Type-II InAsxSb1-x/InAs quantum dots for midinfrared applications: Effect of morphology and composition on electronic and optical properties

InSb-based self-assembled quantum dots are very promising for the midinfrared (3-5μm) optical range. We have analyzed the effect of geometry and composition on the electronic structure and optical spectra of InAsx Sb1-x /InAs dots. The calculated transition energies agree well with the available experimental data. The results show that the geometry of the dot can be estimated from the optical spectra if the composition is known, and vice versa. © 2009 The American Physical Society

Turbo Detection of Space-time Trellis-Coded Constant Bit Rate Vector-Quantised Videophone System using Reversible Variable-Length Codes, Convolutional Codes and Turbo Codes

In this treatise we characterise the achievable performance of a proprietary video transmission system, which employs a Constant Bit Rate (CBR) video codec that is concatenated with one of three error correction codecs, namely a Reversible Variable-Length Code (RVLC), a Convolutional Code (CC) or a convolutional-based Turbo Code (TC). In our investigations, the CBR video codec was invoked in conjunction with Space-Time Trellis Coding (STTC) designed for transmission over a dispersive Rayleigh fading channel. At the receiver, the channel equaliser, the STTC decoder and the RVLC, CC or TC decoder, as appropriate, employ the Max-Log Maximum A-Posteriori (MAP) algorithm and their operations are performed in an iterative 'turbo-detection' fashion. The systems were designed for maintaining similar error-free video reconstruction qualities, which were found to be subjectively pleasing at a Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR) of 30.6~dB, at a similar decoding complexity per decoding iteration. These design criteria were achieved by employing differing transmission rates, with the CC- and TC-based systems having a 22% higher bandwidth requirement. The results demonstrated that the TC-, RVLC- and CC-based systems achieve acceptable subjective reconstructed video quality associated with an average PSNR in excess of 30~dB for $E_b/N_0$ values above 4.6~dB, 6.4~dB and 7.7~dB, respectively. The design choice between the TC- and RVLC-based systems constitutes a trade-off between the increased error resilience of the TC-based scheme and the reduced bandwidth requirement of the RVLC-based scheme

4-(Methyl­sulfon­yl)piperazin-1-ium chloride

In the title mol­ecular salt, C5H13N2O2S+·Cl−, the complete cation is generated by crystallographic mirror symmetry, with both N atoms, the S atom and one C atom lying on the reflecting plane. The chloride ion also lies on the mirror plane. The piperazinium ring adopts a chair conformation and the N—S bond adopts an equatorial orientation. In the crystal structure, the component ions are linked into a three-dimensional framework by inter­molecular N—H⋯Cl and C—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds

6-Chloro-3-[5-(3-meth­oxy-8-methyl-4-quinol­yl)-1-phenyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-3-yl]-2-methyl-4-phenyl­quinoline

In the title compound, C36H29ClN4O, the dihydro­pyrazole ring adopts an envelope conformation. The two quinoline ring systems (r.m.s. deviations = 0.029 and 0.018 Å) are oriented at a dihedral angle of 71.43 (4)°. One of the quinoline rings makes a dihedral angle of 65.40 (7)° with the phenyl substituent. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked into chains along the b axis by inter­molecular C—H⋯N hydrogen bonds. In addition, C—H⋯π and π–π [centroid–centroid distance = 3.7325 (8) Å] inter­actions are observed

Soil water repellence increased early wheat growth and nutrient uptake

Purpose Soil water repellence causes uneven soil wetting which can constrain dryland crop and pasture establishment and yield. The same processes are likely to affect nutrient availability from soil and fertiliser, but the effects of repellence on crop growth and nutrition per se have seldom been reported. Here, we investigated early wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Mace) growth and nutrient uptake responses to repellence. Methods Wheat was furrow-sown in severely repellent sandy loam soil (with a wettable furrow base to allow for germination) or completely wettable soil, under uniform plant density and variable topsoil thickness (20 or 100 mm) and fertiliser band placement (below or away from the seed). Tiller number, shoot dry matter, shoot N concentration, total nutrient uptake, and root length density (RLD) were determined. Results Contrary to expectations, repellence significantly increased tiller number (by up to 2 tillers per plant), shoot dry matter (by 82%), shoot N concentration (by 0.3% N), and total nutrient uptake (by 87%) at 51 days after sowing, regardless of topsoil thickness and fertiliser placement. In the furrow, RLD of repellent treatments was also nearly double that in wettable treatments when fertiliser was banded below the seed. Results suggest that preferential soil wetting of the furrow in repellent treatments favoured plant nutrient uptake under regular but low water supply. Conclusion We conclude that for water-repellent soils with limited water supply, water harvesting techniques such as furrow sowing and banding wetting agents could boost water and nutrient uptake and early crop growth

