Testing the Ortega hypothesis: Facts and artifacts

We examine the assumptions and data base used by researchers who have tested the Ortega hypothesis. We find that the assumptions are not supported by the data and that the data are faulty. We conclude that the results are artifactual. We recommend that any policy implemented on the basis of this research be suspended.     

High-resolution optical angle sensors: approaching the diffraction limit to the sensitivity

We carry out a detailed analysis of angle-sensitive devices based on the critical-angle effect. We consider their use in measuring small angular deflections of a laser beam. We establish the diffraction limit to the sensitivity for optical-angle sensors based on reflection and transmission of a laser beam. We find that this limit is identical to that of the triangulation scheme when using a position-sensitive detector or the autocollimation scheme. We analyze the main proposals to date of optical-angle sensors based on the critical-angle effect, focusing on their maximum sensitivity and their polarization dependence in practical conditions. We propose and analyze theoretically a novel and simple angle-sensitive device for sensing optical-beam deflections with very low polarization dependence and a maximum sensitivity close to the diffraction limit when used with typical laser beams. We discuss the basic principles for designing this type of device, provide numerical results, and point out a convenient fabrication procedure.     

Standard reference materials of high-purity substances for metrological support of analytical monitoring of nanomaterials and their high-purity precursors

We consider aspects involved in preparation of chemical composition standard reference materials (SRMs) for nanomaterials. We show that the primary requirement for metrological support of analytical measurements is the availability of SRMs with certified chemical purity. We describe a procedure for preparation and certification of 40 such SRMs based on the Exhibition Collection of High-Purity Substances of the Russian Academy of Sciences. We describe modern methods for analysis of high-purity substances and nanomaterials based on them. We discuss problems involved in application of SRMs in nanoanalysis.     

Field analysis of the magnetic systems for tubular linear reluctance motors

We report a study of tubular linear reluctance motors (TLRMs) in various types of magnetic circuits. We carried out magnetic field analyses and calculated integral parameters of the field. We also determined static characteristics and electromagnetic parameters of the motor. We found good agreement between our calculations and tests of the motor with sinusoidal excitation.     

Stochastic cyclic flow lines with blocking: Markovian models

We consider a cyclic flow line model that repetitively produces multiple items in a cyclic order. We examine performance of stochastic cyclic flow line models with finite buffers of which processing times have exponential or phase-type distributions. We develop an exact method for computing a two-station model by making use of the matrix geometric structure of the associated Markov chain. We present a computationally tractable approximate performance computing method that decomposes the line model into a number of two-station submodels and parameterizing the submodels by propagating the starvation and blocking probabilities through the adjacent submodels. We discuss performance characteristics including comparison with random order processing and effects of the job variation and the job processing sequence. We also report the accuracy of our proposed method.     

Hierarchical wave-front sensing

We present a new wave-front sensing technique for adaptive optics based on use of several wave-front sensors dedicated to the sensing of a different range of spatial frequencies. We call it a hierarchical wave-front sensor. We present the concept of a hierarchical wave-front sensor and apply it to the Shack-Hartmann sensor. We show the gain that is expected with two Shack-Hartmann sensors. We obtain a gain that increases with the size of the largest sensor, and we detail the application of hierarchical wave-front sensing to extreme adaptive optics and extremely large telescopes.     

Sensitivity of an imaging space infrared interferometer

We study the sensitivities of space infrared interferometers. We formulate the signal-to-noise ratios of infrared images obtained by aperture synthesis in the presence of source shot noise, background shot noise, and detector read noise. We consider the case in which n beams are combined pairwise at n(n - 1)/2 detectors and the case in which all the n beams are combined at a single detector. We apply the results to future missions, Terrestrial Planet Finder and Darwin. We also discuss the potential of a far-infrared interferometer for a deep galaxy survey.     

Digital three-dimensional image correlation by use of computer-reconstructed integral imaging

We use integral images of a three-dimensional (3D) scene to estimate the longitudinal depth of multiple objects present in the scene. With this information, we digitally reconstruct the objects in three dimensions and compute 3D correlations of input objects. We investigate the use of nonlinear techniques for 3D correlations. We present experimental results for 3D reconstruction and correlation of 3D objects. We demonstrate that it is possible to perform 3D segmentation of 3D objects in a scene. We finally present experiments to demonstrate that the 3D correlation is more discriminant than the two-dimensional correlation.     

Etude de la segregation d'impuretes telles que Se et Te dans l'antimoniure de gallium

We have study the segregation coefficient k of selenium in gallium antimonide for slightly and heavily doped single crystals. We show that k is a function only of the growing rate. We compare there results to tellurium ones. We deduce the value of k when v is zero: this value is k_o = 0,013. We show also that the variation of the number of free carriers is linear with N_d the number of donors, in n type as well as p type.     

Use of Hydrogen for the Production of Materials with Regulated Porosity

We investigate structural features of new porous materials (gasars) produced with the use of hydrogen. We show that the dimension of the pores and their number and form can be controlled through technological parameters. We note that both ordered and disordered structures are formed in gasars. An ordered structure formed due to gas-eutectic crystallization is called a gasarite. We found bubble and dendritic gasarites and analyzed structural features and conditions of their formation. We selected large, medium, fine, and ultrafine pores in gasarites of various kinds. Structural specific features of gas-eutectic materials enable one to predict their properties and determine conditions of production.     

Effect of oblique light incidence on magnetooptical properties of one-dimensional photonic crystals

We have investigated the magnetooptical properties of one-dimensional magnetic photonic crystals for the case of oblique light incidence. We developed a theoretical model based on the transfer matrix approach. We found several new effects such as transmittance resonance peak shift versus external magnetic field and the Faraday effect dependence on the incidence angle. We discuss several possible one-dimensional magnetic photonic crystals applications for the optical devices.     

