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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

In-situ observation of trapped carriers in organic metal halide perovskite films with ultra-fast temporal and ultra-high energetic resolutions

Abstract We in-situ observe the ultrafast dynamics of trapped carriers in organic methyl ammonium lead halide perovskite thin films by ultrafast photocurrent spectroscopy with a sub-25 picosecond time resolution. Upon ultrafast laser excitation, trapped carriers follow a phonon assisted tunneling mechanism and a hopping transport mechanism along ultra-shallow to shallow trap states ranging from 1.72–11.51 millielectronvolts and is demonstrated by time-dependent and independent activation energies. Using temperature as an energetic ruler, we map trap states with ultra-high energy resolution down to < 0.01 millielectronvolt. In addition to carrier mobility of ~4 cm 2 V −1 s −1 and lifetime of ~1 nanosecond, we validate the above transport mechanisms by highlighting trap state dynamics, including trapping rates, de-trapping rates and trap properties, such as trap density, trap levels, and capture-cross sections. In this work we establish a foundation for trap dynamics in high defect-tolerant perovskites with ultra-fast temporal and ultra-high energetic resolution.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Growth of ultra-flat ultra-thin alkali antimonide photocathode films

Ultra-flat, ultra-thin alkali antimonide photocathodes with high crystallinity can exhibit high quantum efficiency and low mean transverse energy of outgoing electrons, which are essential requirements for a variety of applications for photocathode materials. Here, we investigate the growth of Cs 3 Sb on graphene-coated 4H–SiC (Gr/4H–SiC), 3C–SiC, and Si 3 N 4 substrates. Sb is deposited using pulsed laser deposition, while Cs is deposited thermally and simultaneously. We demonstrate, employing x-ray analysis and quantum efficiency measurements, that this growth method yields atomically smooth Cs 3 Sb photocathodes with a high quantum efficiency (>10%), even in the ultra-thin limit (<30 nm). For the Si 3 N 4 substrate, film growth is shown to be polycrystalline, while films grown on Gr/4H–SiC show a high degree of ordering with signs of epitaxy.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Workshop on Ultra-Precision Control for Ultra-Efficient Devices (Workshop Report)

On April 21–23, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO) within the office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) held the second in a series of workshops on different topics related to semiconductor research and development (R&D) to increase energy efficiency. This workshop focused on ultra-energy-efficient devices and the ultra-precision manufacturing (UPM) processes and next-generation control and metrology technologies needed to manufacture these devices. In addition to the industry needs and RDD&D opportunities, AMO’s new goal on greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction was addressed. The output of this workshop will inform AMO’s future R&D portfolio investments; provide perspectives on trends, drivers, and challenges for ultra-energy-efficient devices and enabling technologies; and help the stakeholder community understand the opportunities on the horizon.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Integrated Silicon Fourier Transform Spectrometer with Broad Bandwidth and Ultra‐High Resolution

An ultra-high resolution Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) realized in silicon photonic platform that can operate with broad band, narrow band as well as a combination of broad band and narrow band signals is reported. The ultra-high resolution of the spectrometer is achieved by exploiting multiple techniques: a Michelson interferometer (MI) structure to increase the optical path delay (OPD), a hybrid waveguide design to reduce insertion loss, an optimized heater and air trenches to achieve higher thermal efficiency. Here, to further increase the OPD of the spectrometer to increase its resolution, a novel multiple interferometers approach is employed which combines balanced MI with N statically imbalanced MIs, thereby increasing the OPD of a single MI by factor of N + 1. An FTS spectrometer consisting of N = 2 such MIs is fabricated and experimentally characterized using unknown broad bandwidth input signal spectra of about 180 nm centered around 1550 nm, a narrow line laser input signal, and a combination of broad and narrow band signals demonstrating spectral resolution of about 0.16 nm.

