Publications

The use of dilute SC-1 (NH40H:H202:H20) chemistry cleaning processes for particle removal from silicon surfaces has been investigated. Dilute chemistries can be highly effective, especially when high- frequency acoustic energy (megasonics) is applied. The high particle removal efficacy of the dilute chemistry processes presumably arises due to increased double layer effects caused by reduced ionic strength. Dilute chemistry SC- I solutions exhibit somewhat reduced efficacy for removal of certain light organics; however, when dilute SC-1 is used along with other pre-gate cleaning steps (e.g. HF, SC-2, and piranha), then the overall cleaning sequence is quite effective. In addition to providing robust cleaning processes, dilute chemistries also result in significantly lower chemical and rinse water usage. Waste water treatment requirements are also lessened when dilute chemistry cleaning solutions are employed.

With a goal of producing faster, safer, and cheaper technologies for nuclear waste cleanup, Sandia is actively developing and extending intelligent systems technologies through the US Department of Energy Office of Technology Development (DOE OTD) Robotic Technology Development Program (RTDP). Graphical programming is a key technology for robotic waste cleanup that Sandia is developing for this goal. Graphical programming uses simulation such as TELEGRIP `on-line` to program and control robots. Characterized by its model-based control architecture, integrated simulation, `point-and-click` graphical user interfaces, task and path planning software, and network communications, Sandia`s Graphical Programming systems allow operators to focus on high-level robotic tasks rather than the low-level details. Use of scripted tasks, rather than customized programs minimizes the necessity of recompiling supervisory control systems and enhances flexibility. Rapid world-modelling technologies allow Graphical Programming to be used in dynamic and unpredictable environments including digging and pipe-cutting. This paper describes Sancho, Sandia`s most advanced graphical programming supervisory software. Sancho, now operational on several robot systems, incorporates all of Sandia`s recent advances in supervisory control. Graphical programming uses 3-D graphics models as intuitive operator interfaces to program and control complex robotic systems. The goal of the paper is to help the reader understand how Sandia implements graphical programming systems and which key features in Sancho have proven to be most effective.

Battery testing for photovoltaic (PV) applications is funded at Sandia under the Department of Energy`s (DOE) Photovoltaic Balance of Systems (BOS) Program. The goal of the PV BOS program is to improve PV system component design, operation, reliability, and to reduce overall life-cycle costs. The Sandia battery testing program consists of: (1) PV battery and charge controller market survey, (2) battery performance and life-cycle testing, (3) PV charge controller development, and (4) system field testing. Test results from this work have identified market size and trends, PV battery test procedures, application guidelines, and needed hardware improvements.

Planar, surface micromachined pressure sensors have been fabricated by an extension of the chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) process. CMP eliminates many of the fabrication problems associated with the photolithography, dry etch, and metallization of non-planar devices. Furthermore, CMP adds additional design flexibility. The sensors are based upon deformable, silicon nitride diaphragms with polysilicon piezoresistors. Absolute pressure is detected by virtue of reference pressure cavities underneath the diaphragms.

Interconnect delays, arising in part from intralevel capacitance, are one of the limiting factors in the performance of advanced integrated circuits. In addition, the problem of filling the spaces between neighboring metal lines with an insulator is becoming increasingly severe as aspect ratios increase. We address these problems by intentionally creating a air gap between closely spaced metal lines. The ends of the air gap and reentrant features are then sealed using a spin on dielectric. The entire structure is then capped with silicon dioxide and planarized . Simple modeling of mechanical test structures on silicon predicts an equivalent dielectric constant of 1.9 on features similar to those expected for 0.25 micron technologies. Metal to metal test structures fabricated in a 0.5 micron CMOS technology show that the process can be readily integrated with chemical mechanical polishing and current standard CMOS processes.

The corrections system in the U.S. is supervising over five million offenders. This number is rising fast and so are the direct and indirect costs to society. To improve supervision and reduce the cost of parole and probation, first generation home arrest systems were introduced in 1987. While these systems proved to be helpful to the corrections system, their scope is rather limited because they only cover an offender at a single location and provide only a partial time coverage. To correct the limitations of first-generation systems, second-generation wide area continuous electronic offender monitoring systems, designed to monitor the offender at all times and locations, are now on the drawing board. These systems use radio frequency location technology to track the position of offenders. The challenge for this technology is the development of reliable personal locator devices that are small, lightweight, with long operational battery life, and indoors/outdoors accuracy of 100 meters or less. At the center of a second-generation system is a database that specifies the offender`s home, workplace, commute, and time the offender should be found in each. The database could also define areas from which the offender is excluded. To test compliance, the system would compare the observed coordinates of the offender with the stored location for a given time interval. Database logfiles will also enable law enforcement to determine if a monitored offender was present at a crime scene and thus include or exclude the offender as a potential suspect.

This paper describes divertor density and temperature measurements using both a new reciprocating Langmuir probe (XPT-RCP) which plunges vertically above the divertor floor up to the X-point height and swept, single, Langmuir probes fixed horizontally across the divertor floor. These types of measurements are important for testing models of the SOL and divertor which then are used to design plasma facing components in reactor size tokamaks. This paper presents an overview of the new divertor probe measurements and how they compare with the new divertor Thomson scattering system. The fast time response of the probe measurements allows detailed study of ELMs.

