Dynamics of energy release in a low-voltage pulsed arc in air

The influence of the discharge conditions on the dynamics of energy release is considered for pulsed arcs in air at initial pressures from 10⁵ to 8×10⁵ Pa and a low-voltage capacitor voltage of up to 400 V. A novel method for determining the resistance of the discharge channel in the final stage of a spark discharge is proposed. The method is applied to estimating the discharge channel parameters.     

A unifying local-semilocal convergence analysis and applications for two-point Newton-like methods in Banach space

We provide a local as well as a semilocal convergence analysis for two-point Newton-like methods in a Banach space setting under very general Lipschitz type conditions. Our equation contains a Fréchet differentiable operator F and another operator G whose differentiability is not assumed. Using more precise majorizing sequences than before we provide sufficient convergence conditions for Newton-like methods to a locally unique solution of equation F(x)+G(x)=0. In the semilocal case we show under weaker conditions that our error estimates on the distances involved are finer and the information on the location of the solution at least as precise as in earlier results. In the local case a larger radius of convergence is obtained. Several numerical examples are provided to show that our results compare favorably with earlier ones. As a special case we show that the famous Newton-Kantorovich hypothesis is weakened under the same hypotheses as the ones contained in the Newton-Kantorovich theorem.     

Dynamics of Multisection Semiconductor Lasers

We consider a mathematical model (the so-called traveling-wave system) which describes longitudinal dynamical effects in semiconductor lasers. This model consists of a linear hyperbolic system of PDEs, which is nonlinearly coupled with a slow subsystem of ODEs. We prove that a corresponding initial-boundary value problem is well posed and that it generates a smooth infinite-dimensional dynamical system. Exploiting the particular slow-fast structure, we derive conditions under which there exists a low-dimensional attracting invariant manifold. The flow on this invariant manifold is described by a system of ODEs. Mode approximations of that system are studied by means of bifurcation theory and numerical tools.     

Skew-commuting and Commuting Mappings in Rings with Left Identity

Our main object in this paper is to discuss some results on rings with left identity in which certain subsets satisfy some functional identities.     

Kinetics of a photoinduced NH tautomerism of free-base porphyrins in crystalline matrices at low temperatures: Computer simulations and experiment

Photoinduced NH tautomerism, along with the reaction pathways of phototautomerization in tetrabenzoporphin and porphin free bases in n-octane polycrystalline matrices at 77 K, is studied by simulation of kinetic processes and their experimental observation. The simulation of the processes is performed by the numerical solution of the system of kinetic equations describing the populations of electronic levels and transitions between them. Kinetic dependences are obtained by measuring the perturbation of stationary fluorescence of one component of the 0-0 doublet origin upon pulsed selective photoexcitation of the other component. For two tautomeric forms related by the reversibility of the photochemical reaction, under the assumption of synchronism of the NH rearrangement, (i) analytical solutions governing the reaction rate are found, (ii) a method of measuring the rate constants of the proton rearrangement is suggested and the constants themselves are estimated, and (iii) direct evidence of the participation of T ₁ levels in the photochemical reaction is obtained. With the aid of numerical simulations, the specific features of kinetic manifestation of an asynchronous mechanism of the photoinduced NH rearrangement are studied.     

Formation of metallic NbSe2 nanotubes and nanofibers

We succeed in synthesizing NbSe₂ nanotubes along with nanofibers by chemical vapor transportation. They are stable crystalline systems and can be synthesized reproducibly in a nearly equilibrium reacting process. We have investigated these nanosize structures of NbSe₂ by transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction. Both of the structures have a similar size of 100–200 nm in diameter. While nanotubes consist of rolled-up NbSe₂ layers, nanofibers are a pile of thin flat layers. We propose a mechanism of the formation of NbSe₂ nanotubes and nanofibers on the basis of deseleniditive transition from a NbSe₃ fiber-shaped crystal. We also measured electrical resistance of the nanofibers with conductive atomic force microscopy and demonstrated that the material show metallic behavior at room temperature.     

Self-organized amorphous material in silicon (0 0 1) by focused ion beam (FIB) system

A method using a focused ion beam (FIB) to prepare a silicon amorphous material is presented. The method involves the redeposition of sputtered material generated during the interaction of the Ga⁺ ion beam with a silicon substrate material. The shape and dimensions of this amorphous material are self-organized and reproducible. The stability of this amorphous material under electron irradiation was investigated in the transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Electron irradiation can induce recrystallization of the amorphous material, resulting in the lateral and vertical growth, starting at an amorphous-crystalline interface, of polysilicon containing defects.     

Fracture strength of class II slot cavities restored with polymerizable restorative materials

This study compared the fracture strength of Class II slot cavities restored with polymerizable restorative materials. Sixty, caries-free, posterior teeth were divided into five groups of 12 teeth. The Class II slot cavities were prepared. The teeth were restored with two packable composites (Filtek P60, Surefil), a microhybrid composite (Filtek Z250)and two ormocer (Definite, Admira). The restorations were then subjected to fracture resistance tests. The marginal ridges of the restorations were loaded at an angle of 13.5° to the long axis of the tooth in an Universal Testing Machine until failure. Analysis of mean forces indicated that, Filtek P60, Surefil and Filtek Z250 exhibited better performance than Definite and Admira. The tested resin composites differed in their mechanical properties. This study suggested that fracture behavior were highly influenced by the filler system. Overall, Filtek P60, Surefil, Filtek Z250, demonstrated good fracture resistance. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thickness decrease of a grafted polyelectrolyte membrane exposed to shear flow

The effect of the shear flow on the thickness change of a polyelectrolyte membrane grafted onto a glass substrate was directly investigated with a flow cell combined with a confocal laser scanning microscope. The membrane thickness decreased proportionally to an increase in the shear stress of the flow when the shear rate exceeded a critical value of 1 s^?1. The higher the ionic strength was of the fluid, the greater the thinning effect was. The correlation between the critical shear rate and the relaxation of the polymer in the gel membrane was examined. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 2808–2815, 2003