Interaction of optical radiation with GaAs nanowhisker arrays

We have studied the reflectivity spectra of doped GaAs nanowhiskers (NWs) with various morphologies, which were grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. It is established that the character of the reflectivity spectra of NWs is determined by the shape of nanocrystals. NWs with droplike and pointlike vertices differently interact with electromagnetic radiation. Laser radiation produces a spectraly selective action on the NW array, which leads to a change in the NW height and induces “caking” of their vertices, thus modifying the reflectivity of the sample. This phenomenon can be used for the creation of local microstructures with preset characteristics in large NW arrays.     

On the prospects of developing high-efficiency piezocomposites based on crystals of solid solutions of ferroelectric relaxors

Electromechanical properties of the 0-0-2-2 type composite based on platelike crystals of solid solutions of ferroelectric relaxors of the Pb(A_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃-PbTiO₃ system (A = Zn, Mg) have been studied for the first time. Factors accounting for the record values of some effective parameters of this composite are considered. The relationship between the components of the elastic compliance tensor of the layered structures forming the composite and the positions of maxima of the effective hydrostatic parameters is established.     

Optical properties of Nd-doped Ca3(VO4)2 single crystal fiber

Optical absorption and photoluminescence of Ca₃(VO₄)₂ single crystal grown by a floating-zone technique and containing Nd³⁺ ions were investigated. High absorption coefficients and broadening of most absorption bands are present at 300 K, while substructures in some of the same bands can be evidenced at 12 K. Most features of measured spectra are characteristic of random occupation of more than a single Ca²⁺ site by the Nd³⁺ ion and of distortions provoked by different charge compensation mechanisms involving oxygen vacancies promotion in the crystal lattice. Nd³⁺ optical properties were studied by using the Judd-Ofelt theory to calculate the spectral parameters relevant for laser applications.     

Design and analysis of a plug-in robust compensator: an application to indirect-field-oriented-control induction machine drives

It is well known that the system performance for an indirect-field-oriented-control induction motor drive degrades under the variation of rotor resistance and in the presence of external load torque. In this paper, a plug-in robust compensator for speed and position control enhancement of an indirect-field-oriented-control induction machine drive is developed. In the case where a controller for the induction machine already exists or is in operation with satisfactory nominal tracking performance, this plug-in compensator, designed using the H/sub /spl infin// loop-shaping techniques, can be plugged into the existing controller without affecting the already satisfactory nominal tracking performance of the existing closed-loop system but with the capability to improve the system performance under plant parameter variations and in the presence of external disturbances. Simulation and experimental results are given to validate the proposed plug-in robust compensator.     

Threshold sensitivity of anti-Stokes frequency converter

Expressions describing the threshold sensitivity of a quantum converter of IR radiation into visible light are obtained for two schemes of energy levels in the active atoms. Based on these expressions, practical criteria for the creation of such devices are formulated.     

Decreasing miscibility with greater heterogeneity in ternary polymer blend: poly(cyclohexyl methacrylate), poly(α‐methyl styrene) and poly(4‐methyl styrene)

A ternary blend system comprising poly(cyclohexyl methacrylate) (PCHMA), poly(α‐methyl styrene) (PαMS) and poly(4‐methyl styrene) (P4MS) was investigated by thermal analysis, optical and scanning electron microscopy. Ternary phase behaviour was compared with the behaviour for the three constituent binary pairs. This study showed that the ternary blends of PCHMA/PαMS/P4MS in most compositions were miscible, with an apparent glass transition temperature (T_g) and distinct cloud‐point transitions, which were located at lower temperatures than their binary counterparts. However, in a closed‐loop range of compositions roughly near the centre of the triangular phase diagram, some ternary blends displayed phase separation with heterogeneity domains of about 1 µm. Therefore, it is properly concluded that ternary PCHMA/PαMS/P4M is partially miscible with a small closed‐loop immisciblity range, even though all the constituent binary pairs are fully miscible. Thermodynamic backgrounds leading to decreased miscibility and greater heterogeneity in a ternary polymer system in comparison with the binary counterparts are discussed. © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

Nanoscale Crystallization in the Amorphous Alloy Fe79P14.2Si4.4Mn2.2V0.2 upon Pulsed Photon Annealing

The effect of pulsed photon annealing with energy densities from 1.4 to 42 J/cm² for various lengths of time on the structure of the amorphous alloy Fe₇₉P_14.2Si_4.4Mn_2.2V_0.2 was studied by x-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and transmission electron microscopy. The results demonstrate that short-term irradiation with low energy densities leads to surface relaxation of the amorphous alloy, increases the strength of the surface layer, and reduces the internal-friction peak. Longer term photon annealing leads to crystallization of the alloy throughout the sample thickness.     

Stabilization of singularly perturbed fuzzy systems

This paper presents some novel results for stabilizing singularly perturbed (SP) nonlinear systems with guaranteed control performance. By using Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy model, we construct the SP fuzzy (SPF) systems. The corresponding fuzzy slow and fast subsystems of the original SPF system are also obtained. Two fuzzy control designs are explored. In the first design method, we propose the composite fuzzy control to stabilize the SPF subsystem with H/sup /spl infin// control performance. Based on the Lyapunov stability theorem, the stability conditions are reduced to the linear matrix inequality (LMI) problem. The composite fuzzy control will stabilize the original SP nonlinear systems for all /spl epsiv//spl isin/(0,/spl epsiv//sup */) and the upper bound /spl epsiv//sup */ can be determined. For the second design method, we present a direct fuzzy control scheme to stabilize the SP nonlinear system with H/sup /spl infin// control performance. By utilizing the Lyapunov stability theorem, the direct fuzzy control can guarantee the stability of the original SP nonlinear systems for a given interval /spl epsiv//spl isin/[/spl epsiv/_,/spl epsiv/~]. The stability conditions are also expressed in the LMIs. Two SP nonlinear systems are adopted to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed control schemes.