A new reciprocating Langmuir probe has been used to measure density and temperature profiles, ion flow, and potential fluctuation levels from the lower divertor floor up to the X-point on the DIII-D tokamak. This probe is designed to make fast (2 kHz swept, 20 kHz Mach, 500 kHz Vfloat) measurements with 2 mm spatial resolution in the region where the largest gradients on the plasma open flux tubes are found and therefore provide the best benchmarks for SOL and divertor numerical models. Profiles are constructed using the 300 ms time history of the probe measurements during the 25 cm reciprocating stroke. Both single and double null plasmas can be measured and compared with a 20 Hz divertor Thomson scattering system. The probe head is constructed of four different kinds of graphite to optimize the electrical and thermal characteristics. Electrically insulated pyrolytic graphite rings act as a heat shield to absorb the plasma heat flux on the probe shaft and are mounted on a carbon/carbon composite core for mechanical strength. The Langmuir probe sampling tips are made of a linear carbon fiber composite. The mechanical, electrical, data acquisition and power supply systems design will be described. Initial measurements will also be presented.

This paper addresses the problem of improving detection, assessment, and response capabilities of security systems. Our approach combines two state-of-the-art technologies: volumetric video motion detection (VVMD) and virtual reality (VR). This work capitalizes on the ability of VVMD technology to provide three-dimensional (3D) information about the position, shape, and size of intruders within a protected volume. The 3D information is obtained by fusing motion detection data from multiple video sensors. The second component involves the application of VR technology to display information relating to the sensors and the sensor environment. VR technology enables an operator, or security guard, to be immersed in a 3D graphical representation of the remote site. VVMD data is transmitted from the remote site via ordinary telephone lines. There are several benefits to displaying VVMD information in this way. Because the VVMD system provides 3D information and because the sensor environment is a physical 3D space, it seems natural to display this information in 3D. Also, the 3D graphical representation depicts essential details within and around the protected volume in a natural way for human perception. Sensor information can also be more easily interpreted when the operator can `move` through the virtual environment and explore the relationships between the sensor data, objects and other visual cues present in the virtual environment. By exploiting the powerful ability of humans to understand and interpret 3D information, we expect to improve the means for visualizing and interpreting sensor information, allow a human operator to assess a potential threat more quickly and accurately, and enable a more effective response. This paper will detail both the VVMD and VR technologies and will discuss a prototype system based upon their integration.

While all fires are complex and involve many phenomena, this report is limited to large, turbulent liquid-hydrocarbon pool fires. Large, liquid-hydrocarbon pool fires present a risk in petrochemical storage and processing facilities and transportation systems that contain large amounts of liquid hydrocarbons. This report describes observations, speculations, and numerical simulations of vortical structures in pool fires. Vortical structures are observed in fires with length scales ranging from those that bend millimeter-thick flame zones to those that entrain air many meters from the edge of the fire to its centerline. The authors propose that baroclinic vorticity generation is primarily responsible for production of rotational motion at small scale and that amalgamation is responsible for the production of large-scale rotational structures from the myriad of small-scale structures. Numerical simulations show that vortical structures having time-mean definitions can be resolved with a Reynolds-Average Navier-Stokes (RANS) approach. However, for vortical structures without time-mean definition, RANS is inappropriate, and another technique, such as Large Eddy Simulation (LES), should be employed. 39 refs., 52 figs., 3 tabs.

On September 24, 1996, after decades of discussion and more than two years of intensive international negotiations, President Clinton, followed by representatives of (to date) more than 125 other countries, including the other four declared nuclear weapons states, signed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Each signatory now faces a complex set of technical and political considerations regarding the advisability of joining the treaty. Those considerations vary from country to country, but for many countries one of the key issues is the extent to which the treaty can be verified. In the case of the US, it is anticipated that treaty verifiability will be an important issue in the US Senate Advice and Consent Hearings. This paper will address treaty verifiability, with an emphasis on the interplay between the various elements of the International monitoring regime, as prescribed in the CTBT Treaty Text and its associated Protocol. These elements, coupled with the National regimes, will serve as an integrated set of overlapping, interlocking measures to support treaty verification. Taken as a whole, they present a formidable challenge to potential testers who wish not to be caught.

This paper argues that cooperative monitoring plays a critical role in the implementation of regional security agreements and confidence building measures. A framework for developing cooperative monitoring options is proposed and several possibilities for relating bilateral and regional monitoring systems to international monitoring systems are discussed. Three bilateral or regional agreements are analyzed briefly to illustrate different possibilities. These examples illustrate that the relationship of regional or bilateral arms control or security agreements to international agreements depends on a number of factors: the overlap of provisions between regional and international agreements; the degree of interest in a regional agreement among the international community; efficiency in implementing the agreement; and numerous political considerations. Given the importance of regional security to the international community, regions should be encouraged to develop their own infrastructure for implementing regional arms control and other security agreements. A regional infrastructure need not preclude participation in an international regime. On the contrary, establishing regional institutions for arms control and nonproliferation could result in more proactive participation of regional parties in developing solutions for regional and international problems, thereby strengthening existing and future international regimes. Possible first steps for strengthening regional infrastructures are identified and potential technical requirements are discussed.

