ALBERT

Description: An aerodynamic levitator with carbon dioxide laser beam heating was integrated with a hermetically sealed controlled atmosphere chamber and sample handling mechanism. The system enabled containment of radioactive samples and control of the process atmosphere chemistry. The chamber was typically operated at a pressure of approximately 0.9 bars to ensure containment of the materials being processed. Samples 2.5-3 mm in diameter were levitated in flowing gas to achieve containerless conditions. Levitated samples were heated to temperatures of up to 3500 °C with a partially focused carbon dioxide laser beam. Sample temperature was measured using an optical pyrometer. The sample environment was integrated with a high energy (100 keV) x-ray synchrotron beamline to enable in situ structure measurements to be made on levitated samples as they were heated, melted, and supercooled. The system was controlled from outside the x-ray beamline hutch by using a LabVIEW program. Measurements have been made on hot solid and molten uranium dioxide and binary uranium dioxide-zirconium dioxide compositions.

Description: We have developed an optical Absolute Distance Meter (ADM) based on the measurement of the phase accumulated by a Radio Frequency wave during its propagation in the air by a laser beam. In this article, the ADM principle will be described and the main results will be presented. In particular, we will emphasize how the choice of an appropriate photodetector can significantly improve the telemeter performances by minimizing the amplitude to phase conversion. Our prototype, tested in the field, has proven its efficiency with a resolution better than 15 μm for a measurement time of 10 ms and distances up to 1.2 km.

Description: The InfraRed Video Bolometer (IRVB) is a powerful tool to measure radiated power in magnetically confined plasmas due to its ability to obtain 2D images of plasma emission using a technique that is compatible with the fusion nuclear environment. A prototype IRVB has been developed and installed on NSTX-U to view the lower divertor. The IRVB is a pinhole camera which images radiation from the plasma onto a 2.5 μ m thick, 9 × 7 cm 2 Pt foil and monitors the resulting spatio-temporal temperature evolution using an IR camera. The power flux incident on the foil is calculated by solving the 2D+time heat diffusion equation, using the foil’s calibrated thermal properties. An optimized, high frame rate IRVB, is quantitatively compared to results from a resistive bolometer on the bench using a modulated 405 nm laser beam with variable power density and square wave modulation from 0.2 Hz to 250 Hz. The design of the NSTX-U system and benchtop characterization are presented where signal-to-noise ratios are assessed using three different IR cameras: FLIR A655sc, FLIR A6751sc, and SBF-161. The sensitivity of the IRVB equipped with the SBF-161 camera is found to be high enough to measure radiation features in the NSTX-U lower divertor as estimated using SOLPS modeling. The optimized IRVB has a frame rate up to 50 Hz, high enough to distinguish radiation during edge-localized-modes (ELMs) from that between ELMs.

Description: We have investigated the thickness-dependent transport properties of La 1/3 Sr 2/3 FeO 3 thin films grown on SrTiO 3 (001) and (111) substrates. At a thickness of ∼40 nm, both films show a clear transition in resistivity associated with the characteristic charge disproportionation at approximately 190 K. The transition temperature of the charge disproportionation is nearly unchanged with decreasing film thickness down to a certain thickness of ∼13 nm for both orientations, while the change in resistivity gradually decreases. Below this thickness, the transition becomes unclear, strongly suggesting the suppression of the charge disproportionation at the critical thickness of ∼13 nm. Furthermore, there is no significant difference in the thickness dependence of La 1/3 Sr 2/3 FeO 3 thin films between the (001) and (111) orientations. The negligible crystallographic-orientation dependence may reflect the isotropic nature for the domain of charge disproportionation states in La 1/3 Sr 2/3 FeO 3 .

Description: Titanium oxide (TiO x ) has attracted a lot of attention as an active material for resistive random access memory (RRAM), due to its versatility and variety of possible crystal phases. Although existing RRAM materials have demonstrated impressive characteristics, like ultra-fast switching and high cycling endurance, this technology still encounters challenges like low yields, large variability of switching characteristics, and ultimately device failure. Electroforming has been often considered responsible for introducing irreversible damage to devices, with high switching voltages contributing to device degradation. In this paper, we have employed Al doping for tuning the resistive switching characteristics of titanium oxide RRAM. The resistive switching threshold voltages of undoped and Al-doped TiO x thin films were first assessed by conductive atomic force microscopy. The thin films were then transferred in RRAM devices and tested with voltage pulse sweeping, demonstrating that the Al-doped devices could on average form at lower potentials compared to the undoped ones and could support both analog and binary switching at potentials as low as 0.9 V. This work demonstrates a potential pathway for implementing low-power RRAM systems.

Description: In this work, electron induced modifications on the bulk etch rate, structural and optical parameters of CR-39 polymer were studied using gravimetric, FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) and UV–vis (Ultraviolet–Visible) techniques, respectively. CR-39 samples were irradiated with 10 MeV electron beam for different durations to have the absorbed doses of 1, 10, 550, 5500, 16 500, and 55 000 kGy. From the FTIR analysis, the peak intensities at different bands were found to be changing with electron dose. A few peaks were observed to shift at high electron doses. From the UV-vis analysis, the optical band gaps for both direct and indirect transitions were found to be decreasing with the increase in electron dose whereas the opacity, number of carbon atoms in conjugation length, and the number of carbon atoms per cluster were found to be increasing. The bulk etch rate was observed to be increasing with the electron dose. The primary objective of this investigation was to study the response of CR-39 to high electron doses and to determine a suitable pre-irradiation condition. The results indicated that, the CR-39 pre-irradiated with electrons can have better sensitivity and thus can be potentially applied for neutron dosimetry.

Description: Low temperature thermal to electrical energy converters have the potential to provide a route for recovering waste energy. In this paper, we propose a new configuration of a thermal harvester that uses a naturally driven thermal oscillator free of mechanical motion and operates between a hot heat source and a cold heat sink. The system exploits a heat induced liquid-vapour transition of a working fluid as a primary driver for a pyroelectric generator. The two-phase instability of a fluid in a closed looped capillary channel of an oscillating heat pipe (OHP) creates pressure differences which lead to local high frequency temperature oscillations in the range of 0.1–5 K. Such temperature changes are suitable for pyroelectric thermal to electrical energy conversion, where the pyroelectric generator is attached to the adiabatic wall of the OHP, thereby absorbing thermal energy from the passing fluid. This new pyroelectric-oscillating heat pipe (POHP) assembly of a low temperature generator continuously operates across a spatial heat source temperature of 55 °C and a heat sink temperature of 25 °C, and enables waste heat recovery and thermal energy harvesting from small temperature gradients at low temperatures. Our electrical measurements with lead zirconate titanate (PZT) show an open circuit voltage of 0.4 V (AC) and with lead magnesium niobate–lead titanate (PMN-PT) an open circuit voltage of 0.8 V (AC) at a frequency of 0.45 Hz, with an energy density of 95 pJ cm −3 for PMN-PT. Our novel POHP device therefore has the capability to convert small quantities of thermal energy into more desirable electricity in the nW to mW range and provides an alternative to currently used batteries or centralised energy generation.

Description: Electrode materials selection guidelines for oxide-based memory devices are constructed from the combined knowledge of observed device operation characteristics, ab-initio calculations, and nano-material characterization. It is demonstrated that changing the top electrode material from Ge to Cr to Ta in the Ta 2 O 5 -based memory devices resulted in a reduction of the operation voltages and current. Energy Dispersed X-ray (EDX) Spectrometer analysis clearly shows that the different top electrode materials scavenge oxygen ions from the Ta 2 O 5 memory layer at various degrees, leading to different oxygen vacancy concentrations within the Ta 2 O 5 , thus the observed trends in the device performance. Replacing the Pt bottom electrode material with CMOS compatible materials (Ru and Ir) further reduces the power consumption and can be attributed to the modification of the Schottky barrier height and oxygen vacancy concentration at the electrode/oxide interface. Both trends in the device performance and EDX results are corroborated by the ab-initio calculations which reveal that the electrode material tunes the oxygen vacancy concentration via the oxygen chemical potential and defect formation energy. This experimental-theoretical approach strongly suggests that the proper selection of CMOS compatible electrode materials will create the critical oxygen vacancy concentration to attain low power memory performance.

Description: Thus far, despite many investigations have been carried out for photo-triggered drug delivery systems, most of them suffer from an intrinsic drawback of without real-time monitoring mechanism. Incident intensity of light is a feasible parameter to monitor the drug release profiles. However, it is difficult to measure the incident laser power irradiated onto the photo-triggered carriers in drug delivery systems during in vivo therapy. We design an online measurement method based on the fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) technique through upconversion nanoparticles. FIR value varies with temperature of sample due to the thermal effect induced by the incident laser, which validates the laser power measurement. Effects of rare earth doping concentration, as well as experimental conditions including laser spots and wavelengths on the measurement behavior were also investigated.

Description: Several candidate phenomenological expressions are studied for self-rippling energy that drives ripple formation of free single-layer graphene sheets. One phenomenological expression is admitted, while all others are rejected because they cannot admit stable periodic ripple mode. The admitted phenomenological expression contains two terms: one quadratic term which acts like a compressive force and has a destabilizing effect, and another fourth-order term which acts like a nonlinear elastic foundation and has a stabilizing effect. The two associated coefficients depend on specific mechanism of self-rippling and can be determined based on observed wavelength and amplitude of ripple mode. Based on the admitted expression, the effect of an applied force on ripple formation is studied. The present model predicts that the rippling can be controlled or even suppressed with an applied tensile force or collapsed into narrow wrinkles (of deformed wavelengths down to around 2 nm) under an applied compressive force, and the estimated minimum tensile strain to suppress rippling is in remarkable agreement with some known data. Our results show that self-rippling energy dominates ripple formation of sufficiently long free graphene ribbons, although it cannot drive self-rippling of sufficiently short free graphene ribbons. Consequently, a critical length is estimated so that self-rippling occurs only when the length of free single-layer graphene ribbons is much longer than the critical length. The estimated critical length is reasonably consistent with the known fact that self-rippling cannot occur in shorter free graphene sheets (say, of length below 20 nm).

Description: A single electron dynamic memory is designed based on the non-equilibrium dynamics of charge states in electrostatically defined metallic quantum dots. Using the orthodox theory for computing the transfer rates and a master equation, we model the dynamical response of devices consisting of a charge sensor coupled to either a single and or a double quantum dot subjected to a pulsed gate voltage. We show that transition rates between charge states in metallic quantum dots are characterized by an asymmetry that can be controlled by the gate voltage. This effect is more pronounced when the switching between charge states corresponds to a Markovian process involving electron transport through a chain of several quantum dots. By simulating the dynamics of electron transport we demonstrate that the quantum box operates as a finite-state machine that can be addressed by choosing suitable shapes and switching rates of the gate pulses. We further show that writing times in the ns range and retention memory times six orders of magnitude longer, in the ms range, can be achieved on the double quantum dot system using experimentally feasible parameters, thereby demonstrating that the device can operate as a dynamic single electron memory.

