Constrained regulation of continuous Petri nets

This paper deals with constrained regulation of continuous Petri nets under the so-called infinite servers semantics. Our aim is to design feedback gains that permit us to reach both desired stationary marking vector and desired asymptotic firing rate vector. The proposed approach takes into account constraints on the control, the marking of the Petri net, and the stability of the closed-loop system. The existence of a solution is first expressed geometrically, in terms of the inclusion of two polyhedral sets. They are reformulated algebraically as linear matrix inequalities, which provides an effective way to calculate feedback gains answering the problem. Finally, an application to an assembly production system is given.     

Radioisotope x-ray fluorescence analysis of ancient pottery from Tel Kouzama site in Damascus, Syria

The radioisotope X-ray fluorescence method has been utilized in the analysis of thirty nine archaeological pottery fragment samples from Tel Kouzama site, Damascus city, Syria. The samples were irradiated by a 109Cd radioisotope source (-9 10(8) Bq) for 1000 s. 17 chemical elements were determined. These elemental concentrations have been processed using two multivariate statistical methods, cluster and factor analysis in order to determine similarities and correlation between the various samples. Factor analysis confirms that samples were correctly classified by cluster analysis. These two methods suggest that samples can be considered to be manufactured using four different sources of raw material.     

Layered hybrid organic-inorganic Co(II) alkylphosphonates. Synthesis, crystal structure and magnetism of the first two members of the series: Co[(CH3PO3)(H2O)] and Co[(C2H5PO3)(H2O)]

Co[(CH₃PO₃)(H₂O)] (1) and Co[(C₂H₅PO₃)(H₂O)] (2) were prepared by the hydrothermal method and isolated as blue-violet platelet crystals. They were characterized by X-ray diffraction, FT-IR, TGA-DSC techniques and their magnetic properties studied by a dc-SQUID magnetometer. Compound (1) shows an hybrid layered structure, made of alternating inorganic and organic layers along the a-direction of the unit cell. The inorganic layers contain Co(II) ions six-coordinated by five phosphonate oxygen atoms and one from the water molecule. These layers are separated by bi-layers of methyl groups and van der Waals contacts are established between them. In compound (2), the layered hybrid structure is rather similar to that described for compound (1), but the alternation of the inorganic and organic layers is along the b-direction of the unit cell. The magnetic behavior of (1) and (2) as function of temperature and magnetic field was studied. The compounds obey the Curie-Weiss law at temperatures above 100 K, the Curie C, and Weiss θ constants for the methyl derivative being and and for the ethyl derivative and , respectively. The observed magnetic moments for Co atom at room temperature (i.e. μ_eff=5.18 and 5.38 BM, respectively) are higher than those expected for a spin-only value for high spin Co(II) (S=3/2), revealing a substantial orbital contribution to the magnetic moment. The negative values of θ are an indication of the presence of antiferromagnetic exchange couplings between the near-neighbors Co(II) ions, within the layers. [Co(C_nH_2n+1PO₃)(H₂O)] (n=1,2) are 2D Ising antiferromagnets at low temperatures.     

Experimental three dimensional strain estimation from ultrasonic sectorial data

Most of the studies devoted to elastography are focused on the estimation of the axial component of the strain. However when subjected to any load, whatever the direction, soft biological media deform in the three spatial dimensions. The aim of our work is to build a three dimensional strain mapping from data acquired with a 3D clinical sectorial probe. The estimation of radial strain is based on the estimation of local scaling factors. A method of cross-correlation of interpolated signals between adjacent radiofrequency lines was used to estimate the angular displacement and strain. For the sectorial strain estimation, the same displacement estimation technique has been implemented. The method has been tested on experimental data acquired on calibrated phantoms and compared to simulation.     

Waveguide electro-optic modulator in fused silica fabricated by femtosecond laser direct writing and thermal poling

An integrated electro-optic waveguide modulator is demonstrated in bulk fused silica. A Mach-Zehnder interferometer waveguide structure is fabricated by direct writing with a femtosecond laser followed by thermal poling. A 20 degrees electro-optic phase shift is achieved at an operating wavelength of 1.55 microm with an applied voltage of 400 V and an interaction length of 25.6 mm, which correspond to an estimated effective electro-optic coefficient of 0.17 pm/V for the TE-polarized mode.     

