INTERFACIAL MASS TRANSPORT IN OXIDE CRYSTAL GROWTH

A space high temperature in situobservation instrument (SHITISOI) is dedicated to visualize and record the whole growth process of oxide crystal in high temperature melts and solutions. Model experiments using transparent liquids such as KNbO3,Li2B4O7+KNbO3 were chosen to investigate effects of interracial mass transport in oxide crystal growth. For the scaling of the coupled velocity, heat and concentration fields in KNbO3 crystal growth, a rotating crystal growth process was performed and the widths of interfacial concentration, heat and momentum transition zones (The "boundary layers") are obtained, which are 7.5×10-a, 8.6×10-2 and 4.4×10-1 cm,respectively. Hence one can expect that interfacial concentration gradient will be confined to a narrow layer and in region of major concentration change at the in terface. In order to study a mechanism based on the interfacial mass transport resulting from hydrodynamics, the growth of KNbO3 grain in high temperature Li2B4O7 and KNbO3 solutin was studied. The result shows that the pivotal feature in the KNbO3 crystal growth is the initiated by KNbO3 solute surface tension gra dient which is caused by the slow diffusion of KNbO3 solutes. Direct comparison of the model predictions and experimental observed phenomena demonstrate the predictive capability of this model.     

EVALUATION OF MORPHOLOGY-STABLE CRITICAL SIZE OF KNbO3 CRYSTALS

Skeletal form of KNbO3 crystals growing in Li2B4O7 solvent was in-situ observed at 900°C and it was found that shallow depression started to develop on the surface of KNbO3 crystals when the crystal size exceeded several micron, typically 7 micron.Based on the quantitative criterion derived by Chernov, the estimated critical size of KNbO3 crystals was 1 micron, which was consistent with the experimental measure ment. The kinetic coefficients, kcorner and kcr, in the criterion were experimentally obtained in the diffusive-convective and diffusive-advective flow states respectively.     

EXPERIMENTAL AND THEORETICAL STUDIES ON VELOCITY FIELD OF BUOYANCY CONVECTION IN KNbO3 MELT

The Schlieren technique coupling with a differential interference microscope was applied to visualize the KNbO3 melt motion in a loop-shaped Pt wire heater. The natural convection in KNbO3 melt was traced by observing the movement of the tiny KNbO3 crystals (～10μm) and the stream velocities of these tracer crystals were measured. In theoretical analysis, the Navier-Stokes equation was solved as a stable field. The general solution for this system of the differential equation was expressed by an approximate power series of azimuth and radius vector. The expression was substituted in the differential equation; a non-trivial solution was obtained exactly.The velocity distribution in the vertical section was obtained which is in qualitative agreement with the experimental result.     

EFFECTS OF CONVECTIVE FLUID MOTION UPON OXIDE CRYSTAL GROWTH IN HIGH TEMPERATURE SOLUTION

For understanding of the influence of convective flow on crystal growth, space high temperature in situ observation instrument (SHITISOI) is dedicated to visualize and record the whole growth process of oxide crystals in high temperature up to 1000°C. Model experiments using transparent liquids such as KNbO3 and a mix ture of Li2B4O7+KNbO3 were chosen to investigate effects on ground and in space.On the earth, an investigation of growth kinetics of KNbO3 crystal related to two different states of convection: diffusive-advective flow and diffusive-convective flow,has been performed. The per unit length of a step e is calculated from the exper imental data for two different states of convection. Analyses of these data show the effect of buoyancy convection is to enhance the sharpness of the interface. The growth of KNbO3 crystals from solution of KNbO3+Li2B4O7 was investigated in space. The streamlines of the steady thermocapillary convection in Li2B4O7 solvent was observed. Due to thermocapillary convection, KNbO3 crystal grains grew and filled the whole solution homogeneously. Earth-based quenching experiments are de signed in order to study polyhedral instability of KNbO3 crystal, which is controlled by diffusion mechanism limitation. In all cases, when the crystal was nucleated near air/solution surface, it lost its polyhedral stability and varied from polyhedrons to dedrites. The thickness of diffusion mechanism limitation layer is about 60μm.     

Solidification of GeSi solid solution in near-zero-G conditions

In summary, it should be stated that the existing theories of segregation during directional crystallization which consider mass transport in melt due only to either concentration diffusion or convective stirring (or both) cannot account for solute segregation picture observed in solid solution crystals which have been obtained aboard Apollo-Soyuz orbital complex. To do this, some other, new models are required.     

