Synthesis and characterization of 9,9-dialkylfluorene capped benzo[c]thiophene/benzo[c]selenophene analogs as potential OLEDs

The synthesis of soluble benzo[c]thiophene analogs capped with 9,9-dialkylfluorene at one end is described.     

Persistence in discrete optimization under data uncertainty

An important question in discrete optimization under uncertainty is to understand the persistency of a decision variable, i.e., the probability that it is part of an optimal solution. For instance, in project management, when the task activity times are random, the challenge is to determine a set of critical activities that will potentially lie on the longest path. In the spanning tree and shortest path network problems, when the arc lengths are random, the challenge is to pre-process the network and determine a smaller set of arcs that will most probably be a part of the optimal solution under different realizations of the arc lengths. Building on a characterization of moment cones for single variate problems, and its associated semidefinite constraint representation, we develop a limited marginal moment model to compute the persistency of a decision variable. Under this model, we show that finding the persistency is tractable for zero-one optimization problems with a polynomial sized representation of the convex hull of the feasible region. Through extensive experiments, we show that the persistency computed under the limited marginal moment model is often close to the simulated persistency value under various distributions that satisfy the prescribed marginal moments and are generated independently.     

A semidefinite optimization approach to the steady-state analysis of queueing systems

Obtaining (tail) probabilities from a transform function is an important topic in queueing theory. To obtain these probabilities in discrete-time queueing systems, we have to invert probability generating functions, since most important distributions in discrete-time queueing systems can be determined in the form of probability generating functions. In this paper, we calculate the tail probabilities of two particular random variables in discrete-time priority queueing systems, by means of the dominant singularity approximation. We show that obtaining these tail probabilities can be a complex task, and that the obtained tail probabilities are not necessarily exponential (as in most ‘traditional’ queueing systems). Further, we show the impact and significance of the various system parameters on the type of tail behavior. Finally, we compare our approximation results with simulations.     

Measurement of optical constants of thin polymer films using spectrally resolved white light interferometry

Using the spectrally resolved white light interferometry we present our experimental results on the measurement of the optical constants of thin polymer films coated on a transparent substrate. As an extension to our previous work (J. Opt. Soc. Am. B12, 1559 (1995)) on thick glass plates, we have shown here that this technique can be effectively applied to very thin polymer films also. We have improved the accuracy of our results by using the Sellmeier dispersion formula for fitting the data. From the width and position of the zero-order fringe and the frequency of modulations in the white light spectrum, the refractive indexn(λ) and thicknesst of the thin polymer films are calculated. To study the accuracies involved in the technique, PVA, PMMA and PS films of varied thicknesses are coated on glass plates and the measured values are compared with ellipsometer studies.     

A Graphical Approach to Price-Break Analysis—3

The price-break problem is a non-linear discrete problem of two variables and three parameters which is not solvable analytically. As such, a graphical solution is suggested here by re-formulating the problem in two stages: first, as an equivalent non-linear, and next, as a linear problem of two variables and a single parameter. The later formulation affords an efficient graphical solution which was not possible earlier. In addition, useful procedures for plotting iso-cost curves and deriving approximate numerical solutions are also discussed.     

Anomalous conversion of 127 keV (E3) transition in134Cs

The total conversion coefficient of the 127.49 keV E3 isomeric transition in the decay of^134mCs was measured using the gamma intensity balance method with the help of a high resolution low energy photon detector. Theα _Tvalue was found to be 5.84±0.47 as against the theoretical value of 6.96, thus showing an anomaly of (16.1±6.7)%. TheK-conversion coefficient,α _kwas also measured using the X-ray peak to gamma ray intensity method and found to be 2.24±0.04 as against the theoretical value of 2.72, which shows an anomaly of (17.6±1.4)% consistent with the experimental anomaly inα _T. TheE3 hindrance factor of the isomeric transition was estimated to be (3.44±0.23) ·10⁴.