Description: Chemical vapor deposition methods were developed, using stoichiometric reactions of specialty Ge 3 H 8 and SnD 4 hydrides, to fabricate Ge 1- y Sn y photodiodes with very high Sn concentrations in the 12%–16% range. A unique aspect of this approach is the compatible reactivity of the compounds at ultra-low temperatures, allowing efficient control and systematic tuning of the alloy composition beyond the direct gap threshold. This crucial property allows the formation of thick supersaturated layers with device-quality material properties. Diodes with composition up to 14% Sn were initially produced on Ge-buffered Si(100) featuring previously optimized n -Ge/ i -Ge 1- y Sn y / p -Ge 1- z Sn z type structures with a single defected interface. The devices exhibited sizable electroluminescence and good rectifying behavior as evidenced by the low dark currents in the I-V measurements. The formation of working diodes with higher Sn content up to 16% Sn was implemented by using more advanced n -Ge 1- x Sn x / i -Ge 1- y Sn y / p -Ge 1- z Sn z architectures incorporating Ge 1- x Sn x intermediate layers ( x ∼ 12% Sn) that served to mitigate the lattice mismatch with the Ge platform. This yielded fully coherent diode interfaces devoid of strain relaxation defects. The electrical measurements in this case revealed a sharp increase in reverse-bias dark currents by almost two orders of magnitude, in spite of the comparable crystallinity of the active layers. This observation is attributed to the enhancement of band-to-band tunneling when all the diode layers consist of direct gap materials and thus has implications for the design of light emitting diodes and lasers operating at desirable mid-IR wavelengths. Possible ways to engineer these diode characteristics and improve carrier confinement involve the incorporation of new barrier materials, in particular, ternary Ge 1- x - y Si x Sn y alloys. The possibility of achieving type-I structures using binary and ternary alloy combinations is discussed in detail, taking into account the latest experimental and theoretical work on band offsets involving such materials.

Description: Temperature-dependent characteristics of GeSn light-emitting diodes with Sn composition up to 9.2% have been systematically studied. Such diodes were based on Ge/GeSn/Ge double heterostructures (DHS) that were grown directly on a Si substrate via a chemical vapor deposition system. Both photoluminescence and electroluminescence spectra have been characterized at temperatures from 300 to 77 K. Based on our theoretical calculation, all GeSn alloys in this study are indirect bandgap materials. However, due to the small energy separation between direct and indirect bandgap, and the fact that radiative recombination rate greater than non-radiative, the emissions are mainly from the direct Γ-valley to valence band transitions. The electroluminescence emissions under current injection levels from 102 to 357 A/cm 2 were investigated at 300 K. The monotonic increase of the integrated electroluminescence intensity was observed for each sample. Moreover, the electronic band structures of the DHS were discussed. Despite the indirect GeSn bandgap owing to the compressive strain, type-I band alignment was achieved with the barrier heights ranging from 11 to 47 meV.

Description: Due to their high strength and advantageous high-temperature properties, tungsten-based alloys are being considered as plasma-facing candidate materials in fusion devices. Under neutron irradiation, rhenium, which is produced by nuclear transmutation, has been found to precipitate in elongated precipitates forming thermodynamic intermetallic phases at concentrations well below the solubility limit. Recent measurements have shown that Re precipitation can lead to substantial hardening, which may have a detrimental effect on the fracture toughness of W alloys. This puzzle of sub-solubility precipitation points to the role played by irradiation induced defects, specifically mixed solute-W interstitials. Here, using first-principles calculations based on density functional theory, we study the energetics of mixed interstitial defects in W-Re, W-V, and W-Ti alloys, as well as the heat of mixing for each substitutional solute. We find that mixed interstitials in all systems are strongly attracted to each other with binding energies of −2.4 to − 3.2   eV and form interstitial pairs that are aligned along parallel first-neighbor 〈 111 〉 strings. Low barriers for defect translation and rotation enable defect agglomeration and alignment even at moderate temperatures. We propose that these elongated agglomerates of mixed-interstitials may act as precursors for the formation of needle-shaped intermetallic precipitates. This interstitial-based mechanism is not limited to radiation induced segregation and precipitation in W–Re alloys but is also applicable to other body-centered cubic alloys.

Description: The background to this work was a prototype shadow sensor, which was designed for retro-fitting to an advanced LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory) test-mass/mirror suspension, in which a 40 kg test-mass/mirror is suspended by four approximately 600 mm long by 0.4 mm diameter fused-silica suspension fibres. The shadow sensor comprised a LED source of Near InfraRed (NIR) radiation, and a “tall-thin” rectangular silicon photodiode detector, which together were to bracket the fibre under test. The photodiode was positioned so as to be sensitive (primarily) to transverse “Violin-Mode” vibrations of such a fibre, via the oscillatory movement of the shadow cast by the fibre, as this moved across the face of the detector. In this prototype shadow sensing system the photodiode was interfaced to a purpose-built transimpedance amplifier, this having both AC and DC outputs. A quasi-static calibration was made of the sensor’s DC responsivity, i.e., incremental rate of change of output voltage versus fibre position, by slowly scanning a fused-silica fibre sample transversely through the illuminating beam. The work reported here concerns the determination of the sensor’s more important AC (Violin-Mode) responsivity. Recognition of the correspondence between direct AC modulation of the source, and actual Violin-Mode signals, and of the transformative role of the AC / DC gain ratio for the amplifier, at any modulation frequency, f , resulted in the construction of the AC / DC calibration source described here. A method for determining in practice the transimpedance AC / DC gain ratio of the photodiode and amplifier, using this source, is illustrated by a specific numerical example, and the gain ratio for the prototype sensing system is reported over the frequency range 1 Hz–300 kHz. In fact, a maximum DC responsivity of 1.26 kV.m −1 was measured using the prototype photodiode sensor and amplifier discussed here. Therefore, the measured AC / DC transimpedance gain ratio of 922.5 for this sensor, at 500 Hz, translated into a maximum Violin-Mode ( AC ) responsivity of (1.16 ± 0.05) MV m −1 , at that frequency.

Description: A device is presented allowing for in situ investigation of chemically changing materials by means of X-ray imaging. A representative cork ablator sample, additionally instrumented with thermocouples, is encapsulated in an evacuated cell heating a sample surface with a heat flux of 230 kW/m 2 . The images show the sample surface and the in-depth progression of the char front dividing the char layer from the virgin material. Correlating the images to thermocouple data allows for the deduction of a reaction temperature. For the representative cork ablator investigated at the present conditions, the progression rate of the pyrolysis layer is determined to 0.0285 mm/s and pyrolysis temperature is 770 or 737 K, depending on the pre-existing conditions. It is found that the novel device is ideally suited for volume process imaging.

Description: In this communication, a novel optical technique has been proposed for the reconstruction of the shape of a Taylor bubble using measurements from multiple arrays of optical sensors. The deviation of an optical beam passing through the bubble depends on the contour of bubble surface. A theoretical model of the deviation of a beam during the traverse of a Taylor bubble through it has been developed. Using this model and the time history of the deviation captured by the sensor array, the bubble shape has been reconstructed. The reconstruction has been performed using an inverse algorithm based on Bayesian inference technique and Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling algorithm. The reconstructed nose shape has been compared with the true shape, extracted through image processing of high speed images. Finally, an error analysis has been performed to pinpoint the sources of the errors.

Description: Based on vibrational spectroscopy, coherent Raman Scattering (CRS) microscopy allows label-free imaging of biological and chemical samples with endogenous image contrast. Two-color, synchronized picosecond pulses are typically used for high spectral resolution imaging, which in turn constitutes a dramatic laser source challenge for CRS microscopy. Recently, synchronized time-lens source, inspired from ultrafast optical signal processing, has emerged as a promising laser source solution and has found application in various modalities of CRS microscopy. Time-lens is based on space-time analogy, which uses a “lens” in the time domain to compress long optical pulses or even continuous waves to ultrashort pulses, mimicking a lens in the space domain. Phase and intensity modulators driven with electrical signals are used in the time-lens source for picosecond pulse generation. As a result, the time-lens source is highly versatile and naturally compatible with modulation capabilities. More importantly, if the electrical signals used to drive the time-lens source are derived from other laser sources, such as mode-locked lasers, then synchronization between them can be realized, underlying the physics of a synchronized time-lens source. In this paper, we review recent progress on the basic principle, design of the synchronized time-lens source, and its applications to CRS microscopy of both biological and chemical samples.

Description: In this paper, a new double micropipettes configuration mode of scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) is presented to better overcome ionic current drift and further improve the performance of SICM, which is based on a balance bridge circuit. The article verifies the feasibility of this new configuration mode from theoretical and experimental analyses, respectively, and compares the quality of scanning images in the conventional single micropipette configuration mode and the new double micropipettes configuration mode. The experimental results show that the double micropipettes configuration mode of SICM has better effect on restraining ionic current drift and better performance of imaging. Therefore, this article not only proposes a new direction of overcoming the ionic current drift but also develops a new method of SICM stable imaging.

Description: A new imaging algorithm is proposed to capture the kinematics of flexible, thin, light structures including frequencies and motion amplitudes for real time analysis. The studied case is a thin flexible beam that is preset at different angles of attack in a wind tunnel. As the angle of attack is increased beyond a critical value, the beam was observed to undergo a static deflection that is ensued by limit cycle oscillations. Imaging analysis of the beam vibrations shows that the motion consists of a superposition of the bending and torsion modes. The proposed algorithm was able to capture the oscillation amplitudes as well as the frequencies of both bending and torsion modes. The analysis results are validated through comparison with measurements from a piezoelectric sensor that is attached to the beam at its root.

Description: A thermal dissociation cavity attenuated phase shift spectroscopy (TD-CAPS) instrument was developed for measuring total peroxy nitrates (PNs) and organic nitrates (ONs) concentrations in the clean atmosphere. This instrument is easy to operate and can be applied to continuous measurement of PNs and ONs. A continuously measurable system is convenient to perform observations, especially in remote areas. Three lines (NO 2 , PNs, and ONs lines) were used for thermal dissociation. The NO 2 line contains a quartz tube that is not heated, while the PN and ON lines contain quartz tubes that are heated at 433 K and 633 K, respectively. The concentrations of NO 2 , NO 2 + PNs, and NO 2 + PNs + ONs can be obtained from the NO 2 , PN, and ON lines, respectively. The lower limit values of the detection limit (3σ) for PNs and ONs were estimated to be 21 parts per trillion by volume with an integration time of 2 min. PNs were selectively thermally decomposed in the PNs line and formed NO 2 quantitatively. In the ONs line, both PNs and ONs were thermally decomposed to produce NO 2 quantitatively, but partial decomposition of HNO 3 at 633 K interfered with the ONs measurement. Therefore, a HNO 3 scrubber is required before the ONs line. Continuous observations were conducted with the TD-CAPS instrument in a remote area, and the instrument performed well for obtaining PNs and ONs concentrations.

