The heteronomy of choice architecture

Choice architecture is heralded as a policy approach that does not coercively reduce freedom of choice. Still we might worry that this approach fails to respect individual choice because it subversively manipulates individuals, thus contravening their personal autonomy. In this article I address two arguments to this effect. First, I deny that choice architecture is necessarily heteronomous. I explain the reasons we have for avoiding heteronomous policy-making and offer a set of four conditions for non-heteronomy. I then provide examples of nudges that meet these conditions. I argue that these policies are capable of respecting and promoting personal autonomy, and show this claim to be true across contrasting conceptions of autonomy. Second, I deny that choice architecture is disrespectful because it is epistemically paternalistic. This critique appears to loom large even against non-heteronomous nudges. However, I argue that while some of these policies may exhibit epistemically paternalistic tendencies, these tendencies do not necessarily undermine personal autonomy. Thus, if we are to find such policies objectionable, we cannot do so on the grounds of respect for autonomy

Selective Etching Of Wide Bandgap Nitrides

HIGH-DENSITY PLASMA ETCHING HAS BEEN AN EFFECTIVE PATTERNING TECHNIQUE FOR THE GROUP-III NITRIDES DUE TO ION FLUXES WHICH ARE 2 TO 4 ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE HIGHER THAN MORE CONVENTIONAL REACTIVE ION ETCH (RIE) SYSTEMS. GAN ETCH RATES EXCEEDING 0.68 MICROMETER/MIN HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN C12/H2/AR INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMAS (ICP) AT -280 V DC-BIAS. UNDER THESE CONDITIONS, THE ETCH MECHANISM IS DOMINATED BY ION BOMBARDMENT ENERGIES WHICH CAN INDUCE DAMAGE AND MINIMIZE ETCH SELECTIVITY. HIGH SELECTIVITY ETCH PROCESSES ARE OFTEN NECESSARY FOR HETEROSTRUCTURE DEVICES WHICH ARE BECOMING MORE PROMINENT AS GROWTH TECHNIQUES IMPROVE. IN THIS STUDY, WE WILL REPORT HIGH-DENSITY ICP ETCH RATES AND SELECTIVITIES FOR GAN, ALN, AND INN AS A FUNCTION OF CATHODE POWER, ICP-SOURCE POWER, AND CHAMBER PRESSURE. GAN:ALN SELECTIVITIES {gt} 8:1 were observed in a C12/Ar plasma at 10 mTorr pressure, 500 W ICP-source power, and 130 W cathode rf-power, while the GaN:InN selectivity was optimized at approx. 6.5:1 at 5 mTorr, 500 W ICP-source power, and 130 W cathode rf-power