An analysis of type F2 software measurement standards for profile surface texture parameters

This paper reports on an in-depth analysis of ISO 5436 part 2 type F2 reference software for the calculation of profile surface texture parameters that has been performed on the input, implementation and output results of the reference software developed by the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB). Surface texture parameters have been calculated for a selection of 17 test data files obtained from the type F1 reference data sets on offer from NPL and NIST. The surface texture parameter calculation results show some disagreements between the software methods of the National Metrology Institutes. These disagreements have been investigated further, and some potential explanations are given

About the uncertainty of concentration standards applied in the calibration of potentiometric ion-selective electrodes

W artykule przedstawiono relacje pomiedzy potencjałem elektrody jonoselektywnej a stężeniem jonów w roztworze. Przedstawiono przykład wykonania wzorca aktywności. Przeanalizowano niepewność stężenia jonów we wzorcach przygotowywanych poprzez rozpuszczanie soli, we wzorcach powstałych poprzez rozcieńczenia oraz we wzorcach otrzymanych automatycznie metodą wielokrotnego rozcieńczania wzorca.The relationship between the potential E of the ion-selective electrode and ion concentration c are presented in the paper - eqs. (1)-5). The operations needed to prepare an activity standard, basing on eqs. (7) - (10), are listed and an example is given, haw to make it. Basing on eq. (11), linking concentration c, mass of salt m* and volume of solution V, the relative concentration uncertainty ur(c) is derived - eq. (12), and using a scale and non-ideal salt not having 100% content (cont) of substance of interest, the eq. (14) is obtained. After dilutions - eq. (15), concentration uncertainty changes - eq. (17). The next example is placed illustrating the change. The concentration uncertainties of standards obtained using multiple dilution method implemented on the automatic system SAWCEJS [5] are calculated in sec. 4

Towards automation of measurement processes of surface water parameters by a remote-controlled catamaran

This paper describes a way of determining selected water parameters using a prototype of a remote-controlled catamaran. The remote controlling allows to steer the boat and to manage the measurement process from the shore. It is possible to monitor the water parameters online as well as to store them and analyze them afterwards. The measured parameters are determined mainly using potentiometric methods and include several ion concentrations. The system is orientated towards monitoring breeding ponds or other similar surface waters. The mechanical construction of the catamaran, its electronic circuits and implemented software are described in detail in the paper. Conclusions obtained from preliminary tests are also included. The described construction allows analysts to perform simple and inexpensive remote measurements or assessments of water quality and reduces the time of such analysis in comparison to traditional sampling

Multirotor platform with sensory head for measurement of selected air parameters

In this article, a project of an unmanned aerial system designed for monitoring of air pollution is presented. The system consists of an autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with a measurement head with sensors of chemical and physical properties of atmospheric air, and a ground control station arranged to store and display the collected data. The head contains modern sensors selective to the most important components of air in view of environmental pollution. Measurement data are acquired locally as well as transmitted wirelessly to a ground station. The UAV can be programmed to a particular measurement missions. The ground station dispose of a software for flight control and for visualisation of measurement results on-line. In this paper, an architecture of the entire system, a data processing performing by each subsystem, and communication methods between them are presented. This paper also includes a specification of sensors with their principles of operation, description of their metrological properties and the way, in which they are implemented in the designed electrical circuits. Results of preliminary tests in a laboratory and in a field, during a short flight, are also presented

Giant sharp and persistent converse magnetoelectric effects in multiferroic epitaxial heterostructures

Magnetoelectric coupling1,2 between magnetic and electrical properties presents valuable degrees of freedom for applications. The two most promising scenarios are magnetic-field sensors3 that could replace low-temperature superconducting quantum interference devices, and electric-write magnetic-read memory devices that combine the best2 of ferroelectric and magnetic random-access memory. The former scenario requires magnetically induced continuous and reversible changes in electrical polarization. These are commonly observed, but the coupling constants thus obtained are invalid for data-storage applications, where the more difficult to achieve4,5 and rarely studied magnetic response to an electric field is required. Here, we demonstrate electrically induced giant, sharp and persistent magnetic changes (up to 2.3×10−7 sm−1) at a single epitaxial interface in ferromagnetic 40 nm La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 films on 0.5mm ferroelectric BaTiO3 substrates. X-ray diffraction confirms strain coupling via ferroelastic non-180◦ BaTiO3 domains. Our findings are valid over a wide range of temperatures including room temperature, and should inspire further study with single epitaxial interfaces

Surface analysis of CVD diamond exposed to fusion plasma

Microcrystalline undoped and heavily boron-doped polycrystalline diamond layers have been deposited on various substrates by hot filament CVD and exposed to hydrogen plasma in a linear plasma reactor (Pilot-PSI, The Netherlands) that simulates the high flux and high density plasma conditions of tokamak divertors, as well as in the DIII-D tokamak (US). Pre- and post-exposure analysis by SEM and Raman spectroscopy characterised the surface appearance and the sp3 and sp2 components of the diamond films respectively. Surface roughness variation was measured by AFM. Hardness and Young's modulus were assessed by nanoindentation in order to characterise the effect of the plasma on the mechanical properties. HRTEM and EELS have been used to evaluate the nature of the modification induced at the diamond surface by the plasma exposure. The measurements have shown that, despite some surface amorphisation of the exposed layers, further long-term exposure studies are warranted as neither delamination, dramatic film failure nor entire erosion of the film were observed