Academic freedom in Europe: reviewing UNESCO’s recommendation

This paper examines the compliance of universities in the European Union with the UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher–Education Teaching Personnel, which deals primarily with protection for academic freedom. The paper briefly surveys the European genesis of the modern research university and academic freedom, before evaluating compliance with the UNESCO recommendation on institutional autonomy, academic freedom, university governance and tenure. Following from this, the paper examines the reasons for the generally low level of compliance with the UNESCO Recommendation within the EU states, and considers how such compliance could be improved

One-by-one trap activation in silicon nanowire transistors

Flicker or 1/f noise in metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) has been identified as the main source of noise at low frequency. It often originates from an ensemble of a huge number of charges trapping and detrapping. However, a deviation from the well-known model of 1/f noise is observed for nanoscale MOSFETs and a new model is required. Here, we report the observation of one-by-one trap activation controlled by the gate voltage in a nanowire MOSFET and we propose a new low-frequency-noise theory for nanoscale FETs. We demonstrate that the Coulomb repulsion between electronically charged trap sites avoids the activation of several traps simultaneously. This effect induces a noise reduction by more than one order of magnitude. It decreases when increasing the electron density in the channel due to the electrical screening of traps. These findings are technologically useful for any FETs with a short and narrow channel.Comment: One file with paper and supplementary informatio

On Muddled Methods and Their Meaning

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/68431/2/10.1177_048661346900100105.pd

Decoherence of a Josephson qubit due to coupling to two level systems

Noise and decoherence are major obstacles to the implementation of Josephson junction qubits in quantum computing. Recent experiments suggest that two level systems (TLS) in the oxide tunnel barrier are a source of decoherence. We explore two decoherence mechanisms in which these two level systems lead to the decay of Rabi oscillations that result when Josephson junction qubits are subjected to strong microwave driving. (A) We consider a Josephson qubit coupled resonantly to a two level system, i.e., the qubit and TLS have equal energy splittings. As a result of this resonant interaction, the occupation probability of the excited state of the qubit exhibits beating. Decoherence of the qubit results when the two level system decays from its excited state by emitting a phonon. (B) Fluctuations of the two level systems in the oxide barrier produce fluctuations and 1/f noise in the Josephson junction critical current I_o. This in turn leads to fluctuations in the qubit energy splitting that degrades the qubit coherence. We compare our results with experiments on Josephson junction phase qubits.Comment: 23 pages, Latex, 6 encapsulated postscript figure

Linear Stochastic Models of Nonlinear Dynamical Systems

We investigate in this work the validity of linear stochastic models for nonlinear dynamical systems. We exploit as our basic tool a previously proposed Rayleigh-Ritz approximation for the effective action of nonlinear dynamical systems started from random initial conditions. The present paper discusses only the case where the PDF-Ansatz employed in the variational calculation is ``Markovian'', i.e. is determined completely by the present values of the moment-averages. In this case we show that the Rayleigh-Ritz effective action of the complete set of moment-functions that are employed in the closure has a quadratic part which is always formally an Onsager-Machlup action. Thus, subject to satisfaction of the requisite realizability conditions on the noise covariance, a linear Langevin model will exist which reproduces exactly the joint 2-time correlations of the moment-functions. We compare our method with the closely related formalism of principal oscillation patterns (POP), which, in the approach of C. Penland, is a method to derive such a linear Langevin model empirically from time-series data for the moment-functions. The predictive capability of the POP analysis, compared with the Rayleigh-Ritz result, is limited to the regime of small fluctuations around the most probable future pattern. Finally, we shall discuss a thermodynamics of statistical moments which should hold for all dynamical systems with stable invariant probability measures and which follows within the Rayleigh-Ritz formalism.Comment: 36 pages, 5 figures, seceq.sty for sequential numbering of equations by sectio

Assessment of Connections Between Knowledge- Based Economy Characteristics and Selected Macroeconomic Categories in the European Union's Countries by Means of Panel Models

The aim of the article is to analyze the impact of knowledge-based economy variables on the selected macroeconomic categories - the share of total investments in GDP and the employment rate- in European Union's countries in the years 2000-2007, conducted with application of panel models.Celem artykułu jest analiza wpływu zmiennych opisujących gospodarkę opartą na wiedzy na podstawowe kategorie makroekonomiczne - udział całkowitych inwestycji w PKB i stopę zatrudnienia - w krajach Unii Europejskiej (z podziałem na kraje UE-15 i nowe kraje członkowskie UE) w latach 2000-2007, przeprowadzona w oparciu o modele panelowe

On the lease rate, convenience yield and speculative effects in the gold futures market

By examining data on the gold forward offered rate (GOFO) and lease rates over the period 1996- 2009, we conclude that the convenience yield of gold is better approximated by the lease rate than the interest-adjusted spread of Fama & French (1983). Using the latter quantity, we study the relationship between gold leasing and the level of COMEX discretionary inventory and exhibit that lease rates are negatively related to inventories. We also show that Futures prices have increasingly exceeded forward prices over the period, and this effect increases with the speculative pressure and the maturity of the contracts

Nonequilibrium steady state thermodynamics and fluctuations for stochastic systems

We use the work done on and the heat removed from a system to maintain it in a nonequilibrium steady state for a thermodynamic-like description of such a system as well as of its fluctuations. Based on a generalized Onsager-Machlup theory for nonequilibrium steady states we indicate two ambiguities, not present in an equilibrium state, in defining such work and heat: one due to a non-uniqueness of time-reversal procedures and another due to multiple possibilities to separate heat into work and an energy difference in nonequilibrium steady states. As a consequence, for such systems, the work and heat satisfy multiple versions of the first and second laws of thermodynamics as well as of their fluctuation theorems. Unique laws and relations appear only to be obtainable for concretely defined systems, using physical arguments to choose the relevant physical quantities. This is illustrated on a number of systems, including a Brownian particle in an electric field, a driven torsion pendulum, electric circuits and an energy transfer driven by a temperature difference.Comment: 39 pages, 3 figur

Academic freedom in Europe: time for a Magna Charta?

This paper is a preliminary attempt to establish a working definition of academic freedom for the European Union states. The paper details why such a definition is required for the European Union and then examines some of the difficulties of defining academic freedom. By drawing upon experience of the legal difficulties beset by the concept in the USA and building on previous analyses of constitutional and legislative protection for academic freedom, and of legal regulations concerning institutional governance and academic tenure, a working definition of academic freedom is then derived. The resultant definition which, it is suggested, could form the basis for a European Magna Charta Libertatis Academicae, goes beyond traditional discussions of academic freedom by specifying not only the rights inherent in the concept but also its accompanying duties, necessary limitations and safeguards. The paper concludes with proposals for how the definition might be tested and carried forward

Onsager-Machlup theory and work fluctuation theorem for a harmonically driven Brownian particle

We extend Tooru-Cohen analysis for nonequilirium steady state(NSS) of a Brownian particle to nonequilibrium oscillatory state (NOS) of Brownian particle by considering time dependent external drive protocol. We consider an unbounded charged Brownian particle in the presence of an oscillating electric field and prove work fluctuation theorem, which is valid for any initial distribution and at all times. For harmonically bounded and constantly dragged Brownian particle considered by Tooru and Cohen, work fluctuation theorem is valid for any initial condition(also NSS), but only in large time limit. We use Onsager-Machlup Lagrangian with a constraint to obtain frequency dependent work distribution function, and describe entropy production rate and properties of dissipation functions for the present system using Onsager-Machlup functional.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figur