On Characterizations of Proper Efficiency for Nonconvex Multiobjective Optimization

In this paper, nonconvex multiobjective optimization problems are studied. New characterizations of a properly efficient solution in the sense of Geoffrion's are established in terms of the stability of one scalar optimization problem and the existence of an exact penalty function of a scalar constrained program, respectively. One of the characterizations is applied to derive necessary conditions for a properly efficient control-parameter pair of a nonconvex multiobjective discrete optimal control problem with linear constraints.     

Einstein relation in chemically doped organic semiconductors

Based on the assumption of Gaussian energy distributions of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO), analytical expressions of generalized Einstein relation in chemically doped organic semiconductor are developed, by approximation of Coulomb traps with a rectangle potential well. Numerical calculations show that traditional Einstein relations do not hold for chemically doped organic semiconductors. Similar to physical doping, the dependence of diffusion coefficient to mobility D/μ ratio on the carrier concentration has a maximum. An essential difference between chemical doping and physical doping is that, the D/μ ratio in chemically doped organic semiconductors depends not only on carrier concentration and doping concentration, but also on the applied electric field. PACS 71.20.Rv; 72.90.+y; 73.50.-h     

A note on model diagnostics in longitudinal data analysis

Longitudinal study has become one of the most commonly adopted designs in medical research. The generalized estimating equations (GEE) method and/or mixed effects models are employed very often in causal inferences. The related model diagnostic procedures are not yet fully formalized, and perhaps never will be. The potential causes of major problems are the high variety of the dependence within subjects and/or the number of repeated measurements. A single testing procedure, e.g., run test, is not possible to resolve all model diagnostics problems in longitudinal data analysis. Multiple quantitative indexes for model diagnostics are needed to take into account this variety. We propose eight testing procedures for randomness accompanied with some conventional and/or non-conventional plots to remedy model diagnostics in longitudinal data analysis. The proposed issue in this paper is well illustrated with four clinical studies in Taiwan.     

Vibrational EELS and DFT study of propionic acid and pyruvic acid on Ni(1 0 0): Effects of keto group substitution on room-temperature adsorption and thermal chemistry

The room-temperature adsorption and thermally induced processes of propionic acid and pyruvic acid on Ni(1 0 0) have been investigated by electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). Computational vibrational analysis of the optimized bidentate structures for acid-Ni model complexes (involving the organic acid and a Ni atom) has been performed by using the two-layer ONIOM method with the Density Functional Theory and used to interpret the vibrational EELS data. Dehydrogenation of the hydroxyl group is found to result in bonding of the carboxylate group in the propionate and pyruvate adspecies to either a single Ni surface atom in a bidentate configuration or two neighbouring Ni atoms in a bridge configuration. Given the similarities in the total energies and related vibrational frequencies obtained by the calculations in the case of pyruvate adspecies, it is difficult to differentiate the alternate adsorption structure, in which the keto O and hydroxyl O atoms are bonded to a Ni atom in a five-member chelate ring configuration. Furthermore, temperature-dependent EELS studies show that both the propionate and pyruvate adspecies could decompose upon annealing to above 400 K and further dissociate to CO adspecies above 550 K and to C and/or O above 600 K.     

The electron ionization rate in multilayered semiconductor structures

We present theoretical results of the electron impact ionization rate in GaAs/AlGaAs multiquantum well structures as a function of applied electric field for various geometries, i.e., well and barrier widths. In addition, we present preliminary measurements of the current-voltage characteristics of MBE grown devices which demonstrate very low leakage current as well as sharp breakdwon behavior. It is found that the net ionization rate, determined by averaging over the constitutent GaAs and AlGaAs layers, approaches the weighted average of the constituent bulk rates at high electric field strengths; the potential discontinuity is relatively unimportant. The electron ionization rate within the well regions alone is still higher than that in bulk GaAs, but is insufficiently enhanced to compensate for the much lower rate in the AlGaAs layers. As the field is lowered to 250.0 kV/cm, the average ionization rate in the multiquantum well structure becomes larger than in the bulk.     

Multirobot-Based Nanoassembly Planning with Automated Path Generation

In this paper, a novel approach of automated multirobot nanoassembly planning is presented. This approach uses an improved self-organizing map to coordinate assembly tasks of nanorobots while generating optimized motion paths at run time with a modified shunting neural network. It is capable of synchronizing multiple nanorobots working simultaneously and efficiently on the assembly of swarms of objects in the presence of obstacles and environmental uncertainty. Operation of the presented approach is demonstrated with experiments at the end of the paper.     

Detection of failure sites by focused ion beam and nano-probing in the interconnect of three-dimensional stacked circuit structures

Focused ion beam (FIB) and nano-probing were applied for failure analysis of three-dimensional stacked circuits with copper through-silicon-vias between the stacked chips. The failure analysis was done after high temperature storage and thermal cycling tests. Passive voltage contrast in FIB allowed to pinpoint the open sites. FIB cross-sections showed the presence of opens at the bottom of the copper vias. The failure cause was suspected to be an interlayer particle, which was confirmed by optical profilometry. Nano-probing was used on another sample to pinpoint the failure location through the measurement of the local resistance within the daisy chains. The failure was traced out to be related with surface contamination.     

Dispersion and distribution of organically modified montmorillonite in nylon‐66 matrix

Nylon‐66 nanocomposites were prepared by melt‐compounding nylon‐66 with an alkyl ammonium surfactant pretreated montmorillonite (MMT). The thermal stability of the organic MMT powders was measured by thermogravimetric analysis. The decomposition of the surfactant on the MMT occurred from 200 to 500 °C. The low onset decomposition temperature of the organic MMT is one shortcoming when it is used to prepare polymer nanocomposites at high melt‐compounding temperatures. To provide greater property enhancement and better thermal stability of the polymer/MMT nanocomposites, it is necessary to develop MMT modified with more thermally stable surfactants. The dispersion and spatial distribution of the organic MMT layers in the nylon‐66 matrix were characterized by X‐ray diffraction. The organic MMT layers were exfoliated but not randomly dispersed in the nylon‐66 matrix. A model was proposed to describe the spatial distribution of the organic MMT layers in an injection‐molded rectangular bar of nylon‐66/organic MMT nanocomposites. Most organic MMT layers were oriented in the injection‐molding direction. Layers near the four surfaces of the bar were parallel to their corresponding surfaces; whereas those in the bulk differed from the near‐surface layers and rotated themselves about the injection‐molding direction. The influence of the spatial distribution of the organic MMT on crystallization of nylon‐66 was also investigated. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 1234–1243, 2003     

An approximate proximal-extragradient type method for monotone variational inequalities

Proximal point algorithms (PPA) are attractive methods for monotone variational inequalities. The approximate versions of PPA are more applicable in practice. A modified approximate proximal point algorithm (APPA) presented by Solodov and Svaiter [Math. Programming, Ser. B 88 (2000) 371–389] relaxes the inexactness criterion significantly. This paper presents an extended version of Solodov–Svaiter's APPA. Building the direction from current iterate to the new iterate obtained by Solodov–Svaiter's APPA, the proposed method improves the profit at each iteration by choosing the optimal step length along this direction. In addition, the inexactness restriction is relaxed further. Numerical example indicates the improvement of the proposed method.