General Shear-Thinning Dynamics of Confined Fluids

The shear properties for a number of thin fluid films under high pressure were investigated as a function of sliding velocity (shear rate) using the surface forces apparatus. It was found that the relationship between the effective viscosity _eff and shear rate in the shear-thinning regime could be expressed by a simple equation, log_10eff=C-nlog₁₀, where C4.7±0.2 and n0.9±0.1. This equation can be applied to a variety of fluid systems from simple liquids to polymer melts, which transition to glasslike phases in confined geometries. Since the effect of confinement on the slowing down of molecular motions is equivalent to that of decreasing temperature, this universally can be explained using conventional glass-transition theories for bulk fluids. Assuming the confined fluid to be in a state where dynamics are dominated by excluded volume effects, its _eff should correspond to that of the bulk at or near the glass-transition temperature. Thus, characteristic relaxation times in the system should correlate with the time scales of the primary relaxation processes associated with submolecular rearrangements, which are an essential feature of the glass transition and not very different for various fluid materials.     

Surface diffusion and flow activation energies of perfluoropolyalkylether

Surface diffusion of perfluoropolyalkylether (PFPE) Fomblin Z15 and Fomblin Zdol (hydroxyl terminated PFPE) on silicon wafers was investigated over the temperature range of 25 to 50°C using scanning microellipsometry. Zdol exhibits a much lower mobility and a distinctly different thickness profile as compared to Z15. The activation energy for surface diffusion of Zdol is higher than that of Z15, reflecting the stronger affinity of its hydroxyl end groups for the substrate. The viscosity flow activation energy E ^* is compared with that of surface diffusion E _d ^* yielding E _d ^* E ^* for Z15, and E _d ^* 1.5E ^* for ZOn leave from Korea Insitute of Science and Technology, PO Box 131, Cheongryang, Seoul, Korea 305-701.     

A Stable Temperature Sensor Based on GaAs Structures with Schottky Barriers

The current–voltage and temperature–voltage characteristics of a GaAs structure with a Schottky barrier were measured, and their dependence on technological factors and temperature were determined. The main technological parameters of the device (the concentration of free carriers n ₀ in the base of diodes, the area S of the contact of the barrier-forming metal, and the value of the direct current I through the structure) were optimized. As a result, an element with a highly linear temperature–voltage characteristic was obtained. For Pd–GaAs structures with S 0.32 mm² (d 640 m), I 10 A, and n ₀ = (1–3) × 10¹⁶ cm^–3, the thermal sensitivity coefficient is 2 mV/°C, and the nonlinearity coefficient is < 0.5% within a range of 100 K, which is much lower than obtained theoretically. A highly stable temperature sensor is manufactured on the sensitive element offered.     

Anisotropic stick-slip friction of highly oriented thin films of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) at the molecular level

Lateral force microscopy (LFM) studies of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) films with molecular resolution are reported. Thin PTFE layers with a high degree of orientation were obtained by pressing and sliding a block of polymer on a clean, heated muscovite mica substrate. LFM nanographs obtained on these films by scanning at directions between ca. 40 and 90° with respect to the film orientation direction, i.e. with respect to the direction of the polymer chains, showed a stick-slip type frictional motion of the LFM probe tip at the molecular level. The friction force observed at constant load decreased with decreasing scan angles. Chain-chain packing distances obtained by LFM and contact-mode atomic force microscopy were the same to within the experimental error and had a value of 5.8 Å. Dual-mode contact AFM/LFM imaging was also performed by scanning in the chain direction. Here LFM nanographs showed no distinct stick-slip phenomenon. The contact mode AFM images, however, exhibited clear molecular resolution with the expected chain-chain periodicity. The disappearance of the stick component in LFM scans performed in the chain direction was attributed to the smooth surface of PTFE on the molecular scale.     

Some recent progress in microtribology in Japan

The micro in the word of microtribology is defined as science and engineering supported by modern physics and chemistry. In the engineering area, the ultimate goal of microtribology is to create practical zero-wear devices. The importance of microtribology was recognized by Japanese scientists and engineers in the latter half of the 1980s, and much progress has been made in microtribological studies of mechanisms of friction, lubrication with very thin liquid films, and microwear processes.     

On the Possibility of Experimental Study of Rare η-, ω-, and η"-Meson Decays with the U-70 Accelerator

We consider potential experiments at the U-70 accelerator (Institute for High Energy Physics, Protvino) on the search and study of rare neutral -, -, and "-meson decays that are critical for the modern theory, at a qualitatively new level of statistical accuracy. A special setup with the use of meson tagging and electromagnetic calorimetry on PbWO₄crystals is offered for this experiment. The neural net approach was invoked at the stage of data processing. The Monte Carlo simulation of the experiment demonstrated its high sensitivity to rare-decay detection, which far exceeds the existing world results.     