Lead acetate [Pb(O{sub 2}CMe){sub 4}] was easily synthesized from a warm solution of Pb{sub 3}O{sub 4}, HO{sub 2}CMe and O(OCMe){sub 2} following literature preparations when the appropriate measures to minimize water contamination were followed. Furthermore, Pb(O{sub 2}CMe){sub 4} which has been decomposed (evidenced by the appearance of a purple color due to oxidation) can be regenerated using a similar preparatory route. Introduction of Pb(O{sub 2}CMe){sub 4} from the two routes outlined above into the IMO process for production of PZT thin films gave films with comparable ferroelectric properties to commercially available Pb(O{sub 2}CMe){sub 4} precursors. However, the freshly synthesized material yields PZT films with better properties compared to the recycled material.

Laboratory-scale experiments applicable to the use of salt-saturated concrete as a seal material for a transuranic waste repository have been completed. Nitrogen gas permeability measurements were made using a flexible-wall permeameter, a confining pressure of 1 MPa, and gas pressure gradients ranging from 0.3 MPa to 0.75 MPa. Results show that salt-saturated concrete has very low intrinsic permeability with values ranging from 9.4 {times} 10{sup {minus}22} m{sup 2} to 9.7 {times} 10{sup {minus}17} m{sup 2}. Strength and deformation characteristics were investigated under conditions of triaxial compression with confining pressures ranging from 0 to 15 MPa using either axial strain-rate or axial stress-rate control and show that the failure strength of concrete increases with confining pressure which can be adequately described through pressure-sensitive failure criteria. Axial, radial, and volumetric strains were also measured during each test and these data were used to determine elastic properties. Experimental results are applicable in the design and analysis of scale-related functions and apply to other concrete structures subjected to compressive loadings such as dams and prestressed structural members.

Alignment of DNA sequences is a necessary step prior to comparison of sequence data. High-speed alignment is needed due to the large size of DNA databases. Correlation, a standard pattern recognition technique, can be used to perform alignment. Correlation can be performed rapidly using optical techniques. Thus, optical correlation offers the potential for high-speed processing of DNA sequence data. This report describes research efforts to apply one-dimensional acousto-optical correlation methods to the problem of DNA sequence alignment. Experimental results are presented.

The Intelligent Systems and Robotics Center (ISRC) at Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program organization, pursuing research, development and applications in a wide range of field. Activities range from large-scale applications such as nuclear facility dismantlement for the US Department of Energy (DOE), to aircraft inspection and refurbishment, to automated script and program generation for robotic manufacturing and assembly, to miniature robotic devices and sensors for remote sensing and micro-surgery. This paper describes six activities in the large and small scale that are underway and either nearing technology transfer stage or seeking industrial partners to continue application development. The topics of the applications include multiple arm coordination for intuitively maneuvering large, ungainly work pieces; simulation, analysis and graphical training capability for CP-5 research reactor dismantlement; miniature robots with volumes of 16 cubic centimeters and less developed for inspection and sensor deployment; and biomedical sensors to enhance automated prosthetic device production and fill laparoscopic surgery information gap.

A new gravitational head formulation for the treatment of stratified conditions has been developed for CONTAIN 1.2, a control volume code used primarily for the analyses of postulated accidents in nuclear power plants. The new CONTAIN formulation of gravitational heads, termed the hybrid formulation, is described. This method of calculating stratified conditions is compared with the old, average-density formulation used in code versions prior to CONTAIN 1.2. Both formulations are assessed in this report with experimental data from three large-scale experiments in which stratified conditions formed by injection of a buoyant gas were observed. In general, the hybrid formulation gives a substantially higher degree of stratification than the old formulation. For stable, fully developed stratifications, the hybrid formulation also gives much better agreement with the measured degree of stratification than the old formulation. In addition, the predicted degree of stratification is robust and not sensitive to nodalization, provided a set of nodalization guidelines are followed. However, for stratification behavior controlled by special physics not modeled in CONTAIN, such as momentum convection, plume entrainment, or bulk molecular diffusion, one should not expect good agreement with experiment unless special measures to accommodate the missing physics are taken.

Interest in the transmission of high intensities through optical fibers is being motivated by an increasing number of applications. Using different laser types and fiber materials, various studies are encountering transmission limitations due to laser-induced damage processes. The authors have found that fiber transmission is often limited by a plasma-forming breakdown occurring at the fiber entrance face. System attributes that will affect breakdown and damage thresholds include laser characteristics, the design and alignment of laser-to-fiber injection optics, and fiber end-face preparation. In the present work the authors have combined insights gained in past studies in order to establish what thresholds can be achieved if all system attributes can be optimized to some degree. The multimode laser utilized past modifications that produced a relatively smooth, quasi-Gaussian profile. The laser-to-fiber injection system achieved a relatively low value for the ratio of peak-to-average fluences at the fiber entrance face, incorporated a mode scrambler to generate a broad mode power distribution within the initial segment of the fiber path, and had improved fixturing to insure that the fiber axis was collinear with the incident laser beam. Fiber end faces were prepared by a careful mechanical polishing schedule followed by surface conditioning using a CO{sub 2} laser. In combination, these factors resulted in higher thresholds for breakdown and damage than they had achieved previously in studies that utilized a simple lens injection system.

