Smoothed analysis of probabilistic roadmaps

The probabilistic roadmap algorithm is a leading heuristic for robot motion planning. It is extremely efficient in practice, yet its worst case convergence time is unbounded as a function of the input's combinatorial complexity. We prove a smoothed polynomial upper bound on the number of samples required to produce an accurate probabilistic roadmap, and thus on the running time of the algorithm, in an environment of simplices. This sheds light on its widespread empirical success.     

Photoconducting nanocrystalline lead sulphide thin films obtained by chemical bath deposition

A chemical bath deposition method of preparing photoconducting nanocrystalline lead sulphide (PbS) thin films at room temperature (RT) is described. The aqueous bath of lead acetate, thiourea, and ammonium hydroxide produce films of about 100?nm thicknesses in 45?minutes. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies show that these films are nanocrystalline cubic PbS with 10?nm crystallite size. Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) revealed that the films consist of spherical grains of sizes 100 to 200?nm. The transmission spectra of the films show onset of absorption edge around 850?nm and the bandgap is around 1.65?eV. The films are p-type with dark conductivity of 2.5×10^?3?S/cm and mobility of 0.07?cm²/V?s. The photosensitivity is 6–7 for an illumination of 80?mW/cm² from a halogen lamp (50?W, 12?V). Transient photoconductivity measurements reveal short and long life times of minority carriers. Thermoelectric and photothermoelectric studies show that photoconductivity in these films is mainly due to photogenerated majority carriers.     

New precision mass measurements of neutron-rich calcium and potassium isotopes and three-nucleon forces

We present precision Penning trap mass measurements of neutron-rich calcium and potassium isotopes in the vicinity of neutron number N=32. Using the TITAN system, the mass of ^{51}K was measured for the first time, and the precision of the ^{51,52}Ca mass values were improved significantly. The new mass values show a dramatic increase of the binding energy compared to those reported in the atomic mass evaluation. In particular, ^{52}Ca is more bound by 1.74?MeV, and the behavior with neutron number deviates substantially from the tabulated values. An increased binding was predicted recently based on calculations that include three-nucleon (3N) forces. We present a comparison to improved calculations, which agree remarkably with the evolution of masses with neutron number, making neutron-rich calcium isotopes an exciting region to probe 3N forces.     

Construction of a three-dimensional supramolecular network of manganese(II) with an encapsulated croconate dianion

A three-dimensional supramolecular polymer of manganese(II), [{Mn(4,4-bipy)(H₂O)₄}(C₅O₅)(H₂O)₂] _n has been prepared and characterized by X-ray single crystal analysis. The polymer results from the mutual relationship of each coordination unit, [Mn(4,4-bipy)(H₂O)₄]²⁺ through H-bonding between crystalline water and the encapsulated croconate dianion. Solid state thermal investigation shows stepwise elimination of water molecules and the 4,4-bipyridine ligand.     

From Structural Models of Galactose Oxidase to Homogeneous Catalysis: Efficient Aerobic Oxidation of Alcohols

Two reaction pathways are catalyzed by the dinuclear copper(II )–phenoxyl complex 1 —a functional model for the metalloenzyme galactose oxidase—by the oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols with dioxygen (air) in homogeneous solution to their corresponding aldehydes or ketones and/or 1,2-glycols (oxidative C–C coupling). The reduction product formed is H₂O₂, not water.     

Development of Anti-Reflection (AR) Coating on Plastic Panels for Display Applications

Traditionally, various vacuum-based processes have been used for producing interference-type anti-reflection (AR) coatings on large area substrates for different commercial applications. In this paper, the development of sol-gel derived AR coating on large plastic substrates for display application is presented. The sol-gel dip coating process was used to deposit thin films on large size plastic panels. By developing sols with different refractive indices, multi-layer thin-film AR coating stacks were designed and fabricated. These coatings possess good uniformity and meet stringent automotive specifications. This technology has been commercialized successfully for dashboard instrument panel application in Toyota's new hybrid engine car, named Prius.In this paper, AR coatings prepared by the sol-gel process are reviewed. The basic design concept for an AR coating, the coating preparation procedure, and important parameters of the solution coating process are discussed. Optical constants of the coating materials were characterized by using spectroscopic ellipsometry. Optical, mechanical and environmental tests were performed on the sol-gel derived AR coating stack. The sol-gel derived AR coating possesses equivalent or superior properties when compared to the major commercially available AR coating products.     