An economic design for variable sampling interval MA control charts

Most of the studies done on the economic design of control charts focus on a fixed-sampling interval (FSI); however, it has been discovered that variable-sampling-interval (VSI) control charts are substantially quicker in detecting shifts in the process than FSI control charts due to a higher frequency in the sampling rate when a sample statistic shows some indication of a process change. In this paper, an economic design for a VSI moving average (MA) control chart is proposed. The results of a numerical example adopted from an actual case indicate that the loss cost of VSI MA control charts is consistently lower than that of the FSI scheme.Design variables n Sampling size for each moving plot - h_a Subsequent sampling interval when preceding sample mean is located at sub-control region I_a, a=1,2,..., - Number of different sampling-interval lengths, 2 - k_a Threshold limit expressed in units of - k₁ Control limit expressed in units of Parameters related to assignable cause µ₀ Target mean - True-process standard deviation - Magnitude of an assignable cause expressed in units of - Occurrence rate of an assignable cause per unit timeCost and technical parameters D Average time taken to find and repair an assignable cause after detection - e Time for a sample to be taken, transmitted to laboratory, and results phoned back to process control room - M Income reduction when =₀+ - T Average cost of looking for an assignable cause when a false alarm occurs - W Average cost of looking for and repairing an assignable cause when one does exist - F_c Fixed cost per subgroup of sampling, inspecting, evaluating and plotting - V_c Variable cost per subgroup of sampling, inspecting, evaluating and plotting     

Automated Devices for the Testing of Mill Rolls

Multichannel -type devices developed at TsNIITMASh for the automated ultrasonic inspection of cylindrical objects, such as mill rolls, shafts of turbines and compressor units, circular welded joints of thick-walled shell rings, etc., are described. These devices feature from two to eight acoustoelectronic channels. Acoustic contact occurs through industrial water. The testing is performed under workshop conditions; the object being inspected is rotated by a turning lathe or any other handling mechanism. Sonication is simultaneously performed by piezoelectric transducers (PETs) with input angles of 0, 40, 50, 60, and 70° and also by surface and head waves in order to reveal surface and subsurface flaws. A wide-span eddy-current transducer of special design is also used for this purpose. All data are stored in flash memory and retrieved on a PC located in an office. The inspection results are displayed as C- and B-type scanning defectograms. Moreover, it is possible to obtain an isometric image of flaw zones. -type devices have been used for over one and a half years in two workshops at OAO Severstal'.     

A Low-Noise Fast Eight-Channel Preamplifier

A preamplifier with a rise and fall time of 2.5 ns is described. At the output of a transmitting 50- cable with matched terminations at both ends, and the input-equivalent circuit noise is 20 V at an amplification factor of 7.5. Eight such preamplifiers are placed inside a unit with dimensions of 8 × 16 × 4 cm.     

Atomic Stick-Slip Friction Between Commensurate Self-Assembled Monolayers

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been used to examine the friction between commensurate self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on Au (111). The discrepancy between sawtoothed friction force and the discontinuous molecular movements reveals the complex dynamics of the closed-packing chains under shearing. Molecules in the lower monolayer can be divided into two groups with a phase difference of . The periodic motion of the molecules is not synchronous with the frictional stick-slip loops, which result in a second-order valley in friction curves.     

Thickness Measurements of Thin CsI(Tl) Scintillators

A -activation method for measuring the thickness of thin CsI(Tl) polycrystalline films deposited by evaporation on large-area (150 cm²) backings is described. Scintillators specially prepared to be used in the FASA installation as detectors of intermediate-mass fragment multiplicity were measured. It was shown that the distribution of the film thickness along the scintillator surface can be determined by -activity scanning. It has been shown that the film thickness decreases from the middle of the backing to its periphery by 25% for scintillators with a linear size of 140 mm.     

The ТЛ-1МП Thickness Meter for Galvanic Coatings

The specifics for monitoring the thickness of electrically- conductive coatings on a conductive substrate are described. Difficulties involved in designing thickness meters that assist in this task are noted. The technical characteristics and design of a -1 versatile eddy-current sensor are presented.     

The FOZAN-II Fast-Response Chemiluminescent Airborne Ozone Analyzer

The design of the FOZAN-II dual-channel automatic fast-response (1 s) chemiluminescent ozone analyzer for a M55 Geophysicahigh-altitude aircraft is described. Its measured concentrations range is 10–500 g/m³; relative error, 10%; operating temperature range, –95+40°C; and its operating pressure range, 1100–30 mbar (0–22 km). The device has a built-in reference ozone generator (relative error of <6%) allowing one to autocalibrate the device in flight. Solid-state chemiluminescent sensors manufactured with the use of a coumarin 307 dye and a cellulose-acetate-based substrate have an operation lifetime exceeding 25 h, are highly sensitive, and are rugged. Results obtained during one of the flights near the South Pole in September 1999 are presented.     

