Visible and infrared polarization ratio spectroreflectometer

The instrument assists in determining the refractive index and absorption index, at different spectral frequencies, of a solid sample by illuminating the sample at various angles in incidence and measuring the corresponding reflected intensities at various spectral frequencies and polarization angles. The ratio of the intensity of the reflected light for parallel polarized light to that for perpendicular polarized light at two different angles of incidence can be used to determine the optical constants of the sample. The invention involves an apparatus for facilitating the utilization of a wide variety of angles of incidence. The light source and polarizing element are positioned on an outer platform; the sample is positioned on an inner platform. The two platforms rotate about a common axis and cooperate in their rotation such that the sample is rotated one degree for every two degrees of rotation of the light source. This maintains the impingement of the reflected light upon the detector for any angle of incidence without moving or adjusting the detector which allows a continuous change in the angle of incidence

Etransactions in the Australian supply chain setting

Many sectors of the Australian economy have, in recent years, undertaken an analysis of their supply chain structures. Each sector has determined the underlying technologies to be recommended for use on the basis of past practice in that sector and, in some cases, international practice in the sector. In this article, the authors examine the current role of e-transactions within the context of Australian supply chains. Our analysis indicates that there is a bifurcation of technical choices along the demarcations of XML and EDI business solutions. For instance, while Mining and Finance have gone the XML route, Wholesale and Retail Trade, along with Transport and Storage have chosen EDI. Moreover, the Health sector appears to be leaning towards keeping both options open to its organizations. We argue that two factors will need to be considered which will be affected greatly by this parting of the ways on the technology issue. One is the concept of ‘design for supply chain’ which involves demand generation through joint development of new products and the flow of material across different supply chain entities. The second is the impact of the growth of global trade within international economic blocs. A natural conclusion is that Australian industry must support a merging of EDI and XML standards

Inferring eye movements on the basis of head and visual target position

The modern optical lens design process relies on ray-tracing that requires the geometry of the visual task to be simulated in order to derive the optical parameters. Such measurements must take into account distant, intermediate and near visual tasks. SOLA has developed a non-intrusive, low cost system which tracks eye movements during the reading process. This report analyses their procedure in order to determine the accuracy of the tracking system. It concludes that some assumptions in the existing algorithm are overly restrictive, while, overall, this is an effective tracking method. In addition, a Fourier analysis of the sampling rate demonstrates that 10 Hz is a sufficiently high rate to use, and that lossy compression is adequate for their needs

Money growth stability and inflation: an international comparison

Money supply ; Inflation (Finance)

Five common myths about floating exchange rates

Foreign exchange rates

The president's proposed corporate tax reforms: a move toward tax neutrality

Tax reform ; Investments

Aid and Oil in Papua New Guinea: Implications for the Financing of Service Delivery

This paper measures the extent to which both donor finance and resource revenues have contributed to higher rates of expenditure in key development sectors of the PNG economy—social services (including health and education) and infrastructure, between 1975 and 2010. Estimated elasticities are then compared against a hypothetical revenue scenario to assess the potential contribution that post-2014 LNG revenue inflows may have on increasing the financing available to these sectors.