Efficient Optimization of the Optoelectronic Performance in Chemically Deposited Thin Films

Chemical deposition methodology is a well-understood and highly documented category of deposition techniques. In recent years, chemical bath deposition (CBD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) have garnered considerable attention as an effective alternative to other deposition methods. The applicability of CVD and CBD for industrial-sized operations is perhaps the most attractive aspect, in that thin-film deposition costs inversely scale with the processing batch size without loss of desirable optoelectronic properties in the materials. A downside of the method is that the optoelectronic characteristics of these films are highly susceptible to spurious deposition growth mechanisms. For example, increasing the temperature of the chemical deposition bath can shift the deposition mechanisms from ion-by-ion (two dimensional) precipitation to bulk solution cluster-by-cluster (three dimensional) formation which then deposit. This drastically changes the structural, optical, and electrical characteristics of CBD-deposited thin films. A similar phenomenon is observed in CVD deposited materials. Thus, it is of great interest to study the coupling between the deposition parameters and subsequent effects on film performance. Such studies have been conducted to elucidate the correlation between growth mechanisms and film performance. Here, we present a review of the current literature demonstrating that simple changes can be made in processing conditions to optimize the characteristics of these films for optoelectronic applications

Re-Engineering Systems for the Treatment of Depression in Primary Care: Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial

Objective: To test the effectiveness of an evidence based model for management of depression in primary care with support from quality improvement resources

A Tale of Two Stories from "Below the Line": Comment Fields at the Guardian

This article analyzes the nature of debate on “below the line” comment fields at the United Kingdom’s Guardian, and how, if at all, such debates are impacting journalism practice. The article combines a content analysis of 3,792 comments across eighty-five articles that focused on the UN Climate Change Summit, with ten interviews with journalists, two with affiliated commentators, plus the community manager. The results suggest a more positive picture than has been found by many existing studies: Debates were often deliberative in nature, and journalists reported that it was positively impacting their practice in several ways, including providing new story leads and enhanced critical reflection. However, citizen–journalist debate was limited. The results are attributed to the normalization of comment fields into everyday journalism practice, extensive support and encouragement from senior management, and a realization that comment fields can actually make the journalists’ life a little easier

Evaluation Research and Institutional Pressures: Challenges in Public-Nonprofit Contracting

This article examines the connection between program evaluation research and decision-making by public managers. Drawing on neo-institutional theory, a framework is presented for diagnosing the pressures and conditions that lead alternatively toward or away the rational use of evaluation research. Three cases of public-nonprofit contracting for the delivery of major programs are presented to clarify the way coercive, mimetic, and normative pressures interfere with a sound connection being made between research and implementation. The article concludes by considering how public managers can respond to the isomorphic pressures in their environment that make it hard to act on data relating to program performance.This publication is Hauser Center Working Paper No. 23. The Hauser Center Working Paper Series was launched during the summer of 2000. The Series enables the Hauser Center to share with a broad audience important works-in-progress written by Hauser Center scholars and researchers

Expanding Efficiency: Women\u27s Communication in Engineering

As engineering fields strive to be more inclusive of women, focusing on perceptions of women\u27s work is vital to understanding how women can succeed and the limitations they may face. One area in need of more attention is the connection between communication and women\u27s experiences in engineering. This article examines the gendered nature of writing labor in engineering, focusing on case studies of three women who were able to use writing effectively, yet how communication emerged as a gendered form of labor subject to gendered perceptions. While these women\u27s communication skills led to professional success, their association with writing echoes a historical division, where writing is viewed as less valuable than technical knowledge. This division has the potential to disadvantage women who are asked to take on more writing-related tasks. In addition, their writing and communication are subject to gendered perceptions of being ‘chatty’ or blunt rather than effective or efficient. Articulating these perceptions and attitudes can lead to a breakdown of the binary between writing and technical labor as well as appropriately valuing the contributions women make in engineering through writing

Best practices for operating underwater gliders in Atlantic Canada

Ocean gliders are versatile tools for making ocean observations. This paper summarizes the experience, of nearly two decades, of glider observing activity in Atlantic Canada. It reviews key considerations for operating gliders based on the experience and the lessons learned. This paper has three main goals: 1. To provide new and emerging glider users with guidance and considerations for developing a glider program. 2. Review the literature on sensor development for gliders and the use of gliders. 3. To highlight different mission scenarios that include enough practical considerations to support operating gliders. The use of gliders is rapidly expanding, but the documentation and consolidation of best practices for their operational use in Atlantic Canada remains underdeveloped. This summary provides a guide that should be helpful both to new and experienced glider operators and potential users, to observe the oceanography of this region and addresses regional challenges. We believe documenting our experience will be also helpful to the global glider community. We summarize the most critical considerations of utilizing gliders. We review the issues specific to the platform use and concerns about how to optimize the use of key sensors to contribute to an oceanographic observing program