Modulation of the electrical properties of VO₂ nanobeams using an ionic liquid as a gating medium

Vanadium dioxide (VO(2)) is a strongly correlated transition metal oxide with a dramatic metal-insulator transition at 67 °C. Researchers have long been interested in manipulating this transition via the field effect. Here we report attempts to modulate this transition in single-crystal VO(2) nanowires via electrochemical gating using ionic liquids. Stray water contamination in the ionic liquid leads to large, slow, hysteretic conductance responses to changes in the gate potential, allowing tuning of the activation energy of the conductance in the insulating state. We suggest that these changes are the result of electrochemical doping via hydrogen. In the absence of this chemical effect, gate response is minimal, suggesting that significant field-effect modulation of the metal-insulator transition is not possible, at least along the crystallographic directions relevant in these nanowires.     

Free convection between two horizontal concentric cylinders filled with a porous medium — a perturbed solution

Summary A theoretical analysis of the steady free convection in a saturated porous medium confined between two horizontal concentric cylinders is made in this paper. It is assumed that the flow is driven by a constant vertical temperature gradient. Analytical solutions in terms of Bessel functions for the first-order perturbed flow and temperature field from the heat conduction steady state are determined. Four types of thermal convection with cellular structure are found, and the dependence of the critical Darcy-Rayleigh number on the thickness of the annular region is obtained for these flow types. Typical streamlines and isotherms corresponding to these critical modes are presented. It is worth mentioning that these results have a bearing on the design of thermal insulators.     

Thermal and squeezed vacuum Jaynes–Cummings models with a Kerr medium

Abstract

The dynamics of the Jaynes–Cummings (JCM) model with a nonlinear Kerr medium at initially thermal and squeezed vacuum fields is discussed. At a special choice of the detuning the Rabi frequency can have a minimum at the initial mean photon number [nbar]. Then the situation becomes especially interesting and instead of the first-order ‘usual’ revivals resembling those manifested by the standard coherent JCM, the nonlinear JCM exhibits second-order revivals, also for initially thermal and squeezed vacuum fields, at least for not too large [nbar]. The revival times are highly sensitive to the nature of [nbar]. In the first case the revival period of the oscillations is dependent on whether [nbar] is integer or non-integer (situation similar to an initially coherent field) while in the latter case it depends additionally on the parity of the integer [nbar]. Moreover, for the squeezed vacuum model appearance of the revivals at an integer [nbar] is accelerated when compared to coherent and thermal models.     

Scattering of waves by a soft–hard half-plane between isorefractive medium

The scattering of plane waves by a soft–hard half-plane residing between isorefractive medium is studied. The scattered geometrical optics fields are obtained by subtracting the initial geometrical optics fields from the total geometrical optics waves. The diffracted fields are determined by considering the structure of the scattered geometrical optics waves. The uniform expressions for the diffracted fields are derived. The behaviour of the total waves is investigated numerically.     

Dry dense medium separation of iron ore using a gas–solid fluidized bed

The dry dense medium separation of iron ore based on floating and sinking of ore particles in a gas–solid fluidized bed was investigated using zircon sand as the fluidized medium. The float-sink of ore particles with mean size D_ave = 23.6 mm was investigated as the fluidizing air velocity and the float-sink time were varied. It was found that gangue with density less than 2850 kg/m³ which float is able to be separated from valuable ore with density greater than 2850 km/m³ which sink. The set point (density where half the particles float and half the particles sink) decreases with increasing the air velocity, and that the float-sink separation is completed within 2 min. The influence of different sized ore particles in the float-sink experiments was also investigated. As a result, the iron ore with D_ave ? 17.6 mm are successfully separated. As D_ave decreases below 17.6 mm, the ore particles with density near the set point tend to scatter in the fluidized bed without floating or sinking, resulting in separation efficiency which decreases with decreasing D_ave. This indicates that the size of the ore particles is one of the major factors to achieve high separation efficiency.     

