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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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Lasers for Medicine Final Report CRADA No. TC-0436-93

This project is intended to advance the US position in laser diae~osis and treatment of disease in three thrust areas. A first laser system will advance the US position in photodynamic therapy whereby dyes are introduced into selected tissue and laser treatment with wavelena@ matching the dyes’ absorption band allows treatment of only the desired tissue. This effort will focus on the development and application of diode arrays delivering up to 10 watts at wavelengths of 657 nm, 675 nm and 695 nm with fiber optic delivery systems. This system would replace existing cumbersome systems with a compact diode array system. A second laser system is intended to advance the US position in the medical use of lasers in dermatology to remove port wine stains. The project will involve the development of a new all solid-state laser system to deliver light at 585 nm for the d~ect removal of port wine stains in human skin. This solid-state system would replace the currently used dye laser system with a compact, more efficient, less costly, environmentally benign solid-state laser system. Additionally this new laser system will offer new flexibility in the pulse format allowing treatment on a wider range of patients. A third laser system is targeted to develop a diode-pumped TrnYAG laser system operating at 1.9 pm to drill small holes in animal eggs with the goal of improving fertility. This system would replace the current excimer system at 308 nm, which has undesirable mutagenic problems

42 ENGINEERING↗

High Brightness High Duty Factor Negative Ion Beam Injector [Slides]

The high brightness negative ion injector combines multiple individual low-duty-factor H- ion sources (multiplexing) in a manner that allows flexibility in final pulse format and beam duty factor up to CW and increases reliability by eliminating an otherwise single-point failure usually associated with using a single ion source. The multiplexing of multiple beams in new injector system also preserves the beam quality of each individual ion source, eliminating a significant source of beam quality degradation usually associated with combining beams.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Coincident Capture through Post-processing PTRAC [Slides]

This presentation discusses the new PTRAC capabilities and workflows. The PTRAC capability in MCNP6.3 has seen a massive overhaul since MCNP6.2. The new HDF5 file format allows for both MPI- and thread-based parallelism. MCNPTools has been updated to handle the new HDF5 PTRAC format and is now open sourced on GitHub. Built-in capabilities, such as the pulse-height tally coincident capture special treatment, can largely be replicated through separate postprocessing scripts that leverage both PTRAC and MCNPTools. This allows for greater flexibility in user-specified and controlled detector response functionality, ultimately using the MCNP code for what it is best at (i.e., particle transport).

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Arbitrary-velocity laser pulses in plasma waveguides

Space-time structured laser pulses feature an intensity peak that can travel at an arbitrary velocity while maintaining a near-constant profile. These pulses can propagate in uniform media, where their frequencies are correlated with continuous transverse wave vectors, or in structured media, such as a waveguide, where their frequencies are correlated with discrete mode numbers. Here, we demonstrate the formation and propagation of arbitrary-velocity laser pulses in a plasma waveguide where the intensity can be orders of magnitude higher than in a solid-state waveguide. The flexibility to control the velocity of the peak intensity in a plasma waveguide enables new configurations for plasma-based sources of radiation and energetic particles, including THz generation, laser wakefield acceleration, and direct laser acceleration.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Understanding non-stochiometric deposition of multi-principal elemental NiCoCr thin films

Multi-principal elemental NiCoCr thin films with compositional flexibility have potential applications as a thermal barrier, corrosion-resistant coatings, and functional energy materials. In this study, the non-stochiometric multi-principal element alloy thin film formation behavior from an equiatomic ablation target of NiCoCr using pulsed laser deposition has been reported. Here, the effect of varying laser fluence on compositions of constituent elements in the NiCoCr thin films is systematically investigated. The increase in laser fluence typically increases the likelihood of acquiring undesirable particulates in thin films. Therefore, to maintain the film quality the laser fluences are adjusted within the range of 1.3–3.3 J·cm -2 , while the film thicknesses are kept constant at ~30 nm. Results show that the constituent elements are well-distributed in the formed NiCoCr thin films, however, having average atomic percentages of Ni and Cr twice as high as Co irrespective of the equiatomic composition of individual elements in the ablation target. This stochiometric alteration in the as-deposited thin films is governed by the rate of ablation and subsequent evaporation of each element, which is facilitated by the optical properties and vapor pressure of individual constituent elements. Additionally, electron energy-loss spectroscopy and x-ray absorption spectroscopy analysis reveal that the thin films have partially oxidized, with the Cr oxidation contributing the most to the O-K edge in comparison to Ni and Co. Finally, this study presents a laser-assisted pathway for fabricating compositionally flexible NiCoCr thin films and develops an understanding of the non-equilibrium laser-material interactions and how the intrinsic properties of constituent elements affect the stoichiometric flow of materials from the target to the final film deposition.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

