“Communities of strangerhoods?”: Internet,mobile phones and the changing nature of radio cultures in South Africa

This article analyses the role of new media technologies in transforming radio practices in South Africa in terms of institutional cultures and audience engagement. With emphasis on the Internet and mobile phones, the paper focuses on three radio stations – Safm, Talk Radio 702, and Bush Radio. Drawing on theories of public spheres and theories of publics, the paper argues that ICTs have expanded communicative radio spaces and transformed the nature of audience engagement. Through these expanded spaces, radio stations increasingly view their listeners as publics rather than merely audiences, meaning that listeners now produce, circulate and share information in ways that allow them to organise themselves into a public around radio texts. While the argument in this paper has acknowledged the positive role of ICTs in expanding discursive spaces and transforming radio publics, realities of the digital divide in South Africa are not ignored.     

Two-band k · p model for the conduction band in silicon: Impact of strain and confinement on band structure and mobility

The lowest conduction band of Si is often approximated by three pairs of equivalent parabolic valleys located near the X-points of the Brillouin zone. There are recent experimental indications that the effective mass depends on shear strain and the silicon film thickness. The parabolic band structure ignores these effects completely. By comparison with numerical pseudopotential calculations, we show that the recently evaluated two-band k · p model accurately describes the dependences of the valley shifts and the effective masses on the shear strain component. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the two-band model is valid in a larger portion of the Brillouin zone as compared to the parabolic approximation with strain dependent effective masses and can be successfully used to describe analytically the subband dispersions in ultra-thin Si films, with or without strain. In the latter case, the model provides an analytical expression for the thickness-dependent non-parabolicity parameter in the unprimed subbands. Finally, the low-field mobility with the dependence of the non-parabolicity parameter on the film thickness taken into account is compared with the mobility computed with the bulk value of the non-parabolicity parameter.     

ICANN – EU can't: Internet governance and Europe's role in the formation of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)

This paper analyzes the policy process that led to the formation of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), focusing on the actions of the European Commission. The analysis of the relevant documents shows the difference between the regulatory ideas in the US and the EU. The European Commission would have preferred an institutional framework with a prominent role for public actors, but had to accept the preference of the US Government, which directed the institutionalization of a private regime for the management of Internet addresses and names. Nevertheless, the Commission managed to establish itself as a major player in the emerging field of Internet governance.     

Effect of constructional features of the insulating gap of open TiN–SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>–W and Si–SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>–W “sandwich” structures on the process of their electroforming

It is experimentally shown that the introduction of an additional dielectrical layer several nanometers thick (more than 2.5 and 1.3 nm for TiO₂ and SiO₂, respectively) into open TiN–SiO₂–W and Si–SiO₂–W “sandwich”-structures on their anode (lower electrode, i.e., TiN and Si, respectively) in series with respect to the conducting medium formed in the insulating gap during electroformation appreciably decreases the probability of an electrical breakdown. This effect is produced by the limitation of the current by the resistance of an additional dielectrical layer at the prebreakdown level. Some experimental dependences of the probability of successfully electroforming on the thickness of an additional dielectrical layer (TiO₂) are obtained for the TiN–SiO₂–W structure.     

Synthesis and characterisation of curcumin–M (M = B,Fe and Cu) films grown on p-Si substrate for dielectric applications

Metal-coordinated yellow curcumin was extracted from green natural sources and sublimated in vacuum to prepare thin films on p-Si and glass substrates for dielectric and optical investigations. The synthesised curcumin complexed with the metals boron, iron, and copper powders were crystalline while the prepared films were amorphous. The optical absorption spectrum of the prepared films showed similar two absorption band structure in the visible range. The onset energy of the main optical absorption band of the film was determined using the Tauc technique. The dielectric properties of this material were systematically studied for future applications in metal–insulator–semiconductor MIS field of applications. The complex dielectric properties were studied in the frequency range of 1–1000 kHz and was analysed. The important find is a large optoelectronic sensitivity so that the integral optical responsivity (S¹) reaches ∼1.0 A/W and the electrical conductivity increases under light illumination by ∼400–1000%. Generally, Curcumin metal complex can be used in small-k environmentally friendly production of microelectronic and optoelectronic devices.     

Coexist,complement, converge and innovate: Public diplomacy of US–China Internet Industry Forum

Culture and value are new dimensions for international relations after the term “soft power” was coined, and public diplomacy became an important initiative to gain soft power. As a successful case in US–China public diplomacy, the US–China Internet Industry Forum (UCIIF) proves that, in noopolitik there exists a rule from coexistence, complementation to convergence and innovation, which has a close relationship with its diplomatic operations. This case also provides important inspiration for the future US–China relations.     

Cognitive radio paradigm and recent trends of antenna systems in the UWB 3.1–10.6 GHz

Wireless Networks - This article mainly focuses on the concept of cognitive radio paradigm in the ultra-wideband 3.1–10.6&nbsp;GHz and recent trends of various antenna systems required...     

Data Service: Characteristics, Market Structure, and the Role of Operator

1　Introduction　Since the development of telecommunication technologymake the operator able to offer data service to subscribers inthe mid 1990s, operators of various countries have madeenormous efforts to develop data service. Currently, the ar gument on 3G ( 3rd Generation, International MobileTelecommunications 2000) focuses on how to find, develop,and popularize application services in data service markettoo. Some researchers propose that even NTT DoCoMo can n…     

Influence of the surface roughness of the bottom electrode on the resistive-switching characteristics of Al/Al2O3/Al and Al/Al2O3/W structures fabricated on glass at 300 °C

Resistive-switching devices based on Metal–Insulator–Metal (MIM) structures have shown promising memory performance characteristics while enabling higher density of integration. Usually, these MIM devices are fabricated using different processing conditions including high temperature thermal treatments that could lead to undesirable chemical reactions in the insulator material and at its interface with the metals involved. In this work, we compare the electrical characteristics of MIM devices (fabricated on glass at 300 °C) that use aluminum or tungsten as bottom electrode (BE) in order to study the influence of a highly reactive (aluminum) or inert (tungsten) metal electrode on the memory characteristics. We found that the switching characteristics of Al₂O₃ (from a high-resistance state HRS to a low-resistance state LRS and vice versa), are highly dependent on the surface roughness of the BE, the thickness of Al₂O₃ and the current compliance (CC) which limits the electron density flowing through both top/bottom electrodes.     

