From Lab-on-chip to Lab-in-App: Challenges towards silicon photonic biosensors product developments

This work presents and evaluates different approaches of integrated optical sensors based on photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technologies for refractive index sensing. Bottlenecks in the fabrication flow towards an applicable system are discussed that hinder a cost-effective mass-production for disposable sensor chips. As sensor device, a waveguide coupled micro-ring based approach is chosen which is manufactured in an 8” wafer level process. We will show that the co-integration with a reproducible, scalable and low-cost microfluidic interface is the main challenge which needs to be overcome for future application of silicon technology based PIC sensor chips

The ‘Puzzles’ Methodology: En Route to Indirect Inference?

We review the methods used in many papers to evaluate DSGE models by comparing their simulated moments with data moments. We compare these with the method of Indirect Inference to which they are closely related. We illustrate the comparison with contrasting assessments of a two-country model in two recent papers. We conclude that Indirect Inference is the proper end point of the puzzles methodology.Bootstrap, US-EU Model, DSGE, VAR, Indirect Inference, Wald Statistic, Anomaly, Puzzle.

Direct observation and simultaneous use of linear and quadratic electro-optical effects

We report on the direct observation and simultaneous use of the linear and quadratic electro-optical effect and propose a method by which higher-order susceptibilities of electro-optical materials can be determined. The evaluation is based on the separation of the second- and third-order susceptibilities and the experimental technique uses a slot waveguide ring resonator fabricated in integrated photonic circuit technology, which is embedded by a guest-host polymer system consisting of the azobenzene dye Disperse Red 1 in a poly(methyl methacrylate) matrix as an active electro-optical material. The contribution of both effects on the electro-optical response under the influence of static and time-varying electrical fields is investigated. We show that the quadratic electro-optical effect has a significant influence on the overall electro-optical response even with acentric molecular orientated molecules. Our findings have important implications for developing electro-optical devices based on polymer-filled slot waveguides and give rise to advanced photonic circuits. © 2020 IOP Publishing Ltd

Testing Born's Rule in Quantum Mechanics for Three Mutually Exclusive Events

We present a new experimental approach using a three-path interferometer and find a tighter empirical upper bound on possible violations of Born's Rule. A deviation from Born's rule would result in multi-order interference. Among the potential systematic errors that could lead to an apparent violation we specifically study the nonlinear response of our detectors and present ways to calibrate this error in order to obtain an even better bound.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Found. Phy

Monetarism rides again? US monetary policy in a world of quantitative easing

In a model of banking we give money a role in providing cheap collateral; i.e. besides the Taylor Rule, monetary policy can affect the risk-premium by varying the supply of M0 in open market operations, so that even at the zero bound monetary policy is still effective, and fiscal policy still crowds out investment. A simple rule for making M0 respond to credit conditions can substantially enhance the economy's stability. This, in combination with Price-level or nominal GDP targeting rules for interest rates, stabilises the economy further, making aggressive and distortionary regulation of banks' balance sheets redundant

Benefits of Using a Problem-Solving Scaffold for Teaching and Learning Synthesis in Undergraduate Organic Chemistry I

A problem-solving scaffold approach to synthesis was developed and implemented in two intervention sections of Chemistry 2211K (Organic Chemistry I) at Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC). A third section of Chemistry 2211K at GGC served as the control group for the experiment. Synthesis problems for chapter quizzes and the final examination were designed and administered to all sections participating in the experiment. Student solutions were graded according to a rubric designed to determine student use of the scaffold when solving synthesis problems. Analyses of the quiz results and the synthesis component of the final examination were conducted and intervention section students who employed the Synthesis Scaffold Approach were found to have higher mean scores on related graded events as compared to students who were not exposed to the Synthesis Scaffold Approach