Matchings Including or Excluding Certain Edge Sets in Bipartite Graphs

Necessary and sufficient conditions are obtained for a bipartitegraph to admit a matching which includes a preassigned set ofedges and excludes another preassigned set of edges. 1991 MathematicsSubject Classification 05C70.     

The pure rotational spectra of the two lowest energy conformers of the asymmetric ether C4H9OC2H5

An experimental study has been performed shedding light on the conformational energies of the asymmetric ether n-butyl ethyl ether. Rotational spectroscopy between 7.8 GHz and 16.2 GHz has identified two conformers of n-butyl ethyl ether, C₄H₉OC₂H₅. In these experiments spectra were observed as the target compound participated in an argon expansion from high to low pressure causing molecular rotational temperatures to be below 4 K. For one conformer, 95 pure rotational transitions have been recorded, for the second conformer, 20 pure rotational transitions were recorded. Rotational constants and centrifugal distortion constants are presented for both butyl ethyl ether conformers. The structures of both conformers have been identified by exploring the multi-dimensional molecular potential energy surface using ab initio calculations. From the numerous low energy conformers identified using ab initio methods, the three lowest conformers were pursued at increasingly higher levels of theory, i.e. complete basis set extrapolations, coupled cluster methods, and also taking into consideration zero point vibrational energies. The two conformers observed experimentally are only revealed to be the two lowest energy conformers when high levels of quantum chemical methodologies are employed.     

The Sn, Sn and Sn nuclear spin-rotation constants in stannous monoxide, SnO, and a new multi-isotopomer analysis

A Fourier transform microwave spectrometer has been used to make high resolution measurements on the J = 1-0 rotational transition for 11 isotopomers of SnO. For the most abundant isotopomer the transition was observed in the v = 0, 1, 2, and 3 states. Magnetic hyperfine structure was observed in the transitions for ¹¹⁵Sn¹⁶O, ¹¹⁷Sn¹⁶O and ¹¹⁹Sn¹⁶O. The nuclear spin-rotation constant C_I(Sn) has been determined for these isotopomers for the first time and these constants have been related to nmr shielding parameters. A multi-isotopomer analysis, including data from the ¹²⁰Sn¹⁷O and ¹²⁰Sn¹⁸O isotopomers, has been performed on the data. Born-Oppenheimer breakdown parameters were required in the fit and these parameters have been compared to those for the other Sn-chalcogenides.     

Distance measures for dynamic citation networks

Acyclic digraphs arise in many natural and artificial processes. Among the broader set, dynamic citation networks represent an important type of acyclic digraph. For example, the study of such networks includes the spread of ideas through academic citations, the spread of innovation through patent citations, and the development of precedent in common law systems. The specific dynamics that produce such acyclic digraphs not only differentiate them from other classes of graphs, but also provide guidance for the development of meaningful distance measures. In this article, we develop and apply our sink distance measure together with the single-linkage hierarchical clustering algorithm to both a two-dimensional directed preferential attachment model as well as empirical data drawn from the first quarter-century of decisions of the United States Supreme Court. Despite applying the simplest combination of distance measure and clustering algorithm, analysis reveals that more accurate and more interpretable clusterings are produced by this scheme.     

Characterization of the surface structural,mechanical, and thermal properties of benzocyclobutene dielectric polymers using scanned probe microscopy

Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) techniques are used to characterize surfaces related to the processing of benzocyclobutene (BCB) dielectric thin films. Thermally cured resins and photodefineable resins are sold under the trade name CYLCOTENE^TM1) for electronic applications. TappingMode AFM (TMAFM) imaging is used to follow changes in adhesion promoter morphology upon baking to help explain adhesion performance. Power spectral density (PSD) analysis of TMAFM images of plasma treated BCB surfaces are unique and can be used to ‘fingerprint’ processes. Selective oxidation of the BCB surface can be used to fabricate a phase imaging standard for TMAFM. Near surface modulus of the BCB materials is 3.6 ± 0.2 GPa and the hardness is 0.38 ± 0.2 GPa measured by depth‐sensing nanoindentation. Creep recovery of indents can be used to qualitatively distinguish between thermal and photocureable materials. A heated tip in a scanning thermal microscope can induce the thermal curing of BCB over micron sized areas. Local thermal analysis with the same probe allows the measurement of the changes in the glass transition, T_g, at the surface with cure temperature.     

Continuous precipitation polymerization of vinylidene fluoride in supercritical carbon dioxide: molecular weight distribution

The surfactant-free precipitation polymerization of vinylidene fluoride (VF2) in supercritical carbon dioxide was studied in a continuous stirred autoclave. The polymerization temperature ranged from 65 to 85°C, the average residence time in the reactor varied from 10 to 50 min., and the pressure was between 210 and 305 bar. Diethyl peroxydicarbonate was used as the initiator. The fractional conversion of monomer varied from 7 to 26%, the number-average molecular weight of the polymer was between about 14,000 and 79,000, and the weight-average molecular weight was between about 21,000 and 700,000. In many cases, the polymer exhibited a bimodal molecular-weight distribution, especially at high monomer concentrations.