No Fun no Use? The Impact of Gamification on User’s Continuous Usage Intention toward E-Business App

Gamification as an internal incentive method has been widely adopted in practice. Compared with the traditional external rewards, internal rewards can stimulate the enthusiasm of users. This paper，therefore，explores and constructs a model on how gamification (herein composed of three dimensions: sense of achievement, social influence and sense of ownership) affects user’s continuance intention from the perspective of intrinsic motivation (herein composed of three dimensions: self-presentation, entertainment and self-efficacy). Through the multiple regression analysis of 456 e-shoppers sample data by using the software of SMARTPLS 3.0, we draw the following five conclusions: gamification was positively correlated with self-presentation, entertainment and self-efficacy; sense of achievement, social influence and sense of ownership, significantly positively affected self-presentation, entertainment and self-efficacy; there is no correlation between self-presentation and users\u27 continuance intention; entertainment and self-efficacy are positively correlated with users\u27 continuance intention; and entertainment and self-efficacy play a mediation role between gamification and users\u27 continuance intention

Infrared Optical Response of Metallic Graphene Nanoribbons

We investigate theoretically the infrared optical response characteristics of metallic armchair/zigzag-edge graphene nanoribbons (A/ZGNRs) to an external longitudinally polarized electromagnetic field at low temperatures. Within the framework of linear response theory at the perturbation regime, we examine the optical infrared absorption threshold energy, absorption power, dielectric function, and electron energy loss spectra near the neutrality points of the systems. It is demonstrated that, by some numerical examples, the photon-assisted direct interband absorptions for AGNR exist with different selection rules from those for ZGNR and single-walled carbon nanotube at infrared regime. This infrared optical property dependence of GNRs on field frequency may be used to design graphene-based nanoscale optoelectronic devices for the detection of infrared electromagnetic irradiations

Dependence of electronic and optical properties on a high-frequency field for carbon nanotubes

We study theoretically the electronic structure, transport and optical properties for a zigzag single-wall carbon nanotube connected to two normal conductor leads under the irradiation of an external electromagnetic field at low temperatures, with particular emphasis on the features of high-frequency response. Using the standard nonequilibrium Green's function techniques, we examine the time-averaged density of states, the conductivity, the dielectric function and the electron energy loss spectra for the system with photon polarization parallel with the tunneling current direction, respectively. Through some numerical examples, it is shown that the density of states is strongly dependent on the incident electron energy, the strength and frequency of the applied field. For higher electron energies in comparison with lead-nanotube coupling energy, the system conductance decreases with increasing the field strength and increases with increasing the field frequency respectively, and shows some oscillation structures. Moreover, the optical functions for the system have also a rich structure with the variation of field frequency. It may demonstrate that this transport dependence on the external field parameters can be used to give the energy spectra information of carbon nanotubes and to detect the high-frequency microwave irradiation.Comment: 6 Revtex pages, 4 figures. to be appeared in JA

Spin Accumulation in a Quantum Wire with Rashba Spin-Orbit Coupling

We investigate theoretically the spin accumulation in a Rashba spin-orbit coupling quantum wire. Using the scattering matrix approach within the effective free-electron approximation, we have demonstrated the three components of spin polarization. It is found that by a few numerical examples, the two peaks for the out-of-plane spin accumulation 〈Sz〉 shift to the edges of quantum wire with the increase of propagation modes. The period of intrinsic oscillations 〈Sx/y〉 inversely proportions to the Rashba SOC strength. This effect may be used to differentiate the intrinsic spin accumulation from the extrinsic one

Identification of Preisach Model Parameters Based on an Improved Particle Swarm Optimization Method for Piezoelectric Actuators in Micro-Manufacturing Stages