NUMERICAL MODELLING OF VELOCITY AND TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTIONS OF THE BUOYANCY CONVECTION EFFECT IN KNbO3 MELT

Numerical modelling of velocity and temperature fields in high-temperature KNbO3 melt of a loop-shaped Pt wire heater is carried out by using the commercial com putational code ANSYS for the mathematical solution of the governing equations.Based on the experimental boundary conditions and the Boussinesq approximation,the numerical modelling of a steady and two-dimensional model is applied to study the process under consideration of the buoyancy-driven convection condition. The result is compared with the previous experimental and theoretical data obtained in our laboratory, and the former is in agreement with the latter. Thus a theoretical guide for reasonable growth conditions is provided by studying in depth the real fluid flow effects in the crystal growth from the melt.     

Upwards migration phenomenon on molten lunar regolith: New challenges and prospects for ISRU

As part of our research on the feasibility of producing commodities from lunar regolith by thermal-driven processes with minimal terrestrial precursors we need to characterize, reproduce, and understand thermophysical properties of the molten regolith still unforeseen under the lunar vacuum conditions at a scalable sample size. Two unanticipated phenomena, apparently caused by lunar melt’s surface tension under vacuum, have been revealed in our research work, vacuum void formation and upwards migration. In this paper we present our findings and thinkable explanation on the upwards migration phenomenon experimentally observed and consistently replicated as JSC-1A lunar regolith simulant melted at high vacuum. Upwards migration of molten lunar regolith will make future lunar ISRU’s melting processes both challenging as molten bulk material would migrate upwards along the container’s walls, and also promising on new opportunities for alternative ISRU’s sustainable processes as regolith’s upwards migration takes place in uniformed thin-film pattern. Among the potential ISRU’s processes that might use controlled thermal thin-film-based migration without the necessity of terrestrial precursors are production of feedstock for 3D printing, fractional separation of regolith’s component’s (O₂, metals, and alloys) via pyrolysis, film coating, purification of valuables solid crystals including silicon, and fabrication of key elements for microfluidic, and MEMS devices. Thermal upwards migration phenomenon on JSC-1A’s melt is formulated and explained by the authors as due to thermal Marangoni effect (also known as thermo-capillarity) in which temperature gradients within the melt’s bulk and along the crucible’s wall yield the surface tension large enough to supersede the gravitational force and yield the experimentally observed upwards thin-film migration. As far as the authors know, upwards thermal migration of molten JSC-1A (or other lunar simulant regolith) under vacuum has not been reported in the literature. A thermal mathematical model accounting for thermal Marangoni effect on molten JSC-1A agrees with what experimentally was observed, the formation of the meniscus on the melt-wall surface interface along with an incipient upwards migration in thin-film pattern along the crucible wall that, according to the model, experiences large temperature gradient, an important factor to trigger the thermal Marangoni effect along with the fact that surface tension of the molten lunar regolith material is temperature dependent.     

Melt temperature fluctuations: Causes and response of the solidification front

It is well understood that temperature oscillations and fluctuations during melt growth give rise to fluctuating concentration of solute in the crystal — so-called solute (or impurity) striations. A major source of the temperature fluctuations is the transition to turbulence in the melt resulting from strong buoyancy and/or surface-driven flows. The interaction of these natural convective flows with any imposed rotation is of significance. The major factors causing flow transitions and particularly those which lead to time-dependent flows in Czochralski and float-zone melts will be briefly reviewed and the likely influence of a low-g environment considered. Theoretical analysis and experimental study of the response of the crystal-melt interface to such temperature fluctuations is reviewed and criteria for maximising crystal homogeneity discussed.     

Strong magnetic field effect on the dissolution process of tetragonal lysozyme crystals.

Either a homogeneous or inhomogeneous magnetic field has been known to dampen the protein crystal growth. To date the mechanism is not clear. However, it was generally proposed that the magnetic field may dampen the convection in the solution, resulting in a reduced crystal growth rate and possibly a good crystal quality, similar to the case of protein crystal growth in space. To understand the mechanism of the magnetic field effect on protein crystal growth, further explorations on the magnetic field effect on protein solution, on the processes of crystal growth and dissolution, and on different crystallization (solution) systems, should be valuable. In this paper we present our recent efforts to study magnetic field effects on the dissolution processes of tetragonal lysozyme crystals under a strong magnetic field. A layer of oriented tetragonal lysozyme crystals was prepared under a temperature gradient and magnetic field, after that the crystals were dissolved by increasing the temperature of the solution. The lysozyme molecules will diffuse upwards due to the steep concentration gradient at the lower side of the cell caused by the dissolution. The evolution of the concentration in the solution was measured in-situ using a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The results confirmed that the dissolution process of the crystals was slowed by the magnetic field. Judging from the concentration evolution versus time at different positions in the solution, we concluded that the apparent diffusion coefficient of lysozyme molecules was decreased by the magnetic field. The results were discussed using a suspended crystal model in the initial dissolution stage.     