Quadrature detection of a Doppler signal

We have employed a quadrature detection technique to measure theDoppler signal from a moving target. We mix a circularly polarizedreference with a linearly polarized signal to produce an output thatcontains the real and the imaginary parts of the interference field inthe two output polarizations. We are thus able to measure thein-phase and the quadrature components of an interferometric signalsimultaneously by splitting the output with a polarizing beamsplitter. We present data that demonstrate our ability through thistechnique to obtain both the amplitude and the frequency of vibrationof an audio speaker. We also demonstrate the technique's abilityto give one access to the direction of motion and instantaneousposition of the target.     

Modified refraction-interference method for calculating the geometric and optical parameters of optical waveguides

We describe a ray method for analysis of the geometric and optical characteristics of two-layer fiber optical waveguides. We have analyzed the effect of the polarization of the illuminating beam on the overall pattern of the intensity distribution. We consider the characteristic types of rays for a single-layer and two-layer fiber optical waveguide. We have obtained definitive dependences of the beam intensity for each ray individually. We have developed a program for calculation of the scattering pattern in fiber optical waveguides illuminated by a broad beam. Translated from Izmeritel'naya Tekhnika, No. 3, pp. 39–42, March, 1996.     

Magnetic Force Microscope Contrast Simulation for Low-Coercive Ferromagnetic and Superparamagnetic Nanoparticles in an External Magnetic Field

We report the results of simulations of magnetic force microscope (MFM) contrast for low-coercive ferromagnetic and superparamagnetic nanoparticles. We show that two types of MFM contrast in the form of gaussian and ring distributions can be observed because of probe-particle interaction. We discuss stabilization of the magnetic moment of nanoparticles by an external magnetic field. We have calculated the values of stabilizing magnetic fields and their dependence on probe parameters and scanning heights.     

Real-Time Renormalization Group: Charge Fluctuations in Metallic Islands and Quantum Dots

We develop a perturbative renormalization-group method in realtime to describe nonequilibrium properties of discrete quantumsystems coupled linearly to an environment. We include energybroadening and dissipation and develop a cutoff-independentformalism. We apply the method to charge fluctuations insingle-electron devices at low temperatures. We presentquantitatively reliable results for the conductance inmetallic islands and in the mixed-valence and empty-orbitalregime of the nonequilibrium Anderson impurity model. Weconsider a finite charging energy and include all chargestates.     

Linear and nonlinear optical properties of hollow core photonic crystal fiber

We review the optical guidance properties of hollow-core photonic crystal fibers. We follow a historical perspective to introduce the two major optical guidance mechanisms that were identified as operating in these fibers: photonic bandgap guidance and inhibited coupling guidance. We then review the modal properties of these fibers and assess the transmission loss mechanisms in photonic bandgap guiding hollow-core photonic crystal fiber. We dedicate a section to a review of the technical basics of hollow-core photonic crystal fiber fabrication and photonic microcell assembly. We review some of the early results on the use of hollow-core photonic crystal fiber for laser guiding micro-sized particles, as well as the generation of stimulated Raman scattering, electromagnetically induced transparency and laser frequency stabilization when the fiber core is filled with a gas-phase material. We conclude this review with a non-exhaustive list of prospects where hollow-core photonic crystal fiber could play a central role.     

A Field-Network Model of a Linear Oscillating Motor and Its Dynamics Characteristics

We describe a method of modeling of the dynamics characteristics for linear oscillating motors. We used electromagnetic finite-element analysis in the network model, which contains the electric circuit and mechanical equations. We compared the integral parameters of the electromagnetic field with the measured ones. We also compared the calculated and measured waves of the stator current for two values of supply voltage. The comparison yields a good agreement.     

Sequencing with limited flexibility

We consider the problem of resequencing a set of prearranged jobs when there is limited resequencing flexibility and sequence-dependent changeover costs. Resequencing flexibility is limited by how far forward or backward a job can shift in the sequence relative to its original position. We show how the problem can be solved using dynamic programming in polynomial time with respect to the number of jobs. We also show how the same solution approach can be extended to problems where sequencing constraints are job specific and to problems where job features, which determine changeover costs, are jointly determined with the job sequence. We provide an integer programming formulation to the resequencing problem whose linear programming relaxation offers a useful lower bound. We also describe a family of decomposition heuristics that are easy to customize to provide desired levels of solution quality and solution time. We document the quality of the lower bound from the linear programming relaxation and the upper bound from the heuristic using numerical results. We also provide numerical results to support managerial insights regarding the value of flexibility. We show that the value of flexibility is of the diminishing kind with most of the benefit realized with relatively limited flexibility. We also show that a balanced allocation of flexibility among forward and backward position shifting is superior to an unbalanced one. More significantly, we show that forward and backward position shifting flexibility are complements with the value of one increasing in the amount of the other. Finally, we apply our solution approach to a real-world case from the automotive industry.     

Pose estimation from a two-dimensional view by use of composite correlation filters and neural networks

We present a technique to estimate the pose of a three-dimensional object from a two-dimensional view. We first compute the correlation between the unknown image and several synthetic-discriminant-function filters constructed with known views of the object. We consider both linear and nonlinear correlations. The filters are constructed in such a way that the obtained correlation values depend on the pose parameters. We show that this dependence is not perfectly linear, in particular for nonlinear correlation. Therefore we use a two-layer neural network to retrieve the pose parameters from the correlation values. We demonstrate the technique by simultaneously estimating the in-plane and out-of-plane orientations of an airplane within an 8-deg portion. We show that a nonlinear correlation is necessary to identify the object and also to estimate its pose. On the other hand, linear correlation is more accurate and more robust. A combination of linear and nonlinear correlations gives the best results.