Soft mode and related behaviour in the SmA and SmC* phases of a ferroelectric liquid crystalline polymer by dielectric spectroscopy

Anomalous dielectric relaxation behaviour is observed in the ferroelectric liquid crystalline polymer (viz. ferroelectric copolysiloxane (R)-COPS 11-10) around the ferroelectric SmC* to paraelectric SmA phase transition. Measurements have been performed on sample of thickness ～10 μm in indium-tin-oxide coated cell in the frequency range 10 Hz to 13 MHz. With increase of temperature, a gradual shift of the soft mode frequency towards the higher frequency side was observed, while a decrease in the relaxation strength was seen with the corresponding increase in temperature. The shifts of the soft modes in the SmC* and SmA phase are considered to be due to change in the viscosity of the polymer, as an increase in viscosity increases fluctuations of the coupling between the dipoles in the network even far from the paraelectric-ferroelectric phase transition. Application of a bias field causes a shift of the critical frequency towards the higher frequency side, while the dielectric strength (δε) decreases under the bias field. The Cole-Cole fitting parameters obtained from the best fit of the dielectric constant data are found to be consistent with other similar materials. Another relaxation mode (molecular mode) was also observed which comes into play in both the smectic phases (SmC% and SmA) and contributes to the dielectric permittivity.     

Ferromagnetic vs. antiferromagnetic coupling in bis(mu2-1,1-azido)dinickel(II) complexes with syn- and anti-conformations of the end-on azide bridges

Reaction of a 1 : 1 : 1 molar ratio of NiCl(2), NaN(3) and H(2)L, a tetradentate ligand N-(2-pyridyl)methyl)-N,N-bis(2'-hydroxy-3',5'-dimethylbenzyl)amine in methanol in presence of Et(3)N results in a turquoise precipitate, which affords deep green crystals of [Ni(2)(HL)(2)(N(3))(2)]*1.5CH(2)Cl(2) (1) and [Ni(2)(HL)(2)(N(3))(2)]*H(2)O (2) upon crystallization from CH(2)Cl(2)-MeOH or THF-MeOH, respectively. Both complexes reveal distorted octahedral NiN(4)O(2) coordination environments around the Ni(ii) centers with bis(micro-1,1-azido) bridging ligands. Complex 1 displays an unprecedented small Ni-N-Ni bridge angle of 90.4 degrees , whereas 2 contains the said angle of av. 98.7 degrees lying in the usual range observed for other comparable structures. The variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility together with the variable-field, variable-temperature (VTVH) magnetization measurements discern different ground states of S(t) = 0 for 1 and S(t) = 2 for 2. The magnetic behaviours of these compounds are discussed in the context of the known bis(end-on azido) bridging dinickel(II) complexes.     

Electronic Spectroscopic Study of the Formation of a Molecular Complex Between Asphaltene and o-Chloranil in SDS Aqueous Micellar Medium

Ultraviolet-visible absorption and steady-state fluorescence of asphaltene in sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) micellar medium containing o-chloranil have been studied. Spectroscopic results indicate formation of a complex between asphaltene and o-chloranil. The absorption spectrum of the complex has been detected by difference spectral method. The position of maximum absorption of the complex in micellar medium agrees well with that of the complex in the carbon tetrachloride medium studied previously. The formation constant (K) has been determined using Benesi-Hildebrand equation utilizing absorption spectral data. Formation of ground state complex involving asphaltene and o-chloranil has also been evidenced from the study of quenching of asphaltene fluorescence by o-chloranil. The value of K, as obtained by Stern-Volmer plot, agrees well with that obtained by absorption spectrophotometric method.     

Boric acid: a novel and safe catalyst for aza-Michael reactions in water

Boric acid efficiently catalyzes the conjugate addition of aliphatic amines to α,β-unsaturated compounds to produce β-amino compounds, with great alacrity and excellent yields, in water under mild conditions. Aromatic amines do not participate effectively in the reaction.