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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
NASA NTRS1993

MeV ion-beam analysis of optical data storage films

Our objectives are threefold: (1) to accurately characterize optical data storage films by MeV ion-beam analysis (IBA) for ODSC collaborators; (2) to develop new and/or improved analysis techniques; and (3) to expand the capabilities of the IBA facility itself. Using H-1(+), He-4(+), and N-15(++) ion beams in the 1.5 MeV to 10 MeV energy range from a 5.5 MV Van de Graaff accelerator, film thickness (in atoms/sq cm), stoichiometry, impurity concentration profiles, and crystalline structure were determined by Rutherford backscattering (RBS), high-energy backscattering, channeling, nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) and proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE). Most of these techniques are discussed in detail in the ODSC Annual Report (February 17, 1987), p. 74. The PIXE technique is briefly discussed in the ODSC Annual Report (March 15, 1991), p. 23.

Leavitt, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Micrometeoroid Impacts on the Hubble Sace Telescope Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2: Ion Beam Analysis of Subtle Impactor Traces

Recognition of origin for particles responsible for impact damage on spacecraft such as the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) relies upon postflight analysis of returned materials. A unique opportunity arose in 2009 with collection of the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) from HST by shuttle mission STS-125. A preliminary optical survey confirmed that there were hundreds of impact features on the radiator surface. Following extensive discussion between NASA, ESA, NHM and IBC, a collaborative research program was initiated, employing scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and ion beam analysis (IBA) to determine the nature of the impacting grains. Even though some WFPC2 impact features are large, and easily seen without the use of a microscope, impactor remnants may be hard to find.

Grime, G. W.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Ion-beam analysis of meteoritic and lunar samples

Charged particle-induced nuclear reactions were used in the following problems: the determination of elemental abundances of boron and fluorine in carbonaceous chondritic meteorites; the identification of products of lunar vulcanism; and the study of solar wind-implanted atoms in lunar materials. The technique was seen as an important supplement to other methods of elemental and isotopic analysis. This was especially true for cases involving light elements at very low concentrations or where high resolution depth distribution information was needed in non-destructive analysis.

Tombrello, T. A.↗
NASA NTRS1996

An Exercise in Ion Beam Analysis

Scattering phenomena are taught in introductory physics classes, and concepts such as conservation of energy and momentum are used at all levels of physics. However, applications of scattering are often not included as part of an education. Rutherford scattering, a topic of any modern physics course, is now used as a tool for materials science applications. In the absence of lab equipment for students to perform such experiments, an exercise in the analysis of scattering data may accent the useful concepts given in lectures. The objective of this exercise is to analyze data from Rutherford backscattering experiments in order to determine elemental composition.

Kern, Kristen T.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Sampling and Analysis of Impact Crater Residues Found on the Wide Field Planetary Camera-2 Radiator

After nearly 16 years in low Earth orbit (LEO), the Wide Field Planetary Camera-2 (WFPC2) was recovered from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in May 2009, during the 12 day shuttle mission designated STS-125. The WFPC-2 radiator had been struck by approximately 700 impactors producing crater features 300 microns and larger in size. Following optical inspection in 2009, agreement was reached for joint NASA-ESA study of crater residues, in 2011. Over 480 impact features were extracted at NASA Johnson Space Center's (JSC) Space Exposed Hardware clean-room and curation facility during 2012, and were shared between NASA and ESA. We describe analyses conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) - energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX): by NASA at JSC's Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) Division; and for ESA at the Natural History Museum (NHM), with Ion beam analysis (IBA) using a scanned proton microbeam at the University of Surrey Ion Beam Centre (IBC).