矩形通道中亚尺度肋片的流动换热数值分析

对装有不同结构亚尺度肋片矩形通道的流动和换热进行了数值模拟,获得了通道流场、温度场分布以及平均努塞尔数的基本特征,对各种肋片通道的换热特性进行了对比分析.计算结果表明:亚尺度肋片距主肋片根部越近越有利于散热;在远离热面区域,亚尺度肋片的比表面积越大传热效果越好.当扩展表面积相同时,亚尺度肋片的长宽比越大换热效果越好;计算结果及分析揭示了控制肋片最优几何形状的统一原则——广义温度梯度均匀化原则,并依照此原则确定了可以强化换热的较优的肋片结构.计算分析表明广义温度梯度均匀化原则可以控制对流换热过程的传热强化.      

Meteor radar temperatures over Collm (51.3°N, 13°E)

The method of obtaining absolute temperature estimates by measuring the ambipolar diffusion coefficient with meteor radars in the mesopause region is basically well known. However, there is still a need to refine and adjust the background temperature gradient model which is necessary to calculate the temperature values. Therefore, a detailed comparison with independent temperature measurements is necessary to evaluate the performance of the method and to obtain more information about the temperature gradient. Recent studies provide some evidence that the impact of the gradient model on temperature estimates affects the absolute temperatures, but that it is of minor importance for wave analysis. This paper focuses on a detailed evaluation of the meteor radar temperatures by comparing them with SABER satellite and OH-emission mesopause region temperatures. The seasonal variation of the observed temperatures is well reproduced by the COMMA general circulation model.     

在空间微重力下生长碲镉汞晶体

本文叙述了我国首次在空间微重力下进行的碲镉汞(MCT)晶体生长试验及一些观测结果。生长是从熔体进行的。在空间90min的加热时间内,将MCT多晶试样熔化,然后随炉冷却,最后在地面上再结晶。于是,生长出约3cm长的晶体,其表面光滑.结构致密,无孔洞,由1～3个大晶粒组成,其中单晶占74%。X射线能量色散分析(EDS)表明,其径向组分均匀性优于±0.02,其中约1cm长的一段晶体的径向组分均匀性优于±0.01。电学特性与地面上生长的样品基本相同。     

Synergetic use of SAR and Thermal Infrared data to study the physical properties of the lunar surface

The surface layer of the Moon preserves vital evidences of lunar impact and cratering processes due to the absence of any Aeolian and fluvial erosion processes acting on it. By examining these evidences, which are recorded throughout the evolutionary history of the Moon, several basic aspects of lunar science can be understood, and this has direct relevance to the surfaces of other airless bodies within the solar system. In this study, rock abundance data obtained from Thermal Infrared (TIR) observations and radar Circular Polarization Ratio (CPR) data sets obtained from polarimetric SAR observations were correlated at some sample sites on the lunar surface. Preliminary results yielded qualitative and quantitative estimates for surface rock abundances. Except at distal ejecta deposits of young, bright craters a general correlation was observed between the two datasets. Mixed results were observed from the impact melt flows where the situation is complex due to the possible subsurface-volume and volume-subsurface interactions of the radar waves. But the flow features were clearly separated from the interior and ejecta regions of their parent craters in terms of CPR and rock abundances. The extent and distributions of pyroclastic deposits and dark haloed regions could not be distinctly identified at the resolution of datasets utilized. Near Gerasimovich D crater, the Diviner Radiometer has provided the first TIR observations of a newly discovered impact melt flow which was not visible in the optical imagery. This facilitated the first ever quantitative comparisons of the radar CPR and rock abundance values near such a region. Also, significant differences in spatial patterns between the radar and rock concentration data sets were observed, owing to the differences in the sensitivity of the two observations.     

热毛细对流模式转换及温度振荡特征

研究了矩形液池中由于两端温差引起的热毛细对流的温度振荡临界条件.在实验室中,设计了一个高分辨率的温度测量系统,用于实时观测并记录流体的温度.该系统主要由热电偶温度传感器、纳伏表和数据采集电脑3部分组成.得到了各种实验条件下温度振荡的临界条件,并且讨论了它与Prandtl数和Bond数之间的关系.利用flow3d软件数值模拟了微重力条件下的热毛细对流,发现了一种由于自由面变形和液层流场相互作用导致的晃荡的现象.     

