Photoemission study of the SiO₂conversion mechanism to magnesium silicate

The objective of this work is to investigate interface chemistries which minimize the interfacial silicon oxide transition region at Si/high-k dielectric interfaces. We report on the mechanism by which a silicon native oxide layer is converted into magnesium silicate. The deposition of metal Mg onto a SiO native oxide surface resulted in the formation of a magnesium silicide in addition to substochiometric silicon oxides and a significant decrease in the oxidised silicon signal. Annealing to 300 °C resulted in the decomposition of the magnesium silicide, oxidation of the Mg, and the desorption of excess metallic Mg. Subsequent annealing to 500 °C resulted in converting the SiO2 into magnesium silicate. The results suggest that the decomposition of the Mg silicide in the presence of the residual native oxide facilitates silicate formation at 500 °C. Due to the reported thermal stability of Mg silicate it is suggested that this process may be beneficial in modifying the interface characteristics of the Si/high-k dielectric interface which has potentially significant implications for future semiconductor device generations

Competition Policy in Small Distant Open Economies: Some Lessons from the Economics Literature

New Zealand is a small open economy that is remote from all major markets. The smallness and remoteness of New Zealand combine to imply that this country has, at least quantitatively, distinctive features for the regulation of economic activity by competition law. The isolation and small size of the economy mean that typically all but exporting firms are small as judged on a world scale, and that domestic markets are small and generally highly concentrated. This paper reviews the economic literature on the implications of an economy’s size and isolation for competition law. The literature suggests that principles underlying competition law do not change for small economies, but that the application of competition law should be different. In small economies, low regulatory and tax barriers to trade dominate the importance of competition law for good economic performance of domestic markets. In these economies, competition law should focus on economic benefit/detriment evaluations of mergers and trade practices rather than rules of thumb of the sort based on measures of market structure and indicators of competition, or those aimed at prohibiting particular practices per se. Producers’ surplus should not be de-emphasised in the calculation of benefits and detriments in small economies; particularly for activities that relate in any way to (potential) export activity. For any economy, particularly in the presence of competition, cooperation enhances economic performance in specific circumstances. In small economies cooperation can be particularly efficient-for example, in achieving scale and thereby export performance-although it may entail interaction among a large fraction of players in an industry. The approach that the literature suggests to the application of competition law in small economies places relatively heavy weight on dynamic efficiency as the criterion for competition law design and enforcement. It is squarely in accord with recommendations in the literature on desirable competition law for the so-called new economy.Small; Isolated; Economy; Antitrust; New Zealand; Producer Surplus: Consumer Surplus; Competition Law; Economic Benefit; Economic Detriment; Rule of Reason

The great moderation under the microscope: decomposition of macroeconomic cycles in US and UK aggregate demand

In this paper the relationship between the growth of real GDP components is explored in the frequency domain using both static and dynamic wavelet analysis. This analysis is carried out separately for the US and UK using quarterly data, and the results are found to be substantially different for the two countries. One of the key findings of this research is that the ‘great moderation’ shows up only at certain frequencies, and not in all components of real GDP. We use these results to explain why the incidence of the great moderation has been so patchy across GDP components, countries and time periods. This also explains why it has been so hard to detect periods of moderation (or other periods) reliably in the aggregate data. We argue this cannot be done without separating the GDP components into their frequency components over time. Our results show why: the predictions of traditional real business cycle theory often appear not to be upheld in the data.business cycles; growth cycles; discrete wavelet analysis; US real GDP; UK real GDP

The mechanisms involved in the scanning of bone using technetium labelled EHDP : its application in the healing of fractures

Imperial Users onl

The Rise of Stalin and Mussolini: The Importance of Historical Context in the Study of Leader Emergence

This study uses historical comparisons of Joseph Stalin and Benito Mussolini to better understand the factors that contribute to leader emergence. Leader effectiveness is not evaluated in this study. The focus of these historical inquires is early ascensions to power during the early to mid-1920s. The factors that contribute to leader emergence can be divided into the categories of 1. individual traits and skills and 2. social, cultural, and political contexts of the follower base. The conclusion of these historical analyses is that leader emergence is facilitated as an interaction between historical contexts and the traits and skills of the leader. Sole emphasis on individual leadership abilities is inadequate to explain leader emergence. This finding provides the theoretical justification for the further integration of historical inquiry along with psychological studies in the field of leadership emergence