Description: A novel diamond anvil cell suitable for electrical transport measurements under high pressure has been developed. A boron-doped metallic diamond film was deposited as an electrode on a nano-polycrystalline diamond anvil using a microwave plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition technique combined with electron beam lithography. The maximum pressure that can be achieved by this assembly is above 30 GPa. We report electrical transport measurements of Pb up to 8 GPa. The boron-doped metallic diamond electrodes showed no signs of degradation after repeated compression.

Description: Optical birefringence imaging systems demonstrate a high potential for comprehensively investigating various phase transitions. To completely demonstrate such abilities, the temperature dependence of birefringence (Δ n ) was measured in Δ n ≃ 0 materials (i.e., cubic crystals with imperfect crystallization) via a background subtraction method. As a result, highly accurate birefringence imaging at 384 × 288 pixels was obtained using phase transition processes as well as varying temperatures visually characterized by the spatial distribution of not only the retardance level but also the optical fast-axis azimuth.

Description: A free space measurement method, which consists of two horn antennas, a network analyzer, two frequency extenders, and a sample holder, is used to measure transmission ( S 21 ) coefficients in 75-110 GHz (W-Band) frequency range. Singular spectrum analysis method is presented to eliminate the error and noise of raw S 21 data after calibration and measurement processes. The proposed model can be applied easily to remove the repeated calibration process for each sample measurement. Hence, smooth, reliable, and accurate data are obtained to determine the dielectric properties of materials. In addition, the dielectric constant of materials (paper, polyvinylchloride-PVC, Ultralam® 3850HT, and glass) is calculated by thin sheet approximation and Newton-Raphson extracting techniques using a filtered S 21 transmission parameter.

Description: An electron density diagnostic (≥10 10 cm −3 ) capable of high temporal (ms) and spatial (mm) resolution is currently under development at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The diagnostic is based on measuring the Stark broadened, Doppler-free spectral line profile of the n = 6–2 hydrogen Balmer series transition. The profile is then fit to a fully quantum mechanical model including the appropriate electric and magnetic field operators. The quasi-static approach used to calculate the Doppler-free spectral line profile is outlined here and the results from the model are presented for H-δ spectra for electron densities of 10 10 –10 13 cm −3 . The profile shows complex behavior due to the interaction between the magnetic substates of the atom.

Description: This paper presents the first design and experimental demonstration of an ultrahigh frequency complete phononic crystal (PnC) bandgap aluminum nitride (AlN)/air structure operating in the GHz range. A complete phononic bandgap of this design is used to efficiently and simultaneously confine elastic vibrations in a resonator. The PnC structure is fabricated by etching a square array of air holes in an AlN slab. The fabricated PnC resonator resonates at 1.117 GHz, which corresponds to an out-of-plane mode. The measured bandgap and resonance frequencies are in very good agreement with the eigen-frequency and frequency-domain finite element analyses. As a result, a quality factor/volume of 7.6 × 10 17 /m 3 for the confined resonance mode was obtained that is the largest value reported for this type of PnC resonator to date. These results are an important step forward in achieving possible applications of PnCs for RF communication and signal processing with smaller dimensions.

Description: In this work, titanium dioxide nanotubes were prepared by using titanium foils via electrochemical anodization in ethylene glycol solutions containing different amounts of water and fluoride in the ranges of 1%–3% and 0.15%–0.5%, respectively, to determine their effects on morphology, optical, and crystalline structure properties. Annealing processes were performed on all samples in the range between 273 and 723 K. Morphology and structure properties of the samples were studied by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy. Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanotubes, through anodization method, are strongly influenced by conditions, like fluoride concentration and applied voltages. Tube lengths between 2 and 7  μ m were obtained, exhibiting different diameters and wall thicknesses. When alternating voltage was applied, the outer surface of the nanotubes exhibited evenly spaced ring-shaped regions, while smooth tubes were observed when constant voltage was applied. Reflection peaks, corresponding to Brookite, Anatase, and Rutile, of TiO 2 phases, were observed from the XRD pattern. These phases were corroborated via μXRD measurements, and the Ti 3 O 5 phase was also observed in detail. Absorption coefficient (α), optical band gap (Eg), and extinction coefficient (ε) of TiO 2 nanotubes were calculated by transmittance spectra in the UV–Vis range. Strong absorption was noted in the UV region from reflectance and absorbance measurements. A correlation between synthesis parameters and physical properties is presented.

Description: C-2U is a high-confinement, advanced beam driven field-reversed configuration plasma experiment which sustains the configuration for 〉5 ms, in excess of typical MHD and fast particle instability times, as well as fast particle slowing down times. Fast particle dynamics are critical to C-2U performance and several diagnostics have been deployed to characterize the fast particle population, including neutron and proton detectors. To increase our understanding of fast particle behavior and supplement existing diagnostics, an E ∥ B neutral particle analyzer was installed, which simultaneously measures H 0 and D 0 flux with large dynamic range and high energy resolution. Here we report the commissioning of the E ∥ B analyzer, confirm the instrument has energy resolution Δ E / E ≲ 0 . 1 and a dynamic range E max / E min ∼ 30 , and present measurements of initial testing on C-2U.

Description: Compact pulsed power system based on compact Marx generator is widely used in terms of drive resistance and capacitive loads. This system usually adopts high performance components such as high energy density capacitors, compact switches, and integrated structure. Traditional compact Marx generator can only output double-exponential pulse profile. In this paper a compact, low-impedance Marx module which can output rectangular pulse profile is design and tested. This module has multiple circuits of different discharge frequencies in parallel to generate quasi-rectangular pulse. Discharge characteristic of an ideal module with infinite branches is calculated theoretically. A module with two branches has been designed and tested. Test results show that the impedance of the module is 1.2 Ω. When charging voltage is 100.6 kV and load resistance is 1 Ω, the peak output pulse is 45.2 kV voltage, the peak power is about 2 GW, the pulse width is about 130 ns, and the rise time is about 35 ns. The energy density and power density of the module are 15 kJ/m 3 and 140 GW/m 3 , respectively.

Description: An optical flux sensor, based on the fluorescence properties of materials and nanoparticles, has been developed to control the deposition rate in thin film deposition systems. Using a simple diode laser and a photomultiplier tube with a light filter, we report the detection of gallium atoms and CdSe-ZnS quantum dots. This setup has a high sensitivity and reproducibility.

Description: Similar to electromagnetism, described by the Maxwell equations, the physics of magnetoelectric (ME) phenomena deals with the fundamental problem of the relationship between electric and magnetic fields. Despite a formal resemblance between the two notions, they concern effects of different natures. In general, ME-coupling effects manifest in numerous macroscopic phenomena in solids with space and time symmetry breakings. Recently, it was shown that the near fields in the proximity of a small ferrite particle with magnetic-dipolar-mode (MDM) oscillations have the space and time symmetry breakings and the topological properties of these fields are different from the topological properties of the free-space electromagnetic fields. Such MDM-originated fields—called magnetoelectric (ME) fields—carry both spin and orbital angular momenta. They are characterized by power-flow vortices and non-zero helicity. In this paper, we report on observation of the topological ME effects in far-field microwave radiation based on a small microwave antenna with a MDM ferrite resonator. We show that the microwave far-field radiation can be manifested with a torsion structure where an angle between the electric and magnetic field vectors varies. We discuss the question on observation of the regions of localized ME energy in far-field microwave radiation.

Description: The epitaxial integration of functional oxides with wide band gap semiconductors offers the possibility of new material systems for electronics and energy conversion applications. We use first principles to consider an epitaxial interface between the correlated metal oxide SrRuO 3 and the wide band gap semiconductor TiO 2 , and assess energy level alignment, interfacial chemistry, and interfacial dipole formation. Due to the ferromagnetic, half-metallic character of SrRuO 3 , according to which only one spin is present at the Fermi level, we demonstrate the existence of a spin dependent band alignment across the interface. For two different terminations of SrRuO 3 , the interface is found to be rectifying with a Schottky barrier of ≈1.3–1.6 eV, in good agreement with experiment. In the minority spin, SrRuO 3 exhibits a Schottky barrier alignment with TiO 2 and our calculated Schottky barrier height is in excellent agreement with previous experimental measurements. For majority spin carriers, we find that SrRuO 3 recovers its exchange splitting gap and bulk-like properties within a few monolayers of the interface. These results demonstrate a possible approach to achieve spin-dependent transport across a heteroepitaxial interface between a functional oxide material and a conventional wide band gap semiconductor.

Description: The aim of this work is to analyze in more depth a model of particle deposition by characterizing different parameters such as profile density, bonds and perimeter, and substrate coverage, all being involved in the description of deposits as bulk. Thus, this study is an extension of a previous work on non-equilibrium interface-growth systems where two different interface-growth models, called Standard Adherence Rule Model and Potential Adherence Rule Model, were characterized. In this work, bulk characterization is implemented for the complete range of Peclet numbers. The zones of density profile (Near-Wall, Plateau, and Active-Growth) are studied by proposing an adjustment for each of them and determining the full-setting density profile depending on the Peclet number. The density profiles are compared with other one- and two-stage models. Furthermore, an algorithm is proposed to calculate the number of bonds of the particles and the perimeter that a substrate forms over time. Finally, to analyze the coating, its temporal behavior is adjusted to an exponential function by comparing the results with those found for Random Sequential Adsorption models which describe systems like colloidal particles on solid substrates, adsorption of proteins at mineral surfaces, or oxidation of one-dimensional polymer chains.

Description: The recently discovered hexagonal ABC -type hyperferroelectrics, in which the polarization persists in the presence of the depolarization filed, exhibit a variety of intriguing and potentially useful properties [Garrity et al ., Phys. Rev. Lett. 112 , 127601 (2014)]. For the existing prototype of LiBeSb, we present detailed first-principles calculations concerning the lattice dynamics, electronic structure, and optical properties. An unstable longitudinal optic mode in the high-symmetry structure and a large polarization of 0.5 C/m 2 in the polar phase are reported, including the remarkable dependence of Born effective charges on structural distortion. Using the HSE06 hybrid functional, we predict that LiBeSb has a small band-gap of 1.5 eV and shows dominant asymmetric covalent bonding character. Importantly, we find that there are remarkable absorptions in the whole visible spectrum. These features, combined with the enhanced carrier mobility, make LiBeSb as well as the whole family of hexagonal ABC -type hyperferroelectrics as promising candidates for ferroelectric photovoltaic materials with large bulk photovoltaic effect in the visible spectrum.

Description: We combine classical nucleation theory with superharmonic focusing to predict necessary pressures to induce nucleation in acoustic droplet vaporization. We show that linear acoustics is a valid approximation to leading order when particle displacements in the sound field are small relative to the radius of the droplet. This is done by perturbation analysis of an axisymmetric compressible inviscid flow about a droplet with small surface perturbations relative to the mean radius subjected to an incoming ultrasonic wave. The necessary nucleation pressure threshold inside the droplet is calculated to be −9.33 ± 0.30 MPa for typical experimental parameters by employing results from classical homogeneous nucleation theory . As a result, we are able to predict if a given incident pressure waveform will induce nucleation.