High‐energy‐resolution diced spherical quartz analyzers for resonant inelastic X‐ray scattering

A novel diced spherical quartz analyzer for use in resonant inelastic X‐ray scattering (RIXS) is introduced, achieving an unprecedented energy resolution of 10.53 meV at the Ir L₃ absorption edge (11.215 keV). In this work the fabrication process and the characterization of the analyzer are presented, and an example of a RIXS spectrum of magnetic excitations in a Sr₃Ir₂O₇ sample is shown.     

Effect of Bi‐content on hardness and micro‐creep behavior of Sn‐3.5Ag rapidly solidified alloy

In the present paper, the influence of 1, 3, 5 and 10 % Bi (weight %) as ternary additions on structure, melting and mechanical properties of rapidly solidified Sn‐3.5Ag alloy has been investigated. The effect of Bi was discussed based on the experimental results. The experimental results showed that the alloys of Sn‐3.5Ag, Sn‐3.5Ag‐1Bi and Sn‐3.5Ag‐3Bi are composed of two phases; Ag₃Sn IMC embedded in Sn matrix phase, which indicated that the solubility of Bi phase in Sn‐matrix was extended to 3 % as a result of rapid solidification. Bi precipitation in Sn matrix was only observed in Sn‐3.5Ag‐5Bi and Sn‐3.5Ag‐10Bi alloys. Also, addition of Bi decreased continuously the melting point of the eutectic Sn‐3.5Ag alloy to 202.6 °C at 10 % Bi. Vickers hardness of Sn‐3.5Ag rapidly solidified alloy increased with increasing Bi content up to 3 % due to supersaturated solid solution strengthening hardening mechanism of Bi phase in Sn matrix, while the alloys contain 5 and 10 % Bi exhibited lower values of Vickers hardness. The lower values can be attributed to the precipitation of Bi as a secondary phase which may form strained regions due to the embrittlement of Bi atom. In addition, the effect of Bi addition on the micro‐creep behavior of Sn‐3.5Ag alloy as well as the creep rate have been described and has been calculated at room temperature. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A correlation for crystallite size of undoped ZnO thin film with the band gap energy – precursor molarity – substrate temperature

Transparent conducting undoped zinc oxide thin films were deposited on glass substrate by ultrasonic spray and spray pyrolysis techniques. The thin films were deposited at different substrate temperatures ranging between 300 and 450 °C with various precursor molarities. The correlation between the structural and optical properties suggests that the crystallites sizes of the films are predominantly influenced by the band gap energy of the thin films. The data of the correlation is suspected of involving some experimental measurement errors and therefore discarded in the development of the present correlation. The coefficient of correction is equal to 0.01, indicating high quality representation of data based on Eq. (1). The correlation also indicates that the crystallites sizes of the films are predominantly influenced by the band gap energy and the precursor molarity of the thin films. The model proposed of undoped ZnO thin film with substrate temperature was investigated.     

A comparative study on structural and optical properties of ZnO and Al-doped ZnO thin films obtained by ultrasonic spray method using different solvents

Transparent conducting ZnO and Al doped ZnO thin films were deposited on glass substrate by ultrasonic spray method. The thin films with concentration of 0.1 M were deposited at 350 °C with 2 min of deposition time. The effects of ethanol and methanol solution before and after doping on the structural, optical and electrical properties were examined. The DRX analyses indicated that ZnO films have nanocrystalline nature and hexagonal wurtzite structure with (1 0 0) and (0 0 2) preferential orientation corresponding to ZnO films resulting from methanol and ethanol solution, respectively. The crystallinity of the thin films improved with methanol solution after doping to (0 0 2) oriented. All films exhibit an average optical transparency about 90%, in the visible range. The band gaps values of ZnO thin films are increased after doping from 3.10 to 3.26 eV and 3.27 to 3.30 eV upon Al doping obtained by ethanol and methanol solution, respectively. The electrical conductivity increase from 7.5 to 15.2 (Ω cm)⁻¹ of undoped to Al doped ZnO thin films prepared by using ethanol solution. However, for the methanol solution; the electrical conductivity of the film is stabilized after doping.     

Anisotropic Estimates for the Two-Dimensional Kuramoto–Sivashinsky Equation

We address the global solvability of the Kuramoto–Sivashinsky equation in a rectangular domain \([0,L_1]\times [0,L_2]\) . We give sufficient conditions on the width \(L_2\) of the domain, depending on the length \(L_1\) , so that the obtained solutions are global. Our proofs are based on anisotropic estimates.