local, turbulent diffusion process which may rapidly refill the partial cavity of energetic particles created by Io's passage through a flux tube is discussed. A model is developed of Io's sweeping action on energetic particles in which a wake is formed behind the flux tube threading Io. It is shown to be possible that this wake contains an excess of positive charge, thereby creating an electric field. The particle drift produced by this field, coupled with the density gradient of energetic protons, can generate an instability. It is this instability that is responsible for the turbulent diffusion process. The sweeping of energetic particles is also discussed in relation to particle energy and pitch angle distribution.

Huba, J. D.↗

On Integral of a Semi-Markov Diffusion Process

Let (X(t)) (t ≥ 0) be a semi-Markov diffusion process. The process (J(T )) (T ≥ 0) equal to the integral of (X(t)) on interval [0, T ) is studied. The relation between one-dimensional differential equation of the second order of elliptical type and asymptotics of a solution to Dirichlet problem on an interval with length tending to zero is established. This relation is used to derive a differential equation for the Laplace transform of the semi-Markov generating function of the process (J(t)).

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Atomic scale analysis of Nb3Sn on Nb prepared by a vapor-diffusion process for superconducting radiofrequency cavity applications

We report an atomic-scale analysis of the microstructure of Nb3Sn coating on Nb prepared by vapor diffusion process for superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) cavity application using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Epitaxial growth of Nb3Sn on the Nb substrate is found and four types of orientation relationships at the Nb3Sn/Nb interface are identified by electron diffraction or high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) analysis. Thin Nb3Sn grains are observed in regions with low Sn flux and they have the specific orientation relationship, Nb3Sn (1-20)//Nb (-111) and Nb3Sn (002)//Nb (0-11). The Nb3Sn/Nb interface of thin grains had a large lattice mismatch, 12.3 at.%, and a high density of misfit dislocations was observed by HR-STEM. Based on our microstructural analysis of the thin grains, we conclude that the thin regions are probably a result of a slow interfacial reaction with this particular orientation relationship at the interface. The Sn-deficient regions are seen to form initially at the Nb3Sn/Nb interface and remain in the grains due to the slow diffusion of Sn in bulk Nb3Sn. The formation of Sn-deficient regions and the effects of strain and interfacial energies on the formation of Sn-deficient regions at various interfaces were also estimated by first-principle calculation. The finding of orientation relationships at the Nb3Sn/Nb interface provides important information about the formation of defects in Nb3Sn coatings such as large thin regions, Sn-deficient regions, which are critical to the performance of Nb3Sn superconducting radiofrequency cavities for accelerators.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Solar cells in bulk InP using an open tube diffusion process

A simple open tube diffusion technique for the fabrication of n+p junction solar cells is described. Large area (greater than 0.25 square cm) solar cells have been made by this process with a photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 15.2 percent under simulated AMO illumination. An ideality factor is 1.04 and a saturation current density of 9.6 times 10 to the minus 16th power A/square cm have been observed for these cells. These are the lowest (best) values reported to date for diffused structures in bulk InP.

Parat, K. K.↗

Growth of Nb 3 Sn coating in tin vapor-diffusion process

The potential of Nb 3 Sn for superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities is widely recognized and renewed R&D efforts continue to bring new insights about the material's structure and properties. Here, we have systematically coated niobium with Nb 3 Sn for different durations, and several of them were coated over ("overcoat") multiple times, to elucidate the growth kinetics of Nb 3 Sn during tin vapor diffusion process. Analysis of coated samples is consistent with the model in which tin diffuses via grain boundaries to the Nb 3 Sn-Nb interface, where the growth of Nb 3 Sn into the Nb bulk takes place. Similar scaling laws were found for Nb 3 Sn grain growth and layer thickness. Non-parabolic layer growth is consistent with significant grain growth, which reduces the number of Sn transport channels. Examination of patchy region in Nb 3 Sn coating, revealing large single crystalline grains, points to impeded Nb 3 Sn layer growth due to low grain boundary density, resulting in a significantly thinner coating in those areas.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Cosmic Ray Hysteresis as Evidence for Time-dependent Diffusive Processes in the Long Term Solar Modulation

A simple one-dimensional time-dependent diffusion-convection model for the modulation of cosmic rays is presented. This model predicts that the observed intensity at a given time is approximately equal to the intensity given by the time independent diffusion convection solution under interplanetary conditions which existed a time iota in the past, (U(t sub o) = U sub s(t sub o - tau)) where iota is the average time spent by a particle inside the modulating cavity. Delay times in excess of several hundred days are possible with reasonable modulation parameters. Interpretation of phase lags observed during the 1969 to 1970 solar maximum in terms of this model suggests that the modulating region is probably not less than 10 a.u. and maybe as much as 35 a.u. in extent.

Ogallagher, J. J.↗