Products of mixed covering arrays of strength two

A covering array CA(N;t,k, v is an N × k array such that every N × t subarray contains all t‐tuples from v symbols at least once, where t is the strength of the array. Covering arrays are used to generate software test suites to cover all t‐sets of component interactions. The particular case when t = 2 (pairwise coverage) has been extensively studied, both to develop combinatorial constructions and to provide effective algorithmic search techniques. In this paper, a simple “cut‐and‐paste” construction is extended to covering arrays in which different columns (factors) admit different numbers of symbols (values); in the process an improved recursive construction for covering arrays with t = 2 is derived. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 14: 124–138, 2006     

Effects of sputter deposition parameters and post-deposition annealing on the electrical characteristics of LaAlO3 dielectric films on Si

The influence of processing parameters on the electrical characteristics of RuO₂/LaAlO₃/Si metal-oxide-semiconductor structures was investigated. In particular, the sputtering regime during deposition of LaAlO₃ on Si and the atmosphere used in the post-deposition annealing step were addressed by determining capacitance-voltage and gate current-voltage characteristics. These results were correlated with compositional information obtained by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and nuclear reaction analysis. A post-deposition annealing step in oxygen at 600 °C resulted in better electrical characteristics of the final structure as compared to the same treatment performed in nitrogen. This result is explained by oxygen ability to heal oxygen vacancies in the LaAlO₃ film, especially at the dielectric/semiconductor interface region. A thermalized sputtering regime during deposition of LaAlO₃ on Si leads to capacitors with electrical characteristics superior to those deposited in ballistic regime. PACS 77.84.Dy; 81.15.Cd; 81.40.Gh; 73.40.Qv; 82.80.Yc     

Adaptive Algorithm for Constrained Least-Squares Problems

This paper is concerned with the implementation and testing of an algorithm for solving constrained least-squares problems. The algorithm is an adaptation to the least-squares case of sequential quadratic programming (SQP) trust-region methods for solving general constrained optimization problems. At each iteration, our local quadratic subproblem includes the use of the Gauss–Newton approximation but also encompasses a structured secant approximation along with tests of when to use this approximation. This method has been tested on a selection of standard problems. The results indicate that, for least-squares problems, the approach taken here is a viable alternative to standard general optimization methods such as the Byrd–Omojokun trust-region method and the Powell damped BFGS line search method.     

On the Cycle Space of an Infinite 3-connected Graph

Problems related to Tutte’s theorem on the generation of the cycle space of a 3-connected finite graph are discussed for infinite graphs.     

Temperature Stresses in a Piecewise-Homogeneous Cylindrical Shell Caused by the Presence of a Longitudinal Crack

By using the method of generalized conjugation problems, we propose a numerical scheme for investigation of the redistribution of temperature stresses in a piecewise-homogeneous cylindrical shell caused by a longitudinal crack. This scheme is based on systems of integral equations (some of them are singular) to determine the unknown jumps of integral characteristics of the disturbed temperature field and displacements and their derivatives on the line of a crack and on the interface as well as the derivatives of these integral characteristics with respect to the longitudinal coordinate at the interface.     

On the distribution singular values of Toeplitz matrices

We prove a second order formula concerning distribution of singular values of Toeplitz matrices in some cases when conditions of the H. Widom Theorem are not satisfied.

     

Economic Equilibrium: Optimality and Price Decentralization

Mathematical economics has a long history and covers many interdisciplinary areas between mathematics and economics. At its center lies the theory of market equilibrium. The purpose of this expository article is to introduce mathematicians to price decentralization in general equilibrium theory. In particular, it concentrates on the role of positivity in the theory of convex economic analysis and the role of normal cones in the theory of non-convex economies.     

Possible Loss and Recovery of Gibbsianness¶During the Stochastic Evolution of Gibbs Measures

We consider Ising-spin systems starting from an initial Gibbs measure ν and evolving under a spin-flip dynamics towards a reversible Gibbs measure μ≠ν. Both ν and μ are assumed to have a translation-invariant finite-range interaction. We study the Gibbsian character of the measure νS(t) at time t and show the following: (1) For all ν and μ, νS(t) is Gibbs for small t. (2) If both ν and μ have a high or infinite temperature, then νS(t) is Gibbs for all t > 0. (3) If ν has a low non-zero temperature and a zero magnetic field and μ has a high or infinite temperature, then νS(t) is Gibbs for small t and non-Gibbs for large t. (4) If ν has a low non-zero temperature and a non-zero magnetic field and μ has a high or infinite temperature, then νS(t) is Gibbs for small t, non-Gibbs for intermediate t, and Gibbs for large t. The regime where μ has a low or zero temperature and t is not small remains open. This regime presumably allows for many different scenarios. Received: 26 April 2001 / Accepted: 10 October 2001     

Synthesis and characterisation of cadmium titanium oxide thin films by sol-gel technique

Crack free, dense and transparent CdTiO₃ thin films have been prepared by sol-gel technique using titanium butoxide and cadmium acetate. The formation of the CdTiO₃ phase started from 500°C annealing temperature onwards. The complete orthorhombic structure of CdTiO₃ was formed on Silicon (100) substrate at an annealing temperature of 600°C for 5 h. As the annealing temperature increased from 600 to 700°C, we have observed the cadmium silicate phase at the interface of Si and CdTiO₃ phase. Structural, morphological and elemental evolution of these CdTiO₃ thin films produced by sol-gel synthesis were characterised by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), tapping mode atomic force microscopy (TMAFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) respectively.