An integral method for measuring the <Emphasis Type="Italic">P</Emphasis>-odd asymmetry on a reactor at neutron polarization switching frequencies higher than the frequencies of the main spectrum of the neutron noise power

P-odd asymmetry is measured when frequencies of switching neutron polarization exceed the frequencies of the reactor power fluctuations that govern the spectral density of noise power. A principle for recording the current signals in these measurements is described. This method was used for the first time at the Konstantinov Institute of Nuclear Physics in Gatchina (Russia). The results suggest that the accuracy of measurements at an increased equipment-switching frequency is even higher than the accuracy obtained using compensation for reactor power fluctuations; hence, this compensation becomes superfluous. Following this method, it is possible to take measurements with a single detector and to dispense with a monitor, thereby rendering the equipment and the measuring technique less complex. A strategy of measurements was developed. An experimental model of the facility was produced and tested with a small-amplitude calibration signal in the presence of reactor power fluctuations caused by rays from reaction ¹⁰B(n )⁷ Li* ⁷Li + . The results from the test measurements of the P-odd effect in reaction ³⁵Cl(n, )³⁶Cl are presented.Translated from Pribory i Tekhnika Eksperimenta, No. 1, 2005, pp. 62–71.Original Russian Text Copyright ¢ 2004 by Vesna, Shulgina.     

Converting 80-character ASCII IGES sequential files into more conveniently accessible direct-access files

One of the main drawbacks of the Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES) is the difficulty of accessing and retrieving the required information stored in the IGES files. This is because IGES files created by CAD systems are sequential. This paper describes a module, called readiges, which is a general-purpose software package for re-storing IGES files in more conveniently accessible direct-access files. Hence, readiges can be used in any research projects that use IGES to integrate CAD systems with other software packages, for example with finite-element packages for mesh-generation purposes or computer-aided process-planning systems.     

Formation of High-Power Pulses of Nanosecond Duration by Generators on Reverse Switch-on Dynistors with Sharpening Circuits Based on Diode Opening Switches

The basic principles of constructing generators of nanosecond pulses on reverse switch-on dynistors with sharpening output circuits based on diode opening switches are considered. The results of an experimental study of a high-power generator incorporating such a dynistor; a step-up pulse transformer; and a high-voltage diode opening switch, which is an assembly of drift step-recovery diodes connected in series, are presented. The output voltage pulses of the generator with an amplitude of 45 kV, a duration of 50 ns, a rise time of 10 ns, and a repetition rate of 1 kHz are applied to a load resistance of 25 .     

Magnetic-Powder Inspection of the Crystallographic Texture of Electrical Steel

A theoretical model of the formation of rhombic (in the case of an edge texture) or square (on cubic texture) indicator patterns upon magnetization of single crystals of electrical steel orthogonally to the (110) and (100) planes is described. The model is based on a solution of Maxwell's equations for a magnetostatic problem, with magnetic permeability introduced as a tensor. Two field sources are considered as limiting cases: (a) loop, short coil; (b) semi-infinite magnet, long coil. Two cases of permanent magnet diameters are considered: thin, d = 4 mm; thick, d = 20 mm. Two cases of density of magnetic charges are considered: (a) = const; (b) = ₀/ .     

The СПРУТ-VI Instrument Complex for the Mir Orbital Station

The basic elements of the instrument package program for orbital stations are presented. The characteristics of the -VI equipment developed for the Mir orbital station within the framework of this program are described. This equipment allows the simultaneous recording of the characteristics of near-earth space (electron, proton, and nucleus fluxes, magnetic fields, and low-frequency electromagnetic waves) and their effect on the elements of spaceborne equipment and systems. The mass of the equipment is 16 kg; the power consumption is no more than 20 W.     

Time-of-Flight Characteristics of Scintillation Counters with Fine-Mesh Photomultipliers

The characteristics of the time-of-flight system of scintillation counters with the -527 and R5505 fine-mesh-dynode photomultipliers for high-magnetic-field environment were measured. Scintillation counters with thin plastic scintillators 1, 3, and 5 mm thick were designed to operate in comparatively strong stray magnetic fields of up to several kilogauss. The measurements were carried out in beams of the U-10 proton synchrotron (Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Physics) with proton, ⁺-meson, and ^–-meson momenta of 0.63, 1.03, and 1.28 GeV/c. For counters with scintillator sizes of 1 × 20 × 154 mm (BI-408) and 3 × 20 × 200 and 5 × 20 × 200 mm (Kuraray and SCSN-81), time resolutions of 45–180 ps were obtained. The time resolution of the scintillation counters, in which scintillators 20 mm thick and -527 photomultipliers were used, was found to be 50–80 ps.