Description: Resonant dipolar relaxation in poly( ε -caprolactone) (PCL) is reported using thermally stimulated discharge current spectroscopy. PCL is a bio-medically known shape memory polymer having a well defined γ , β , α , and α ′ relaxations, respectively, centered around 125 K, 170 K, 220 K, and 270 K as seen by the measurements. By employing a new protocol variable poling temperature at constant freezing temperature, resonant dipolar relaxation in PCL could be induced, especially in the vicinity of α relaxation. Such a protocol is useful in de-convoluting the features in a more meaningful fashion. By an analysis of activation process, we could show a clear contrast enhancement of the dynamics of the participating dipoles by means of a minimum in the activation energies situated around the glass transition region. The relevant parameters of interest such as activation energies and relaxation times are estimated and discussed.

Description: We report the growth of thin films of the mixed valence compound YbAl 3 on MgO using molecular-beam epitaxy. Employing an aluminum buffer layer, epitaxial (001) films can be grown with sub-nm surface roughness. Using x-ray diffraction, in situ low-energy electron diffraction, and aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy, we establish that the films are ordered in the bulk as well as at the surface. Our films show a coherence temperature of 37 K, comparable to that reported for bulk single crystals. Photoelectron spectroscopy reveals contributions from both f 13 and f 12 final states establishing that YbAl 3 is a mixed valence compound and shows the presence of a Kondo Resonance peak near the Fermi-level.

Description: An improved method for characterizing the magnetic anisotropy of films with cubic symmetry is described and is applied to an yttrium iron garnet (111) film. Analysis of the ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) spectra performed both in-plane and out-of-plane from 0.7 to 8 GHz yielded the magnetic anisotropy constants as well as the saturation magnetization. The field at which FMR is observed turns out to be quite sensitive to anisotropy constants (by more than a factor ten) in the low frequency (

Description: Radiochromic films (RCF) are commonly used in dosimetry for a wide range of radiation sources (electrons, protons, and photons) for medical, industrial, and scientific applications. They are multi-layered, which includes plastic substrate layers and sensitive layers that incorporate a radiation-sensitive dye. Quantitative dose can be retrieved by digitizing the film, provided that a prior calibration exists. Here, to calibrate the newly developed EBT3 and HDv2 RCFs from Gafchromic™, we used the Stanford Medical LINAC to deposit in the films various doses of 10 MeV photons, and by scanning the films using three independent EPSON Precision 2450 scanners, three independent EPSON V750 scanners, and two independent EPSON 11000XL scanners. The films were scanned in separate RGB channels, as well as in black and white, and film orientation was varied. We found that the green channel of the RGB scan and the grayscale channel are in fact quite consistent over the different models of the scanner, although this comes at the cost of a reduction in sensitivity (by a factor ∼2.5 compared to the red channel). To allow any user to extend the absolute calibration reported here to any other scanner, we furthermore provide a calibration curve of the EPSON 2450 scanner based on absolutely calibrated, commercially available, optical density filters.

Description: The anode pulse of a photomultiplier tube (PMT) coupled with a scintillator is used for pulse shape discrimination (PSD) analysis. We have developed a novel emulation technique for the PMT anode pulse based on optical photon transport and a PMT response function. The photon transport was calculated using Geant4 Monte Carlo code and the response function with a BC408 organic scintillator. The obtained percentage RMS value of the difference between the measured and simulated pulse with suitable scintillation properties using GSO:Ce (0.4, 1.0, 1.5 mol%), LaBr 3 :Ce and BGO scintillators were 2.41%, 2.58%, 2.16%, 2.01%, and 3.32%, respectively. The proposed technique demonstrates high reproducibility of the measured pulse and can be applied to simulation studies of various radiation measurements.

Description: In this study, fullerene like carbon (FL-C) is introduced in hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) film by employing a direct current plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The film has a low friction and wear, such as 0.011 and 2.3 × 10 −9 mm 3 /N m in the N 2 , and 0.014 and 8.4 × 10 −8 mm 3 /N m in the humid air, and high hardness and elasticity (25.8 GPa and 83.1%), to make further engineering applications in practice. It has several nanometers ordered domains consisting of less frequently cross-linked graphitic sheet stacks. We provide new evidences for understanding the reported Raman fit model involving four vibrational frequencies from five, six, and seven C-atom rings of FL-C structures, and discuss the structure evolution before or after friction according to the change in the 1200 cm −1 Raman band intensity caused by five- and seven-carbon rings. Friction inevitably facilitates the transformation of carbon into FL-C nanostructures, namely, the ultra low friction comes from both such structures within the carbon film and the sliding induced at friction interface.

Description: It was shown that drilling of multi-layered target placed in the air by tightly focused femtosecond laser radiation with high fluence (up to 1000 J/cm 2 ) can be monitored online using plasma-induced X-ray emission and second harmonic of incident laser radiation. The technique based on X-rays registration is appeared to be more flexible than the method based on detection of second harmonic since its accuracy depends crucially on the target type. We demonstrated that the X-ray signal clearly indicates the transition from one layer to another during the microdrilling of targets consisting of 2–4 layers of titanium foil when a laser beam is focused beneath the target surface at a depth comparable to the layer thickness. The diagnostics of microchannel production in the chicken eggshell was performed for the first time. It was found that the presence of albumen beneath the shell accounts for longtime generation of X-ray pulses.

Description: This work reports on the effects of a deep high-dose hydrogen ion implant on damage accumulation, defect retention, and silver diffusion in silver implanted ZnO crystals. Single-crystal ZnO samples were implanted with Ag ions in a region ∼150 nm within the surface, and some of these samples were additionally implanted with hydrogen ions to a dose of 2 × 10 16  cm −2 , close to the depth ∼250 nm. Rutherford backscattering/ion channeling measurements show that crystal damage caused by Ag ion implantation and the amount of defects retained in the near surface region following post-implantation annealing were found to diminish in the case with the H implantation. On the other hand, the additional H ion implantation resulted in a reduction of substitutional Ag atoms upon post-implantation annealing. Furthermore, the presence of H also modified the diffusion properties of Ag atoms in ZnO. We discuss these findings in the context of the effects of nano-cavities on formation and annihilation of point defects as well as on impurity diffusion and trapping in ZnO crystals.

Description: The formation and evolution of spin wave band gaps in the transmission spectrum of a magnonic crystal have been studied. A time and space resolved magneto inductive probing system has been used to map the spin wave propagation and evolution in a geometrically structured yttrium iron garnet film. Experiments have been carried out using (1) a chemically etched magnonic crystal supporting the propagation of magnetostatic surface spin waves, (2) a short microwave pulsed excitation of the spin waves, and (3) direct spin wave detection using a movable magneto inductive probe connected to a synchronized fast oscilloscope. The results show that the periodic structure not only modifies the spectra of the transmitted spin waves but also influences the distribution of the spin wave energy inside the magnonic crystal as a function of the position and the transmitted frequency. These results comprise an experimental confirmation of Bloch′s theorem in a spin wave system and demonstrate good agreement with theoretical observations in analogue phononic and photonic systems. Theoretical prediction of the structured transmission spectra is achieved using a simple model based on microwave transmission lines theory. Here, a spin wave system illustrates in detail the evolution of a much more general physical concept: the band gap.

Description: The 8-band k · p parameters which include the direct band coupling between the conduction and the valence bands are derived and used to model optical intersubband transitions in Ge quantum well heterostructure material grown on Si substrates. Whilst for Si rich quantum wells the coupling between the conduction bands and valence bands is not important for accurate modelling, the present work demonstrates that the inclusion of such coupling is essential to accurately determine intersubband transitions between hole states in Ge and Ge-rich Si 1− x Ge x quantum wells. This is due to the direct bandgap being far smaller in energy in Ge compared to Si. Compositional bowing parameters for a range of the key modelling input parameters required for Ge/SiGe heterostructures, including the Kane matrix elements, the effective mass of the Γ 2 ′ conduction band, and the Dresselhaus parameters for both 6- and 8-band k · p modelling, have been determined. These have been used to understand valence band intersubband transitions in a range of Ge quantum well intersubband photodetector devices in the mid-infrared wavelength range.

Description: Rare-earth orthoniobates constitute a class of materials that has been exploited due to their interesting physical properties depending on the lanthanide element. Besides paramagnetism, ferroelasticity, and negative compressibility, these materials are known by their interesting optical properties and mixed types of conduction processes (protonic, ionic, and electronic). In this work, two types of SmNbO 4 samples were studied: polycrystalline samples, prepared by a sol-gel route using the Pechini method, and single crystalline fibres grown by the Laser Floating Zone technique. These samples were structurally characterized based on powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. A metastable tetragonal phase, stabilized by grain size, was identified in the synthesized powders. After a sintering process of such powders, a single monoclinic phase was obtained. Complementarily, scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy analyses were performed to these samples. Photoluminescence and photoluminescence excitation spectroscopic studies allowed identifying more than one optically active centre of the trivalent samarium ion in the analysed material. Impedance spectroscopy measurements have shown a large variation of the ac conductivity as a function of temperature, assigned to a protonic conduction and to native ionic conduction mechanisms.

Description: A series of polycrystalline YMn 1−x Ru x O 3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2) samples were prepared by traditional solid-state reaction method. Effects of doping on the microstructures and magnetic properties were investigated. Microstructural results reveal that samples crystallize in a single hexagonal structure with P 6 3 cm group for x ≤ 0.1. Lattice parameters a, c, and unit-cell volume of YMn 1−x Ru x O 3 are found to increase with doping content, which are ascribed to the larger radius of Ru 3+ than that of Mn 3+ . Weak ferromagnetism is found and is enhanced with increasing doping concentration x. The bond angles of Mn-O3-Mn and Mn-O4-Mn are changed in the opposite trends, which break the Mn-Mn exchange interaction, thus the antiferromagnetic ordering. The MnO 5 bipyramid is found to be relieved and the trimerization of Mn ions is weakened. These structural modifications result in the increase of weak ferromagnetism ordering in samples.

Description: To increase the thermoelectric efficiency and reduce the thermal fatigue upon cyclic heat loading, alloying of amorphous NbO 2 with all 3d and 5d transition metals has systematically been investigated using density functional theory. It was found that Ta fulfills the key design criteria, namely, enhancement of the Seebeck coefficient and positive Cauchy pressure (ductility gauge). These quantum mechanical predictions were validated by assessing the thermoelectric and elastic properties on combinatorial thin films, which is a high-throughput approach. The maximum power factor is 2813  μ W m −1  K −2 for the Ta/Nb ratio of 0.25, which is a hundredfold increment compared to pure NbO 2 and exceeds many oxide thermoelectrics. Based on the elasticity measurements, the consistency between theory and experiment for the Cauchy pressure was attained within 2%. On the basis of the electronic structure analysis, these configurations can be perceived as metallic, which is consistent with low electrical resistivity and ductile behavior. Furthermore, a pronounced quantum confinement effect occurs, which is identified as the physical origin for the Seebeck coefficient enhancement.

Description: We investigated the optical properties of wurtzite (WZ) GaP nanowires by performing photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved PL measurements in the temperature range from 4 K to 300 K, together with atom probe tomography to identify residual impurities in the nanowires. At low temperature, the WZ GaP luminescence shows donor-acceptor pair emission at 2.115 eV and 2.088 eV, and Burstein-Moss band-filling continuum between 2.180 and 2.253 eV, resulting in a direct band gap above 2.170 eV. Sharp exciton α-β-γ lines are observed at 2.140–2.164–2.252 eV, respectively, showing clear differences in lifetime, presence of phonon replicas, and temperature-dependence. The excitonic nature of those peaks is critically discussed, leading to a direct band gap of ∼2.190 eV and to a resonant state associated with the γ-line ∼80 meV above the Γ 8C conduction band edge.

Description: Quite recently, the magnon Hall effect of spin excitations has been observed experimentally on the kagome and pyrochlore lattices. The thermal Hall conductivity κ xy changes sign as a function of magnetic field or temperature on the kagome lattice, and κ xy changes sign upon reversing the sign of the magnetic field on the pyrochlore lattice. Motivated by these recent exciting experimental observations, we theoretically propose a simple realization of the magnon Hall effect in a two-band model on the honeycomb lattice. The magnon Hall effect of spin excitations arises in the usual way via the breaking of inversion symmetry of the lattice, however, by a next-nearest-neighbour Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya interaction. We find that κ xy has a fixed sign for all parameter regimes considered. These results are in contrast to the Lieb, kagome, and pyrochlore lattices. We further show that the low-temperature dependence on the magnon Hall conductivity follows a T 2 law, as opposed to the kagome and pyrochlore lattices. These results suggest an experimental procedure to measure thermal Hall conductivity within a class of 2D honeycomb quantum magnets and ultracold atoms trapped in a honeycomb optical lattice.

Description: We perform molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the static and dynamic fragmentation of metallic liquid sheets of tin induced by random surface fluctuations. The static regime is analyzed by simulating sheets of different thicknesses, and the dynamic fragmentation is ensured by applying along the longitudinal direction of a sheet an instantaneous expansion velocity per initial unit length (expansion rate) with values ranging from 1 × 10 9 to 3 × 10 10  s −1 . The simulations show that the static/dynamic fragmentation becomes possible when the fluctuations of the upper and lower surfaces of the sheets can either overlap or make the local volume density of the system go down below a critical value. These two mechanisms cause locally in the sheet the random nucleation of pores of void, on a timescale that exponentially increases with the sheet thickness. Afterwards, the pores develop following distinct stages of growth, coalescence, and percolation, and later in time aggregates of liquid metal are formed. The simulations also show that the fragmentation of static sheets is characterized by relatively mono-dispersed surface and volume distributions of the pores and aggregates, respectively, whereas in extreme conditions of dynamic fragmentation (expansion rate typically in the range of 1 × 10 10  s −1 ), the distributions are rather poly-dispersed and obey a power law decay with surface (volume). A model derived from the simulations suggests that both dynamic and static regimes of fragmentation are similar for expansion rates below typically 1 × 10 7  s −1 .

Description: Sixty-four neutral density filters constructed of metal plates with 88 apertures of varying diameter have been radiographed with a soft x-ray source and CCD camera at National Security Technologies, Livermore. An analysis of the radiographs fits the radial dependence of the apertures’ image intensities to sigmoid functions, which can describe the rapidly decreasing intensity towards the apertures’ edges. The fitted image intensities determine the relative attenuation value of each filter. Absolute attenuation values of several imaged filters, measured in situ during calibration experiments, normalize the relative quantities which are now used in analyses of neutron spectrometer data at the National Ignition Facility.

Description: The objective of this paper is to demonstrate that the addition of properly tuned nonlinearities to a nonlinear system can increase the range over which a specific resonance responds linearly. Specifically, we seek to enforce two important properties of linear systems, namely, the force-displacement proportionality and the invariance of resonance frequencies. Numerical simulations and experiments are used to validate the theoretical findings.

Description: HoCrO 3 , Ho 0.67 Gd 0.33 CrO 3 , and GdCrO 3 bulk powder samples were prepared by citrate route. The phase purity and the structural properties of the samples were examined by x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopic measurements. The dc magnetization data revealed that the Cr 3+ ordering temperatures (Néel temperature) for the HoCrO 3 , Ho 0.67 Gd 0.33 CrO 3 , and GdCrO 3 samples are 140 K, 148 K, and 167 K, respectively, while the ac magnetization data revealed that the rare-earth (Ho) ordering occurs at ∼8 K for HoCrO 3 and Ho 0.67 Gd 0.33 CrO 3 samples. Temperature-induced magnetization reversal and spin reorientation were observed in GdCrO 3 bulk sample, which depends on applied magnetic field and disappears at ∼1500 Oe and 500 Oe, respectively. By fitting the dc magnetic data with Curie-Weiss law, the effective magnetic moments were calculated to be 11.66 μ B , 10.23 μ B , and 9.90 μ B for the HoCrO 3 , Ho 0.67 Gd 0.33 CrO 3 , and GdCrO 3 samples, respectively. The isothermal magnetization data showed that the magnetic behavior changed from canted antiferromagnetic in low temperature region (below Néel temperature) to paramagnetic at high temperature. It was found that Gd substitution considerably improves the magnetocaloric effect of HoCrO 3 . Pure GdCrO 3 bulk sample showed giant magnetocaloric entropy change (31.6 J/kg K at temperature ∼5 K and at ∼70 kOe), which is higher than that for polycrystalline RMnO 3 , RCrO 3 , and RFeO 3 bulk powder samples. This renders GdCrO 3 useful for potential applications in low-temperature magnetic refrigeration.

Description: Electric field-induced changes in the domain wall motion of (1−x)Bi(Mg 0.5 Ti 0.5 )O 3 –xPbTiO 3 (BMT-xPT) near the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) where x = 0.37 (BMT-37PT) and x = 0.38 (BMT-38PT), are studied by means of synchrotron x-ray diffraction. Through Rietveld analysis and profile fitting, a mixture of coexisting monoclinic ( Cm ) and tetragonal ( P 4 mm ) phases is identified at room temperature. Extrinsic contributions to the property coefficients are evident from electric-field-induced domain wall motion in both the tetragonal and monoclinic phases, as well as through the interphase boundary motion between the two phases. Domain wall motion in the tetragonal and monoclinic phases for BMT-37PT is larger than that of BMT-38PT, possibly due to this composition's closer proximity to the MPB. Increased interphase boundary motion was also observed in BMT-37PT. Lattice strain, which is a function of both intrinsic piezoelectric strain and elastic interactions of the grains (the latter originating from domain wall and interphase boundary motion), is similar for the respective tetragonal and monoclinic phases.

Description: We fabricated homogeneous double-layer amorphous Si-doped indium oxide (ISO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) with an insulating ISO cap layer on top of a semiconducting ISO bottom channel layer. The homogeneously stacked ISO TFT exhibited high mobility (19.6 cm 2 /V s) and normally-off characteristics after annealing in air. It exhibited normally-off characteristics because the ISO insulator suppressed oxygen desorption, which suppressed the formation of oxygen vacancies (V O ) in the semiconducting ISO. Furthermore, we investigated the recovery of the double-layer ISO TFT, after a large negative shift in turn-on voltage caused by hydrogen annealing, by treating it with annealing in ozone. The recovery in turn-on voltage indicates that the dense V O in the semiconducting ISO can be partially filled through the insulator ISO. Controlling molecule penetration in the homogeneous double layer is useful for adjusting the properties of TFTs in advanced oxide electronics.

Description: A compact and integrated optical gas sensor on a silicon-on-insulator platform based on surface plasmon interference for hydrogen detection is theoretically introduced in this paper. The basic sensor element consists of a thin layer of palladium (Pd) embedded in a silicon waveguide. Two decoupled surface plasmon polariton waves propagate simultaneously on either side of the Pd layer, which combine and interfere at the end of the Pd layer. The interference mode can be either constructive or destructive, which is highly sensitive to volumetric hydrogen concentration. The proposed sensor is of great potential as a basic building block for lab-on-chip-scale devices owing to its high integration and compactness.

Description: A study is performed on a photonic-state mixing-pattern in an insulator-metal-insulator cylindrical silver nanoshell and its rich variations induced by changes in the geometry and dielectric media of the system, representing the combined influences of plasmon coupling strength and cavity effects. This study is performed in terms of the photonic local density of states (LDOS) calculated using the Green tensor method, in order to elucidate those combined effects. The energy profiles of LDOS inside the dielectric core are shown to exhibit consistently growing number of redshifted photonic states due to an enhanced plasmon coupling induced state mixing arising from decreased shell thickness, increased cavity size effect, and larger symmetry breaking effect induced by increased permittivity difference between the core and the background media. Further, an increase in cavity size leads to increased additional peaks that spread out toward the lower energy regime. A systematic analysis of those variations for a silver nanoshell with a fixed inner radius in vacuum background reveals a certain pattern of those growing number of redshifted states with an analytic expression for the corresponding energy downshifts, signifying a photonic state mixing scheme beyond the commonly adopted plasmon hybridization scheme. Finally, a remarkable correlation is demonstrated between the LDOS energy profiles outside the shell and the corresponding scattering efficiencies.

Description: A design to extend the unique divertor Thomson scattering system on DIII-D to allow measurements of electron temperature and density in high triangularity plasmas is presented. Access to this region is selectable on a shot-by-shot basis by redirecting the laser beam of the existing divertor Thomson system inboard — beneath the lower floor using a moveable, high-damage threshold, in-vacuum mirror — and then redirecting again vertically. The currently measured divertor region remains available with this mirror retracted. Scattered light is collected from viewchords near the divertor floor using in-vacuum, high temperature optical elements and relayed through the port window, before being coupled into optical fiber bundles. At higher elevations from the floor, measurements are made by dynamically re-focusing the existing divertor system collection optics. Nd:YAG laser timing, analysis of the scattered light spectrum via polychromators, data acquisition, and calibration are all handled by existing systems or methods of the current multi-pulse Thomson scattering system. Existing filtered polychromators with 7 spectral channels are employed to provide maximum measurement breadth ( T e in the range of 0.5 eV–2 keV, n e in the range of 5 × 10 18 –1 × 10 21 m 3 ) for both low T e in detachment and high T e measurement up beyond the separatrix.