Synthesis and mesomorphic properties of new heterocyclic liquidcrystals with Central Ester–Chalcone linkages

A series of new calamitic liquid crystals, 4-[3-(pyridin-4-yl)prop-2-enoyl]phenyl 4-alkyloxybenzoates, comprising a pyridyl core,ester–chalcone central linkage and terminal alkyloxy chain were synthesized and characterized. This series consists of four membersthat differ by the length of the alkyloxy chain (CnH2n+1O , where n = 10, 12, 14, 16). The structures of the title compounds wereelucidated using spectroscopic and spectrometric techniques, such as FT-IR, NMR (1H and13C) and EI-MS. The mesomorphicproperties were studied using differential scanning calorimetry and optical polarizing microscopy. The decyloxy-containing com-pound was found to be non-mesogenic, whilst the compounds containing n-dodecyloxy to n-hexadecyloxy chains exhibited anenantiotropic smectic A phase with a fan-shaped texture. From the structure–property relationship study, it was proposed that thenumber of carbons in the alkyloxy chain must be at least 12 (n ≥ 12) to generate the smectic phase in the corresponding substitutedArCOOArCOCH CHC5H4N compounds

Retrofitting Crude Oil Refinery Heat Exchanger Networks to Minimise Fouling While Maximising Heat Recovery

The use of fouling factors in heat exchanger design and the lack of appreciation of fouling in traditional pinch approach has often resulted badly designed crude preheat networks that are expensive to maintain. The development of thermal and pressure drop models for crude oil fouling has allowed its effects to be quantified, so that techno-economic analyses can be performed and various design options compared. Application of these fouling models is carried out on two levels: on the assessment of adding extra area to individual exchangers, and the design of a complete network using the Modified Temperature Field Plot. Application to a refinery case study showed that both at the exchanger and network levels, designing for maximum heat recovery using traditional pinch approach results in the least efficient heat recovery over a time period when fouling occurs

Synthesis and comparative studies of phase transition behaviour of new dimeric liquid crystals consisting of dimethyluracil and biphenyl cores

A new homologous series of mesogens containing 6-amino-1,3-dimethyluracil moiety have been synthesized. The structures of the compounds were characterised by elemental analysis, FT-IR, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopic techniques. Their mesomorphic properties were studied by polarising optical microscopy attached to a heating stage. Microscopy data were supported with transition temperatures and enthalpy change values obtained from the differential scanning calorimetry analysis. The studies have shown that the mesomorphic properties of the compounds are dependent on the lengths of alkoxy-spacers. Compounds 4a-f with a shorter alkoxy-spacer chain (n = 6) exhibited smectic A phase, while compounds 4g-r with a alkoxy-spacer chain (n = 8 or 10) displayed nematic phase

4,5,6,7,8,9-Hexahydro-2H-cyclo­octa[c]pyrazol-1-ium-3-olate

The title compound, C9H14N2O, exists in the zwitterionic form in the crystal. The cyclo­octane ring adopts a twisted boat-chair conformation. In the crystal, inter­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the mol­ecules into sheets lying parallel to bc. The structure is also stabilized by π–π inter­actions, with a centroid-to-centroid distance of 3.5684 (8) Å

Soil water repellence increased early wheat growth and nutrient uptake

Purpose: Soil water repellence causes uneven soil wetting which can constrain dryland crop and pasture establishment and yield. The same processes are likely to affect nutrient availability from soil and fertiliser, but the effects of repellence on crop growth and nutrition per se have seldom been reported. Here, we investigated early wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Mace) growth and nutrient uptake responses to repellence. Methods: Wheat was furrow-sown in severely repellent sandy loam soil (with a wettable furrow base to allow for germination) or completely wettable soil, under uniform plant density and variable topsoil thickness (20 or 100 mm) and fertiliser band placement (below or away from the seed). Tiller number, shoot dry matter, shoot N concentration, total nutrient uptake, and root length density (RLD) were determined. Results: Contrary to expectations, repellence significantly increased tiller number (by up to 2 tillers per plant), shoot dry matter (by 82%), shoot N concentration (by 0.3% N), and total nutrient uptake (by 87%) at 51 days after sowing, regardless of topsoil thickness and fertiliser placement. In the furrow, RLD of repellent treatments was also nearly double that in wettable treatments when fertiliser was banded below the seed. Results suggest that preferential soil wetting of the furrow in repellent treatments favoured plant nutrient uptake under regular but low water supply. Conclusion: We conclude that for water-repellent soils with limited water supply, water harvesting techniques such as furrow sowing and banding wetting agents could boost water and nutrient uptake and early crop growth