Fast and thermal neutron activation analysis with sealed neutron generators has been used to detect oil (oil logging), hazardous waste, fissile material, explosives, and contraband (drugs). Sealed neutron generators, used in the above applications, must be small and portable, have good electrical efficiency and long life. The ion sources used in the sealed neutron tubes require high gas utilization efficiencies or low pressure operation with high ionization efficiencies. In this paper, the authors compare a number of gas ion sources that can be used in sealed neutron tubes. The characteristics of the most popular ion source, the axial Penning discharge will be discussed as part of the zetatron neutron generator. Other sources to be discussed include the SAMIS source and RF ion source.

This report summarizes work performed by Sandia National Laboratories for the Federal Aviation Administration. The technical issues involved in fire modeling for aircraft fire research are identified, as well as computational fire tools for addressing those issues, and the research which is needed to advance those tools in order to address long-range needs. Fire field models are briefly reviewed, and the VULCAN model is selected for further evaluation. Calculations are performed with VULCAN to demonstrate its applicability to aircraft fire problems, and also to gain insight into the complex problem of fires involving aircraft. Simulations are conducted to investigate the influence of fire on an aircraft in a cross-wind. The interaction of the fuselage, wind, fire, and ground plane is investigated. Calculations are also performed utilizing a large eddy simulation (LES) capability to describe the large- scale turbulence instead of the more common k-{epsilon} turbulence model. Additional simulations are performed to investigate the static pressure and velocity distributions around a fuselage in a cross-wind, with and without fire. The results of these simulations provide qualitative insight into the complex interaction of a fuselage, fire, wind, and ground plane. Reasonable quantitative agreement is obtained in the few cases for which data or other modeling results exist Finally, VULCAN is used to quantify the impact of simplifying assumptions inherent in a risk assessment compatible fire model developed for open pool fire environments. The assumptions are seen to be of minor importance for the particular problem analyzed. This work demonstrates the utility of using a fire field model for assessing the limitations of simplified fire models. In conclusion, the application of computational fire modeling tools herein provides both qualitative and quantitative insights into the complex problem of aircraft in fires.

A sodium silicotitanate (TAM5) of ideal composition Na{sub 3}Si{sub 2}Ti{sub 4}O{sub 13}(OH) {center_dot} 4H{sub 2}O (jointly developed by Sandia and Texas A and M) is synthesized hydrothermally in highly alkaline media. The material selectively removes cesium cations from solutions containing up to 5.7 M Na{sup +} and for a pH range of less than 1 to greater than 14. The crystal structure of TAM5 has been refined from X-ray powder data by Rietveld refinement, using the mineral Sitinakite as a model. The compound is tetragonal. The titanium and niobium atoms occur in clusters of four and are octahedrally coordinated by oxygen atoms. These clusters are held together by tetrahedral linkages to the silicon atoms. The framework forms a three dimensional structure that has potential accessibility to the three cation sites (two in the cages, one in the framework wall) from three directions. However, the sodium cation that sits in the wall is tightly held due to octahedral bonding from a combination of framework and water oxygen atoms. Furthermore, that site is too small for cations greater in size than sodium. In a concurrent report, extensive monovalent and divalent cation exchange studies are presented, with analyses including structure refinement, elemental analyses and thermal stability of both powder and UOP engineered forms.

The conceptual model for WIPP dissolved concentrations is a description of the complex natural and artificial chemical conditions expected to influence dissolved actinide concentrations in the repository. By a set of physical and chemical assumptions regarding chemical kinetics, sorption substrates, and waste-brine interactions, the system was simplified to be amenable to mathematical description. The analysis indicated that an equilibrium thermodynamic model for describing actinide solubilities in brines would be tractable and scientifically supportable. This paper summarizes the conceptualization and modeling approach and the computational results as used in the WIPP application for certification of compliance with relevant regulations for nuclear waste repositories. The WIPP site contains complex natural brines ranging from sea water to 10x more concentrated than sea water. Data bases for predicting solubility of Am(III) (as well as Pu(III) and Nd(III)), Th(IV), and Np(V) in these brines under potential repository conditions have been developed, focusing on chemical interactions with Na, K, Mg, Cl, SO{sub 4}, and CO{sub 3} ions, and the organic acid anions acetate, citrate, EDTA, and oxalate. The laboratory and modeling effort augmented the Harvie et al. parameterization of the Pitzer activity coefficient model so that it could be applied to the actinides and oxidation states important to the WIPP system.

