Die Entwicklung kausaler Hypothesen in der qualitativen Sozialforschung

The disregard of causal inference in the methodological literature about qualitative research is highly problematic, since the category of causality is closely linked to the concept of social action. However, it is also clear that causal analysis is burdened with certain difficulties and methodological challenges in the realm of social research. Some of these problems are discussed in this article using Mackie—s concept of 3 “INUS”-conditions. Thereby it will be shown that strategies of causal analysis based on comparative methods proposed for qualitative research, namely “Analytic Induction” and “Qualitative Comparative Analysis” have great difficulties in dealing adequately with these problems. They can only be solved, if case-comparative methods are combined with explorative research strategies which support the researcher in gaining access to the local knowledge of the research field.     

Lanthanum nitrate decomposition by both temperature programmed heating and citrate gel combustion

Thermal decomposition of lanthanum nitrate to lanthanum oxide was carried out by both temperature programmed heating (TPH) and citrate-gel combustion. The temperature programmed heating was carried out under flow of oxidizing (air), neutral (nitrogen) and reducing (25 vol.% hydrogen+argone mixture) gases, and the processes were controlled by simultaneous thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis. It was shown that hydrogen atmosphere helps to reduce temperatures of all decomposition steps. The results of TPH were utilized to check the nature of residues in the products of lanthanum nitrate-to-oxide conversion performed via citrate-gel combustion technique.     

Investigating laser rapid manufacturing for Inconel-625 components

This paper presents an investigation of laser rapid manufacturing (LRM) for Inconel-625 components. LRM is an upcoming rapid manufacturing technology, it is similar to laser cladding at process level with different end applications. In general, laser-cladding technique is used to deposit materials on the substrate either to improve the surface properties or to refurbish the worn out parts, while LRM is capable of near-net shaping the components by layer-by-layer deposition of the material directly from CAD model. In the present study, a high-power continuous wave (CW) CO₂ laser system, integrated with a co-axial powder-feeding system and a three-axis workstation were used. The effect of processing parameters during LRM of Inconel-625 was studied and the optimum set of parameters for the maximum deposition rate was established employing Orthogonal L9 array of Taguchi technique. Results indicated that the powder feed rate and the scan speed contributed about 56% and 26%, respectively to the deposition rate, while the influence of laser power was limited to 10% only. Fabricated components were subjected to non-destructive testing (like—ultrasonic testing, dye-penetrant testing), tensile testing, impact testing, metallographic examinations and micro-hardness measurement. The test results revealed defect-free material deposition with improved mechanical strength without sacrificing the ductility.     

There does not exist an enumerable family of context-free grammars that generates the class of single-valued languages

Translated from Matematicheskie Zametki, Vol. 50, No. 1, pp. 34–40, July, 1991.     

A Finite Element Galerkin Method for a Unidimensional Single-Phase Nonlinear Stefan Problem with Dirichlet Boundary Conditions

Based on straightening the free boundary, an H¹-Galerkin methodis proposed and analysed for a single-phase nonlinear Stefanproblem with Dirichlet boundary conditions. Optimal H¹ estimatesfor continuous-time Galerkin approximations are derived.     

The effect of the external lateral electric field on the luminescence intensity of InAs/GaAs quantum dots

We report on low-temperature microphotoluminescence (μ-PL) measurements of InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) exposed to a lateral external electric field. It is demonstrated that the QDs’ PL signal could be increased severalfold by altering the external and/or the internal electric field, which could be changed by an additional infrared laser. A model which accounts for a substantially faster lateral transport of the photoexcited carriers achieved in an external electric field is employed to explain the observed effects. The results obtained suggest that the lateral electric fields play a major role for the dot luminescence intensity measured in our experiment—a finding which could be used to tailor the properties of QD-based optoelectronic applications. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Interference inspection of the aspherical components of an objective for nanolithography

Methods and schemes to inspect the EUV mirror shape are developed on the basis of a point diffraction interferometer with computer processing of interferograms. A measurement accuracy to within 0.001 of a wavelength in the visual range is achieved.     

ESTIMATE OF THE UPPER CRITICAL FIELD AND CONCENTRATION FOR SUPERCONDUCTOR

The effect of an applied magnetic field on an inhomogeneous superconductor is studied and the value of the upper critical magnetic field Hc3 at which superconductivity can nucleate is estimated. In addition, the authors locate the concentration of the order parameter, which depends on the inhomogeneous term a(x). Unlikely to the homogeneous case, the order parameter may concentrate in the interior of the superconducting material, due to the influence of the inhomogeneous term a(x).