Solution of Helmholtz equation by Trefftz method

The application of the Trefftz method for calculating wave forces on offshore structures is presented. Indirect and direct formulations using complete and non-singular systems of Trefftz functions for the Helmholtz equation are posed in this paper. An effective technique using different interpolation functions for the velocity potential and wave force are suggested to improve the computational accuracy of the wave force. The numerical examples show that the present method is highly efficient and accurate.     

Onset of buoyancy-driven convection in melting from below

When a horizontal homogeneous solid is melted from below, convection can be induced in a thermally unstable melt layer. In this study the onset of buoyancy-driven convection during time-dependent melting is investigated by using similarly transformed disturbance equations. The critical Rayleigh numbers based on the melt-layer thickness are found numerically for various conditions. For small superheats, the present predictions approach the well known results of classical Rayleigh-Bénard problems, that is, critical Rayleigh numbers are located between 1,296 and 1,708, regardless of the Prandtl number. However, for high superheats the critical Rayleigh number increases with an increase in phase change rate but with decrease in Prandtl number.     

Ionothermal synthesis of a three-dimensional zinc phosphate with DFT topology using unstable deep-eutectic solvent as template-delivery agent

A three-dimensional zinc phosphate compound with DFT topology, designated as ZnPO₄-EU1, has been synthesized by an ionothermal approach from the system HF-ZnO–P₂O₅-choline chloride-imidazolidone. Ethylenediamine, derived from decomposition of the imidazolidone component of the deep-eutectic solvent (DES) itself, is delivered to the synthesis and serves as an appropriate template for ZnPO₄-EU1. Experiments in which the synthesis conditions were varied showed that ZnPO₄-EU1 may be prepared over a wide molar ratio of P/Zn = 0.55–13.0. Powder X-ray diffraction patterns have been obtained at intervals to track the crystallization process of this material. The experimental data show that Zn₃(PO₄)₂ · 4H₂O (a dense phase) was first isolated from the DES after reaction for 1 h. Subsequently, the pure phase of ZnPO₄-EU1 was obtained with increasing crystallization time from 12 h to 72 h. The experimental results show that the nucleation and crystallization take place with relatively low levels of solvent degradation, demonstrating that zinc phosphate with a three-dimensional framework can be synthesized by in situ generation of an appropriate template using an unstable DES at high temperatures (150–200 °C).     

Polyetherimide substrates for future high density optical data storage

Polyetherimide (PEI) substrate for next‐generation high density optical data storage is fabricated and characterized. Cover‐layer incident or first‐surface recording configurations do not require optical properties of the substrate, which are the prerequisite conditions for the conventional material of polycarbonate (PC). Instead of the optical properties, good mechanical properties with a sufficient transcribability are required. Even though PEI has higher glass transition temperature than that of PC, a microscopic transcribability of PEI is comparable with PC by laminating a thermal insulation layer on the backside of a stamper to retard the heat flow. A macroscopic warpage of PEI substrate is smaller than that of PC substrates, which reduces tilt and servo burden. The lowest critical speed coupled with the flutter of PEI substrate is larger than that of PC substrate because of the mechanical properties of PEI. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 48:97–101, 2008. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Finger assignment schemes for RAKE receivers with multiple-way soft handover

We propose and analyze new finger assignment techniques that are applicable for RAKE receivers in the soft handover (SHO) region. Specifically, extending the results for the case of two-base station (BS), we consider the multi-BS situation, attack the statistics of several correlated generalized selection combining (GSC) stages, and provide closed-form expressions for the statistics of the output signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). By investigating the tradeoff among the error performance, the average number of required path estimations/comparisons, and the SHO overhead, we show through numerical examples that the new schemes offer commensurate performance in comparison with more complicated GSC-based diversity systems while requiring a smaller estimation load and SHO overhead.     

Study on the c-axis preferred orientation of ZnO film on various metal electrodes

ZnO thin film was deposited on various metal electrodes by reactive sputtering, and c-axis preferred orientation of the film has been studied. ZnO, which has high piezoelectricity, is promising for oscillators or filter devices such as surface acoustic wave (SAW) device, gas sensor, and film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR). But, for the application of ZnO film for these devices, the film should be grown with c-axis normal to the electrode. In this study, Pt, Al, and Au were deposited on Si wafer, and the surface roughness and crystal structure of the ZnO film on the electrode were investigated using AFM, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Columnar structures of ZnO films were grown with c-axis normal to all electrodes, and among them Pt electrode showed the highest preferred orientation of ZnO film.     

Automating application software generation

Many approaches have been proposed to enhance software productivity and reliability. These approaches typically fall into three categories: the engineering approach, the formal approach and the knowledge-based approach. But the optimal gain in software productivity cannot be obtained if one relies on only one of these approaches. This paper describes the work in knowledge-based software engineering conducted by the authors for the past 10 years. The final goal of the research is to develop a paradigm for software engineering which integrates the three approaches mentioned above. A knowledge-based tool which can support the whole process of software development is provided in this paper.