Some empirical relations for electron mobility in II–VI compound semiconductors

Electron mobility has been calculated in a number of binary II–VI compound semiconductors using a displaced Maxwellian distribution function and taking the various scattering mechanisms into consideration at different lattice temperatures and for various amounts of ionized impurity concentrations. It is observed that the low field mobility values can be expressed by a cubic power relationship with lattice temperature and with ionized impurity concentration using a least mean square fit technique with an accuracy better than 5 per cent. Similarly, the field dependence of mobility can also be expressed as a power series of the applied electric field. It is suggested that these equations can be profitably used for a quick estimation of mobility values as a check on experiments and also as sufficiently accurate formulae for simulation and modelling purposes.     

Quasi-extremality for control systems

A full exposition of the authors' previously announced results about the extremality index of controls in smooth control systems and a generalization of these results to systems with constraints on the controls.Translated from Itogi Nauki i Tekhniki, Seriya Sovremennye Problemy Matematiki, Noveishie Dostizheniya, Vol. 35, pp. 109–134, 1989.     

Universal algebras

A survey of the development of the theory of universal algebras in the years 1976–1988. Such basic directions of development of this theory as classes of universal algebras (varieties, quasivarieties, etc.), Mal'tsev conditions, congruences, sheaves, homomorphisms, subalgebras, products of algebras, clones of operations, completeness, systems of equations in algeberas, and connections with computer mathematics show up in it. Considerable attention is given to concrete classes of algebras (p-algebras, BCK-algebras, unary algebras, etc.).Translated from Itogi Nauki i Tekhniki, Seriya Algebra, Topologiya, Geometriya, Vol. 27, pp. 45–124, 1989.     

Applying Stochastic Algorithms to a Locomotive Scheduling Problem

This paper addresses a problem common to all railway networks. Given a fixed train timetable and locomotives (or other forms of traction) of various types, each train must be allocated a locomotive. This paper examines the use of stochastic algorithms for such a problem. Two types of algorithm are used—a simple ‘local improvement’ method, performed successively from randomly chosen starting points, and a ‘simulated annealing’ approach. Both are found to give considerably better results than a deterministic method in current use, and the annealing approach is probably the better stochastic method.     

High-throughput screening of fuel cell electrocatalysts

The drawbacks of our earlier report of preparing fuel cell catalyst arrays by borohydride reduction of inkjet prepared arrays of metal salts are discussed along with the need for inclusion of state-of-the-art metrics in all array screening. An alternative method for screening of hydrogen/air cathode catalysts, direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) anode catalysts, and catalyst loading studies is provided. State-of-the-art Johnson Matthey catalysts were used in control experiments to demonstrate the utility of the array fuel cell for high throughput screening of fuel cell catalysts in the 3-4 mg/cm² range. This report lays out hard learned rules for high throughput screening and demonstrates that the array fuel cell can be used for very precise screening of libraries of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) components without the pitfalls discussed in the introduction.     

Novel route to 5-position vinyl derivatives of thiolactomycin: Olefination vs. deformylation

Vinyl and diene derivatives of thiolactomycin have been prepared via Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination from protected 5-formyl-3,5-dimethylthiotetronic acid. Several 4-position protecting groups and a variety of phosphonates were evaluated, with MOM protection and β-ketophosphonates yielding the highest ratio of the desired product to deformylated product.     

Discretization of the solutions to Poisson’s equation

Sharp estimates (in the power scale) are obtained for the discretization error in the solutions to Poisson’s equation whose right-hand side belongs to a Korobov class. Compared to the well-known Korobov estimate, the order is almost doubled and has an ultimate value in the power scale.