Fast three-dimensional nanoscale metrology in dual-beam FIB–SEM instrumentation

A quantitative surface reconstruction technique has been developed for the geometric characterization of three-dimensional structures by using a combined focused ion beam—scanning electron microscopy (FIB–SEM) instrument. A regular pattern of lines is milled at normal incidence on the sample to be characterized and an image is acquired at a large tilt angle. By analyzing the pattern under the tilted view, a quantitative estimation of surface heights is obtained. The technique has been applied to a test sample and nanoscale resolution has been achieved. The reported results are validated by a comparison with atomic force microscopy measurements.     

The Contribution of Organometallic Chemistry and Homogeneous Catalysis to the Understanding of Surface Reactions

One of the major problems in the investigation of heterogeneously catalyzed reactions involves an understanding of the nature of molecular species and processes which are formed or take place, respectively, on the active sites of a catalytic surface.

The nature of chemisorbed species has been indirectly investigated for a long time by the investigation of bulk properties [l], although some spectroscopic methods [2] (such as IR and electronic spectroscopy, and more recently low energy electron diffraction, ESCA and AUGER spectroscopy, field emission and field ion microscopy, and mass spectrometry of the field desorbed products) have been used to investigate the chemisorbed species or even some intermediates involved in catalytic reactions.     

Polymerization of acrylamide compounds onto Fe plates: An alternative route for applying polymer coatings

Acrylamide and some of its derivatives were polymerized onto the surface of Fe plates by causing a slight corrosion of Fe to Fe²⁺ in the presence of perdioxy compounds. In water within a suitable pH range, the acrylamide monomers are likely to store at the metal–solution interface and to absorb on the iron surface. Thus, the polymerization takes place in situ, leading to the formation of uniform film coatings; the presence in the solution of a radical inhibitor imparts considerable stability to the bulk of the system. The dependence of the polymerization kinetics on several variables such as pH, monomer concentration, and peroxide concentration has been determined, and some characteristics of the resulting coatings were investigated.     

Statistical data on point rainfall intensity for radio-relay systems design

Statistical data on point rainfall intensity with a particular emphasis to their application for system design are reported. Statistics obtained in two Italian localities are compared with their lognormal and gamma approximations. An empirical law is proposed for the median value of the time intervals during which the various values of rainfall intensity are exceeded.     

Preface: Volume 44, Issue 1

This volume contains the Proceedings of the Fourth Workshop on Coalgebraic Methods in Computer Science (CMCS 2001). The Workshop was held in Genova, Italy on April 6 and 7, 2001, as a satellite event of ETAPS 2001. The aim of the CMCS workshop series is to bring together researchers with a common interest in theory of coalgebras and its applications. Previous workshops have been organized in Lisbon (1998), Amsterdam (1999) and Berlin (2000). The proceedings appeared as ENTCS Vols. 11,19 and 33.During the last few years it is becoming increasingly clear that a great variety of state-based dynamical systems, like transition systems, automata, process calculi and class-based systems can be captured uniformly as coalgebras. The first three volumes together with the current volume demonstrate that theory of coalgebras and its applications are developing into a field of its own interest presenting a deep mathematical foundation, a growing field of applications and interactions with various other fields, such as reactive and interactive system theory, object oriented and concurrent programming, formal system specification, modal logic, dynamical systems, control systems, category theory, algebra, analysis, etc.The Program Committee of CMCS 2001 consisted of

Alexandru Baltag	(Department of Software Technology, CWI)
Andrea Corradini	(Department of Computer Science, University of Pisa)
Bart Jacobs	(Department of Computer Science, University of Nijmegen)
Marina Lenisa	(Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Udine)
Ugo Montanari	(Department of Computer Science, University of Pisa)
Larry Moss	(Department of Mathematics, Indiana University, Bloomington)
Ataru T. Nakagawa	(Software Research Associates, Tokyo)
Dusko Pavlovic	(Kestrel Institute, Palo Alto)
John Power	(Laboratory for Foundations of Computer Science, University of Edinburgh)
Horst Reichel	(Institute of Theoretical Computer Science, Dresden University of Technology)
Jan Rutten	(Department of Software Technology, CWI)

Full-size table

The Invited Speakers of CMCS 2001 were Robin Cockett (University of Calgary) and Gordon Plotkin (University of Edinburgh).The papers in this volume were reviewed by the program committee members and by Falk Bartels, Anna Bucalo, Corina Cirstea, Pietro Di Gianantonio, Marcelo Fiore, Jesse Hughes, Alexander Kurz, Anna Labella, Lambert Meertens, Marino Miculan, Marco Pistore, Grigore Rosu, Doug Smith.This volume will be published in the series Electronic Notes in Theoretical Computer Science (ENTCS). This series is published electronically through the facilities of Elsevier Science B.V. and its auspices. The volumes in the ENTCS series can be accessed at the URL http://www.elsevier.nl/locate/entcsA printed version of the current volume is distributed to the participants at the workshop in Genova.We are very grateful to the following persons, whose help has been crucial for the success of CMCS 2001: Maura Cerioli and Gianna Reggio for their help with the organization of the Workshop as satellite event of ETAPS 2001; and Mike Mislove, Managing Editor of the ENTCS series, for his assistance with the use of the ENTCS style files. Thanks are also due to the Department of Computer Science of the University of Pisa, which has covered the printing cost of the copies distributed in Genova.Andrea Corradini, Marina Lenisa, Ugo MontanariMarch 13, 2000     

An approach for development of damage-free drilling of carbon fiber reinforced thermosets

A new comprehensive approach to select cutting parameters for damage-free drilling in carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composite material is presented. The approach is based on a combination of Taguchi's experimental analysis technique and a multi-objective optimization criterion. The optimization objective includes the contributing effects of the drilling performance measures: delamination, damage width, surface roughness, and drilling thrust force. A hybrid process model based on a database of experimental results together with numerical methods for data interpolation are used to relate drilling parameters to the drilling performance measures. Case studies are presented to demonstrate the application of this method in the determination of optimum drilling conditions for damage-free drilling in BMS 8-256 composite laminate. A process map based on the results is presented as a tool for drilling process design and optimization for the investigated tool/material combination.     

Light logics and optimal reduction: Completeness and complexity

Typing of lambda-terms in elementary and light affine logic (EAL and LAL, respectively) has been studied for two different reasons: on the one hand the evaluation of typed terms using LAL (EAL, respectively) proof-nets admits a guaranteed polynomial (elementary, respectively) bound; on the other hand these terms can also be evaluated by optimal reduction using the abstract version of Lamping’s algorithm. The first reduction is global while the second one is local and asynchronous. We prove that for LAL (EAL, respectively) typed terms, Lamping’s abstract algorithm also admits a polynomial (elementary, respectively) bound. We also give a proof of its soundness and completeness (for EAL and LAL with type fixpoints), by using a simple geometry of interaction model (context semantics).     

Cosmological Simulations and Data Exploration: a Testcase on the Usage of Grid Infrastructure

While new infrastructures for large computational challenges begin to be widely accessible to researchers, computational codes need to be re-designed to exploit new facilities. The Grid and the cloud computing concepts are changing the computational resource distribution and availability, and much effort start to be made to develop new codes for a better exploitation of new resources. This paper presents an example of the use of Grid resources, based on gLite middleware, to run cosmological simulations, that, up to now, are normally executed on Supercomputers. We have also used the Grid to explore and visualize the dataset. We discuss non particular the performance of FLY a parallel code implementing the octal-tree algorithm introduced by J. Barnes and P. Hut to compute the gravitational field efficiently. It simulates the evolution of the collisionless component of the material content of our Universe. FLY was originally developed to run on mainframe systems using the one-side communication paradigm, but we are now presenting a modified version of the computational algorithm to exploit the Grid environment. We also integrated the data exploration and visualization process on the Grid, to obtain preliminary results using the distributed facilities.     

Understanding cassava varietal preferences through pairwise ranking of gari-eba and fufu prepared by local farmer–processors

Within communities in Osun and Imo States of Nigeria, farmer–processors grew and processed a diverse set of improved and landrace cassava varieties into the locally popular foods, gari, eba and fufu. Local and 15 main varieties were grown in a ‘mother and baby trials’ design in each state. Mother trials with three replications were processed by farmer–processors renown in their community for their processing skills. Baby trials were managed and processed by other farmer–processors. The objective was to identify food quality criteria to inform demand-led breeding to benefit users, especially women, given their key roles in processing. Farmer–processors evaluated the overall quality of fresh roots and derived food products through pairwise comparisons. Improved varieties had higher fresh and dry root yield. Overall, landraces ranked first for quality of gari and eba, but several improved varieties were also appreciated for good quality. Landraces in Osun had higher gari yield and a higher swelling power compared to improved varieties. Colour (browning), bulk density, swelling power, solubility and water absorption capacity were the criteria most related to food product ranking by farmer–processors. Evaluation of varieties under farmer–processors’ conditions is crucial for providing guidance to breeders on critical selection criteria.