Dynamical iteration schemes for multiscale simulation in nanoelectronics

In this paper we present the spatial discretization of the thermal element model for coupled electrothermal simulation introduced in [1] with a suitable multiscale Finite Element scheme. The structure of the local matrices for the the thermal element is presented in detail and some preliminary numerical results are reported. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Non–existence of theta–shaped self–similarly shrinking networks moving by curvature

We prove that there are no networks homeomorphic to the Greek “Theta” letter (a double cell) embedded in the plane with two triple junctions with angles of 120 degrees, such that under the motion by curvature they are self–similarly shrinking.

This fact completes the classification of the self–similarly shrinking networks in the plane with at most two triple junctions, see [5 Chen, X., Guo, J.-S. (2007). Self-similar solutions of a 2-D multiple-phase curvature flow. Phys. D. 229(1):22–34.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], 10 Hättenschweiler, J. (2007). Mean curvature flow of networks with triple junctions in the plane. Master’s thesis. ETH Zürich. [Google Scholar], 25 Schnürer, O. C., Azouani, A., Georgi, M., Hell, J., Nihar, J., Koeller, A., Marxen, T., Ritthaler, S., Sáez, M., Schulze, F., Smith, B. (2011). Evolution of convex lens–shaped networks under the curve shortening flow. Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 363(5):2265–2294.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], 2 Baldi, P., Haus, E., Mantegazza, C. (2016). Networks self-similarly moving by curvature with two triple junctions. Networks self-similarly moving by curvature with two triple junctions. 28(2017):323–338. [Google Scholar]].     

L'opération d'élagage

Résumé On introduit une opération d'élagage plus faible que celle introduite dans [1]; on montre cependant la validité des mêmes théorèmes de caractérisation dans la famille des entropies additives et subadditives.

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Riassunto Si introduce un'operazione di pruning più generale di quella introdotta in [1]; si mostra tuttavia che valgono gli stessi teoremi di caratterizzazione nella famiglia delle entropie additive e subadditive.

     

Improved Schemes for Visual Cryptography

A (k,n)-threshold visual cryptography scheme ((k,n)-threshold VCS, for short) is a method to encode a secret image SI into n shadow images called shares such that any k or more shares enable the visual recovery of the secret image, but by inspecting less than k shares one cannot gain any information on the secret image. The visual recovery consists of xeroxing the shares onto transparencies, and then stacking them. Any k shares will reveal the secret image without any cryptographic computation.In this paper we analyze visual cryptography schemes in which the reconstruction of black pixels is perfect, that is, all the subpixels associated to a black pixel are black. For any value of k and n, where 2 k n, we give a construction for (k,n)-threshold VCS which improves on the best previously known constructions with respect to the pixel expansion (i.e., the number of subpixels each pixel of the original image is encoded into). We also provide a construction for coloured (2,n)-threshold VCS and for coloured (n,n)-threshold VCS. Both constructions improve on the best previously known constructions with respect to the pixel expansion.     

The stable set problem and the thinness of a graph

We introduce a poly-time algorithm for the maximum weighted stable set problem, when a certain representation is given for a graph. The algorithm generalizes the algorithm for interval graphs and that for graphs with bounded pathwidth. By a suitable application to the frequency assignment problem, we improved several solutions to relevant benchmark instances.     

Computation of local radius of information in SM-IBC identification of nonlinear systems

System identification consists in finding a model of an unknown system starting from a finite set of noise-corrupted data. A fundamental problem in this context is to asses the accuracy of the identified model. In this paper, the problem is investigated for the case of nonlinear systems within the Set Membership—Information Based Complexity framework of [M. Milanese, C. Novara, Set membership identification of nonlinear systems, Automatica 40(6) (2004) 957–975]. In that paper, a (locally) optimal algorithm has been derived, giving (locally) optimal models in nonlinear regression form. The corresponding (local) radius of information, providing the worst-case identification error, can be consequently used to measure the quality of the identified model. In the present paper, two algorithms are proposed for the computation of the local radius of information: The first provides the exact value but requires a computational complexity exponential in the dimension of the regressor space. The second is approximate but involves a polynomial (quadratic) complexity.     

A Note on the Koszul Complex in Deformation Quantization

The aim of this short note is to present a proof of the existence of an A _∞-quasi-isomorphism between the A _∞-S(V ^*)-ù(V){\wedge(V)} -bimodule K, introduced in Calaque et al. (Bimodules and branes in deformation quantization, 2009), and the Koszul complex K(V) of S(V ^*), viewed as an A _∞-S(V ^*)-ù(V){\wedge(V)} -bimodule, for V a finite-dimensional (complex or real) vector space.     

Oxide/metal interface distance and epitaxial strain in the NiO/Ag(001) system

Geometric parameters of NiO films epitaxially grown on Ag(001) were determined using two independent experimental techniques and ab initio simulations. Primary beam diffraction modulated electron emission experiments determined that the NiO films grow with O on top of Ag and that the oxide/metal interface distance is d=2.3+/-0.1 A. Polarization-dependent x-ray absorption, at the Ni-K edge, determined the tetragonal strain (r( parallel )=2.046+/-0.009 A, r( perpendicular )=2.12+/-0.02 A) and d=2.37+/-0.05 A. Periodic slab model results agree with the experiments (d=2.40, r( parallel )=2.07, r( perpendicular )=2.10 A; the O-on-top configuration is the most stable).     

Degradation of organic water pollutants through sonophotocatalysis in the presence of TiO(2)

The degradation of 2-chlorophenol and of the two azo dyes acid orange 8 and acid red 1 in aqueous solution was investigated kinetically under sonolysis at 20 kHz and under photocatalysis in the presence of titanium dioxide particles, as well as under simultaneous sonolysis and photocatalysis, i.e. sonophotocatalysis. The influence on the degradation and mineralisation rates of the initial substrate concentration and of the photocatalyst amount was systematically investigated to ascertain the origin of the synergistic effect observed between the two degradation techniques. The evolution of hydrogen peroxide during kinetic runs was also monitored. Small amounts of Fe(III) were found to affect both the adsorption equilibria on the semiconductor and the degradation paths. Ultrasound may modify the rate of photocatalytic degradation by promoting the deaggregation of the photocatalyst, by inducing the desorption of organic substrates and degradation intermediates from the photocatalyst surface and, mainly, by favouring the scission of the photocatalytically and sonolytically produced H(2)O(2), with a consequent increase of oxidising species in the aqueous phase.     

Multiscale coarse graining of diblock copolymer self-assembly: from monomers to ordered micelles

Starting from a microscopic lattice model, we investigate clustering, micellization, and micelle ordering in semidilute solutions of AB diblock copolymers in a selective solvent. To bridge the gap in length scales, from monomers to ordered micellar structures, we implement a two-step coarse-graining strategy, whereby the AB copolymers are mapped onto ultrasoft dumbells with monomer-averaged effective interactions between the centers of mass of the blocks. Monte Carlo simulations of this coarse-grained model yield clear-cut evidence for self-assembly into micelles with a mean aggregation number n approximately 100 beyond a critical concentration. At a slightly higher concentration the micelles spontaneously undergo a disorder-order transition to a cubic phase. We determine the effective potential between these micelles from first principles.