Description: The wave property of phonons is employed to explore the thermal transport across a finite periodic array of nano-scatterers such as circular and triangular holes. As thermal phonons are generated in all directions, we study their transmission through a single array for both normal and oblique incidences, using a linear dispersionless time-dependent acoustic frame in a two-dimensional system. Roughness effects can be directly considered within the computations without relying on approximate analytical formulae. Analysis by spatio-temporal Fourier transform allows us to observe the diffraction effects and the conversion of polarization. Frequency-dependent energy transmission coefficients are computed for symmetric and asymmetric objects that are both subject to reciprocity. We demonstrate that the phononic array acts as an efficient thermal barrier by applying the theory of thermal boundary (Kapitza) resistances to arrays of smooth scattering holes in silicon for an exemplifying periodicity of 10 nm in the 5–100 K temperature range. It is observed that the associated thermal conductance has the same temperature dependence as that without phononic filtering.

Description: Interplay between structural disorder and magnetic interaction is investigated here for a multiferroic candidate material, CdCr 2 Se 4 . Ferromagnetic order in CdCr 2 Se 4 sets in below T C  ∼ 130 K as a result of competition between the direct Cr-Cr spin coupling and the near neighbour Cr-Se-Cr exchange interactions. Hence, a small change in the crystal structure is expected to drastically affect its magnetic order. In this report, local lattice distortions within the overall cubic symmetry were brought about by replacing a small percentage of Se by isovalent S . Detailed crystal structure study using EXAFS and Raman Spectroscopy reflects the presence of local distortions within the overall cubic symmetry. Contrary to the expectation, magnetic properties of the substituted compositions do not show any drastic changes. Though, a signature of spin-phonon coupling is present across the magnetic ordering temperature. No structural phase transition occurs within the investigated temperature range of 80–300 K.

Description: In this paper, we studied the localized surface plasmon polariton (SPP) resonance in hole arrays in transparent conducting aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO). CMOS-compatible fabrication process was demonstrated for the AZO devices. The localized SPP resonance was observed and confirmed by electromagnetic simulations. Using a standing wave model, the observed SPP was dominated by the standing-wave resonance along (1,1) direction in square lattices. This research lays the groundwork for a fabrication technique that can contribute to the core technology of future integrated photonics through its extension into tunable conductive materials.

Description: In the initial alignment process of strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS), large misalignment angles always bring nonlinear problem, which can usually be processed using the scaled unscented Kalman filter (SUKF). In this paper, the problem of large misalignment angles in SINS alignment is further investigated, and the strong tracking scaled unscented Kalman filter (STSUKF) is proposed with fixed parameters to improve convergence speed, while these parameters are artificially constructed and uncertain in real application. To further improve the alignment stability and reduce the parameters selection, this paper proposes a fuzzy adaptive strategy combined with STSUKF (FUZZY-STSUKF). As a result, initial alignment scheme of large misalignment angles based on FUZZY-STSUKF is designed and verified by simulations and turntable experiment. The results show that the scheme improves the accuracy and convergence speed of SINS initial alignment compared with those based on SUKF and STSUKF.

Description: An optical Thomson scattering diagnostic has been designed for the National Ignition Facility to characterize under-dense plasmas. We report on the design of the system and the expected performance for different target configurations. The diagnostic is designed to spatially and temporally resolve the Thomson scattered light from laser driven targets. The diagnostic will collect scattered light from a 50 × 50 × 200 μ m volume. The optical design allows operation with different probe laser wavelengths. A deep-UV probe beam ( λ 0 = 210 nm) will be used to Thomson scatter from electron plasma densities of ∼5 × 10 20 cm −3 while a 3 ω probe will be used for plasma densities of ∼1 × 10 19 cm −3 . The diagnostic package contains two spectrometers: the first to resolve Thomson scattering from ion acoustic wave fluctuations and the second to resolve scattering from electron plasma wave fluctuations. Expected signal levels relative to background will be presented for typical target configurations (hohlraums and a planar foil).

Description: Computer based diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease can be performed by dint of the analysis of the functional and structural changes in the brain. Multispectral image fusion deliberates upon fusion of the complementary information while discarding the surplus information to achieve a solitary image which encloses both spatial and spectral details. This paper presents a Non-Sub-sampled Contourlet Transform (NSCT) based multispectral image fusion model for computer-aided diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. The proposed fusion methodology involves color transformation of the input multispectral image. The multispectral image in YIQ color space is decomposed using NSCT followed by dimensionality reduction using modified Principal Component Analysis algorithm on the low frequency coefficients. Further, the high frequency coefficients are enhanced using non-linear enhancement function. Two different fusion rules are then applied to the low-pass and high-pass sub-bands: Phase congruency is applied to low frequency coefficients and a combination of directive contrast and normalized Shannon entropy is applied to high frequency coefficients. The superiority of the fusion response is depicted by the comparisons made with the other state-of-the-art fusion approaches (in terms of various fusion metrics).

Description: The Thomson scattering diagnostic on the Madison Symmetric Torus (MST) records excessive levels of stray Nd:YAG laser light. Stray light saturates the 1064 nm spectral channel in all polychromators, which prevents absolute electron density measurements via Rayleigh scattering calibration. Furthermore, stray light contaminates adjacent spectral channels for r / a ≥ 0.75, which renders the diagnostic unable to make electron temperature measurements at these radii. In situ measurements of stray light levels during a vacuum vessel vent are used to identify stray light sources and strategies for reduction of stray light levels. Numerical modeling using Zemax OpticStudio supports these measurements. The model of the vacuum vessel and diagnostic includes synthetic collection optics to enable direct comparison of measured and simulated stray light levels. Modeling produces qualitatively similar stray light distributions to MST measurements, and quantifies the mitigation effects of stray light mitigation strategies prior to implementation.

Description: A polarimeter has been designed to measure Faraday rotation and help to understand the profile of its safety factor, q, on the recently built SPECTOR magnetized target fusion machine at General Fusion. The polarimeter uses two counter-rotating, circularly polarized, 118.8 μ m beams to probe the plasma. Grad-Shafranov simulations have been used to investigate the effect of measurement error and chord geometry.

Description: Mechanical stimulation appears to be a critical modulator for many aspects of biology, both of living tissue and cells. The cell-stretcher, a novel device for the mechanical uniaxial stimulation of populations of cells, is described. The system is based on a variable stroke cam-lever-tappet mechanism which allows the delivery of cyclic stimuli with frequencies of up to 10 Hz and deformation between 1% and 20%. The kinematics is presented and a simulation of the dynamics of the system is shown, in order to compute the contact forces in the mechanism. The cells, following cultivation and preparation, are plated on an ad hoc polydimethylsiloxane membrane which is then loaded on the clamps of the cell-stretcher via force-adjustable magnetic couplings. In order to show the viability of the experimentation and biocompatibility of the cell-stretcher, a set of two in vitro tests were performed. Human epithelial carcinoma cell line A431 and Adult Mouse Ventricular Fibroblasts (AMVFs) from a dual reporter mouse were subject to 0.5 Hz, 24 h cyclic stretching at 15% strain, and to 48 h stimulation at 0.5 Hz and 15% strain, respectively. Visual analysis was performed on A431, showing definite morphological changes in the form of cellular extroflections in the direction of stimulation compared to an unstimulated control. A cytometric analysis was performed on the AMVF population. Results show a post-stimulation live-dead ratio deviance of less than 6% compared to control, which proves that the environment created by the cell-stretcher is suitable for in vitro experimentation.

Description: Structural, dielectric, and ferroelectric properties, and electrocaloric effects of pure and Gd doped ( Na 0.5 Bi 0.5 ) 0.94 Ba 0.06 TiO 3   ceramics prepared by the conventional solid-solid method have been carried out. The X-ray diffraction analysis confirms a pure perovskite structure with the coexistence of tetragonal and rhombohedra structures in both powders. The thermal and frequency dependences of the dielectric constants of both ceramics revealed relaxor behavior. The two compounds exhibited two phase transitions: ferroelectric/antiferroelectric (FE/AFE) transition followed by an antiferroelectric/paraelectric (AFE/PE) transition at higher temperatures. Remarkably, we noticed that the small amount of Gd doping (2%) highly enhanced the dielectric properties of the parent compound by about 71%. The phase diagram was as well influenced by the Gd doping, where the FE/AFE transition temperature rose from 90 in the parent compound to 115 °C in the doped one whereas the AFE/PE transition temperature was decreased from 320 to 270 °C, respectively. The direct electrocaloric measurements performed on both compounds showed that the ferroelectric/antiferroelectric phase transition was accompanied by a significant electrocaloric effect. The Gd 3+ doping improved the electrocaloric properties of the parent compound, where a remarkable temperature variation of 1.4 K was obtained in the doped ceramic. The results of the direct electrocaloric measurements will be compared and discussed with those derived from the indirect method.

Description: The free vibration analysis of a multiple rotating nanobeams' system applying the nonlocal Eringen elasticity theory is presented. Multiple nanobeams' systems are of great importance in nano-optomechanical applications. At nanoscale, the nonlocal effects become non-negligible. According to the nonlocal Euler-Bernoulli beam theory, the governing partial differential equations are derived by incorporating the nonlocal scale effects. Assuming a structure of n parallel nanobeams, the vibration of the system is described by a coupled set of n partial differential equations. The method involves a change of variables to uncouple the equations and the differential transform method as an efficient mathematical technique to solve the nonlocal governing differential equations. Then a number of parametric studies are conducted to assess the effect of the nonlocal scaling parameter, rotational speed, boundary conditions, hub radius, and the stiffness coefficients of the elastic interlayer media on the vibration behavior of the coupled rotating multiple-carbon-nanotube-beam system. It is revealed that the bending vibration of the system is significantly influenced by the rotational speed, elastic mediums, and the nonlocal scaling parameters. This model is validated by comparing the results with those available in the literature. The natural frequencies are in a reasonably good agreement with the reported results.

Description: Polycrystalline lanthanum lead zirconate titanate (PLZT) thin films were deposited on Pt/TiO 2 /SiO 2 /Si substrates to study the effects of the thickness and grain size on their structural and piezoresponse properties at nanoscale. Thinner PLZT films show a slight (100)-orientation tendency that tends to random orientation for the thicker film, while microstrain and crystallite size increases almost linearly with increasing thickness. Piezoresponse force microscopy and autocorrelation function technique were used to demonstrate the existence of local self-polarization effect and to study the thickness dependence of correlation length. The obtained results ruled out the bulk mechanisms and suggest that Schottky barriers near the film-substrate are likely responsible for a build-in electric field in the films. Larger correlation length evidence that this build-in field increases the number of coexisting polarization directions in larger grains leading to an alignment of macrodomains in thinner films.

Description: Ge-chalcogenide films show various photo-induced changes, and silver photo-diffusion is one of them which attracts lots of interest. In this paper, we report how silver and Ge-chalcogenide layers in Ge 33 S 67 /Ag/Si substrate stacks change under light exposure in the depth by measuring time-resolved neutron reflectivity. It was found from the measurement that Ag ions diffuse all over the matrix Ge 33 S 67 layer once Ag dissolves into the layer. We also found that the surface was macroscopically deformed by the extended light exposure. Its structural origin was investigated by a scanning electron microscopy.

