One disadvantage of conventional iris-loaded accelerating structures is the high ratio of the peak surface electric field to the peak axial electric field useful for accelerating a beam. Typically this ratio E{sub s}/E{sub a} {ge} 2. The high surface electric field relative to the accelerating gradient may prove to be a limitation for realizing technologies for very high gradient accelerators. In this paper, we present a scheme that uses a hybrid dielectric and iris loaded periodic structure to reduce E{sub s}/E{sub a} to near unity, while the shunt impedance per unit length r and the quality factor Q compare favorably with conventional metallic structures. The analysis based on MAFIA simulations of such structures shows that we can lower the peak surface electric field close to the accelerating gradient while maintaining high acceleration efficiency as measured by r/Q. Numerical examples of X-band hybrid accelerating structures are given.

A brief review is given of recent progress in fabrication of high voltage GaN and AlGaN rectifiers, GaN/AlGaN heterojunction bipolar transistors, GaN heterostructure and metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistors. Improvements in epitaxial layer quality and in fabrication techniques have led to significant advances in device performance.

Construction has started on a facility to immobilize high-level radioactive waste in borosilicate glass at the Department of Energy's Savannah River Plant. Type 304L stainless steel is generally sufficient for supply tankage and service lines. It is used as the reference material in chemical reprocessing of reactor target and fuel tubes. Type 304L, however, has unacceptable stress corrosion cracking resistance in solutions containing formic acid and chloride. Scouting tests were performed on twelve commercial nickel-based alloys in simulated process solutions containing halides, sulfates, nitrates, mercury and formic acid. Mercuric ions and halides interact in acidic environments to increase pitting and crevice attack. Alloys with combined chromium plus molybdenum contents greater than 30 percent, that also contain greater than 9 percent molybdenum, were most resistant to pitting and crevice corrosion. Based on this testing, Alloy C-276 has been selected as the reference process equipment material, with Inconel 690 and ALLCORR selected for specialty areas.

Researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have tested polymer-based coating systems to reduce the capital equipment and maintenance costs of heat exchangers in corrosive and fouling geothermal environments. These coating systems act as barriers to corrosion to protect low-cost carbon steel tubing; they are formulated to resist wear from hydroblasting and to have high thermal conductivity. Recently, new filler materials have been developed for coating systems that use polyphenylenesulphide as a matrix. These materials include boehmite crystals (orthorhombic aluminum hydroxide, which is grown in situ as a product of reaction with the geothermal fluid), which enhance wear and corrosion resistance, and carbon fibers, which improve mechanical, thermal, and corrosion-resistance properties of the composite.

There are a number of novel instrumentation issues relating to the generation cooling and acceleration of high power muon beams. Specific issues are monitoring the cooling water in the magnet nearest the target to minimize corrosion, monitoring the behavior of the target after the impact of the beam, and following the beam through the cooling accelerator chain. The muon cooling system also produces a number of unique issues such as making beam profile measurements in the presence of large backgrounds, measuring these backgrounds, losses, and the angular momentum of the beam. We describe the techniques we intend to use, and some of the constraints involved in their implementation.

None

Preconcentration is a critical analytical procedure when designing a microsystem for trace chemical detection, because it can purify a sample mixture and boost the small analyte concentration to a much higher level allowing a better analysis. This paper describes the development of a micro-fabricated planar preconcentrator for the {mu}ChemLab{trademark} at Sandia. To guide the design, an analytical model to predict the analyte transport, adsorption and resorption process in the preconcentrator has been developed. Experiments have also been conducted to analyze the adsorption and resorption process and to validate the model. This combined effort of modeling, simulation, and testing has led us to build a reliable, efficient preconcentrator with good performance.

The authors consider the link scheduling problem for packet radio networks which is assigning channels to the connecting links so that transmission may proceed on all links assigned the same channel simultaneously without collisions. This problem can be cast as the distance-2 edge coloring problem, a variant of proper edge coloring, on the graph with transceivers as vertices and links as edges. They present efficient approximation algorithms for the distance-2 edge coloring problem for various classes of graphs.

A new potential energy function representing the conformational preferences of sequentially local regions of a protein backbone is presented. This potential is derived from secondary structure probabilities such as those produced by neural network-based prediction methods. The potential is applied to the problem of remote homolog identification, in combination with a distance dependent inter-residue potential and position-based scoring matrices. This fold recognition jury is implemented in a Java application called JThread. These methods are benchmarked on several test sets, including one released entirely after development and parameterization of JThread. In benchmark tests to identify known folds structurally similar (but not identical) to the native structure of a sequence, JThread performs significantly better than PSI-BLAST, with 10 percent more structures correctly identified as the most likely structural match in a fold library, and 20 percent more structures correctly narrowed down to a set of five possible candidates. JThread also significantly improves the average sequence alignment accuracy, from 53 percent to 62 percent of residues correctly aligned. Reliable fold assignments and alignments are identified, making the method useful for genome annotation. JThread is applied to predicted open reading frames (ORFs) from the genomes of Mycoplasma genitalium and Drosophila melanogaster, identifying 20 new …

