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Power Generation from a Radiative Thermal Source Using a Large-Area Infrared Rectenna

Physical Review Applied

Shank, Joshua S.; Kadlec, Emil A.; Jarecki, Robert L.; Starbuck, Andrew L.; Howell, Stephen W.; Peters, D.W.; Davids, Paul D.

Electrical power generation from a moderate-temperature thermal source by means of direct conversion of infrared radiation is important and highly desirable for energy harvesting from waste heat and micropower applications. Here, we demonstrate direct rectified power generation from an unbiased large-area nanoantenna-coupled tunnel diode rectifier called a rectenna. Using a vacuum radiometric measurement technique with irradiation from a temperature-stabilized thermal source, a generated power density of 8 nW/cm2 is observed at a source temperature of 450 °C for the unbiased rectenna across an optimized load resistance. The optimized load resistance for the peak power generation for each temperature coincides with the tunnel diode resistance at zero bias and corresponds to the impedance matching condition for a rectifying antenna. Current-voltage measurements of a thermally illuminated large-area rectenna show current zero crossing shifts into the second quadrant indicating rectification. Photon-assisted tunneling in the unbiased rectenna is modeled as the mechanism for the large short-circuit photocurrents observed where the photon energy serves as an effective bias across the tunnel junction. The measured current and voltage across the load resistor as a function of the thermal source temperature represents direct current electrical power generation.

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Tunable dual-band graphene-based infrared reflectance filter

Optics Express

Goldflam, Michael G.; Ruiz, Isaac R.; Howell, Stephen W.; Wendt, J.R.; Sinclair, Michael B.; Peters, D.W.; Beechem, Thomas E.

We experimentally demonstrated an actively tunable optical filter that controls the amplitude of reflected long-wave-infrared light in two separate spectral regions concurrently. Our device exploits the dependence of the excitation energy of plasmons in a continuous and unpatterned sheet of graphene on the Fermi-level, which can be controlled via conventional electrostatic gating. The filter enables simultaneous modification of two distinct spectral bands whose positions are dictated by the device geometry and graphene plasmon dispersion. Within these bands, the reflected amplitude can be varied by over 15% and resonance positions can be shifted by over 90 cm-1. Electromagnetic simulations verify that tuning arises through coupling of incident light to graphene plasmons by a grating structure. Importantly, the tunable range is determined by a combination of graphene properties, device structure, and the surrounding dielectrics, which dictate the plasmon dispersion. Thus, the underlying design shown here isapplicable across a broad range of infrared frequencies.

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Tunable Nitride Josephson Junctions

Missert, Nancy A.; Henry, Michael D.; Lewis, Rupert; Howell, Stephen W.; Wolfley, Steven L.; Brunke, Lyle B.; Wolak, Matthaeus W.

We have developed an ambient temperature, SiO2/Si wafer - scale process for Josephson junctions based on Nb electrodes and Ta x N barriers with tunable electronic properties. The films are fabricated by magnetron sputtering. The electronic properties of the TaxN barriers are controlled by adjusting the nitrogen flow during sputtering. This technology offers a scalable alternative to the more traditional junctions based on AlOx barriers for low - power, high - performance computing.

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Integrating Resonant Structures with IR Detectors

Goldflam, Michael G.; Goldflam, Michael G.; Anderson, Evan M.; Anderson, Evan M.; Campione, Salvatore; Campione, Salvatore; Coon, Wesley T.; Coon, Wesley T.; Davids, Paul D.; Davids, Paul D.; Fortune, Torben R.; Fortune, Torben R.; Hawkins, Samuel D.; Hawkins, Samuel D.; Kadlec, Clark N.; Kadlec, Clark N.; Kadlec, Emil A.; Kadlec, Emil A.; Kim, Jin K.; Kim, Jin K.; Klem, John F.; Klem, John F.; Shaner, Eric A.; Shaner, Eric A.; Sinclair, Michael B.; Sinclair, Michael B.; Tauke-Pedretti, Anna; Tauke-Pedretti, Anna; Warne, Larry K.; Warne, Larry K.; Wendt, J.R.; Wendt, J.R.; Beechem, Thomas E.; Beechem, Thomas E.; Howell, Stephen W.; Howell, Stephen W.; McDonald, Anthony E.; McDonald, Anthony E.; Ruiz, Isaac R.; Ruiz, Isaac R.

Abstract not provided.

Vacuum radiometry of an infrared nanoantenna-coupled tunnel diode rectenna

International Conference on Optical MEMS and Nanophotonics

Davids, Paul D.; Kadlec, Emil A.; Shank, Joshua S.; Peters, D.W.; Howell, Stephen W.

We examine the vacuum infrared photoresponse of a large-area nanoantenna-coupled tunnel diode rectenna resulting from thermal radiation from a temperature controlled heater. The measured infrared photocurrent is obtained as a function of the source temperature, sample distance and view factor. Far-field radiation power conversion is examined using standard radiometric techniques and correlated with the rectified current response.

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Materials Study of NbN and TaxN Thin Films for SNS Josephson Junctions

IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity

Missert, Nancy A.; Brunke, Lyle B.; Henry, Michael D.; Wolfley, Steven L.; Howell, Stephen W.; Mudrick, John M.; Lewis, Rupert

Properties of NbN and TaxN thin films grown at ambient temperatures on SiO2/Si substrates by reactive-pulsed laser deposition and reactive magnetron sputtering (MS) as a function of N2 gas flow were investigated. Both techniques produced films with smooth surfaces, where the surface roughness did not depend on the N2 gas flow during growth. High crystalline quality, (111) oriented NbN films with Tc up to 11 K were produced by both techniques for N contents near 50%. The low temperature transport properties of the TaxN films depended upon both the N2 partial pressure used during growth and the film thickness. The root mean square surface roughness of TaxN films grown by MS increased as the film thickness decreased down to 10 nm.

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Designing graphene absorption in a multispectral plasmon-enhanced infrared detector

Optics Express

Goldflam, Michael G.; Fei, Zhe; Ruiz, Isaac R.; Howell, Stephen W.; Davids, Paul D.; Peters, D.W.; Beechem, Thomas E.

We have examined graphene absorption in a range of graphene-based infrared devices that combine either monolayer or bilayer graphene with three different gate dielectrics. Electromagnetic simulations show that the optical absorption in graphene in these devices, an important factor in a functional graphene-based detector, is strongly dielectricdependent. These simulations reveal that plasmonic excitation in graphene can significantly influence the percentage of light absorbed in the entire device, as well as the graphene layer itself, with graphene absorption exceeding 25% in regions where plasmonic excitation occurs. Notably, the dielectric environment of graphene has a dramatic influence on the strength and wavelength range over which the plasmons can be excited, making dielectric choice paramount to final detector tunability and sensitivity.

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Corrosion Monitors for Embedded Evaluation

Robinson, Alex L.; Pfeifer, Kent B.; Casias, Adrian L.; Howell, Stephen W.; Sorensen, Neil R.; Missert, Nancy A.

We have developed and characterized novel in-situ corrosion sensors to monitor and quantify the corrosive potential and history of localized environments. Embedded corrosion sensors can provide information to aid health assessments of internal electrical components including connectors, microelectronics, wires, and other susceptible parts. When combined with other data (e.g. temperature and humidity), theory, and computational simulation, the reliability of monitored systems can be predicted with higher fidelity.

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Results 1–25 of 80
Results 1–25 of 80