The Preisach model is a typical scalar mathematical model used to describe the hysteresis phenomena, and it attracts considerable attention. However, parameter identification for the Preisach model remains a challenging issue. In this paper, an improved particle swarm optimization (IPSO) method is proposed to identify Preisach model parameters. Firstly, the Preisach model is established by introducing a Gaussian−Gaussian distribution function to replace density function. Secondly, the IPSO algorithm is adopted to Fimplement the parameter identification. Finally, the model parameter identification results are compared with the hysteresis loop of the piezoelectric actuator. Compared with the traditional Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm, the IPSO algorithm demonstrates faster convergence, less calculation time and higher calculation accuracy. This proposed method provides an efficient approach to model and identify the Preisach hysteresis of piezoelectric actuators

-symmetry-breaking induced suppression of tunneling in a driven non-Hermitian two-level system

We investigate the effect of parity-time () symmetry on quantum tunneling dynamics for a periodically driven -symmetric non-Hermitian two-level system. We find that the quantum tunneling between two levels can be suppressed in a wide range of parameters in comparison with the Hermitian case, which is caused by the -symmetry-breaking. By employing the high-frequency Floquet approach, the parametric dependence of the spontaneous -symmetry-breaking transition is analytically and numerically explored. It is revealed that we can manipulate the symmetry by tuning the driving amplitude and frequency. Our results provide a promising approach for manipulating the symmetry by applying a periodic driving field

Negative differential resistance and rectification effect of the benzoquinone molecules junction sandwiched between the graphene nanoribbon electrodes

Based on the first-principles calculation method combining the density functional theory (DFT) and the nonequilibrium Green’s function (NEGF) method, the negative differential resistance (NDR) and rectification effect of the benzoquinone molecules junction sandwiched between the graphene nanoribbon electrodes are systematically investigated. The current of the device with the central o-benzoquinone and p-benzoquinone molecule has been demonstrated to decrease with the increase of the bias voltage in the range of [± 0.9 V, ± 1.5 V] and [± 0.6 V, ± 1.1 V], respectively, exhibiting a significant NDR effect. In addition, the interesting NDR effect of the device with the central carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) connected o- and p-benzoquinone molecules has been observed in the bias voltage range of [0.9 V, 1.2 V] and [$$-0.8$$ V, $$-1.0$$ V] , respectively. The current of the device with the central sulfur (S) and oxygen (O) connected o- and p-benzoquinone molecules should decrease with the increase of the bias voltage at the regime of [0.8 V, 1.0 V] while that should be forbidden when a negative bias voltage is applied, illustrating an interesting rectification effect, and the maximum rectification ratio is observed to be up to 57.85 and 55.85, respectively. The obtained NDR and rectification effect are physically explained from the integral of the transmission coefficient in the bias voltage window and the distribution of the real space charge density, and the demonstrated results are believed to be vital for the designing of the molecular switches, molecular rectifying devices and negative differential resistance devices based on benzoquinone molecules junction

Electron transport properties of the transition metal dichalcogenides composite WX

We have investigated the electronic structure and transport properties of the transition metal dichalcogenides composite WX2-MoX2 (X≡S, Se, Te) nanowires under the external strain, in the method of the first-principles calculation combining the Density functional theory (DFT) and the Non-equilibrium Green’s function (NEGF). First, we have designed the two terminal electron transport devices based on the stable transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) WX2-MoX2 (X≡S, Se, Te) composite nanowires for the first time. Second, the electronic structure and transport properties of the WS2-MoS2 composite nanowire have been demonstrated to be more sensitive to the external strain when compared to that of the composite WSe2/Te2-MoSe2/Te2 nanowires, the external compressive strain may significantly enchance the differential negative resistance (DNR) effect of the WSe2-MoSe2 composite nanowire based device, while the stretch strain should induce the interesting DNR in the WTe2-MoTe2 composite nanowire device. Finally, the obtained results have been physically explained from the integral area of the transmission coefficient in the bias voltage window, and may be of importance in the design of the nanoelectronic devices based on transition metal dichalcogenides composites