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Dose Measurements of Bremsstrahlung-Produced Neutrons at the Advanced Photon Source
No full textBremsstrahlung is generated in the storage rings of the synchrotron radiation facilities by the radiative interaction of the circulating particle beam with both the residual gas molecules and storage ring components. These bremsstrahlung photons, having an energy range of zero to the maximum energy of the particle beam, interact with beamline components like beam stops and collimators generating photoneutrons of varying energies. There are three main processes by which photoneutrons may be produced by the high energy bremsstrahlung photons: giant nuclear dipole resonance and decay (10 MeV 140 MeV). The giant resonance neutrons are emitted almost isotropically and have an average energy of about 2 MeV. High energy neutrons (E > 10 MeV) emitted from the quasi-deuteron decay and intranuclear cascade are peaked in the forward direction. At the Advanced Photon Source (APS), where bremsstrahlung energy can be as high as 7 GeV, production of photoneutrons in varying yields is possible from all of the above three processes. The bremsstrahlung produced along a typical 15.38-m straight path of the insertion device (ID) beamline of the APS has been measured and analyzed in previous studies. High-Z materials constituting the beamline components, such as collimators and beam stops, can produce photoneutrons upon interaction with these bremsstrahlung photons. The 1/E nature of the bremsstrahlung spectrum and the fact that the photoneutron production cross section is comparatively larger in the energy region 10 MeV < E{sub {gamma}} < 30 MeV, results in the giant resonance interaction being the dominant mechanism that generates photoneutrons at the APS. Such neutron flux in the vicinities of the first optics enclosures (FOEs) of ID beamlines is important, from the point of view of radiation protection of the personnel. Only a few of such neutron flux measurements were conducted at high photon energies. Monte Carlo codes and analytical formulas are used to calculate the differential photon track length in targets. Together with the known photoneutron cross sections, the neutron yields are then determined as a function of incident electron energy. Neutron fluence calculated from these yields assumes isotropic emission of neutrons from a point source target. Because neutron transport is not handled in most of these studies, possible neutron interactions inside the target are not accounted for in calculating the energy and intensity outside the target. There is also the uncertainty of photoneutron production cross section at higher energies. A simultaneous measurement of bremsstrahlung and corresponding photoneutron production will provide photoneutron dose rates as a function of bremsstrahlung energy or power. Along with our already existing bremsstrahlung spectrum measurement expertise, we conducted simultaneous photoneutron dose measurements at the APS from thick targets of Fe, Cu, W, and Pb that are placed in the bremsstrahlung beam inside the FOE of the insertion device beamlines. An Andersson-Braun (AB) remmeter that houses a BF{sub 3} detector, as well as a very sensitive pressurized {sup 3}He detector, is used for neutron dose measurements. The dose equivalent rates, normalized to bremsstrahlung power, beam current, and storage ring vacuum, are measured for various targets. This report details the experimental setup, data acquisition system, calibration procedures, analysis of the data and the results of the measurements
Photovoltaic Cz Silicon Module Improvements
No full textWork focused on reducing the cost per watt of Cz silicon photovoltaic modules under Phase II of Siemens Solar Industries' DOE/NREL PVMaT 4A subcontract is described in this report. New module designs were deployed in this phase of the contract, improvements in yield of over 10% were realized, and further implementation of Statistical Process Control was achieved during this phase. Module configurations representing a 12% cost reduction per watt were implemented in small scale production under Phase II of this contract. Yield improvements are described in detail, yield sensitivity to wafer thickness is quantified, and the deployment of SPC in critical process steps is reported here
Inductively Coupled Plasma and Electron Cyclotron Resonance Plasma Etching of InGaAlP Compound Semiconductor System
No full textCurrent and future generations of sophisticated compound semiconductor devices require the ability for submicron scale patterning. The situation is being complicated since some of the new devices are based on a wider diversity of materials to be etched. Conventional IUE (Reactive Ion Etching) has been prevalent across the industry so far, but has limitations for materials with high bond strengths or multiple elements. IrI this paper, we suggest high density plasmas such as ECR (Electron Cyclotron Resonance) and ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma), for the etching of ternary compound semiconductors (InGaP, AIInP, AlGaP) which are employed for electronic devices like heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) or high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs), and photonic devices such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and lasers. High density plasma sources, opeiating at lower pressure, are expected to meet target goals determined in terms of etch rate, surface morphology, surface stoichiometry, selectivity, etc. The etching mechanisms, which are described in this paper, can also be applied to other III-V (GaAs-based, InP-based) as well as III-Nitride since the InGaAIP system shares many of the same properties
Understanding Thermal Behavior in Lens Processing of Structural Materials
No full textIn direct laser metal deposition technologies, such as the Laser (LENS) process, it is important to understand and control the Engineered Net Shaping thermal behavior during fabrication. With this control, components can be reliably fabricated with desired structural material properties. This talk will describe the use of contact and imaging techniques to monitor the thermal signature during LENS processing. Recent results show a direct correlation between thermal history and material properties, where the residual stress magnitude decreases as the laser power, and therefore thermal signature, increases. Development of an understanding of solidification behavior, residual stress, and microstructural evolution with respect to thermal behavior will be discussed
Ootw Tool Requirements in Relation to JWARS
No full textThis document reports the results of the CMke of the Secretary of Defense/Program Analysis & Evaluation (OSD/PA&E) sponsored project to identify how Operations Other Than War (OOTW) tool requirements relate to the Joint Warfare Simulation (JWARS) and, more generally, to joint analytical modeling and simulation (M&S) requirements. It includes recommendations about which OOTW tools (and functionality within tools) should be included in JWARS, which should be managed as joint analytical modeling and simulation (M&S) tools, and which should be left for independent development
The DOE Model for Improving Seismic Event Locations Using Travel Time Corrections: Description and Demonstration
No full textThe U.S. National Laboratories, under the auspices of the Department of Energy, have been tasked with improv- ing the capability of the United States National Data Center (USNDC) to monitor compliance with the Comprehen- sive Test Ban Trea~ (CTBT). One of the most important services which the USNDC must provide is to locate suspicious events, preferably as accurately as possible to help identify their origin and to insure the success of on-site inspections if they are deemed necessary. The seismic location algorithm used by the USNDC has the capability to generate accurate locations by applying geographically dependent travel time corrections, but to date, none of the means, proposed for generating and representing these corrections has proven to be entirely satisfactory. In this presentation, we detail the complete DOE model for how regional calibration travel time information gathered by the National Labs will be used to improve event locations and provide more realistic location error esti- mates. We begin with residual data and error estimates from ground truth events. Our model consists of three parts: data processing, data storage, and data retrieval. The former two are effectively one-time processes, executed in advance before the system is made operational. The last step is required every time an accurate event location is needed. Data processing involves applying non-stationary Bayesian kriging to the residwd data to densifi them, and iterating to find the optimal tessellation representation for the fast interpolation in the data retrieval task. Both the kriging and the iterative re-tessellation are slow, computationally-expensive processes but this is acceptable because they are performed off-line, before any events are to be located. In the data storage task, the densified data set is stored in a database and spatially indexed. Spatial indexing improves the access efficiency of the geographically-ori- ented data requests associated with event location. Finally, in the Data Retrieval phase, when an accurate location is needed, the densified data is retrieved and a quick interpolation is performed using natural neighbor interpolation with a gradient slope modification to guarantee continuous derivatives. To test our model, we use the residuals from a large set of synthetic events (441) that were created to have travel times consistent with the IASP91 radial base model plus perturbations of up to 2 seconds taken from spherical har- monic surfaces with randomly generated coefficients. Relocating these events using 3 stations with poor azimuthal coverage and IASP91 travel times alone yields dislocations of up 278 km with a mean value of 58 km. Using our model to apply travel time corrections we reduce the hugest dislocation to 151 km and the mean value to 13 km. Fur- ther, the error ellipses generated now accurately reflect the uncertainly associated with the composite model (base model + corrections), and as a result are small for events occurring near ground truth event points and large for events occurring where no calibration data is available