Recently, there has been an interest in making electronic cash protocols more practical for electronic commerce by developing e-cash which is divisible (e.g., a coin which can be spent incrementally but total purchases are limited to the monetary value of the coin). In Crypto`95, T. Okamoto presented the first practical divisible, untraceable, off-line e-cash scheme, which requires only O(log N) computations for each of the withdrawal, payment and deposit procedures, where N = (total coin value)/(smallest divisible unit). However, Okamoto`s set-up procedure is quite inefficient (on the order of 4,000 multi-exponentiations and depending on the size of the RSA modulus). The authors formalize the notion of range-bounded commitment, originally used in Okamoto`s account establishment protocol, and present a very efficient instantiation which allows one to construct the first truly efficient divisible e-cash system. The scheme only requires the equivalent of one (1) exponentiation for set-up, less than 2 exponentiations for withdrawal and around 20 for payment, while the size of the coin remains about 300 Bytes. Hence, the withdrawal protocol is 3 orders of magnitude faster than Okamoto`s, while the rest of the system remains equally efficient, allowing for implementation in smart-cards. Similar to Okamoto`s, the scheme is based on proofs whose cryptographic security assumptions are theoretically clarified.

This report describes the system designed and fabricated for the National Center for Advanced Information Component Manufacturing (NCAICM) project number 9322-135. The system is a device capable of simultaneously aligning two glass plates and sealing them together with glass frit. The process development was divided into two phases. The first was thermal sealing in an ambient environment. The second was sealing a controlled environment in a vacuum.

Quality of life as a concept has been used in many ways in the public policy arena. It can be used in summative evaluations to assess the impacts of policies or programs. Alternatively, it can be applied to formative evaluations to provide input to the formation of new policies. In short, it provides the context for the understanding needed to evaluate the results of choices that have been made in the public policy arena, or the potential of choices yet to be made. In either case, the public policy question revolves around the positive or negative impact the choice will have on quality of life, and the magnitude of that impact. This discussion will develop a conceptual framework that proposes that an assessment of quality of life is based on a comparison of expectations with experience. The framework defines four basic components from which these expectations arise: natural conditions, social conditions, the body, and the mind. Each one of these components is generally described, and associated with a general policy or rhetorical category which gives it its policy vocabulary--environmental quality, economic well-being, human health, and self-fulfillment.

Time-domain simulations of the loads on wind energy conversion systems have been hampered in the past by the relatively long computational times for nonlinear structural analysis codes. However, recent advances in both the level of sophistication and computational efficiency of available computer hardware and the codes themselves now permit long-term simulations to be conducted in reasonable times. Thus, these codes provide a unique capability to evaluate the spectral content of the fatigue loads on a turbine. To demonstrate these capabilities, a Micon 65/13 turbine is analyzed using the YawDyn and the ADAMS dynamic analysis codes. The SNLWIND-3D simulator and measured boundary conditions are used to simulate the inflow environment that can be expected during a single, 24-hour period by a turbine residing in Row 41 of a wind farm located in San Gorgonio Pass, California. Also, long-term simulations (up to 8 hours of simulated time) with constant average inflow velocities are used to better define the characteristics of the fatigue load on the turbine. Damage calculations, using the LIFE2 fatigue analysis code and the MSU/DOE fatigue data base for composite materials, are then used to determine minimum simulation times for consistent estimates of service lifetimes.

In an effort to devise a cost efficient technology for remediation of uranium contaminated groundwater, the Department of Energy`s Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (DOE-UMTRA) Program through Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) fabricated a pilot scale research project utilizing reactive subsurface barriers at an UMTRA site in Durango, Colorado. A reactive subsurface barrier is produced by placing a reactant material (in this experiment, metallic iron) in the flow path of the contaminated groundwater. The reactive media then removes and/or transforms the contaminant(s) to regulatory acceptable levels. Experimental design and results are discussed with regard to other potential applications of reactive barrier remediation strategies at other sites with contaminated groundwater problems.

Ceramic samples of (La{sub 1-x}Gd{sub x}){sub 2/3}Ca{sub 1/3}MnO{sub 3} were prepared and used as targets to grow films onto LaAlO{sub 3} substrates by pulsed laser deposition. Electrical resistance and thermopower, measured vs temperature and applied magnetic fields indicate transport dominated by positive small polarons in the high temperature paramagnetic state. The Hall effect was measured in 0.5 {mu}m thick films of composition x=0 and x=0.25. No evidence for extraordinary hall effect was found in the paramagnetic regime. Instead, the magnitude of the Hall coefficient decreases exponentially with temperature. This behavior and its anomalous negative sign are interpreted to result from face-diagonal hopping of small polarons in the Mn sublattice.

Prosperity Games{trademark} are an outgrowth and adaptation of move/countermove and seminar War Games, Prosperity Games{trademark} are simulations that explore complex issues in a variety of areas including economics, politics, sociology, environment, education, and research. These issues can be examined from a variety of perspectives ranging from global, macroeconomic and geopolitical viewpoint down to the details of customer/supplier/market interactions specific industries. All Prosperity Games{trademark} are unique in that both the game format and the player contributions vary from game to game. This report documents the Future{at}Labs.Prosperity Game{trademark} conducted under the sponsorship of the Industry Advisory Boards of the national labs, the national labs, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and the University of California. Players were drawn from all stakeholders involved including government, industry, labs, and academia. The primary objectives of this game were to: (1) explore ways to optimize the role of the multidisciplinary labs in serving national missions and needs; (2) explore ways to increase collaboration and partnerships among government, laboratories, universities, and industry; and (3) create a network of partnership champions to promote findings and policy options. The deliberations and recommendations of these players provided valuable insights as to the views of this diverse group of decision makers concerning the future of the labs.