Measuring Young’s modulus of biological objects in a liquid medium using an atomic force microscope with a special probe

A special probe with a 5-μm-diameter ball fixed at the end is developed for an atomic force microscope (AFM), with the use of which it is possible to obtain more correct values of the Young’s moduli of biological objects in liquid media and eliminate the risk of damaging the sample surface. In particular, the AFM measurements with this probe in situ revealed an increase in the Young’s modulus of rat blood vessel under the action of chlorhexidine.     

Are OSAS patients impaired in their driving ability on a circuit with medium traffic density?

OBJECTIVES: Many studies have demonstrated that patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS), a very common sleep-related breathing disorder, are usually impaired in their driving ability because of decreased sleep quality. However, most of the simulation procedures in laboratories are designed to create monotonic conditions with low traffic density, if any, thereby leading to a dramatic decrease in performance in OSAS patients because of the lack of stimulation. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate driving abilities in OSAS patients involved in a driving simulation task with medium traffic density, in order to replicate as far as possible real world conditions. The behavioral and physiological attributes likely to predict driving performance in these patients were also investigated. METHODS: After a normal night of sleep, 12 OSAS patients and 8 healthy controls performed 6 driving sessions during a 24-h period of sustained wakefulness. Driving performances (speed, lateral position, distances...) were measured and correlated to sleep parameters and to a waking EEG recorded during the task. RESULTS: Compared to controls, patients showed difficulties in speed adjustment. However, they maintained longer inter-vehicle distances, including during overtaking. Their waking EEG, while driving, showed increased spectral power in theta (3.9-7.8Hz) but also in beta (12.7-29.2Hz) activity, alpha power (7.9-12.6Hz) being increased in both groups due to sustained wakefulness. Poor sleep indices were correlated to increased theta and beta activities, as well as to more cautious behavior. DISCUSSION: In medium traffic density conditions, driving performance in OSAS patients remained at near normal levels, but with more cautious behavior than controls. This could be the result of a bigger effort to stay awake, as suggested by an increased beta activity in these patients.     

Computation of green’s tensor and wave propagation in the random granular elastic medium

Abstract

A linear differential operator equation involving randomly variable field parameters, characterising the heterogeneous granular elastic medium is considered. The appropriate Green’s tensor is evaluated for the non-deterministic operator equations in the form of Fourier integrals in the frequency space; the exact evaluation is carried out to obtain the 36 components of Green’s tensor. The problem of wave propagation in the random granular elastic medium is then carried out with the help of the associated Green’s tensor. The effect of random variation of parameters on wave propagation in the granular elastic medium is examined. Dispersion equations have been analysed in details.     

Shannon's entropy as a measure of the “life” of the literature of a discipline

The paper is divided in two parts. Part I deals with the novel use of the concept ofentropy H (measured in nepers) of the ageT of references cited in the literature of a specialty, and the derived parameterS=exp(H) (measured in years). We have proposed to useS (orH) as a measure of the obsolescence of the literature. The concept of entropy comes from the Theory of Information (Shannon) where its mathematical properties have been widely studied and are thus available.H andS have been calculated for the log-normal probability density functions (which model the empirical distributions ofT) of some IEEE journals and for the 58-year collection of an electronics journal, and then they have been compared to the total utility function, this latter defined in the literature. Part II recalls and discusses the mean residual life,M(T), and the expected lifeE(T), of a reference of ageT (concepts borrowed from lifetime data analysis). Besides their intrinsic applications, another possible application of these concepts may be in defining quantitatively the age of historical papers. Examples taken from the literatures of the XX and XIX centuries have been reported.Paper presented at the Fourth International Conference on Bibliometrics, Informetrics and Scientometrics in Berlin (Germany), September 11–15, 1993.     

Continuous float–sink density separation of lump iron ore using a dry sand fluidized bed dense medium