High-purity germanium semiconductor modeling in the detector response function toolkit

In this study, we have extended the detector response function toolkit (DRiFT) to provide modeling capabilities of semiconductor sensors. DRiFT provides realistic nuclear instrumentation response by post-processing Monte-Carlo N-particle (MCNP®) radiation transport outputs. MCNP® is capable of modeling radiation transport in complex environments, but has limited detector physics and readout electronics modeling capabilities. Semiconductor detector response can be calculated with a high-fidelity for a flexible range of environments by utilizing MCNP® to simulate radiation interactions inside of detector volumes, and then using DRiFT to model charge transport and signal formation in the semiconductor, as well as the readout electronics. DRiFT models charge transport in the semiconductor, the preamplifier, shaping amplifier, pulse pile-up, and electronic noise to generate detector response. The semiconductor application in DRiFT can model a range of semiconductor materials, shapes, and sizes; and is demonstrated here for a large volume coaxial high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector. Here, we compare detector response functions of a coaxial HPGe detector with measurement of 60 Co, 133 Ba, and 137 Cs at varying count rates, and we conduct a parameter study to demonstrate the effect of changing parameters in the DRiFT simulation. The HPGe detector response function shows excellent agreement with measurements of difference sources with varying dead times and count rates.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

The LAMP instrument at the Linac Coherent Light Source free-electron laser

The Laser Applications in Materials Processing (LAMP) instrument is a new end-station for soft X-ray imaging, high-field physics, and ultrafast X-ray science experiments that is available to users at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) free-electron laser. While the instrument resides in the Atomic, Molecular and Optical science hutch, its components can be used at any LCLS beamline. The end-station has a modular design that provides high flexibility in order to meet user-defined experimental requirements and specifications. The ultra-high-vacuum environment supports different sample delivery systems, including pulsed and continuous atomic, molecular, and cluster jets; liquid and aerosols jets; and effusive metal vapor beams. It also houses movable, large-format, high-speed pnCCD X-ray detectors for detecting scattered and fluorescent photons. Multiple charged-particle spectrometer options are compatible with the LAMP chamber, including a double-sided spectrometer for simultaneous and even coincident measurements of electrons, ions, and photons produced by the interaction of the high-intensity X-ray beam with the various samples. Here in this paper we describe the design and capabilities of the spectrometers along with some general aspects of the LAMP chamber and show some results from the initial instrument commissioning.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Phase I Project: Fiber Optic Distributed Acoustic Sensing for Periodic Hydraulic Tests