Kearsley, A. T.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Nuclear Microprobe using Elastic Recoil Detection (ERD) for Hydrogen Profiling in High Temperature Protonic Conductors

The interaction between hydrogen and various high temperature protonic conductors (HTPC) has not been clearly understood due to poor densification and unreacted secondary phases. the melt-processing technique is used in producing fully dense simple SrCe(0.9)Y (0.10) O(3-delta) and complex Sr3Ca(1+x)Nb(2+x)O(9-delta) perovskites that can not be achieved by solid-state sintering. the possibilities of ion beam analysis have been investigated to quantify hydrogen distribution in HTPC perovskites subjected to water heat treatment. Nuclear microprobe technique is based on the interactions of a focused ion beam of MeV light ions (H-1, H-2, He-3, He-4,.) with the sample to be analyzed to determine local elemental concentrations at the cubic micrometer scale, the elastic recoil detection analysis technique (ERDA) has been carried out using He-4(+) microbeams and detecting the resulting recoil protons. Mappings of longitudinal sections of water treated SrCeO3 and Sr(Ca(1/3)Nb(2/3))O3 perovskites have been achieved, the water treatment strongly alters the surface of simple SrCe(0.9)Y(0.10)O(3-delta) perovskite. From Rutherford Back Scattering measurements (RBS), both Ce depletion and surface re-deposition is evidenced. the ERDA investigations on water treated Sr3Ca(1+x)Nb(2+x)O(9-delta) perovskite did not exhibit any spatial difference for the hydrogen incorporation from the surface to the centre. the amount of hydrogen incorporation for Sr3Ca(1+x)Nb(2+x)O(9-delta) was low and required further development of two less conventional techniques, ERDA in forward geometry and forward elastic diffusion H-1(p,p) H-1 with coincidence detection.

Berger, Pascal↗
NASA NTRS2013

Sampling and Analysis of Impact Crater Residues found on the Wide Field Planetary Camera-2 Radiator

After nearly 16 years on orbit, the Wide Field Planetary Camera-2 (WFPC-2) was recovered from the Hubble Space Telescope in May 2009 during the 12 day shuttle mission designated STS-125. During that exposure to the low Earth orbit environment, the WFPC-2 radiator was struck by approximately 700 impactors producing crater features 300 micrometers and larger in size. Following an optical inspection of these features in 2009, an agreement was reached for the joint NASA-ESA examination and characterization of crater residues, the remnants of the projectile, in 2011. Active examination began in 2012, with 486 of the impact features being cored at NASA Johnson Space Center fs (JSC) Space Exposed Hardware cleanroom and curation facility. The core samples were subsequently divided between NASA and ESA. NASA's analysis was conducted at JSC fs Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) Division, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/ energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS) methods, and ESA's analysis was conducted at the Natural History Museum (NHM) again using SEM/EDS, and at the University of Surrey Ion Beam Centre (IBC) using ion beam analysis (IBA) with a scanned proton microbeam. As detailed discussion of the joint findings remains premature at this point, this paper reports on the coring technique developed; the practical taxonomy developed to classify residues as belonging either to anthropogenic "orbital debris" or micrometeoroids; and the protocols for examination of crater residues. Challenges addressed in coring were the relative thickness of the surface to be cut, protection of the impact feature from contamination while coring, and the need to preserve the cleanroom environment so as to preclude or minimize cross-contamination. Classification criteria are summarized, including the assessment of surface contamination and surface cleaning. Finally, we discuss the analytical techniques used to examine the crater residues. We employed EDS from either electron excitation (SEM-EDS) and, in a minority of cases for cores assessed as "difficult" targets, proton excitation (IBA). All samples were documented by electron imagery: backscattered electron imagery in the SEM, and where appropriate, secondary electron imagery during IBA.

