Influence of solute mobility on dislocation motion I. Basic model

Dislocation motion in the real lattice of alloys is highly complex. In a certain temperature range the dynamic strain ageing phenomena have been reported. In this paper the influence of mobile solute atoms (as obstacles) on the motion of dislocation is analysed. Both processes are assumed to be thermally activated. A new model based on this assumption is proposed. The dislocation velocity and the friction stress (due to solute-dislocation interactions) are calculated. A change in the friction stress caused by solute mobility is discussed.     

Mössbauer studies on some new magnetic oxides

Three new magnetic oxides have been synthesised, viz., Li₂Fe₃VO₈, YFe₃TiO₈ and CaFe₃VO₈. XRD studies show that the first compound has a cubic symmetry of spinel type while the latter two show orthorhombic symmetry. All the three compounds are magnetic at room temperature, however, the first compound shows a large magnetic moment as compared to the other two. Their Mössbauer spectra at room temperature show distinct hyperfine split spectral lines. The present preliminary investigation indicates that the long range order is ferrimagnetic in Li₂Fe₃VO₈ and CaFe₃VO₈ while in YFe₃TiO₈ it is more likely to be canted antiferromagnetic.     

Blackett Memorial Lecture: the nuclear option—human factors in safety

The UK nuclear industry is currently undergoing a series of dramatic changes. Important, among many is the establishment of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) with an associated impact on service delivery. At the same time, the debate on the future of our energy supply in the UK is increasingly focused on the question of the nuclear option. Issues of safety and reliability are paramount for the nuclear industry given both the nature of the hazard and the associated public perceptions of the associated risks. This paper explores linked developments in human factors and the management of safety in the nuclear industry in the context of unprecedented change.     

Sewings of crumpled cubes revisited

This paper sets forth three mismatch properties, strictly ordered in strength, about sewings of crumpled n-cubes. The strongest is a sufficient but not a necessary condition for a sewing to yield Sn, and the weakest, a necessary but not sufficient one. We show that when both crumpled cubes satisfies the Disjoint Disks Property, then the weakest property implies the sewing yields Sn, and we also show that the intermediate property leads to the same conclusion when just one of the crumpled cubes possesses the Disjoint Disks Property. In addition, we develop examples that confirm sharpness of the relevant Disjoint Disks conditions.     

Discontinuity in decision-making when objectives conflict: a military command decision case study

In previous work, we considered the representation of human decision-making processes in closed-form simulation models of conflict. An important element of this representation is the rapid planning process that embodies the processing of information for situation assessment to support a course of action decision (eg in a military headquarters). The application of this work is in support of operational analysis models for defence procurement and balance of investment. This paper describes the application of non-linear multi-attribute utility theory in conflict scenarios in order to extend the representation of the rapid planning process to account for a wider set of subjective attributes of the decision-maker. The results show, through examination of experimental data, that decision-making can be modelled through a particular class of utility functions. These utilities embody a geometry which allows us to classify the types of decision being made when there are conflicting objectives and when decision-makers adopt very different and subjective appraisals of constraints and beliefs in outcome. The experimental results help to demonstrate that the subjective nature of the situation assessment, and the personality, training, experience and history of the decision-maker are central to the functional representations. This paper presents a way to capture this deeper representation of human decision-making in a way that is potentially useful for quantitative modelling using the rapid planning process as a basis.     

The magnetic properties of Be-codoped GaMnN grown via molecular beam epitaxy

GaMnN and Be-codoped GaMnN were grown via molecular beam epitaxy using a single GaN precursor and their structural and magnetic properties were examined. X-ray diffraction and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) measurements revealed that the grown layers are homogeneous without precipitates. The saturation magnetization of GaMnN has increased from ∼4 to ∼16 emu/cm³ via codoping of Be. The d–d exchange interaction between Mn atoms was discussed for the ferromagnetism of GaMnN.     

Towards a fully optimised organic LED device: Analysis of surface synthesis using coupling reactions by ToF-SIMS

Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and polarisation-modulation reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy (PM-RAIRS) have been used to monitor the surface synthesis of self-assembled aromatic π-conjugated molecular wires on gold substrates as a step towards a novel structure for organic electroluminescent devices (OLEDs). The wires have been synthesised using a series of Schiff's base coupling reactions in solution on a self-assembled monolayer of an aromatic thiolate anchor. ToF-SIMS and PM-RAIRS measurements have demonstrated that: (i) the anchor molecules self-assemble at the gold surface, (ii) the anchor molecules selectively react through imino coupling reactions with additional wire units with high efficiency and (iii) the wire-like structure is predominantly orientated normal to the surface.     

Low-frequency noise and inelastic tunneling spectroscopy in Fe(1 1 0)/MgO(1 1 1)/Fe(1 1 0) epitaxial magnetic tunnel junctions

We report on tunnelling magnetoresistance (TMR), current–voltage (IV) characteristics and low-frequency noise in epitaxially grown Fe(1 1 0)/MgO(1 1 1)/Fe(1 1 0) magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with dimensions from 2×2 to 20×20 μm². The evaluated MgO energy barrier (0.50±0.08 eV), the barrier width (13.1±0.5 Å) as well as the resistance times area product (7±1 MΩ μm²) show relatively small variation, confirming a high quality epitaxy and uniformity of all MTJs studied. At low temperatures (T<10 K) inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (IETS) shows anomalies related to phonons (symmetric structures below 100 meV) and asymmetric features above 200 meV. We explain the asymmetric features in IETS as due to generation of electron standing waves in one of the Fe electrodes. The noise power, though exhibiting a large variation, was observed to be roughly anti-correlated with the TMR. Surprisingly, for the largest junctions we observed a strong enhancement of the normalized low-frequency noise in the antiparallel magnetic configuration. This behavior could be related to the influence of magnetostriction on the characteristics of the insulating barrier through changes in local barrier defects structure.     

Self-organized ZnAl2O4 nanostructures grown on -sapphire

Self-organized ZnAl₂O₄ nanostructures with the appearance (in SEM) of high aspect ratio horizontal nanowires are grown on uncatalysed c-sapphire by vapour phase transport. The nanostructures grow as three equivalent crystallographic variants on c-sapphire. Raman and cathodoluminescence spectroscopy confirm that the nanostructures are not ZnO and TEM shows that they are the cubic spinel, zinc aluminate, ZnAl₂O₄, formed by the reaction of Zn and O with the sapphire substrate.     

Oil Migration in Chocolate

Oil migration in filled chocolates limits shelf life due to texture changes and loss of visual appeal. Spatial and temporal oil concentration changes of a two-layer chocolate and peanut butter filling system, which models a filled chocolate, were monitored by magnetic resonance imaging. Formulations of chocolate varied with respect to particle size, milk fat content and emulsifier level. Sorption-time experimental data was used to establish the best fit diffusion coefficient for a Fickian diffusion model. On the basis of the comparison of spatial experimental data to the model, Fickian diffusion alone does not account for oil migration. Authors' address: Michael J. McCarthy, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA