650 research outputs found
Simulation of anisotropic wet-chemical etching using a physical model
We present a method to describe the orientation dependence of the etch rate of silicon, or any other single crystalline material, in anisotropic etching solutions by analytical functions. The parameters in these functions have a simple physical meaning. Crystals have a small number of atomically smooth faces, which etch (and grow) slowly as a consequence of the removal (or addition) of atoms by rows and layers. However, smooth faces have a roughening transition (well known in statistical physics); at increasing temperature they become rougher, and accordingly the etch and growth rates increase. Consequently, the basic physical parameters of our functions are the roughness of the smooth faces and the velocity of steps on these faces. This small set of parameters describes the etch rate in the two-dimensional space of orientations (on the unit sphere). We have applied our method to the practical case of etch rate functions for silicon crystals in KOH solutions. The maximum deviation between experimental data and simulation using only nine physically meaningful parameters is less than 5% of the maximum etch rate. This method, which in this study is used to describe anisotropic etching of silicon, can easily be adjusted to describe the growth or etching process of any crysta
Applying cusum-based methods for the detection of outbreaks of Ross River virus disease in Western Australia
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The automated monitoring of routinely collected disease surveillance data has the potential to ensure that important changes in disease incidence are promptly recognised. However, few studies have established whether the signals produced by automated monitoring methods correspond with events considered by epidemiologists to be of public health importance. This study investigates the correspondence between retrospective epidemiological evaluation of notifications of Ross River virus (RRv) disease in Western Australia, and the signals produced by two cumulative sum (cusum)-based automated monitoring methods.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>RRv disease case notification data between 1991 and 2004 were assessed retrospectively by two experienced epidemiologists, and the timing of identified outbreaks was compared with signals generated from two different types of cusum-based automated monitoring algorithms; the three Early Aberration Reporting System (EARS) cusum algorithms (C1, C2 and C3), and a negative binomial cusum.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found the negative binomial cusum to have a significantly greater area under the receiver operator characteristic curve when compared with the EARS algorithms, suggesting that the negative binomial cusum has a greater level of agreement with epidemiological opinion than the EARS algorithms with respect to the existence of outbreaks of RRv disease, particularly at low false alarm rates. However, the performance of individual EARS and negative binomial cusum algorithms were not significantly different when timeliness was also incorporated into the area under the curve analyses.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our retrospective analysis of historical data suggests that, compared with the EARS algorithms, the negative binomial cusum provides greater sensitivity for the detection of outbreaks of RRv disease at low false alarm levels, and decreased timeliness early in the outbreak period. Prospective studies are required to investigate the potential usefulness of these algorithms in practice.</p
170 Nanometer Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging using Magnetic Resonance Force Microscopy
We demonstrate one-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of the
semiconductor GaAs with 170 nanometer slice separation and resolve two regions
of reduced nuclear spin polarization density separated by only 500 nanometers.
This is achieved by force detection of the magnetic resonance, Magnetic
Resonance Force Microscopy (MRFM), in combination with optical pumping to
increase the nuclear spin polarization. Optical pumping of the GaAs creates
spin polarization up to 12 times larger than the thermal nuclear spin
polarization at 5 K and 4 T. The experiment is sensitive to sample volumes
containing Ga. These results
demonstrate the ability of force-detected magnetic resonance to apply magnetic
resonance imaging to semiconductor devices and other nanostructures.Comment: Submitted to J of Magnetic Resonanc
Bulk screening in core level photoemission from Mott-Hubbard and Charge-Transfer systems
We report bulk-sensitive hard X-ray ( = 5.95 KeV) core level
photoemission spectroscopy (PES) of single crystal VCrO
and the high- cuprate BiSrCaCuO (Bi2212).
VCrO exhibits low binding energy "satellites" to the V
"main lines" in the metallic phase, which are suppressed in the
antiferromagnetic insulator phase. In contrast, the Cu spectra of Bi2212
do not show temperature dependent features, but a comparison with soft X-ray
PES indicates a large increase in the "satellites" or weight
in the bulk. Cluster model calculations, including full multiplet structure and
a screening channel derived from the coherent band at the Fermi energy, give
very satisfactory agreement with experiments
African exceptions: democratic development in small island states
Institutions, Decisions and Collective Behaviou
Scaling Propensity of Water
The commonly used Saturation Index calculated at 10°C (SI10) is not suitable for practical situations. New parameters have been developed for simple and rapid analysis of calcium carbonate precipitation (scaling) phenomena which occur during the heating of drinking water: TPCC90 (Theoretically Precipitable Calcium Carbonate at 90°C) SI90 (Saturation Index at 90°C) NI (Nucleation Index) PPCC (Practically Precipitable Calcium Carbonate) Both TPCC90 and SI90 describe the hydrodynamic driven force for the scaling reaction. The nucleation index indicates at what rate calcium carbonate precipitation is accelerated by nuclei present in the water. Finally, the PPCC is a measurement under practical conditions, determining the rate of scaling. The suitability of these parameters for predicting scaling was assessed and detailed results are presented in this publication
An angle-scanned cryogenic Fabry-Pérot interferometer for far-infrared astronomy
The sensitivity of state-of-the-art superconducting far-infrared detectors used in conjunction with cryogenically cooled space telescopes and instrumentation is such that spectroscopic observations are generally limited by photon noise from the astronomical source or by galactic foreground or zodiacal emission within the field-of-view. Therefore, an instrument design that restricts the spectral bandpass viewed by the detector must be employed. One method of achieving background limited, high resolution spectroscopy is to combine a high resolution component such as a Fabry–Pérot interferometer (FPI) with a lower resolution, post-dispersing system, such as a grating spectrometer, the latter serving to restrict the spectral bandpass. The resonant wavelength of an FPI is most often tuned by changing the spacing or medium between the parallel reflecting plates of the etalon. In this paper, we present a novel design for an FPI in which the wavelength is tuned by scanning the angle of incidence on a high refractive index etalon. This concept simplifies the cryomechanical design, actuation, and metrology. The first results from the realized instrument are presented and compared with theory. The effects on the spectral response as a function of the incident angle have been simulated and shown to agree well with the observation
Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering Studies of Elementary Excitations
In the past decade, Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering (RIXS) has made
remarkable progress as a spectroscopic technique. This is a direct result of
the availability of high-brilliance synchrotron X-ray radiation sources and of
advanced photon detection instrumentation. The technique's unique capability to
probe elementary excitations in complex materials by measuring their energy-,
momentum-, and polarization-dependence has brought RIXS to the forefront of
experimental photon science. We review both the experimental and theoretical
RIXS investigations of the past decade, focusing on those determining the
low-energy charge, spin, orbital and lattice excitations of solids. We present
the fundamentals of RIXS as an experimental method and then review the
theoretical state of affairs, its recent developments and discuss the different
(approximate) methods to compute the dynamical RIXS response. The last decade's
body of experimental RIXS data and its interpretation is surveyed, with an
emphasis on RIXS studies of correlated electron systems, especially transition
metal compounds. Finally, we discuss the promise that RIXS holds for the near
future, particularly in view of the advent of x-ray laser photon sources.Comment: Review, 67 pages, 44 figure
Transfer of Spectral Weight in Spectroscopies of Correlated Electron Systems
We study the transfer of spectral weight in the photoemission and optical
spectra of strongly correlated electron systems. Within the LISA, that becomes
exact in the limit of large lattice coordination, we consider and compare two
models of correlated electrons, the Hubbard model and the periodic Anderson
model. The results are discussed in regard of recent experiments. In the
Hubbard model, we predict an anomalous enhancement optical spectral weight as a
function of temperature in the correlated metallic state which is in
qualitative agreement with optical measurements in . We argue that
anomalies observed in the spectroscopy of the metal are connected to the
proximity to a crossover region in the phase diagram of the model. In the
insulating phase, we obtain an excellent agreement with the experimental data
and present a detailed discussion on the role of magnetic frustration by
studying the resolved single particle spectra. The results for the periodic
Anderson model are discussed in connection to recent experimental data of the
Kondo insulators and . The model can successfully explain
the different energy scales that are associated to the thermal filling of the
optical gap, which we also relate to corresponding changes in the density of
states. The temperature dependence of the optical sum rule is obtained and its
relevance for the interpretation of the experimental data discussed. Finally,
we argue that the large scattering rate measured in Kondo insulators cannot be
described by the periodic Anderson model.Comment: 19 pages + 29 figures. Submitted to PR
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