No abstract available.

A procedure is presented for developing the route characterization used to assess the risk for the highway transport of nuclear materials. The types of data needed for a risk assessment and the sources used to provide that data are discussed. An outline of the methods used to get from data source to the route characterization used for risk analysis is presented. The models and methodologies developed for this study were programmed into the ADROIT computer code, which ha become one of Sandia`s principal analysis tools for doing risk assessments for the highway transportation risk for nuclear materials.

Sandia National Laboratories operates two reactors which fall under US Environmental Protection Agency regulations for emission of radionuclides to the ambient air. These reactors are: (1) the Annular Core Research Reactor, a pool-type reactor and (2) the Sandia Pulsed Reactor III, a Godiva-type reactor. The annual radioactive air emissions from these two reactors had been estimated based on engineering calculations and used in the facility Safety Analysis Report. The calculated release rates had never been confirmed through measurements. The purpose of this work was to obtain confirmatory radioactive gas and aerosol concentration measurements for radionuclides in exhaust stacks of these reactors during normal operation; however, the measured production rate of argon-41 was significantly different from the engineering calculations for both reactors. The resolution of this difference is discussed.

SC-1 (NH{sub 4}OH/H{sub 2}O{sub 2}/H{sub 2}O) and piranha (H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}/H{sub 2}O{sub 2}) cleans have been used for many years to remove particulate and organic contamination. Although the SC-1 clean, often used with applied megasonic power, is known to be highly effective for particle removal, the removal mechanism remains unclear. For the removal of heavy organic contamination, the piranha cleaning chemistry is an effective process; however, post-piranha residue adheres tenaciously to the wafer surface, causing a particle growth phenomenon. A series of experiments have been performed to help understand the interaction of these processes with silicon surfaces.

As device critical dimensions decrease in size it becomes increasingly important to remove particles from the wafer surface so they do not impact device yield. A typical method to evaluate various cleaning techniques is to deposit silicon nitride (Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}) particles on the wafer surface and then process the wafers through the desired cleaning processes. The National Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors specifies the standard challenge for percent particle removal from silicon wafers to be based on > 1,000 nitride particles added to the wafers. However, it does not specify the deposition technique to be used for the Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} particles. Two common methods used to deposit Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} on silicon test wafers are the aerosol deposition technique or the wet dip deposition technique. A comparison between these two Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} deposition methods to determine if these methods create an equivalent particle removal challenge has not been reported in the literature to date. In this paper the authors compare these two deposition techniques. They found advantages and disadvantages for both deposition methods. The preferred method for particle deposition is dependent on the specific application.

The suitability of various metallic printed wiring board surface finishes was assessed for new technology applications that incorporate assembly with Lead-free solders. The manufacture of a lead-free product necessitates elimination of lead (Pb) from the solder, the circuit board as well as the component lead termination. It is critical however for the selected interconnect Pb-free solder and the corresponding printed wiring board (PWB) and component lead finishes to be mutually compatible. Baseline compatibility of select Pb-free solders with Pb containing PWB surface finish and components was assessed. This was followed by examining the compatibility of the commercially available CASTIN{trademark} (SnAgCuSb) Pb-free solder with a series of PWB metallic finishes: Ni/Au, Ni/Pd, and Pd/Cu. The compatibility was assessed with respect to assembly performance, solder joint integrity and long term attachment reliability. Solder joint integrity and mechanical behavior of representative 50 mil pitch 20I/O SOICs was determined before and after thermal stress. Mechanical pull test studies demonstrated that the strength of SnAgCuSb solder interconnections is notably greater than that of SnPb interconnections.

Pulsed high-energy ion beams have been used to thermally treat Ti and Ti alloy surfaces to alter the electrochemical response. Two regimes have been explored: rapid melt and resolidification, and ion beam mixing. In this report, results from initial studies are presented exploring effect of these two regimes on the electrochemical behavior of Ti and Ti alloys.

Recently, a great deal of interest has developed in manufacturing processes that allow the monolithic integration of MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) with driving, controlling, and signal processing electronics. This integration promises to improve the performance of micromechanical devices as well as lower the cost of manufacturing, packaging, and instrumenting these devices by combining the micromechanical devices with a electronic devices in the same manufacturing and packaging process. In order to maintain modularity and overcome some of the manufacturing challenges of the CMOS-first approach to integration, we have developed a MEMS-first process. This process places the micromechanical devices in a shallow trench, planarizes the wafer, and seals the micromechanical devices in the trench. Then, a high-temperature anneal is performed after the devices are embedded in the trench prior to microelectronics processing. This anneal stress-relieves the micromechanical polysilicon and ensures that the subsequent thermal processing associated with fabrication of the microelectronic processing does not adversely affect the mechanical properties of the polysilicon structures. These wafers with the completed, planarized micromechanical devices are then used as starting material for conventional CMOS processes. The circuit yield for the process has exceeded 98%. A description of the integration technology, the refinements to the technology, and wafer-scale parametric measurements of device characteristics is presented. Additionally, the performance of integrated sensing devices built using this technology is presented.