Kearsley, A. T.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Direct Analysis of Early Solar System Aqueous Fluids

We lack fundamental information on early solar system aqueous fluids. Fluid inclusions are present in carbonates, sulfides and halides in astro materials, whose characterization is finally becoming feasible. The ordinary chondrite regolith breccias Monahans 1998 (H5) and Zag (H3-6)contain fluid inclusion-bearing halite (NaCl) crystals dated at~4.5 billion years old. Freezing studies to measure the eutectic temperature demonstrated that the brines likely contain divalent cations(Ca, Mg, Fe). Halite is effective at preservation (at least 250 MY) of organic phases and structures. Thus, compositional data on fluid inclusions in halite will reveal unique information on the origin and activity of aqueous fluids in the early solar system, and interactions with organics. To measure fluid compositions from individual fluid inclusions we performed TOF-SIMS depth profiling a tultra-high vacuum at ~110 Kusing a 30 kVBi+analysis ion beam and a1 kVO2+sputtering ion beam. Halite fluid inclusion FI1 contains H2O, K,Na,Cl and NaCl•2H2O.FI2 contains H2O, K, Na, Cl, Al, Fe,Ca,NaCl•2H2O and C-N-O-H species originating from organic molecules. Mass overlap with NaOH species prevented definitive identification of Cain FI1.

M. E Zolensky↗
NASA NTRS2004

Focused Ion Beam Recovery and Analysis of Interplanetary Dust Particles (IDPs) and Stardust Analogues

Meteoritics research is a major beneficiary of recent developments in analytical instrumentation [1,2]. Integrated studies in which multiple analytical techniques are applied to the same specimen are providing new insight about the nature of IDPs [1]. Such studies are dependent on the ability to prepare specimens that can be analyzed in multiple instruments. Focused ion beam (FIB) microscopy has revolutionized specimen preparation in materials science [3]. Although FIB has successfully been used for a few IDP and meteorite studies [1,4-6], it has yet to be widely utilized in meteoritics. We are using FIB for integrated TEM/NanoSIMS/synchrotron infrared (IR) studies [1].

Graham, G. A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Statistical analysis of upflowing ion beam and conic distributions at DE 1 altitudes

Upflowing ion (UFI), beam, conic, and hybrid pitch angle distribution data obtained in the 8000-23,000-km altitude range by the energetic ion composition spectrometer of the DE 1 satellite during September 1981-June 1986 have been statistically analyzed. It is found that the source and transport mechanisms largely confine UFI to auroral field lines; no obvious one-to-one relationship is found between current direction and UFI source characteristics. O(+) is more efficiently accelerated than H(+) at the higher K(p) values.

Kondo, T.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Non-mass-analyzed ion implantation from a solid phosphorus source

A phosphorus ion beam, extracted from a Freeman ion source charged with elemental phosphorus, has been investigated for use in solar cell fabrication. Mass spectroscopy of the beam indicates the absence of both minority-carrier lifetime degrading impurities and hydrogen. The ion beam, without mass analysis, was used for ion implantation of solar cells, and performance for all cells was found to be equivalent to mass-analyzed controls.

Spitzer, M. B.↗
NASA NTRS2021

Sputtering of Surfaces by Ion Irradiation: A Comparison of Molecular Dynamics and Binary Collision Approximation Models to Laboratory Measurements

We compare various sputtering simulation methods to experimental results in both the low energy (<1 keV) and high energy (≥1 keV) impact regimes for argon ions impacting a pure copper substrate at normal incidence. Our results indicate that for high energy impacts, both binary collision approximation (BCA) and molecular dynamics methods can be used to generate reasonable predictions for the yield and energy distribution of the sputtered atoms. We also find reasonable agreement between the theoretical and experimental results down to impact energies of 600 eV. However, at 200 eV impact energies, significant discrepancies appear between the experimental and theoretical ejecta energy distributions in the peak position, the width of the energy distribution, and the magnitude of the high energy tail. These discrepancies appear to arise from the experimental results being only for atoms sputtered normal to the substrate surface, whereas the theoretical results are integrated over all 2π solid angles above the surface. Using the BCA code SDTrimSP and limiting the results to only atoms emitted within ±15° of the surface normal brings theory and experiment into reasonable agreement. These results suggest that for low energy impacts, the energy distribution of sputtered atoms is highly dependent on the emission angle of the ejecta.