The "Z" Pulsed Radiation Source: Recent Developments in Equation of State Measurement Capabilities
No full textThe Sandia Z machine is a source of intense radiation which can be used to drive ablative shocks for equation of state studies. In developing the capability to diagnose these types of studies on Z, techniques commonly used in conventional impact generated experiments were leveraged. The primary diagnostic transferred was velocity interferome~, VLSAR, [1] which not only provides Hugoniot particle velocity measurements, but also indications of shock stability and wave attenuation. In addition to a VISAR capability on the Z machine, methods for measuring shock velocity have been developed. When these measured parameters are used in conjunction with the Rankine-Hugoniot jump conditions, [2] material response at high temperatures and pressures can be inferred. With sample sizes used on Z being much smaller than those fielded in typical impact experiments, temporal resolution and methods of interfacing the diagnostics with the targets had to be improved. In this paper, a "standard" equation of state experiment, associated diagnostics, and some recent results in aluminum and beryllium will be discussed
Z-Pinch Drivers for Shock Physics Research
No full textThe recent development of Z pinch drivers for producing intense radiation envkomn~ enables study of physical and mechanical properties of condensed materials in regimes previously inaccessible in the Mm-am-y. With Z pinch radiation sources, it is possible fo subject mm-sized sampies to pianar compressions of a fe w Mbar. Tie-resolved velocity interferometry was used to perform the first shock loading and unloading profiles in Al and Be for ablatively driven shock studies. With this source, ablative muki-Mbar shocks can be produced to study materials over the range of interest to both weapons and ICF physics programs. In developing the capability to diagnose these types of studies on Z, techniques commonly used in conventional impact generated experiments were implemented. The primary diagnostic presently being used for this work is ve"!ocity interferoinetry, VL%4R, [2] which not only provides Hugoniot particle velocity measurements, but also measurements of non-shock EOS measummenu,, such as isentropic compression. In addition to VKSAR capability, methods for measuring shock velocity have also been developed for shock studies on Z. When used in conjunction with the Rankine-Hugoniot jump conditions, material response at high temperatures and pressures can be inferred. The next section discusses the basic approach for conducting EOS experiments on Z for both shock loading and istmtropic compression on the Z accelerator
FAA Fluorescent Penetrant Activities - An Update
No full textThe Federal Aviation Administration's Airworthiness Assurance NDI Validation Center (AANC) is currently characterizing low cycle fatigue specimens that will support the needs of penetrant manufacturers, commercial airline industry and the Federal Aviation Administration. The main focus of this characterization is to maintain and enhance the evaluation of penetrant inspection materials and apply resources to support the aircraft community needs. This paper discusses efforts to-date to document the Wright Laboratory penetrant evaluation process and characterize penetrant brightness readings in the initial set of sample calibration panels using Type 1 penetrant
Quantitative Determination of Dielectric Thin-Film Properties Using Infrared Emission Spectroscopy
No full textWe have completed an experimental study to investigate the use of infrared emission spectroscopy (IRES) for the quantitative analysis of borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG) thin films on silicon monitor wafers. Experimental parameters investigated included temperatures within the range used in the microelectronics industry to produce these films; hence the potential for using the IRES technique for real-time monitoring of the film deposition process has been evaluated. The film properties that were investigated included boron content, phosphorus content, film thickness, and film temperature. The studies were conducted over two temperature ranges, 125 to 225 *C and 300 to 400 *C. The later temperature range includes realistic processing temperatures for the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of the BPSG films. Partial least squares (PLS) multivariate calibration methods were applied to spectral and film property calibration data. The cross-validated standard errors of prediction (CVSEP) fi-om the PLS analysis of the IRES spectraof21 calibration samples each measured at 6 temperatures in the 300 to 400 "C range were found to be 0.09 wt. `?40 for B, 0.08 wt. `%0 for P, 3.6 ~m for film thickness, and 1.9 *C for temperature. By lowering the spectral resolution fi-om 4 to 32 cm-l and decreasing the number of spectral scans fi-om 128 to 1, we were able to determine that all the film properties could be measured in less than one second to the precision required for the manufacture and quality control of integrated circuits. Thus, real-time in-situ monitoring of BPSG thin films formed by CVD deposition on Si monitor wafers is possible with the methods reported here