Li, Ang↗

In-situ synchrotron X-ray micro-diffraction investigation of ultra-low-strain deformation microstructure in laminated Ti-Al composites

An ultra-low-strain deformation microstructure was revealed for the first time non-destructively in the bulk interior of an annealed laminated Ti-Al composite-in the "fully recrystallized" Al layer-by a synchrotron-based micro-diffraction technique, namely differential aperture X-ray microscopy (DAXM), through real space mapping with a very high angular resolution (0.01 degrees). This ultra-low-strain deformation microstructure was found to result from the thermal stress, induced during cooling after annealing, due to the different coefficients of thermal expansion for the Ti and Al layers. The annealed sample was further tensile deformed to a strain of 1.66% and followed by in situ DAXM and analyzed by various misorientation mapping methods. The results pointed to the important effects of the initial microstructure and the interface constraint, as well as the grain size and crystal orientation, on the plastic deformation. A gradient in dislocation density from the layer interface to the center was found in the Al layer of the annealed sample, and this gradient increased slightly during tensile deformation. The variation of the dislocation density was further discussed based on the activation and interaction of dislocations in grains of different sizes and orientations during plastic deformation. The findings of this study provided valuable insights in understanding the constraint effect of the laminated metal composite and the design of novel composite materials. (c) 2020 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Crystallographic orientation↗

Two distinctive regimes in the charge transport of a magnetic topological ultra thin film

Abstract The effect of the magnetic impurities on the charge transport in a magnetic topological ultra-thin film (MTF) is analytically investigated by applying the semi-classical Boltzmann framework through a modified relaxation-time approximation. Our results for the relaxation time of electrons as well as the charge conductivity of the system exhibit two distinct regimes of transport. We show that the generated charge current in a MTF is always dissipative and anisotropic when both conduction bands are involved in the charge transport. The magnetic impurities induce a chirality selection rule for the transitions of electrons which can be altered by changing the orientation of the magnetic impurities. On the other hand, when a single conduction band participates in the charge transport, the resistivity is isotropic and can be entirely suppressed due to the corresponding chirality selection rule. Our findings propose a method to determine an onset thickness at which a crossover from a three-dimensional magnetic topological insulator to a (two-dimensional) MTF occurs.

Sabzalipour, Amir (ORCID:0000000195830880)↗

Ultra-high energy density relativistic plasmas from nanostructures: scaling to ultra-high intensities (Final Report)

This project investigated the ultra-high energy density (UHED) regime of matter found in the center of stars, using a compact PW-class laser. These extreme conditions are typically only obtained in the laboratory in the central hot-spot of spherically imploded capsules in inertial confinement fusion experiments driven by the world’s largest lasers. We have shown that near-solid density arrays of aligned nanostructures can be volumetrically heated to multi-keV temperatures by irradiation at relativistic intensity with ultrafast laser pulses of modest energy, opening a path for the generation of UHED plasmas with compact lasers. This new UHED plasma generation approach promises to create an environment with extreme energy densities and degrees of ionization, record conversion of optical laser light into ultrafast x-ray pulses, gigantic magnetic fields and pressures, and directed beams of high energy particles . In this project we achieved record degree of ionization in volumetric heating solid density and near-solid density plasmas. Gold plasmas which spectra is characterized by L shell transition emission from ions with charge up to the Ne-like state, Au+ 72 were generated using ultrafast laser pulses of less than 10 J of energy from a compact laser focused to an intensity of ~ 3x10 21 Wcm -2 . We also conducted measurements to determine the heat penetration depth in Ni nanowire arrays as compared to Ni foil targets by monitoring the line emission of a Co buried tracer underneath a variable amount of Ni. The measurements revealed that the nanowire plasmas are roughly six times larger in depth than the solid density target plasmas. A result of this increased plasma in nanowire arrays is a greatly increased conversion of optical laser light into > 1 KeV x-rays, a record conversion efficiency of 20 %. Critical to the realization of the proposed experiments was the generation of ultrafast laser pulses with ultra-high contrast that can deposit the energy deep into the nanowire arrays before the nanowires explode to create a continuous plasma. Supporting the proposed experiments was the recent demonstration at Colorado State University of a Petawatt-class laser that emits 30 fs pulses at high repetition rates. The experiments combined this unique laser tool with a variety of tailored nanowire arrays fabricated in house and with an extensive suite of diagnostics. The experiments were accompanied by 3-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations and detailed atomic physics simulations with transient kinetics and radiation transport. The proposed research allowed us to continue training Ph.D students and post-docs with broad experience in HEDP Science.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