The extraction of heat from hot rock requires circulation of fluid through fracture networks. Because the geometry and connectivity of these fractures determines the efficiency of fluid circulation, many tools are used to characterize fractures before and after development of the reservoir. Under this project, a new tool was developed that allows hydraulic connectivity between geothermal boreholes to be identified. Nanostrain in rock fractures is measured using fiber optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS). This strain is measured in one borehole in response to periodic pressure pulses induced in another borehole. The strain in the fractures represents hydraulic connectivity between wells. DAS is typically used at frequencies of Hz to kHz, but strain at mHz frequencies were measured for this project. The tool was demonstrated in the laboratory and in the field. In the laboratory, strain in fiber optic cables was measured in response to compression due to oscillating fluid pressure. DAS recorded strains as small as 10 picometer/m in response to 1 cm of water level change. At a fractured crystalline rock field site, strain was measured in boreholes. Fiber-optic cable was mechanically coupled borehole walls using pressured flexible liners. In one borehole 30 m from the oscillating pumping source, pressure and strain were measured simultaneously. The DAS system measured fracture displacement at frequencies of less than 1 mHz (18 min periods) and amplitudes of less than 1 nm, in response to fluid pressure changes of less 20 Pa (2 mm of water). The attenuation and phase shift of the monitored strain signal is indicative of the permeability and storage (compliance) of the fracture network that connects the two wells. The strain response as a function of oscillation frequency is characteristic of the hydraulic structure of the formation. This is the first application of DAS to the measurement of low frequency strain in boreholes. It has enormous potential for monitoring geothermal reservoirs for purposes of understanding reservoir compliance and for assuring security of injection fluids. Periodic pressure pulses can be induced by oscillating injection or pumping during operation so the system could provide real time reservoir data. DAS cable may already be installed at a site as it is becoming increasingly used for seismic observation. Simulations conducted for this project indicate that strain should be propagated through borehole cements, so observations can be made outside of well casing. In uncased holes, the cable would need to be mechanically coupled to the borehole wall to provide measurements. One option would be to install fiber into cemented and abandoned boreholes to extend their utility.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

Applying Configurational Complexity to the 2D Ruddlesden–Popper Crystal Structure

The layered Ruddlesden–Popper crystal structure can host a broad range of functionally important behaviors. In this work, we establish extraordinary configurational disorder in a layered Ruddlesden–Popper (RP) structure using entropy stabilization assisted synthesis. A protype A 2 CuO 4 RP cuprate oxide with five cations on the A-site sublattice is designed and fabricated into epitaxial single crystal films using pulsed laser deposition. When grown on a near lattice matched substrate, the (La 0.2 Pr 0.2 Nd 0.2 Sm 0.2 Eu 0.2 ) 2 CuO 4 film features a T'-type RP structure with uniform A-site cation mixing and square-planar CuO4 units. These observations are made with a range of combined characterizations using X-ray diffraction, atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements. It is further found that heteroepitaxial strain plays an important role in crystal phase formation during synthesis. Compressive strain over ~1.5% results in the formation of a non-RP cubic phase consistent with a Cu X 2O 4 spinel structure. The ability to manipulate configurational complexity and move between 2D layered RP and 3D cubic crystal structures in cuprate and related materials promises to enable flexible design strategies for a range of functionalities, such as magnetoresistance, unconventional superconductivity, ferroelectricity, catalysis, and ion transport.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Effect of Molecular Weight and Layer Thickness on Dielectric Breakdown Strength of Neat and Homopolymer Swollen Lamellar Block Copolymer Films

Designing next-generation lightweight pulsed power devices hinges on understanding the factors influencing the energy storage performance of dielectric materials. Polymer dielectric films have a quadratic dependence of energy storage on the voltage breakdown strength and strategies to enhance the breakdown strength are expected to yield a path toward high energy storage densities. Highly stratified lamellar block copolymer (L-BCP) films of model polystyrene-b-polymethylmethacrylate (PS-b-PMMA) exhibited as much as ~50% enhancement in breakdown voltage (E BD ), (225 % increase in stored energy density, U~ E BD 2 ), compared to unordered as-cast L-BCP films. Such an energy density using amorphous polymer is on par with industry-standard semi-crystalline biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP), and as such a notable development in the field. This work develops a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms of E BD enhancement in L-BCP films, due to combination of interface formation and spatial isolation of the chain ends into segregated zones. We further confirm the role of chain ends in the breakdown process blending a low M n L-BCP with matched M n homopolymers to attain same layer spacing as neat L-BCP of higher M n . E BD shows a significant decrease at low homopolymer fractions due to increased net chain end density within swollen ordered L-BCP domains in wet-brush regime, followed by increased E BD due to layer thickness increase via segregated “interphase layer” formation by excess homopolymers. Notably, E BD of homopolymer swollen L-BCPs is always lower than neat L-BCP of the same domain spacing, due to overall adverse chain ends contribution from homopolymers. These findings provide important selection rules for L-BCPs for designing next-generation flexible electronics with high energy density solid-state BCP film capacitors.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