Description: The motion of antiferromagnetic interfacial spins is investigated through the temperature evolution of training effect in a Co/CoO film with in-plane biaxial anisotropy. Significant differences in the training effect and its temperature dependence are observed in the magnetic easy axis and hard axis (HA) and ascribed to the different motion modes of antiferromagnetic interfacial spins, the collective spin cluster rotation (CSR) and the single spin reversal (SSR), caused by different magnetization reversal modes of ferromagnetic layer. These motion modes of antiferromagnetic spins are successfully separated using a combination of an exponential function and a classic n −1/2 function. A larger CSR to SSR ratio and a shorter lifetime of CSR found in the HA indicates that the domain rotation in the ferromagnetic layer tends to activate and accelerate a CSR mode in the antiferromagnetic spins.

Description: We are developing x-ray Thomson scattering for applications in implosion experiments at the National Ignition Facility. In particular we have designed and fielded MACS, a high-efficiency, gated x-ray spectrometer at 7.5–10 keV [T. Döppner et al. , Rev. Sci. Instrum. 85 , 11D617 (2014)]. Here we report on two new Bragg crystals based on Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite (HOPG), a flat crystal and a dual-section cylindrically curved crystal. We have performed in situ calibration measurements using a brass foil target, and we used the flat HOPG crystal to measure Mo K-shell emission at 18 keV in 2nd order diffraction. Such high photon energy line emission will be required to penetrate and probe ultra-high-density plasmas or plasmas of mid-Z elements.

Description: The Helically Symmetric Experiment (HSX) has a number of active spectroscopy diagnostics. Due to the relatively large beam width compared to the plasma minor radius, it is difficult to achieve good spatial resolution at the core of the HSX plasma. This is due to the fact that the optical sightline cuts through many flux surfaces with varying field vectors within the beam. In order to compare the experimental results with theoretical models it is important to accurately model the beam width effects. A synthetic diagnostic has been developed for this purpose. This synthetic diagnostic calculates the effect of spot size and beam width on the measurements of quantities of interest, including radial electric field, flow velocity, and Stark polarization.

Description: We characterized the dissociation fraction of a thermal dissociation atomic hydrogen source by injecting the mixed atomic and molecular output of the source into an electron beam ion trap containing highly charged ions and recording the x-ray spectrum generated by charge exchange using a high-resolution x-ray calorimeter spectrometer. We exploit the fact that the charge exchange state-selective capture cross sections are very different for atomic and molecular hydrogen incident on the same ions, enabling a clear spectroscopic diagnostic of the neutral species.

Description: In an attempt to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels, associated with severe environmental effects, the current research is focused on the identification of the thermoelectric potential of n -type Pb 1− x Ti x Te alloys, with x values of up to 3%. A solubility limit of 0.5 at. % Ti in PbTe was identified, while beyond this composition, a precipitation of a TiTe 2 phase was occurred. An impressive maximal dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit ZT of ∼1.2 was obtained upon 0.1% Ti doping at 500 °C, indicating a ∼9% efficiency enhancement compared to an undoped PbTe. It is shown that generating a functionally graded material based on undoped PbTe as a low temperature segment and a 0.1% Ti doped PbTe as a high temperature segment has a potential to enhance the efficiency by ∼14% compared to the undoped sample.

Description: SrTiO 3 is not only of enduring interest due to its unique dielectric, structural, and lattice dynamical properties, but is also the archetypal perovskite oxide semiconductor and a foundational material in oxide heterostructures and electronics. This has naturally focused attention on growth, stoichiometry, and defects in SrTiO 3 , one exciting recent development being such precisely stoichiometric defect-managed thin films that electron mobilities have finally exceeded bulk crystals. This has been achieved only by molecular beam epitaxy, however (and to a somewhat lesser extent pulsed laser deposition (PLD)), and numerous open questions remain. Here, we present a study of the stoichiometry, defects, and structure in SrTiO 3 synthesized by a different method, high pressure oxygen sputtering, relating the results to electronic transport. We find that this form of sputter deposition is also capable of homoepitaxy of precisely stoichiometric SrTiO 3 , but only provided that substrate and target preparation, temperature, pressure, and deposition rate are carefully controlled. Even under these conditions, oxygen-vacancy-doped heteroepitaxial SrTiO 3 films are found to have carrier density, mobility, and conductivity significantly lower than bulk. While surface depletion plays a role, it is argued from particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) measurements of trace impurities in commercial sputtering targets that this is also due to deep acceptors such as Fe at 100's of parts-per-million levels. Comparisons of PIXE from SrTiO 3 crystals and polycrystalline targets are shown to be of general interest, with clear implications for sputter and PLD deposition of this important material.

Description: In an axisymmetric plasma, the conservation of canonical angular momentum constrains heavy ion beam probe (HIBP) trajectories such that measurement of the toroidal velocity component of secondary ions provides a localized determination of the poloidal flux at the volume where they originated. We have developed a prototype detector which is designed to determine the beam angle in one dimension through the detection of ion current landing on two parallel planes of detecting elements. A set of apertures creates a pattern of ion current on wires in the first plane and solid metal plates behind them; the relative amounts detected by the wires and plates determine the angle which beam ions enter the detector, which is used to infer the toroidal velocity component. The design evolved from a series of simulations within which we modeled ion beam velocity changes due to equilibrium and fluctuating magnetic fields, along with the ion beam profile and velocity dispersion, and studied how these and characteristics such as the size, cross section, and spacing of the detector elements affect performance.

Description: We have developed a single-shot mega-electronvolt ultrafast-electron-diffraction system to measure the structural dynamics of warm dense matter. The electron probe in this system is featured by a kinetic energy of 3.2 MeV and a total charge of 20 fC, with the FWHM pulse duration and spot size at sample of 350 fs and 120 μ m respectively. We demonstrate its unique capability by visualizing the atomic structural changes of warm dense gold formed from a laser-excited 35-nm freestanding single-crystal gold foil. The temporal evolution of the Bragg peak intensity and of the liquid signal during solid-liquid phase transition are quantitatively determined. This experimental capability opens up an exciting opportunity to unravel the atomic dynamics of structural phase transitions in warm dense matter regime.

Description: The use of a gas cell as a target for laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA) offers the possibility to obtain stable and manageable laser-plasma interaction process, a mandatory condition for practical applications of this emerging technique, especially in multi-stage accelerators. In order to obtain full control of the gas particle number density in the interaction region, thus allowing for a long term stable and manageable LWFA, real-time monitoring is necessary. In fact, the ideal gas law cannot be used to estimate the particle density inside the flow cell based on the preset backing pressure and the room temperature because the gas flow depends on several factors like tubing, regulators, and valves in the gas supply system, as well as vacuum chamber volume and vacuum pump speed/throughput. Here, second-harmonic interferometry is applied to measure the particle number density inside a flow gas cell designed for LWFA. The results demonstrate that real-time monitoring is achieved and that using low backing pressure gas (

Description: We report the calibration of the Orion High-Resolution X-ray (OHREX) imaging crystal spectrometer at the EBIT-I electron beam ion trap at Livermore. Two such instruments, dubbed OHREX-1 and OHREX-2, are fielded for plasma diagnostics at the Orion laser facility in the United Kingdom. The OHREX spectrometer can simultaneously house two spherically bent crystals with a radius of curvature of r = 67.2 cm. The focusing properties of the spectrometer allow both for larger distance to the source due to the increase in collected light and for observation of extended sources. OHREX is designed to cover a 2.5°–3° spectral range at Bragg angles around 51.3°. The typically high resolving powers at these large Bragg angles are ideally suited for line shape diagnostics. For instance, the nominal resolving power of the instrument (〉10 000) is much higher than the effective resolving power associated with the Doppler broadening due to the temperature of the trapped ions in EBIT-I. The effective resolving power is only around 3000 at typical EBIT-I conditions, which nevertheless is sufficient to set up and test the instrument’s spectral characteristics. We have calibrated the spectral range for a number of crystals using well known reference lines in the first and second order and derived the ion temperatures from these lines. We have also made use of the 50 μ m size of the EBIT-I source width to characterize the spatial focusing of the spectrometer.

Description: A data correction method that can reduce finite pulse time effects in the flash method is presented in this article. Based on the physical model of the classical flash method, the present method uses the cutoff time moment of laser heating as zero point. This article investigated the case of constant heat flux heating by using the theoretical method and obtained a new calculation formula. The formula was tested in the case where half temperature rise time is less than the pulse time (i.e., τ 0 /t 0.5 〉 1), and the result was satisfactory. Theoretically, this method can correct the effect of any finite pulse time and significantly expand the scope of application of the flash method.

Description: A digital lock-in detection technique is commonly used to measure the amplitude and phase of a selected frequency signal. A technique that uses a square wave as the reference signal has an advantage over the one using a sinusoidal wave due to its easier implementation and higher computational efficiency. However, demodulating multiple-frequency composite signals using square wave reference may result in interference between channels. To avoid interference between channels and reduce the computational complexity, we modify the calculations and determine the optimal parameter settings of the low-pass filter and carrier frequency, as detailed in this paper. The results of our analysis show that when the length of the average filter and carrier frequencies are properly set, the interference between the channels is removed. This optimization produces the digital lock-in detection suitable for measuring multi-channel sensor signals.

Description: We present a novel method for extracting two-dimensional (2D) conductivity profiles from large electrochemical potential datasets acquired by scanning tunneling potentiometry of a 2D conductor. The method consists of a data preprocessing procedure to reduce/eliminate noise and a numerical conductivity reconstruction. The preprocessing procedure employs an inverse consistent image registration method to align the forward and backward scans of the same line for each image line followed by a total variation (TV) based image restoration method to obtain a (nearly) noise-free potential from the aligned scans. The preprocessed potential is then used for numerical conductivity reconstruction, based on a TV model solved by accelerated alternating direction method of multiplier. The method is demonstrated on a measurement of the grain boundary of a monolayer graphene, yielding a nearly 10:1 ratio for the grain boundary resistivity over bulk resistivity.

Description: A radiative divertor technique is planned for the NSTX-U tokamak to prevent excessive erosion and thermal damage of divertor plasma-facing components in H-mode plasma discharges with auxiliary heating up to 12 MW. In the radiative (partially detached) divertor, extrinsically seeded deuterium or impurity gases are used to increase plasma volumetric power and momentum losses. A real-time feedback control of the gas seeding rate is planned for discharges of up to 5 s duration. The outer divertor leg plasma electron temperature T e estimated spectroscopically in real time will be used as a control parameter. A vacuum ultraviolet spectrometer McPherson Model 251 with a fast charged-coupled device detector is developed for temperature monitoring between 5 and 30 eV, based on the Δ n = 0, 1 line intensity ratios of carbon, nitrogen, or neon ion lines in the spectral range 300–1600 Å. A collisional-radiative model-based line intensity ratio will be used for relative calibration. A real-time T e -dependent signal within a characteristic divertor detachment equilibration time of ∼10–15 ms is expected.