New, previously unpublished shock wave data on soda-lime glass are presented. These data are examined in light of recent experimental evidence for failure wave behavior in brittle solids. An underlying physical basis for failure waves is explored in terms of inelastic deformation kinetics processes.

An ultrasonic inspection method was developed at FAA`s Airworthiness Assurance NDI Validation Center (AANC) to easily and rapidly detect hidden fatigue cracks in the copilot vertical windshield post on USCG (Coast Guard) HU-25 `Guardian` aircraft. The inspection procedure locates hidden cracks as small as 3.2 mm emanating from internal fastener holes and determines their length. A test procedure was developed and a baseline assessment of the USCG fleet conducted. Inspection results on 41 aircraft revealed good correlation with results made during subsequent structural disassembly and visual inspection of selected aircraft.

The US-Russian Government-to-Government Program of Cooperation on Nuclear Material Protection, Control, and Accounting (MPC&A) evolved from the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Program. In 1995, the US Department of Energy (DOE) assumed responsibility as the executive agent for implementation of the Government-to-Government MPC&A Program, followed by the programmatic responsibility for funding. The Russian Program initially emphasized limited exchanges, demonstrations, and upgrades at low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel fabrication facility at Elektrostal in 1994. The program has expanded to include upgrades at nuclear facilities across Russia, development of the Russian Methodological Training Center (RMTC) in Obninsk; and cooperation with Gosatomnadzor, the Russian Federal Nuclear Radiation and Safety Authority. This paper describes the overall program including program objectives, approach, and US-Russian participation, with an emphasis on DOE-GAN cooperation.

The rapid advancement of interconnect technology has resulted in a more engineered approach to designing and fabricating printed wiring board (PWB) surface features. Recent research at Sandia National Laboratories has demonstrated the importance of surface roughness on solder flow. This paper describes how chemical etching was used to enhance the solderability of surfaces that were normally difficult to wet. The effects of circuit geometry, etch concentration, and etching time on solder flow are discussed. Surface roughness and solder flow data are presented. The results clearly demonstrate the importance of surface roughness on the solderability of fine PWB surface mount features.

Material removal in chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) occurs by a pressure accentuated chemical attack of the surface. The polishing slurry typically consists of abrasive particles and reactive chemicals that may or may not include an oxidant. Post-CMP cleaning processes must remove both the ionic contaminants and any remaining polishing slurry particles. Central to the effectiveness of a clean is the use of conditions that will minimize the binding force between the residual particles and the wafer surface. The morphology and composition of the particle, the surface from which it must be removed, and the environment surrounding the wafer will determine the magnitude of forces that hold a particle to the wafer surface. At the Sandia/SEMATECH Center for Contamination Free Manufacturing, two techniques--atomic force microscopy (AFM) and electrokinetic deposition--are being used to explore these interactions for CMP of both oxide and tungsten surfaces. A basic understanding of particle-surface interaction forces and how they are affected by the chemical/physical environment of the particle and surface is the objective of this task. Modification of the binding forces between particles and wafer surfaces may be used to maximize post-CMP cleaning effectiveness.

A new test simulation tool is being developed to support vibration test design and to evaluate the overall testability of a component or system. This environment, the Vibration Virtual Environment for Test Optimization (VETO), is utilized to optimally place vibration control and response transducers and to investigate the selection of test parameters needed in the design and performance of a vibration experiment. The engineer can investigate the effects of different control parameters prior to performing an actual vibration test. Additionally, new and existing fixture designs can be evaluated through the development of analytical or experimental models that can be integrated into the simulation environment. This test design environment also provides the engineer with the ability to combine analytically or experimentally derived models of the vibration test hardware, instrumentation and equipment into a simulation model that represents the vibration testing capability. Hardware-in-the-loop simulations can be conducted using this model to examine multiple facets of the test design. This paper presents a new tool that will assist test engineers in maximizing the value of vibration tests through the use of hardware-in-the-loop simulations.

Experiments were performed to assess the aging degradation and loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) behavior of electrical cables subjected to long-term aging exposures. Four different cable types were tested in both the U.S. and France: (1) U.S. 2 conductor with ethylene propylene rubber (EPR) insulation and a Hypalon jacket. (2) U.S. 3 conductor with cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) insulation and a Hypalon jacket. (3) French 3 conductor with EPR insulation and a Hypalon jacket. (4) French coaxial with polyethylene (PE) insulation and a PE jacket. The data represent up to 5 years of simultaneous aging where the cables were exposed to identical aging radiation doses at either 40{degrees}C or 70{degrees}C; however, the dose rate used for the aging irradiation was varied over a wide range (2-100 Gy/hr). Aging was followed by exposure to simulated French LOCA conditions. Several mechanical, electrical, and physical-chemical condition monitoring techniques were used to investigate the degradation behavior of the cables. All the cables, except for the French PE cable, performed acceptably during the aging and LOCA simulations. In general, cable degradation at a given dose was highest for the lowest dose rate, and the amount of degradation decreased as the dose rate was increased.

