Effect of C layer on the structures and magnetic properties of (0 0 1)-oriented [C/CoPt]n/Ag films

CoPt/Ag and [C/CoPt]n/Ag thin films have been prepared onto the glass substrates by magnetron sputtering. We investigated the evolution of texture and magnetic properties of CoPt/Ag and [C/CoPt]n/Ag films. The results show that C-doping plays an important role in improving (0 0 1) texture, improving the order parameter S, reducing the intergrain interactions, and making the magnetization reversal mechanism more close to Stoner-Wolfarth rotational mechanism. The growth mechanism of (0 0 1) texture also seems to be related strongly to the films thickness. Our results show that the highly (0 0 1)-oriented films with ordered fct phase have a significant potential for the perpendicular media of extremely high-density recording.     

Transverse Effects in Slow Light Propagation

The effect of finite control beam on the transverse spatial profile of the slow light propagation in an electromagnetically induced transparency medium is studied. From the second-order wave equation and linear response of an EIT medium to the signal field, we find it is possible to produce an effective waveguide for the signal field. The existence and properties of a set of localized, stationary transverse modes are demonstrated. Especially, by carefully manipulating the profile of the control beam, we can realize single-mode propagation for the signal field, which may be important for potential applications.     

Implementation of a Nonzero-order Joint Transform Correlator Using Interferometric Technique

The implementation of a nonzero-order joint transform correlator using the double port Mach-Zehnder interferometric technique is proposed and demonstrated. This approach provides on-line processing for directly removing the zero-order components of a joint power spectrum in one step and performs the nonzero-order optical correlation. Experimental results are presented and discussed.     

Biphotonic recording effect of polarization gratings based on dye-doped liquid crystal films

This study investigates a holographic recording effect of biphotonic polarization gratings (BPGs) written on dye-doped liquid crystal (DDLC) films. One linearly polarized green light (λ_G = 514.5 nm) and a polarization-modulated interference pattern formed by two mutually coherent orthogonal (±45° with respect to the polarization of the green light) polarized red lights simultaneously excite the DDLC films to generate a BPG. The formation of BPGs depends primarily on the dichroism of the dye molecules and a sequence of mechanisms: photoisomerization, anisotropic adsorption and inhibition of dye adsorption. The cis-isomer absorbance-modulated distribution associated with the red polarization-modulation pattern induces the dye adsorption-modulated pattern, in turn, yielding the permanent BPG which generates a modulated twisted nematic (TN) structure pattern in the sample. It is found that each BPG is verified to be electrically switchable and thermally erasable. The switching time is in the order of milliseconds. Additionally, the recording time to form a BPG decreases with increasing intensity of the green pump beam.     

Periodic solutions for a Lotka–Volterra mutualism system with several delays

In the present paper, a Lotka–Volterra type mutualism system with several delays is studied. Some new and interesting sufficient conditions are obtained for the global existence of positive periodic solutions of the mutualism system. Our method is based on Mawhin’s coincidence degree and novel estimation techniques for the a priori bounds of unknown solutions. Our results are different from the existing ones such as those in of Yang et al. [F. Yang, D. Jiang, A. Ying, Existence of positive solution of multidelays facultative mutualism system, J. Eng. Math. 3 (2002) 64–68] and Chen et al. [F. Chen, J. Shi, X. Chen, Periodicity in a Lotka–Volterra facultative mutualism system with several delays, J. Eng. Math. 21 (3) (2004) 403–409].     

Maximizing revenue in the airline industry under one-way pricing

The paper describes a methodology that has been implemented in a major British airline to find the optimal price to charge for airline tickets under one-way pricing. An analytical model has been developed to describe the buying behaviour of customers for flights over the selling period. Using this model and a standard analytical method for constrained optimization, we can find an expression for the optimal price structure for a flight. The expected number of bookings made on each day of the selling period and in each fare class given these prices can then be easily calculated. A simulation model is used to find the confidence ranges on the numbers of bookings and these ranges can be used to regulate the sale of tickets. A procedure to update the price structure based on the remaining capacity has also been developed.     

Optimization of the locations of the loudspeaker and absorption material in a small room

The sound field both in the loudspeaker box and in the room is calculated by an analytical solution of three-dimensional wave equation. It is shown in theory that the amplitude response in small rooms is affected by the following positions: driver position on the front panel of the box, box position in the room, absorption material position in the box and absorption material position on the interior walls of the room. Both our computer prediction and experiments prove that the optimum positions are beneficial to the amplitude response.     

Transition‐metal‐catalyzed reactions of 5‐methylene‐2‐oxazolidinone and 5‐methylene‐1,3‐thiazolidine‐2‐thione with isocyanates

5‐Methylene‐2‐oxazolidinone (1) and 5‐methylene‐1,3‐thiazolidine‐2‐thione (4) react with various isocyanates to give the corresponding urethanes 3 and 5 in high yields in the presence of palladium(0) or palladium(II) catalyst under mild reaction conditions. A mechanism is proposed. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Optical characterization of bromo-alkoxyl-substituted copper phthalocyanine derivative thin films

A series of thin films of copper phthalocyanine derivatives with bromine and alkoxyl substituents [CuPc(OC₈H₁₇)₄Br_m, m=0,1,2,4] were prepared on single-crystal silicon substrates by spin coating. The ellipsometric spectra of the films have been studied on a rotating analyzer–polarizer type of scanning ellipsometer. The optical, dielectric constants and absorption coefficients of the films in 500–800 nm wavelength region were obtained. The results show that the complex refractive index, dielectric constants and absorption coefficient of these thin films are influenced regularly by bromine substituent on conjugated macrocycle. It was found that there are approximately linear relationships between the resonance absorption wavelengths of the films and the average number of bromine atoms substituted on the phthalocyanine ring.     

EXISTENCE AND UNIQUENESS OF THE SOLUTION FOR NONLINEAR THIRD-ORDER ROBIN BOUNDARY VALUE PROBLEM WITH A TURNING POINT

The paper aims to obtain existence and uniqueness of the solution as well as asymptotic estimate of the solution for singularly perturbed nonlinear third- order Robin boundary value problem with a turning point.In order to achieve this aim,existence and uniqueness of the solution for third-order nonlinear Robin boundary value problem is derived first based on the upper and lower solutions method under relatively weaker conditions.In this manner,the goal of this paper is gained by applying the existence and uniqueness results mentioned above.