Solar wind↗
NASA NTRS1973

Electrostatic Propulsion Beam Divergence Effects on Spacecraft Surfaces. Volume 2, Addendum 1: Ion Time-of-flight Determinations of Doubly to Singly Ionized Mercury Ion Ratios from a Mercury Electron Bombardment Discharge

The analysis of ion exhaust beam current flow for multiply charged ion species and the application to propellant utilization for the thruster are discussed. The ion engine in use in the experiments is a twenty centimeter diameter electromagnet electron bombardment engine. The experimental technique to determine the multiply charged ion abundance ratios using ion time of flight is described. An analytical treatment of the discharge action in producing various ion species has been carried out.

Sellen, J. M., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV: Interplanetary Dust and Aerogel

Contents include the following: Isotopically Primitive Interplanetary Dust Particles of Cometary Origin: Evidence from Nitrogen Isotopic Compositions. The Solar Nebula s First Accretionary Particles (FAPs) Are They Preserved in Collected Interplanetary Dust Samples? On the Origin of GEMS. An Analytical SuperSTEM for Extraterrestrial Materials Research. Sub-Micrometer Scale Minor Element Mapping in Interplanetary Dust Particles: A Test for Stratospheric Contamination. First Report of Taenite in an Asteroidal Interplanetary Dust Particle: Flash-heating Simulates Nebular Dust Evolution. FTIR Analyses of IDPs: Comparison with the InfraRed Spectra of the Interstellar Medium. Mineralogical Study of Hydrated IDPs: X-Ray Diffraction and Transmission Electron Microscopy. Focused Ion Beam Recovery and Analysis of Interplanetary Dust Particles (IDPs) and Stardust Analogues. Technique for Concentration of Carbonaceous Material from Aerogel Collectors Using HF-Vapor Etching. Synchrotron X-Ray Analysis of Captured Particle Residue in Aerogel. In-Situ Analyses of Earth Orbital Grains Trapped in Aerogel, Using Synchrotron X-Ray Microfluorescence Techniques. Igneous Rims on Micrometeorites and the Sizes of Chondrules in Main Belt Asteroids.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2012

Characterization of 4H <000-1> Silicon Carbide Films Grown by Solvent-Laser Heated Floating Zone

Commercially available bulk silicon carbide (SiC) has a high number (>2000/sq cm) of screw dislocations (SD) that have been linked to degradation of high-field power device electrical performance properties. Researchers at the NASA Glenn Research Center have proposed a method to mass-produce significantly higher quality bulk SiC. In order for this bulk growth method to become reality, growth of long single crystal SiC fibers must first be achieved. Therefore, a new growth method, Solvent-Laser Heated Floating Zone (Solvent-LHFZ), has been implemented. While some of the initial Solvent-LHFZ results have recently been reported, this paper focuses on further characterization of grown crystals and their growth fronts. To this end, secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) depth profiles, cross section analysis by focused ion beam (FIB) milling and mechanical polishing, and orientation and structural characterization by x-ray transmission Laue diffraction patterns and x-ray topography were used. Results paint a picture of a chaotic growth front, with Fe incorporation dependant on C concentration.

Woodworth, Andrew, A↗
NASA NTRS1985

Beam-driven ion cyclotron harmonic resonances in the terrestrial foreshock

A terrestrial upstream wave event which demonstrates multiple, ion cyclotron harmonic resonances between the interplanetary wave population and an observed proton beam is analyzed. The techniques and parameters employed in the data analysis are discussed, including the use of differential and band-pass filters. An upstream wave event demonstrating multiple harmonic waves is examined, and the instability analysis relevant to the ion beam observations thought to be responsible for that event is discussed. It is shown that an observed bi-Maxwellian ion beam is capable of generating right and left-hand polarized waves through ion cyclotron harmonic resonance.

Smith, C. W.↗