The Korean peninsula is the site of a tense military confrontation. Relations between North and South Korea improved during the early 1990`s but the process is now frozen. Confidence building measures, particularly military ones, that address the security needs of both countries would decrease the danger of conflict and help create an environment for direct negotiations. The Korean Institute for Defense Analysis (KIDA) analyzed current security conditions and options. Their scenario includes a conceptual agreement to establish Limited Force Deployment Zones (LDZ) along the current demilitarized zone (DMZ) to increase mutual security. The Cooperative Monitoring Center (CMC) of Sandia National Laboratories, in collaboration with KIDA, developed a strategy, with examples, for cooperatively monitoring the agreement. A cooperative monitoring regime requires consideration of the agreement`s terms, the geographic, logistic, military, and political factors of the Korean environment, and the capability of technology to monitor the terms. This paper assesses the applicability of cooperative monitoring to Korea, describes the monitoring strategy for the Korean enhanced DMZ scenario, and describes the applicable technologies and procedures.

We present growth and characterization of visible and near-infrared vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. Discussions on the growth issue of VCSEL materials include growth rate and composition control using an {ital in}{ital situ} normal-incidence reflectometer, comprehensive p- and n-type doping study in AlGaAs by CCl{sub 4} and Si{sub 2}H{sub 6} over the entire composition range, and optimization of ultra-high material uniformity. We also demonstrate our recent achievements of all-AlGaAs VCSELs which include the first room-temperature continuous- wave demonstration of 700-nm red VCSELs and high-efficiency and low- threshold voltage 850-nm VCSELs.

The DOE/DOD Environmental Data Bank was established in 1959 as a central location for storing weapons and equipment environments information from a variety of DOE, DoD, and industrial sources and continues to be maintained by Sandia National Laboratories. The Data Bank contains approximately 3,000 documents regarding normal and abnormal environments that describe handling, storage, transportation, use, and general phases, which occur during the life of a system. This paper describes the DOE/DOD Environmental Data Bank system, its structure, data sources, usage, and progress in converting it from a microfilm database to an electronic database.

It is common practice in applied mechanics to develop mathematical models for mechanical system behavior. Frequently, the actual physical system being modeled is also available for testing, and sometimes the test data are used to help identify the parameters of the mathematical model. However, no general-purpose technique exists for formally, statistically judging the quality of a model. This paper suggests a formal statistical procedure for the validation of mathematical models of physical systems when data taken during operation of the physical system are available. The statistical validation procedure is based on the bootstrap, and it seeks to build a framework where a statistical test of hypothesis can be run to determine whether or not a mathematical model is an acceptable model of a physical system with regard to user-specified measures of system behavior. The approach to model validation developed in this study uses experimental data to estimate the marginal and joint confidence intervals of statistics of interest of the physical system. These same measures of behavior are estimated for the mathematical model. The statistics of interest from the mathematical model are located relative to the confidence intervals for the statistics obtained from the experimental data. These relative locations are used to judge the accuracy of the mathematical model. A numerical example is presented to demonstrate the application of the technique.

A comparison is provided of the results of various methods for evaluating structure during a ship-to-ship collision. The baseline vessel utilized in the analyses is a 67.4 meter in length displacement hull struck by an identical vessel traveling at speeds ranging from 10 to 30 knots. The structural response of the struck vessel and motion of both the struck and striking vessels are assessed by finite element analysis. These same results are then compared to predictions utilizing the {open_quotes}Tanker Structural Analysis for Minor Collisions{close_quotes} (TSAMC) Method, the Minorsky Method, the Haywood Collision Process, and comparison to full-scale tests. Consideration is given to the nature of structural deformation, absorbed energy, penetration, rigid body motion, and virtual mass affecting the hydrodynamic response. Insights are provided with regard to the calibration of the finite element model which was achievable through utilizing the more empirical analyses and the extent to which the finite element analysis is able to simulate the entire collision event. 7 refs., 8 figs., 4 tabs.

The objective of this project was to determine the savings in utility operating costs that could be obtained by installing a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). The target utility was Kansas City Power and Light (KCPL), a typical Midwestern utility with a mix of generating plants and many interconnections. The following applications of battery energy storage were modeled using an Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) developed and supported program called DYNASTORE: (1) Spinning Reserve Only (2) Load Leveling with Spinning Reserve (3) Load Leveling Only (4) Frequency Control DYNASTORE commits energy storage units along with generating units and calculates operating costs with and without energy storage, so that savings can be estimated. Typical weeks of hourly load data are used to make up a yearly load profile. For this study, the BESS power ranged from ``small`` to 300 MW (greater than the spinning reserve requirement). BESS storage time ranged from 1 to 8 hours duration (to cover the time-width of most peaks). Savings in operating costs were calculated for each of many sizes of MW capacity and duration. Graphs were plotted to enable the reader to readily see what size of BESS affords the greatest savings in operating costs.