Species richness, structural diversity and species composition in meadows created by visitors of a botanical garden in Switzerland

Biodiversity is an increasingly important criterion in designing ecological compensation areas and urban green areas. However, little is known about how important biodiversity is to the general public. This paper presents the results of two complementary studies investigating the meadow preferences of visitors to a botanical garden in Switzerland. In the first study, 152 people were asked to create their own favourite meadow patch by selecting 25 out of 779 local wild plants (54 species) that were displayed in flowerpots. In the second study, 143 people were asked with the help of a written questionnaire to imagine a bare piece of land the size of 100 m × 100 m close to their place of living and mentally create the meadow of their dreams. In both cases, study participants assembled meadows that were species-rich and rich in structural diversity (expressed by plant height and leaf forms). Moreover, they explicitly stated diversity as their main assemblage criterion. Although study participants favoured plants with large or colourful flowers, only a third of all plants in the meadows created with real plants were flowering and in people's imagined meadows grasses were frequently included, indicating that people like diverse meadows consisting of a green matrix with some colourful flowers.     

Effect of Zn, Sr, and Y Addition on Electrical Properties of PZT Thin Films

We have investigated methods to increase the efficiency of piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (pMUTs). pMUTs are driven by a thin piezoelectric layer on a Si membrane. The efficiency of pMUTs can be increased using a film with better ferroelectric properties. We have used Zn, Sr, and Y doping on PZT-based thin films along the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) composition to increase their piezoelectric properties. The results obtained were then extended to compositions on both sides of the MPB. The sol–gel method was used to prepare precursor solutions, which were then spin coated on a Pt(100)/Ti/SiO₂/Si substrate to prepare the PZT thin films. It was found that Zn and Sr together had the most significant effect on the ferroelectric properties in which a saturation polarization of 108 μC/cm² and remanent polarization of 54 μC/cm² were achieved.     

Fast evaluation of an integral occurring in digital filteringapplications

A fast evaluation procedure for the integral I_m,n,p=1/2πj∯_|z|=1H_m,n(z)H _m,n(z^-1)z^p-1dz for arbitrary nonnegative integer-valued m, n, and p, is presented, where H_m,n (z)=Σ_k=0^mb_m,kz^-k /Σ_l=0ⁿa_n,lz^-1,a _n,0≠0 is the transfer function of an arbitrary digital filter. Evaluation of this integral frequently appears in control, communication, and digital filtering. A notable result is the one-term recursion on p, for arbitrary but fixed nonnegative integers m and n. The computational complexity is analyzed, and two illustrative examples demonstrate some of the advantages of this approach     

Stability of digital filters implemented with two's complementtruncation quantization

The stability of digital filters implemented with two's complement truncation quantization is investigated. Both the direct-form and normal-form realizations are considered and regions in the parameter plane are obtained where the filters are globally asymptotically stable. Regions within the stability triangle of a direct-form digital filter are also studied where limit cycles of period one and two are possible. The results are illustrated with several examples     

H2 Energy Estimate of Boundary Controlled Vibrating Hybrid Structure Subject to Uncertain Forces

We study here a model hybrid system consisting of a flexible rectangular space structure such as a solar cell array, hoisted at one end by a movable rigid hub, set to vibration from certain initial conditions, but subject to uncertain disturbing forces distributed along its length. Assuming that the control of vibrations is sought by a damper at the hub end proportional to a general nonlinear function of the velocity of the point, we obtain an H2 energy estimate of vibrations over a time interval [0,T] in terms of initial energy of the system and the time integral of the L2 norm of the disturbance over the length of the panel. From this, estimates of tolerance level of the disturbances are obtained. Both torsional and flexural modes of vibration are considered.     

Hall effect analysis of high purity p-type GaAs grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

Variable temperature Hall effect and low temperature photoluminescence measurements have been performed on high purityp- andn-type GaAs grown at atmospheric pressure by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. These high purity epitaxial GaAs layers were grown as a function of the arsine (AsH₃) to trimethylgallium (TMG) ratio (V/III ratio). The accurate quantitative assessment of the electronic properties of thep-type layers was emphasized. Analysis of the material focussed on the variation of the concentration of the shallow impurities for different V/III ratios. Surface and interface depletion effects are included to accurately estimate the concentration of impurities. The model of the merging of the excited states of the acceptor with the valence band is used to include the dependence the activation energy of the impurity on the acceptor concentration as well as on acceptor species identity. The characteristicp- ton-type conversion with increasing V/III ratio was observed in these samples and the reason for thep- ton-type conversion is that the background acceptor concentration of carbon decreases and the germanium donor concentration increases as the V/III ratio is increased.     

Power electronics-a technology review

A comprehensive review of power electronics technology that includes a discussion of power semiconductor devices, topologies of different classes of converters, and some selected applications is given. The modern power semiconductor devices that appeared in the 1980s, i.e., IGBTs, SITs, SITHs, and MCTs, are emphasized. Tables comparing the numerical ratings of the devices are included. Although modern converters are emphasized, phase-controlled converters, which are now very commonly used, are included for completeness. Tables comparing the features of AC-AC converters, particularly for AC drive applications are given. A few selected applications indicate in general the complexity of power electronics systems