Dimensionally and thermally stable polymer,containing disordered graphitic structure and adamantane

In an attempt to develop a low‐k interlayer dielectric, adamantane‐diphenyldiethynyl moiety containing oligomer is prepared. Oligomerization of 1,3,5,7‐tetrakis[3/4‐ethynylphenyl]adamantane ( 4 ) is accomplished by a Glaser–Hay oxidative coupling with 1,3,5‐triethynylbenzene and phenylacetylene end‐capping agent. The CHCl₃ soluble oligomer is then thermally treated by step‐curing at 200, 300, 380, and 450 °C for 30 min at each temperature under nitrogen flow to render a shiny void‐free black polymer. TGA analysis indicates that the polymer is stable under nitrogen up to 500 °C with a marginal decomposition up to 800 °C. Solid‐state ¹³C NMR, Raman scattering, and FTIR are used to characterize the structure of the polymer. The polymer consists of amorphous carbon networks with the adamantane moieties and nanosized graphitic regions (clusters), which are generated from the thermal crosslinking of the diphenyldiethynyl units. It shows a remarkably low linear coefficient of thermal expansion (～25 ppm/°C), presumably due to the presence of the disordered graphitic structure. Its high density (～1.21 g/cm³), refractive index (～1.80 at 632 nm), and Young's modulus (～17.0 GPa) are also consistent with the interpretation. This study reveals important details about the effect of microscopic structure on the macroscopic properties of the highly crosslinked polymer. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 6909–6925, 2006     

Stability and convergence of modified Ishikawa iterative sequences with errors in Banach spaces

Summary Some stability and convergence theorems of the modified Ishikawa iterative sequences with errors for asymptotically nonexpansive mapping in the intermediate sense and asymptotically pseudo contractive and uniformly Lipschitzian mappings in Banach spaces are obtained.     

STS investigations of temperature dependence of Au(1 1 1) surface state energy position

High temperature scanning tunneling spectroscopy (HT-STS) was used to investigate the electronic structure of Au(1 1 1) at different temperatures in the energy range 0-1 eV below the Fermi level. We concentrated on the influence of temperature on the Shockley surface state (SS) appearing on noble metals surface due to a surface projected bulk bang gap in [1 1 1] direction. The influence of temperature on the projected band gap edge (BE) was also investigated. The experiment was carried out in the temperature range 294-580 K. As the result of the experiment a delicate shift of the SS and the BE in direction of the Fermi level was reported.     

A goal programming approach to strategic resource allocation in acute care hospitals

This paper describes a methodology for allocating resources in hospitals. The methodology uses two linear goal-programming models. One model sets case mix and volume for physicians, while holding service costs fixed; the other translates case mix decisions into a commensurate set of practice changes for physicians. The models allow decision makers to set case mix and case costs in such a way that the institution is able to break even, while preserving physician income and minimizing disturbance to practice. The models also permit investigation of trade-offs between case mix and physician practice parameters. Results are presented from a decision-making scenario facing the surgical division of Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital after the announcement of a 3-year, 18% reduction in funding.     

Full-Wave Analyses for a Multi-Layered Microstrip Patch Antenna

This paper describes numerical modelling of a dual band multi-layered microstrip patch antenna operating at 35GHz on an in-house semi-insulating GaAs substrate. The simulated and measured resonant frequencies at both lower and upper resonant frequencies will be compared to check the accuracy of the different numerical modelling techniques.     

Particle production from signature change

We consider the (massless) scalar field on 2-dimensional manifolds whose metric changes signature and which admit a spacelike isometry. Choosing the wave equation so that there will be a conserved Klein-Gordon product implicitly determines the junction conditions one needs to impose in order to obtain global solutions. The resulting mix of positive and negative frequencies produced by the presence of Euclidean regions depends only on the total width of the regions, and not on the detailed form of the metric.This essay received honorable mention in the 1991 competition of the Gravity Research Foundation.     

Selection and Scheduling of Advanced Missions for NASA Using 0-1 Integer Linear Programming

A 0-1 integer linear programme for the selection and scheduling of US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) missions over a long planning horizon is presented. This model was formulated to allow a higher-level user-interaction with an advanced missions database currently being developed. The model implicitly considers the multi-objective nature of the problem, which results from the desire to maximize benefits in several categories as well as from the desire to minimize cost. In addition, the model allows the planner much flexibility in the selection process. This is accomplished by allowing the planner the ability to specify long- or short-term budget constraints, precursor/follow-on mission requirements, or any number of other idiosyncratic constraints which might be of importance in the decision process. Small example problems are solved in order to illustrate the approach, and areas for further research are discussed.