Convection in melts and crystal growth

Convection plays a significant role in determining the electronic properties of semiconductor crystals grown from the melt. Inhomogeneities (doping striations) in these crystals can be caused by unsteady natural convection. Therefore, the origins of unsteady natural convection, which means fluctuating temperatures in a fluid, are investigated in this paper. Several effects have been found at increasing Rayleigh numbers Ra which cause fluctuating temperatures. But it was also observed, that unsteady convection became again steady if Ra was increased to higher values. This effect, which is called relaminarization, is very interesting for crystal growth and is discussed in this paper.     

阿尔文波传能对太阳黑子致冷的有效性

本文研究了太阳黑子的致冷问题，认为太阳黑子磁场受其流场扰动，形成大量的磁流体波，这种波把太阳黑子的热能转变成波能，以阿尔文速度沿着磁场传播，把能量携带出黑子区域，致使太阳黑子冷却。     

Marangoni convection when the surface tension increases with the temperature in normal and low gravity conditions

Thermocapillary convection has been studied in n-heptanol aqueous solutions whose surface tension is increasing with the temperature.

The fluid was confined in a parallelipipedic enclosure and a thermal gradient was imposed parallel to the free liquid/gas interface. The motions induced by the thermocapillary forces have been studied under low gravity conditions during Texus sounding rocket experiments and during the Spacelab D1 mission.

The combined thermocapillary and buoyancy convection have been extensively studied during ground based experiments.

The influence of the aspect ratio and of the alcohol concentration were investigated. Detailed velocity field was determined at the steady state under normal gravity conditions by Laser Doppler Anemometry (LDA).

The aspect ratio was of 0.3 and the temperatures imposed to the lateral sides of the cell were respectively 45°C and 60°C. With these experimental conditions, two superposed contrarotative cells were observed with rapid motions in the surface from the cold to the hot side. This convective pattern was also observed during the normal and high gravity periods of parabolic flights but during the low gravity period of the parabola the motions stopped everywhere in the fluid even in the surface and reappeared immediatly at the pull out of the parabola.     

Two-dimensional Marangoni and buoyancy convection related to crystal growth techniques in space

The natural convection in the horizontal liquid layer driven both by surface tension gradient and buoyancy was investigated experimentally and theoretically.The fluid motion was visualized by mixing fine flakes of aluminum into the liquid. At the same time, the temperature field was visualized by the Mach-Zehnder interferometry and the local temperature gradient distributions were visualized by making use of the refraction of parallel incident light.The numerical analysis using the Galerkin method was also carried out which agreed well with the experimental results.It was found that the velocity and temperature fields of Marangoni convection were varied depending on the aspect ratio of the liquid layer and on the coupled buoyancy convection.     

铝锂合金的内耗研究

研究了铝锂二元和五元合金的内耗。采用倒扭摆法,测定了不同热处理和时效状态的铝锂合金在升温和降温过程中的内耗和剪切模量。测量频率为0.3～5.0Hz。观测到了铝锂二元和五元合金中各自不同的内耗峰(即晶界内耗峰,Ke Peak)。实验表明,与纯铝和传统的铝合金相比,铝锂合金葛峰的峰高值比较低,并且对应葛峰的温度较低。根据晶界粘滞性滑动模型,上述实验结果可以归因于溶质原子Li及其沉淀相δ′(Al_3Li)和δ(AlLi)对晶界滑动的阻尼。本文对铝锂合金在不同热处理状态下的显微组织结构进行了透射电镜TEM观察。     

Investigation of the atmospheric aerosols by the visible and IR channels of the AVHRR radiometer on NOAA-6

The diffusely reflected radiation in the daytime and diffusely transmitted radiation at night from an inhomogeneous, plane parallel planetary atmosphere bounded by the ocean surface was calculated at the visible and IR region. In the daytime the effect of the solar radiation from top was taken into account. The present study has dealt with the problem of no cloud contamination in data. In the atmosphere, water vapor, molecular nitrogen, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and methane as absorbent constituents and aerosols as the scattering constituent were taken into account. The ocean surface as a lower boundary was simulated by many facets whose slopes are according to the isotropic Gaussian distribution [1]. It was found that it is suitable for deriving the total optical thickness in the direction of about 15 degrees away from the specular direction at 3.7μm in the daytime, with the aid of visible region of spectrum [2]. As for sea surface temperature, for a sample analysis, derived SST was within the accuracy of 1–2K at the center of the sun glint and within the accuracy of 0.5K in the rest of the region at 3.7μm in the daytime, Furthermore computational results suggest that the comparison of temperature in the daytime with that at night at 3.7μm make it possible to separate the effect of aerosols from the total optical thickness. Thus it was found from the computations that with the aid of daytime and night time data, it is possible to derive the atmospheric water vapor, aerosols and sea surface temperature simultaneously.