Effect of implantation of Ba<Superscript>+</Superscript> and Nb<Superscript>+</Superscript> ions on the morphology,composition, and emission properties of Мо (111)

The effect of implantation of Ba⁺ and Nb⁺ ions on the composition and emission properties of Мо (111) single crystals is investigated. It is shown that implantation of Ba⁺ ions leads to the complete purification of the Мо surface from С and О atoms, rapid decrease in the work function, and intensification of the secondary and photoelectron emission coefficients, while implantation of Nb⁺ ions leads to rapid (up to 30 at %) growth of the surface concentration of С. It is established that, after heating at Т = 1400 K, the surface is completely purified from carbon and Nb + Мо nanocrystalline phases are formed.     

Resistive Switching of Memristors Based on (Co40Fe40B20)x(LiNbO3)100 – x Nanocomposite with a LiNbO3 Interlayer: Plasticity and Time Characteristics

Journal of Communications Technology and Electronics - The resistive switching (RS) of metal/nanocomposite/metal (M/NC/M) memristive structures based on the...     

The Internet: Is it a replicable technological and social phenomenon for central Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States?

The Internet is more than just inter-connectivity between computers across geo-political boundaries. The Internet is also a means of exchanging ideas to augment human endeavor. This paper explores conditions for, and possible benefits of, the evolution of the Internet in Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States.     

Systematic features of the variation in the crystal-chemical, electrical, and surface physicochemical properties of A X B8 ? X materials on the energy of the inverse adsorption piezoelectric effect

Based on the generalization of experimental data on the structure, properties, adsorption and electrical properties of diamond-like semiconductors, the systematic features of variation in their crystalchemical, electrical, and surface (adsorption and electrical) properties depending on the energy of the reverse adsorption piezoelectric effect is established for the first time. It is noted that this energy coincides with the energy of formation and annihilation of point defects in solids, which is determined by the dilatometric and calorimetric methods. Empirical formulas for variation in the band gap, melting point, and microhardness depending on the energy density in oxygen are found for II?CVI compounds. Based on the found systematic feature, the values of the microhardness for the semiconductor materials HgS, HgSe, and Cd_0.12Hg_0.88Te, which are lacking in published data, are found.     

Sol–Gel Grown SnO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Nanoparticles: Evaluation of Structure,Morphology, and Raman Spectra

Tin oxide (SnO₂) nanoparticles (TONPs) were prepared using sol–gel method under different growth conditions. The influence of calcination temperature (450°C and 600°C) and molecular weight of polyethylene glycol (PEG 300 and PEG 4000) on the nanocrystallinity, surface morphology, and Raman spectra of as-prepared TONPs were evaluated. Variation of calcination temperature and dopant (sulfosuccinic acid, SA) was found to affect considerably the structure, surface morphology, and Raman activities of the TONPs. The size of TONPs estimated using Scherrer equation was discerned to be in the range of 15–32 nm. The observed intensity enhancement in the Raman vibrational modes at lower calcination temperature was attributed to the enlargement of TONPs size. The absorption of molecules at the TONPs surface led to a quenching in the A ₂ g and Eu Raman peaks. Raman peaks centered around 673 cm^?1, 799 cm^?1, 640 cm^?1 , and 432 cm^?1 corresponding to A1g, B2g, A1g, and Eg modes, respectively have manifested highest peaks intensity. Furthermore, the enhancement of the Eg mode due to the addition of SA dopant was ascribed to the Jahn–Teller distortion mechanism.     

Electrical characterization and reliability of submicron SOI CMOS technology in the extended temperature range (to 300 °C)

I-V characteristics and reliability parameters for the set of hardened SOI MOSFET's with special layouts and tungsten metallization to provide additional thermal tolerance for high-temperature SOI CMOS IC's are investigated in the temperature range up to 300 °C. The reliability aspects under test for MOSFET's are threshold voltage shift, subthreshold slope and mobility degradation, gate leakage current rise; for tungsten metallization (contacts, conductor lines and vias) I-T and R-T characteristics, failure time. The SOI MOSFET standard compact SPICE model BSIMSOI with traditional temperature limit of 150 °C is modified to be used for CMOS IC simulation in the extended temperature range up to 300 °C. The results indicate that the 0.5–0.18 μm SOI MOSFET's with tungsten metallization have stable electrical behavior that makes them possible to be used during implementation of HT CMOS IC's (to 300 °C).     

320 × 256 avalanche array photodetector on the basis of ternary alloys of the A<Subscript>3</Subscript>B<Subscript>5</Subscript> group with an InGaAs absorbing layer and an InAlAs barrier layer

320 × 256 avalanche array photodetector on the basis ternary alloys of the A₃B₅ group with an InGaAs absorbing (in the band of 0.9–1.7 μm) layer and InAlAs barrier layer is studied. The array of 320 × 256 elements was fabricated in a nBp nanoheterostructure by the mesa technology. The number of imperfect elements, the dependence of the dark current on the bias voltage, and the avalanche gain factor are measured.