Abstract: A trigger track processor, called the eXtremely Fast Tracker (XFT), has been designed for the CDF upgrade. This processor identifies high transverse momentum (> 1.5 GeV/c) charged particles in the new central outer tracking chamber for CDF II. The XFT design is highly parallel to handle the input rate of 183 Gbits/s and output rate of 44 Gbits/s. The processor is pipelined and reports the result for a new event every 132 ns. The processor uses three stages: hit classification, segment finding, and segment linking. The pattern recognition algorithms for the three stages are implemented in programmable logic devices (PLDs) which allow in-situ modification of the algorithm at any time. The PLDs reside on three different types of modules. The complete system has been installed and commissioned at CDF II. An overview of the track processor and performance in CDF Run II are presented.

Elastic scattering of low (10-50 eV) kinetic energy electrons from free diatomic molecules is studied using a single-center expansion of the full molecular potential. Dynamic exchange and polarization are included in a local form. The calculated elastic differential scattering cross-sections (DCS) for electron impact on CO and N2 are in good agreement with available experimental data. The importance of using the full molecular potential instead of a two-center potential approach is pointed out. These corrections are small for energies above 50 eV, but they become increasingly important at lower energies. When discussing the angular distributions of elastically-scattered electrons from oriented molecules (like surface adsorbates), we show that these corrections are particularly significant. The results have implications for other electron scattering problems such as those encountered in low-energy photoelectron diffraction from both core and valence levels.

The high spectral brilliance of x-rays produced at the Basic Energy Sciences Synchrotron Radiation Center of Argonne's Advanced Photon Source allows us to perform small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements of the distributions of soot particles in flames. SAXS provides an in situ probe of the size and distribution of particles in the region between 1 and 100 nm. Detailed measurements on a propylene/air diffusion flame allow us to extract a spatially dependent background, which occurs in gas-phase combustion systems, and to perform Abel inversions, which provide the radial dependence of the scattering intensity. A bimodal distribution of soot particles is needed to describe our results. The radial behavior of the two modes of this distribution implies that the chemistry and fluid dynamics are strongly coupled in this simple diffusion flame. The larger particles of this distribution correspond to the previously observed primary particles, which have a relatively complex radial dependence. Midway between the fuel source and the widest part of the flame the primary particles have a mean radius of 6 nm or less and their concentration is symmetrically distributed about the flame front. At the widest part of the flame, two distinct distributions of primary particles are observed. Near …

In order to improve the melt rate of high level waste slurry feed being vitrified in the Savannah River Site's (SRS) Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) Melter, a melter glass pump (pump 1) was installed in the DWPF Melter on February 10, 2004. The glass pump increased melt rate by generating a forced convection within the molten glass pool, thereby increasing the heat transfer from the molten glass to the unmolten feed cold cap that is on top of the glass pool. After operating for over four months, the pump was removed on June 22, 2004 due to indications that it had failed. The removed pump exhibited obvious signs of corrosion, had collapsed inward at the glass exit slots at the melt line, and was dog-legged in the same area. This lead to the pump being redesigned to improve its mechanical integrity (increased wall thickness and strength) while maintaining its hydraulic diameter as large as possible. The improved DWPF glass pump (pump 2) was installed on September 15, 2004. The impact of the new design on pump life, along with analysis of the glass pump's impact on melt rate in the DWPF Melter is discussed in this paper.

We have performed high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) image simulations to qualitatively assess the visibility of various structural defects in ultra-thin gate oxides of MOSFET devices, and to quantitatively examine the accuracy of HRTEM in performing gate oxide metrology. Structural models contained crystalline defects embedded in an amorphous 16 {angstrom}-thick gate oxide. Simulated images were calculated for structures viewed in cross-section. Defect visibility was assessed as a function of specimen thickness and defect morphology, composition, size and orientation. Defect morphologies included asperities lying on the substrate surface, as well as ''bridging'' defects connecting the substrate to the gate electrode. Measurements of gate oxide thickness extracted from simulated images were compared to actual dimensions in the model structure to assess TEM accuracy for metrology. The effects of specimen tilt, specimen thickness, objective lens defocus and coefficient of spherical aberration (C{sub s}) on measurement accuracy were explored for nominal 10{angstrom} gate oxide thickness. Results from this work suggest that accurate metrology of ultra-thin gate oxides (i.e. limited to several per cent error) is feasible on a consistent basis only by using a C{sub s}-corrected microscope. However, fundamental limitations remain for characterizing defects in gate oxides using HRTEM, even with the new …