A continuous separator based on float–sink density separation using a gas–solid fluidized bed dense medium was used to upgrade iron ore. The separator has three devices for (A) conveying floaters, (B) recovering floaters, and (C) conveying and recovering sinkers. The optimum speeds of these devices were investigated using density adjusted spheres of the diameter = 30 mm in the range of 2400–3300 kg/m³ in density increments of 100 kg/m³. A mixture of zircon sand and iron powder was used as the fluidized medium to adjust the fluidized bed density to produce a separation density = 2850 kg/m³, a typical separation density for lump iron ore wet separation. The recovery of the spheres as floaters or sinkers depended on the speed of the devices, because the recovery was affected by the number density of spheres directly under the feeder, the local fluidized bed density, and flow currents in the medium derived from the movement of the devices. The optimum speeds were determined to be 3.5 cm/s for (A), 2.0 rpm for (B) and 1.0 cm/s for (C), respectively. Continuous separation experiments were conducted on lump iron ore particles in the size range of +11.1–31.5 mm in the fluidized bed with medium density of 2850 kg/m³ and feed rate of 200 kg/h. Comparison of the feed rate and the recovery rate indicated that the feed and the recovery were in equilibrium after 10 min of operation. The experiments resulted in nearly perfect separation; 98.4% of the ore with density greater than 2850 kg/m³ was recovered. The Fe, Al and Si content of the feed ore particles (before the separation) and the floaters and sinkers (after the separation) was measured using inductively coupled plasma spectrometry. The separator produced an upgrade in iron content of 3.3 wt% and reduced the Al and Si content by 44%.     

Errors in measuring the directivity of a field by the method of a reference field in the range of 25–400 MHZ

Conclusions The cited data on error components in measuring the field-strength lead to the conclusions that the reference field (provided that the distances are measured with an error of ±2%) can be determined with an error of 6%, at frequencies up to 150 MHz, and of ±7% in the range from 150 to 400 MHz. The error in determining the resulting field-strength is smaller for small angles of elevation, since the beam reflected from the ground has a substantial effect on the value of the field.     

Is the diatom sex clock a clock?

The unique life cycle of diatoms with continuous decreasing and restoration of the cell size leads to periodic fluctuations in cell size distribution and has been regarded as a multi-annual clock. To understand the long-term behaviour of a population analytically, generic mathematical models are investigated algebraically and numerically for their capability to describe periodic oscillations. Whereas the generally accepted simple concepts for the proliferation dynamics do not sustain oscillating behaviour owing to broadening of the size distribution, simulations show that a proposed limited lifetime of a newly synthesized cell wall slows down the relaxation towards a time-invariant equilibrium state to the order of a hundred thousand generations. In combination with seasonal perturbation events, the proliferation scheme with limited lifetime is able to explain long-lasting rhythms that are characteristic for diatom population dynamics. The life cycle thus resembles a pendulum clock that has to be wound up from time to time by seasonal perturbations rather than an oscillator represented by a limit cycle.     

On the analogy between the evolution of thermodynamic and bibliometric systems: a breakthrough or just a bubble?

This paper presents an in depth study of an interesting analogy, recently proposed by Prathap (Scientometrics 87(3):515–524, 2011a), between the evolution of thermodynamic and bibliometric systems. The goal is to highlight some weaknesses and clarify some “dark sides” in the conceptual framework of this analogy, discussing the formal validity and practical meaning of the concepts of Energy, Exergy and Entropy in bibliometrics. Specifically, this analogy highlights the following major criticalities: (1) the definitions of E and X are controversial, (2) the equivalence classes of E and X are questionable, (3) the parallel between the evolution of thermodynamic and bibliometric systems is forced, (4) X is a non-monotonic performance indicator, and (5) in bibliometrics the condition of “thermodynamic perfection” is questionable. Argument is supported by many analytical demonstrations and practical examples.     

Regimes of methane recovery from gas hydrate on injection of “warm” carbon dioxide into a porous medium

Specificities of an injection of “warm” liquid carbon dioxide into a porous medium saturated with methane and its gas hydrate are studied using a mathematical model presented in this work. The release of methane from gas hydrate during injection can proceed in two different regimes. In the first regime, the injection is accompanied by the replacement of methane with carbon dioxide in methane hydrate without the release of free water. In the second one, the injection is accompanied by the decomposition of methane hydrate into methane and water and by the formation of carbon dioxide gas hydrate. For each regime, selfsimilar solutions are constructed and critical conditions separating these regimes are found.     

Is the proton radius a player in the redefinition of the International System of Units?