Description: Ultrasonic techniques such as pulse echo, vibrating reed, or resonant ultrasound spectroscopy are powerful probes not only for studying elasticity but also for investigating electronic and magnetic properties. Here, we report on the design of a high pressure ultrasonic pulse echo apparatus, based on a piston cylinder cell, with a simplified electronic setup that operates with a single coaxial cable and requires sample lengths of mm only. The design allows simultaneous measurements of ultrasonic velocities and attenuation coefficients up to a pressure of 1.5 GPa. We illustrate the performance of the cell by probing the phase diagram of a single crystal of the ferromagnetic superconductor UGe 2 .

Description: We investigated chemical sputtering of silicon films by H y + ions (with y being 2 and 3) in an asymmetric VHF Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) discharge in detail. In experiments with discharges created with pure H 2 inlet flows, we observed that more Si was etched from the powered than from the grounded electrode, and this resulted in a net deposition on the grounded electrode. With experimental input data from a power density series of discharges with pure H 2 inlet flows, we were able to model this process with a chemical sputtering mechanism. The obtained chemical sputtering yields were (0.3–0.4) ± 0.1 Si atom per bombarding H y + ion at the grounded electrode and at the powered electrode the yield ranged from (0.4 to 0.65) ± 0.1. Subsequently, we investigated the role of chemical sputtering during PECVD deposition with a series of silane fractions S F (S F (%) = [SiH 4 ]/[H 2 ]*100) ranging from S F  = 0% to 20%. We experimentally observed that the SiH y + flux is not proportional to S F but decreasing from S F  = 3.4% to 20%. This counterintuitive SiH y + flux trend was partly explained by an increasing chemical sputtering rate with decreasing S F and partly by the reaction between H 3 + and SiH 4 that forms SiH 3 + .

Description: Nanostructured zirconium dioxide (zirconia) films are very promising for catalysis and biotechnological applications: a precise control of the interfacial properties of the material at different length scales and, in particular, at the nanoscale, is therefore necessary. Here, we present the characterization of cluster-assembled zirconia films produced by supersonic cluster beam deposition possessing cubic structure at room temperature and controlled nanoscale morphology. We characterized the effect of thermal annealing in reducing and oxidizing conditions on the crystalline structure, grain dimensions, and topography. We highlight the mechanisms of film growth and phase transitions, which determine the observed interfacial morphological properties and their resilience against thermal treatments.

Description: We present a new approach to perform beam steering in reflecting type apertures such as reflectarray antennas. The proposed technique exploits macro-scale mechanical movements of parts of the structure to achieve two-dimensional microwave beam steering without using any solid-state devices or phase shifters integrated within the aperture of the antenna. The principles of operation of this microwave beam steering technique are demonstrated in an aperture occupied by ground-plane-backed, sub-wavelength capacitive patches with identical dimensions. We demonstrate that by tilting the ground plane underneath the entire patch array layer, a phase shift gradient can be created over the aperture of the reflectarray that determines the direction of the radiated beam. Changing the direction and slope of this phase shift gradient on the aperture allows for performing beam steering in two dimensions using only one control parameter (i.e., tilt vector of the ground plane). A proof-of-concept prototype of the structure operating at X-band is designed, fabricated, and experimentally characterized. Experiments demonstrate that small mechanical movements of the ground plane (in the order of 0.05 λ 0 ) can be used to steer the beam direction in the ±10° in two dimensions. It is also demonstrated that this beam scanning range can be greatly enhanced to ±30° by applying this concept to the same structure when its ground plane is segmented.

Description: The effective electric charge of a nanoparticle in an ionic magnetic colloidal system (an ionic ferrofluid) is determined by using the impedance spectroscopy technique. The electric response of the samples to a harmonic external electric field excitation is described by means of the Poisson-Nernst-Planck model. The model proposed for the theoretical interpretation of the impedance spectroscopy data considers that the magnetic particles are electrically charged with H + and have in their vicinity Cl − counterions, resulting in an effective charge Q eff . In the presence of an harmonic, in time, external field (frequency bigger than 10 4 Hz ) particles are assumed to be at rest, due to inertial reason. In this framework, the response of the cell is due to the H + and Cl − present in the solution. From the spectra of the real and imaginary components of the electric impedance of the cell, by means of a best fit procedure to our model, we derive the effective electric charge of the magnetic particles and the bulk density of ions. From an independent measurement of the ζ -potential of the suspension, it is possible to calculate the hydrodynamic radius of the particle, in good agreement with that independently measured.

Description: Compact optical interconnects require efficient lasers and modulators compatible with silicon. Ab initio modeling of Ge 1−x C x (x = 0.78%) using density functional theory with HSE06 hybrid functionals predicts a splitting of the conduction band at Γ and a strongly direct bandgap, consistent with band anticrossing. Photoreflectance of Ge 0.998 C 0.002 shows a bandgap reduction supporting these results. Growth of Ge 0.998 C 0.002 using tetrakis(germyl)methane as the C source shows no signs of C-C bonds, C clusters, or extended defects, suggesting highly substitutional incorporation of C. Optical gain and modulation are predicted to rival III–V materials due to a larger electron population in the direct valley, reduced intervalley scattering, suppressed Auger recombination, and increased overlap integral for a stronger fundamental optical transition.

Description: In this work, spin transport in corrugated armchair graphene nanoribbons (AGNRs) is studied. We survey combined effects of spin-orbit interaction and surface roughness, employing the non-equilibrium Green's function formalism and multi-orbitals tight-binding model. Rough substrate surfaces have been statistically generated and the hopping parameters are modulated based on the bending and distance of corrugated carbon atoms. The effects of surface roughness parameters, such as roughness amplitude and correlation length, on spin transport in AGNRs are studied. The increase of surface roughness amplitude results in the coupling of σ and π bands in neighboring atoms, leading to larger spin flipping rate and therefore reduction of the spin-polarization, whereas a longer correlation length makes AGNR surface smoother and increases spin-polarization. Moreover, spin diffusion length of carriers is extracted and its dependency on the roughness parameters is investigated. In agreement with experimental data, the spin diffusion length for various substrate ranges between 2 and 340 μ m. Our results indicate the importance of surface roughness on spin-transport in graphene.

Description: This article proposes an array of nonlinear piezomagnetoelastic energy harvesters (NPEHs) for scavenging electrical energy from broadband vibrations with low amplitudes ( 〈 2 m/s 2 ). The array consists of monostable NPEHs combined to generate useful power output (∼100  μ W) over wide bandwidth. The nonlinearity in each of the NPEHs is induced by the magnetic interaction between an embedded magnet in the tip mass of cantilever and a fixed magnet clamped to the rigid platform. The dynamic responses of two NPEHs, one with attractive configuration and the other with repulsive configuration, are combined to achieve a bandwidth of 3.3 Hz at a power level of 100  μ W. A parametric study is carried out to obtain the gap distances between the magnets to achieve wide bandwidth. Experiments are performed to validate the proposed idea, the theoretical predictions, and to demonstrate the advantage of array of NPEHs over the array of linear piezoelectric energy harvesters (LPEHs). The experiments have clearly shown the advantage of NPEH array over its linear counterpart under both harmonic and random excitations. Approximately, 100% increase in the operation bandwidth is achieved by the NPEH array at harmonic excitation level of 2 m/s 2 . The NPEH array exhibits up to 80% improvement in the accumulated energy under random excitation when compared with the LPEH array. Furthermore, the performance of NPEH array with series and parallel connections between the individual harvesters using standard AC/DC interface circuits is also investigated and compared with its linear counterpart.

Description: The majority of intuition on phonon transport has been derived from studies of homogenous crystalline solids, where the atomic composition and structure are periodic. For this specific class of materials, the solutions to the equations of motions for the atoms (in the harmonic limit) result in plane wave modulated velocity fields for the normal modes of vibration. However, it has been known for several decades that whenever a system lacks periodicity, either compositional or structural, the normal modes of vibration can still be determined (in the harmonic limit), but the solutions take on different characteristics and many modes may not be plane wave modulated. Previous work has classified the types of vibrations into three primary categories, namely, propagons, diffusions, and locons. One can use the participation ratio to distinguish locons, from propagons and diffusons, which measures the extent to which a mode is localized. However, distinguishing between propagons and diffusons has remained a challenge, since both are spatially delocalized. Here, we present a new method that quantifies the extent to which a mode's character corresponds to a propagating mode, e.g., exhibits plane wave modulation. This then allows for clear and quantitative distinctions between propagons and diffusons. By resolving this issue quantitatively, one can now automate the classification of modes for any arbitrary material or structure, subject to a single constraint that the atoms must vibrate stably around their respective equilibrium sites. Several example test cases are studied including crystalline silicon and germanium, crystalline silicon with different defect concentrations, as well as amorphous silicon, germanium, and silica.

Description: Hexagonal and cubic GaN—integrated on on-axis Si(100) substrate by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition via selective epitaxy and hexagonal-to-cubic-phase transition, respectively—are studied by temperature- and injection-intensity-dependent cathodoluminescence to explore the origins of their respective luminescence centers. In hexagonal (cubic) GaN integrated on Si, we identify at room temperature the near band edge luminescence at 3.43 eV (3.22 eV), and a defect peak at 2.21 eV (2.72 eV). At low temperature, we report additional hexagonal (cubic) GaN bound exciton transition at 3.49 eV (3.28 eV), and a donor-to-acceptor transition at 3.31 eV (3.18 eV and 2.95 eV). In cubic GaN, two defect-related acceptor energies are identified as 110 and 360 meV. For hexagonal (cubic) GaN (using Debye Temperature ( β ) of 600 K), Varshni coefficients of α = 7.37 ± 0.13 × 10 − 4   ( 6.83 ± 0.22 × 10 − 4 ) eV / K and E 0 = 3.51 ± 0.01   ( 3.31 ± 0.01 )  eV are extracted. Hexagonal and cubic GaN integrated on CMOS compatible on-axis Si(100) are shown to be promising materials for next generation devices.

Description: In this paper, we report a systematic study that shows how the numerous processing parameters associated with ion implantation (II) and pulsed laser annealing (PLA) can be manipulated to control the quantity and quality of graphene (G), few-layer graphene (FLG), and other carbon nanostructures selectively synthesized in crystalline SiC (c-SiC). Controlled implantations of Si − plus C − and Au + ions in c-SiC showed that both the thickness of the amorphous layer formed by ion damage and the doping effect of the implanted Au enhance the formation of G and FLG during PLA. The relative contributions of the amorphous and doping effects were studied separately, and thermal simulation calculations were used to estimate surface temperatures and to help understand the phase changes occurring during PLA. In addition to the amorphous layer thickness and catalytic doping effects, other enhancement effects were found to depend on other ion species, the annealing environment, PLA fluence and number of pulses, and even laser frequency. Optimum II and PLA conditions are identified and possible mechanisms for selective synthesis of G, FLG, and carbon nanostructures are discussed.