An analytical framework for field electron emission, incorporating quantum- confinement effects

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2013.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (pages 141-151).As field electron emitters shrink to nanoscale dimensions, the effects of quantum confinement of the electron supply and electric field enhancement at the emitter tip play a significant role in determining the emitted current density (ECD). Consequently, the Fowler-Nordheim (FN) equation, which primarily applies to field emission from the planar surface of a bulk metal may not be valid for nanoscale emitters. While much effort has focused on studying emitter tip electrostatics, not much attention has been paid to the consequences of a quantum-confined electron supply. This work builds an analytical framework from which ECD equations for quantum-confined emitters of various geometries and materials can be generated and the effects of quantum confinement of the electron supply on the ECD can be studied. ECD equations were derived for metal emitters from the elementary model and for silicon emitters via a more physically-complete version of the elementary model. In the absence of field enhancement at the emitter tip, decreasing an emitter's dimensions is found to decrease the total ECD. When the effects of field enhancement are incorporated, the ECD increases with decreasing transverse emitter dimensions until a critical dimension dpeak, below which the reduced electron supply becomes the limiting factor for emission and the ECD decreases. Based on the forms of the ECD equations, alternate analytical methods to Fowler-Nordheim plots are introduced for parameter extraction from experimental field emission data. Analysis shows that the FN equation and standard analysis procedures over-predict the ECD from quantum-confined emitters. As a result, the ECD equations and methods introduced in this thesis are intended to replace the Fowler-Nordheim equation and related analysis procedures when treating field emission from suitably small field electron emitters.by Alex A. Patterson.S.M

Negotiating Intersubjectivity as Methodology: Ethnographic Fieldwork and the Co-Production of Knowledge

How is ethnographic knowledge fashioned and impressions managed during power-laden, discursive interview events? This chapter examines ethnographic encounters with foreign investors, development workers, and government officials in Guinea-Bissau as a way to explore intersubjectivity as a site of meaning making. These encounters take place in negotiated spaces where the dynamics of the encounter are fluid and contextually sensitive. Through an analysis of the co- production of knowledge, social researchers can begin to examine intersubjectivity within the ethnographic interview as both a shared resource and a potential liability for ethnographic interlocutors. This chapter highlights some of the methodological implications of negotiating and evaluating intersubjectivity

Unobtrusive indicators of culture for organizations: a systematic review

We systematically reviewed the literature using unobtrusive measures to study organizational culture. To synthesize, theorize, and evaluate this research, we introduce the concept of an unobtrusive indicator of culture (UIC) for organizations. A UIC measures organizational culture through collecting data without engaging employees, and is conceptualized in terms of cultural artefacts. We identified thirty-five articles, containing 135 distinct UICs, drawn from 16 distinct data sources. UICs coalesced into two groups. First, textual UICs, with culture measured through language patterns in annual reports, employee online reviews, and emails. Second, UICs focusing on organizational practices, for instance, organizational policies or executive rewards. Over two-thirds (68%) of UICs measured values for integrity, results orientation, and clan cultures, and we conjecture that UICs may be most useful for studying aspects of culture sensitive to reporting biases, and benchmarking large samples of organizations. Forty-eight percent of UICs had good or promising construct validity: many were textual UICs, and those focusing on organizational practices were less established. UICs can potentially advance the study of organizational culture, yet must be developed and applied cautiously, with careful consideration of their advantages and limitations, and how they complement existing measurements and conceptualizations of culture

Test-Retest Reliability of the SWAY Balance Mobile Application

The SWAY Balance Mobile Application is an FDA-cleared balance testing system which uses the built-in tri-axial accelerometers of a mobile electronic device to objectively assess postural movement. The system was designed to provide a means of quantitative balance assessment in clinical and on-field environments. The purpose of this study was to determine the intrasession and intersession reliability, as well as the minimum difference to be considered real, of the SWAY Balance Mobile Application

The Effects of Wearing a Portable Media Armband on Muscle Activation of the Biceps Brachii

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(1): 1461-1470, 2023. Portable media armbands are commonly used among the physically active population. Their effect on muscle function has not been established. The purpose of this study was to determine if muscle activation of the biceps brachii is influenced by wearing a portable media armband during an elbow flexion exercise. Eighteen participants (11 males: age = 22.5 ± 2.1 years, height = 178.3 ± 5.2 cm, mass = 85.0 ± 6.5 kg; 7 females: age = 22.9 ± 2.5 years, height = 168.3 ± 5.7 cm, mass = 72.3 ± 12.2 kg) with no history of upper extremity injury volunteered for the study. Participants performed elbow flexion trials with a hand-held dumbbell with and without wearing a portable media armband. Dumbbell weight was determined by an 8-10 repetition maximum, and the condition was counterbalanced. The average concentric and eccentric phases for five trials for each condition were normalized to a maximum voluntary isometric contraction using electromyography. The independent variable was condition (with-PMAB and without-PMAB). The dependent variable was the muscle activation of the biceps brachii. Mean data for each condition were analyzed using separate paired-samples t-tests for the concentric and eccentric phases (p \u3c 0.05). Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference for the concentric phase (t17 = 2.905; p = 0.010). The with-PMAB condition elicited greater muscle activation (72.57 ± 36.31%) compared to the without-PMAB (63.67 ± 26.2%), with a medium effect size (d = 0.69). There was no statistical difference for the eccentric phase (t17 = 1.964; p = 0.066), and a small effect size (d = 0.46). The increase in muscle activation during the concentric phase is likely due to a change in the muscle properties due to the compressive force applied to the muscle fibers by the portable media armband

Exploration of anomalous perceptual experiences in migraine between attacks using the Cardiff Anomalous Perceptions Scale

Distortions in sensory experiences that precede a migraine attack have been extensively documented, the most well-known being the visual aura. Distortions in the experience of other senses are also reported as part of an aura, albeit less frequently, together with changes in the perception or ownership of the body or body parts. There are many examples of differences in aspects of visual perception between migraine and control groups, between attacks, but not as much on unusual experiences involving other senses, the sense of the body or the experience of the environment. Seventy-seven migraine (33 with aura) and 74 control participants participated. Anomalous perceptions were experienced by both migraine and control groups, but more with migraine experienced them and rated them as more distressing, intrusive and frequent. Associations with reports of visual triggers of migraine and visual discomfort are presented. This study is the first to show relationships between these factors

Efficient Moment-Based Inference of Admixture Parameters and Sources of Gene Flow

The recent explosion in available genetic data has led to significant advances in understanding the demographic histories of and relationships among human populations. It is still a challenge, however, to infer reliable parameter values for complicated models involving many populations. Here, we present MixMapper, an efficient, interactive method for constructing phylogenetic trees including admixture events using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotype data. MixMapper implements a novel two-phase approach to admixture inference using moment statistics, first building an unadmixed scaffold tree and then adding admixed populations by solving systems of equations that express allele frequency divergences in terms of mixture parameters. Importantly, all features of the model, including topology, sources of gene flow, branch lengths, and mixture proportions, are optimized automatically from the data and include estimates of statistical uncertainty. MixMapper also uses a new method to express branch lengths in easily interpretable drift units. We apply MixMapper to recently published data for Human Genome Diversity Cell Line Panel individuals genotyped on a SNP array designed especially for use in population genetics studies, obtaining confident results for 30 populations, 20 of them admixed. Notably, we confirm a signal of ancient admixture in European populations—including previously undetected admixture in Sardinians and Basques—involving a proportion of 20–40% ancient northern Eurasian ancestry