It is now recognized that the International System of Units (SI units) will be redefined in terms of fundamental constants, even if the date when this will occur is still under debate. Actually, the best estimate of fundamental constant values is given by a least-squares adjustment, carried out under the auspices of the Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) Task Group on Fundamental Constants. This adjustment provides a significant measure of the correctness and overall consistency of the basic theories and experimental methods of physics using the values of the constants obtained from widely differing experiments. The physical theories that underlie this adjustment are assumed to be valid, such as quantum electrodynamics (QED). Testing QED, one of the most precise theories is the aim of many accurate experiments. The calculations and the corresponding experiments can be carried out either on a boundless system, such as the electron magnetic moment anomaly, or on a bound system, such as atomic hydrogen. The value of fundamental constants can be deduced from the comparison of theory and experiment. For example, using QED calculations, the value of the fine structure constant given by the CODATA is mainly inferred from the measurement of the electron magnetic moment anomaly carried out by Gabrielse's group. (Hanneke et al. 2008 Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 120801) The value of the Rydberg constant is known from two-photon spectroscopy of hydrogen combined with accurate theoretical quantities. The Rydberg constant, determined by the comparison of theory and experiment using atomic hydrogen, is known with a relative uncertainty of 6.6×10(-12). It is one of the most accurate fundamental constants to date. A careful analysis shows that knowledge of the electrical size of the proton is nowadays a limitation in this comparison. The aim of muonic hydrogen spectroscopy was to obtain an accurate value of the proton charge radius. However, the value deduced from this experiment contradicts other less accurate determinations. This problem is known as the proton radius puzzle. This new determination of the proton radius may affect the value of the Rydberg constant . This constant is related to many fundamental constants; in particular, links the two possible ways proposed for the redefinition of the kilogram, the Avogadro constant N(A) and the Planck constant h. However, the current relative uncertainty on the experimental determinations of N(A) or h is three orders of magnitude larger than the 'possible' shift of the Rydberg constant, which may be shown by the new value of the size of the proton radius determined from muonic hydrogen. The proton radius puzzle will not interfere in the redefinition of the kilogram. After a short introduction to the properties of the proton, we will describe the muonic hydrogen experiment. There is intense theoretical activity as a result of our observation. A brief summary of possible theoretical explanations at the date of writing of the paper will be given. The contribution of the proton radius puzzle to the redefinition of SI-based units will then be examined.     

Research on the Safety Evaluation of a High-pressure Vessel in a Missile System

In reference[1], we measured fracture properties of raw material, weld seam and heat-affected zone of high-pressure vessels(HPV); in this paper, we carried out safety evaluation on the basis of the previous work and predicted the lifetime of in-service vessels with flaw by use of the fracture criterion for model Ⅰ crack in fracture mechanics. This method reduced the artificial error and the ultrasonic testing operator‘s work burden. The experimental and theoretical bases for the defect assessment of military HPV were established.     

Characterizing the reflectance near the Brewster angle: a Padé-approximant approach

We characterize the reflectance peak near the Brewster angle for both an interface between two dielectric media and a single slab. To approach this problem analytically, we approximate the reflectance by a first-order diagonal Padé. In this way, we calculate the width and the skewness of the peak, and we show that although they present a well-resolved maximum they are otherwise not so markedly dependent on the refractive index. As an application of interest, we derive simple expressions for the precision of the Abelès Brewster-angle method.     

Combined effect of thermal dispersion and radiation on free convection in a fluid saturated, optically thick porous medium

The present article considers a numerical study on the combined effect of thermal dispersion and thermal radiation on the non-Darcy natural convection flow over a vertical flat plate kept at higher and constant temperature in a fluid saturated porous medium. Forchheimer extension is used in the flow equations. The coefficient of thermal diffusivity has been assumed to be the sum of molecular diffusivity and the dispersion thermal diffusivity due to mechanical dispersion. Rosseland approximation is used to describe the radiative heat flux in the energy equation. The non-dimensional governing equations are solved by the finite element method (FEM). The resulting non-linear integral equations are linearized and solved by the Newton–Raphson iteration. The finite element implementations are prepared using Matlab software packages. Numerical results for the details of the stream function, velocity and temperature contours as well as heat transfer rates in terms of Nusselt number are presented and discussed.