The end of the Cold War has created a legacy of surplus fissile materials (plutonium and highly enriched uranium) in the United States (U.S.) and the former Soviet Union. These materials pose a danger to national and international security. During the past few years, the U.S. and Russia have engaged in an ongoing dialog concerning the safe storage and disposition of surplus fissile material stockpiles. In January 1997, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced the U. S. would pursue a dual track approach to rendering approximately 50 metric tons of plutonium inaccessible for use in nuclear weapons. One track involves immobilizing the plutonium by combining it with high-level radioactive waste in glass or ceramic ''logs''. The other method, referred to as reactor-based disposition, converts plutonium into mixed oxide (MOX) fuel for nuclear reactors. The U.S. and Russia are moving ahead rapidly to develop and demonstrate the technology required to implement the MOX option in their respective countries. U.S. MOX fuel research and development activities were started in the 1950s, with irradiation of MOX fuel rods in commercial light water reactors (LWR) from the 1960s--1980s. In all, a few thousand MOX fuel rods were successfully irradiated. Though much of this work …

The United States holds at least 61.5 metric tons (MT) of plutonium that is permanently excess to use in nuclear weapons programs, including 47.2 MT of weapons-grade plutonium. Surplus inventories will be stored safely by the Department of Energy (DOE) and then transferred to facilities that will prepare the plutonium for permanent disposition. The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) operates a Feed Characterization program for the Office of Fissile Materials Disposition of the National Nuclear Security Administration and the DOE Office of Environmental Management. Many of the items that require disposition are only partially characterized, and SRNL uses a variety of techniques to predict the isotopic and chemical properties that are important for processing through the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility and alternative disposition paths. Recent advances in laboratory tools, including Prompt Gamma Analysis and Peroxide Fusion treatment, provide data on the existing inventories that will enable disposition without additional, costly sampling and destructive analysis.

Cosmic-Muon-Based Interrogation has untapped potential for national security. This presentation describes muons-based passive interrogation techniques.

The licensing framework established by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission under Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 52, “Licenses, Certifications, and Approvals for Nuclear Power Plants,” provides requirements for standard design certifications (DCs) and combined license (COL) applications. The intent of this process is the early reso- lution of safety issues at the DC application stage. Subsequent COL applications may incorporate a DC by reference. Thus, the COL review will not reconsider safety issues resolved during the DC process. However, a COL application that incorporates a DC by reference must demonstrate that relevant site-specific de- sign parameters are within the bounds postulated by the DC, and any departures from the DC need to be justified. This paper provides an overview of several seismic analysis issues encountered during a review of recent DC applications under the 10 CFR Part 52 process, in which the authors have participated as part of the safety review effort.

The mode superposition method is often used for dynamic analysis of complex structures, such as the seismic Category I structures in nuclear power plants, in place of the less efficient full method, which uses the full system matrices for calculation of the transient responses. In such applications, specification of material-dependent damping is usually desirable because complex structures can consist of multiple types of materials that may have different energy dissipation capabilities. A recent review of the ANSYS manual for several releases found that the use of material-dependent damping is not clearly explained for performing a mode superposition transient dynamic analysis. This paper includes several mode superposition transient dynamic analyses using different ways to specify damping in ANSYS, in order to determine how material-dependent damping can be specified conveniently in a mode superposition transient dynamic analysis.

The licensing framework established by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission under Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 52, “Licenses, Certifications, and Approvals for Nuclear Power Plants,” provides requirements for standard design certifications (DCs) and combined license (COL) applications. The intent of this process is the early reso- lution of safety issues at the DC application stage. Subsequent COL applications may incorporate a DC by reference. Thus, the COL review will not reconsider safety issues resolved during the DC process. However, a COL application that incorporates a DC by reference must demonstrate that relevant site-specific de- sign parameters are confined within the bounds postulated by the DC, and any departures from the DC need to be justified. This paper provides an overview of structural design chal- lenges encountered in recent DC applications under the 10 CFR Part 52 process, in which the authors have participated as part of the safety review effort.

This article discusses recent reports of potential cold deuterium targets.

None

For a short bunch in an elliptical collimator we demonstrate that, as in a purely round collimator, the wake can be estimated from the primary fields of the beam alone. We obtain the wakes in the LCLS rectangular-to-round, undulator transitions using a hybrid method that includes indirect numerical (field) integration and an analytical potential energy term. For the LCLS 1 nC bunch charge configuration, we find the wake-induced energy change in the transitions to be small compared to that due to the resistance of the beam pipe walls.

Using a recently developed time domain numerical approach we calculate the short-range geometric wakefields of 3D collimators and compare with analytical models. We find, in the diffractive regime, that the transverse mode kick factor can be approximated from the change in field energy between the beam pipe and the collimator if the collimator is long, or using a ''field clipping'' estimate if it is short. For collimators of past and present measurements at SLAC, numerical, analytical, and measurement results are compared.