On Modular Forms Arising from a Differential Equation of Hypergeometric Type

Modular and quasimodular solutions of a specific second order differential equation in the upper-half plane, which originates from a study of supersingular j-invariants in the first author's work with Don Zagier, are given explicitly. Positivity of Fourier coefficients of some of the solutions as well as a characterization of the differential equation are also discussed.     

An entropy-based uncertainty principle for a locally compact abelian group

We classify all functions on a locally compact, abelian group giving equality in an entropy inequality generalizing the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. In particular, for functions on a real line, we proof a conjecture of Hirschman published in 1957.     

微模塑法制备PMMA/SiO2二氧化硅杂化材料微结构

以摩尔比为 1∶1的甲基丙烯酸甲酯 (MMA)、甲基丙烯酸 (3 三乙氧基硅烷基 )丙酯 (ESMA)单体、0 .2 %(单体总量的质量分数 )的偶氮二异丁腈AIBN引发剂和四氢呋喃 (THF)溶剂 ,及 2 0 % (总质量分数 )的正硅酸乙酯TEOS合成出PMMA/SiO2 有机 无机杂化的杂化溶胶 .将溶胶在洗净的普通光学玻璃基片表面甩膜 .利用软刻蚀中的微模塑法 ,把有机硅弹性印章复制有精细图纹一面轻放在杂化溶胶膜上进行微模塑 ,外加 1N压力于12 0℃下处理 2h使溶胶凝胶化 .印章剥离后在基片表面就形成了PMMA/SiO2 有机 无机杂化材料的微图纹结构 .从微图纹的光学显微镜照片可以看出微模塑方法制备杂化材料复制的图纹精细度高 ,操作简单易行 ,是一类比较理想的微细图纹结构加工的方法 .     

Thinking and Turing's test

The questions raised by A. M. Turing in his paper on thought and machines are discussed. Human thought is considered in turn as a concept of normal language usage, as a basic concept of psychology, and as the basis of intellectual activity. It is concluded that neither of these notions of thought identifies something specific that a human being can or cannot do. The imitation game proposed by Turing for deciding whether a machine can think is found to result from an arbitrary empoverishment of the channel of communication between the interrogator and the item under investigation. Turing's notions of thinking are shown to lead to logical difficulties. An alternative view of consciousness, that would place it beyond the reach of any finite test, is finally discussed.     

Shell effects in the symmetric-modal fission of pre-actinide nuclei

Mass distributions of fragments in the low-energy fission of nuclei from ¹⁸⁷Ir to ²¹³At have been analysed. This analysis has shown that shell effects in symmetric-mode fragment mass yields from the fission of pre-actinide nuclei could be described if one assumes the existence of two strongly deformed neutron shells in the arising fragments with neutron numbers N₁ ≈ 52 and N₂ ≈ 68. A new method has been proposed for quantitatively describing the mass distributions of the symmetric fission mode for pre-actinides with A ≈ 180–220.     

The effect of voice lessons on the clinical and perceptual skills of graduate students in speech-language pathology

Two groups of 10 speech-language pathology graduate students were each given 7 weeks of singing lessons to determine whether voice lessons could have an effect on their clinical and perceptual skills. Pre-, mid-, and posttests to measure various skills were designed and implemented. With use of paired sample statistical testing, statistically significant results were obtained. In addition, the subjective responses of the students show that the lessons were effective in improving pitch perception, breath control, and legato production or easy onset. This study supports efforts to integrate curricula in vocal performance and speech-language pathology.     

A note on minimization problems and multistep methods

Summary. We use the qualitative properties of the solution flow of the gradient equation to compute a local minimum of a real-valued function . Under the regularity assumption of all equilibria we show a convergence result for bounded trajectories of a consistent, strictly stable linear multistep method applied to the gradient equation. Moreover, we compare the asymptotic features of the numerical and the exact solutions as done by Humphries, Stuart (1994) and Schropp (1995) for one-step methods. In the case of -stable formulae this leads to an efficient solver for stiff minimization problems. Received July 10, 1995 / Revised version received June 27, 1996     

Vector potential theory on nonsmooth domains in R<Superscript>3</Superscript> and applications to electromagnetic scattering

We study boundary value problems for the time-harmonic form of the Maxwell equations, as well as for other related systems of equations, on arbitrary Lipschitz domains in the three-dimensional Euclidean space. The main goal is to develop the corresponding theory for L^p-integrable bounday data for optimal values of p's. We also discuss a number of relevant applications in electromagnetic scattering.     

Photodiffraction in InGaAs/InGaAsP multiple quantum wells enclosed in a microcavity

We report new results on the diffraction properties of photoinduced gratings in InGaAs/InGaAsP MQW structures. The original feature of this device is that the QWs are enclosed in an asymmetric Fabry–Perot microcavity in order to increase the diffraction efficiency. We observe oscillations in the diffraction efficiency due to resonant effects in the microcavity. The experimental spectra are compared with theory. Diffraction efficiency at 1.55 μm attains a maximum value of 2.7% at a write beam fluence of 260 μ J cm⁻², and then decreases at higher fluences. We explain this phenomenon by an absorption saturation at high excitation.