72,010 research outputs found
Growth of epitaxially oriented Ag nanoislands on air-oxidized Si(111)-(7x7) surfaces: Influence of short range order on the substrate
Clean Si(111)-(7{x7) surfaces, followed by air-exposure, have been
investigated by reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and
scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Fourier transforms (FTs) of STM images
show the presence of short range (7x7) order on the air-oxidized surface.
Comparison with FTs of STM images from a clean Si(111)-(7x7) surface shows that
only the 1/7th order spots are present on the air-oxidized surface. The oxide
layer is ~ 2-3 nm thick, as revealed by cross-sectional transmission electron
microscopy (XTEM). Growth of Ag islands on these air-oxidized Si(111)-(7x7)
surfaces has been investigated by in-situ RHEED and STM and ex-situ XTEM and
scanning electron microscopy. Ag deposition at room temperature leads to the
growth of randomly oriented Ag islands while preferred orientation evolves when
Ag is deposited at higher substrate temperatures. For deposition at 550{\deg}C
face centered cubic Ag nanoislands grow with a predominant epitaxial
orientation [1 -1 0]Ag || [1 -1 0]Si, (111)Ag || (111)Si along with its twin
[-1 1 0]Ag || [1 -1 0]Si, (111)Ag || (111)Si, as observed for epitaxial growth
of Ag on Si(111) surfaces. The twins are thus rotated by a 180{\deg} rotation
of the Ag unit cell about the Si [111] axis. It is intriguing that Ag
nanoislands follow an epitaxial relationship with the Si(111) substrate in
spite of the presence of a 2-3 nm thick oxide layer between Ag and Si.
Apparently the short range order on the oxide surface influences the
crystallographic orientation of the Ag nanoislands.Comment: 10 figure
First results of the OROMA experiment in the Lister Tief of the German Bight in the North Sea, EARSeL Proceedings
The objective of the project entitled “Operational Radar and Optical Mapping in monitoring hydrodynamic,
morphodynamic and environmental parameters for coastal management (OROMA)”
within the Fifth Framework Programme of the European Commission (EC) is to improve the effectiveness
of monitoring technologies in coastal waters. The Research Vessel (R.V.) Ludwig Prandtl
of the GKSS research centre was equipped with special sensors and instruments to measure the
position of the ship, the water depth, the salinity, the water temperature, the current speed and direction,
the modulation characteristics of short-wave energies, and relevant air-sea interaction parameters
due to the presence of submarine sand waves. The first experiment of the OROMA project
on 5-16 August 2002 took place in the Lister Tief, a tidal inlet of the German Bight in the North
Sea. The seabed morphology of the Lister Tief reveals a complex configuration of different bedforms
which is four-dimensional in space and time. A significant upward orientated component uvert
of the three-dimensional current velocity field was observed. Marked vertically so-called waterspouts
of uvert above the crests of sand waves have been measured by the Acoustic Doppler Current
Profiler (ADCP) as straight lines. They cause water upwelling with turbulence patterns at the
water surface affecting the Normalized Radar Cross Section (NRCS) modulation. A first impression
of expected NRCS modulation signatures of sea bottom topography detected by the GKSS
shipborne X-band radar are presented as an uncalibrated composite of five single sea clutter images
acquired in the Lister Tief on 22 November 1990
A practical approach to goal modelling for time-constrained projects
Goal modelling is a well known rigorous method for analysing
problem rationale and developing requirements. Under the pressures typical of time-constrained projects its benefits are not accessible. This is because of the effort and time needed to create the graph and because reading the results can be difficult owing to the effects of crosscutting concerns. Here we introduce an adaptation of KAOS to meet the needs of rapid turn around and clarity. The main aim is to help the stakeholders gain an insight into the larger issues that might be overlooked if they make a premature start into implementation. The method emphasises the use of obstacles, accepts under-refined goals and has
new methods for managing crosscutting concerns and strategic decision making. It is expected to be of value to agile as well as traditional processes
Superlattice Patterns in Surface Waves
We report novel superlattice wave patterns at the interface of a fluid layer
driven vertically. These patterns are described most naturally in terms of two
interacting hexagonal sublattices. Two frequency forcing at very large aspect
ratio is utilized in this work. A superlattice pattern ("superlattice-I")
consisting of two hexagonal lattices oriented at a relative angle of 22^o is
obtained with a 6:7 ratio of forcing frequencies. Several theoretical
approaches that may be useful in understanding this pattern have been proposed.
In another example, the waves are fully described by two superimposed hexagonal
lattices with a wavelength ratio of sqrt(3), oriented at a relative angle of
30^o. The time dependence of this "superlattice-II" wave pattern is unusual.
The instantaneous patterns reveal a time-periodic stripe modulation that breaks
the 6-fold symmetry at any instant, but the stripes are absent in the time
average. The instantaneous patterns are not simply amplitude modulations of the
primary standing wave. A transition from the superlattice-II state to a 12-fold
quasi-crystalline pattern is observed by changing the relative phase of the two
forcing frequencies. Phase diagrams of the observed patterns (including
superlattices, quasicrystalline patterns, ordinary hexagons, and squares) are
obtained as a function of the amplitudes and relative phases of the driving
accelerations.Comment: 15 pages, 14 figures (gif), to appear in Physica
Computing motion in the primate's visual system
Computing motion on the basis of the time-varying image intensity is a difficult problem for both artificial and biological vision systems. We will show how one well-known gradient-based computer algorithm for estimating visual motion can be implemented within the primate's visual system. This relaxation algorithm computes the optical flow field by minimizing a variational functional of a form commonly encountered in early vision, and is performed in two steps. In the first stage, local motion is computed, while in the second stage spatial integration occurs. Neurons in the second stage represent the optical flow field via a population-coding scheme, such that the vector sum of all neurons at each location codes for the direction and magnitude of the velocity at that location. The resulting network maps onto the magnocellular pathway of the primate visual system, in particular onto cells in the primary visual cortex (V1) as well as onto cells in the middle temporal area (MT). Our algorithm mimics a number of psychophysical phenomena and illusions (perception of coherent plaids, motion capture, motion coherence) as well as electrophysiological recordings. Thus, a single unifying principle ‘the final optical flow should be as smooth as possible’ (except at isolated motion discontinuities) explains a large number of phenomena and links single-cell behavior with perception and computational theory
Structural, mineralogical, and biochemical diversity in the lower part of the pearl layer of cultivated seawater pearls from Polynesia
A series of Polynesian pearls has been investigated with particular attention to the structural and compositional patterns of the early developmental stages of the pearl layer. These initial steps in pearl formation bear witness of the metabolic changes that have occurred during the pearl-sac formation. The resulting structurally and biochemically complex structures have been investigated using a variety of techniques that provide us with information concerning both mineral phases and the organic components. Results are discussed with respect to our understanding of the biomineralization mechanisms, as well as for the grafting process
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