Topology optimization of microfluidic mixers

This paper demonstrates the application of the topology optimization method as a general and systematic approach for microfluidic mixer design. The mixing process is modeled as convection dominated transport in low Reynolds number incompressible flow. The mixer performance is maximized by altering the layout of flow/non‐flow regions subject to a constraint on the pressure drop between inlet and outlet. For a square cross‐sectioned pipe the mixing is increased by 70% compared with a straight pipe at the cost of a 2.5 fold increase in pressure drop. Another example where only the bottom profile of the channel is a design domain results in intricate herring bone patterns that confirm findings from the literature. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

New Reductive Transformations of Unsaturated Cyclic Hydrocarbons [New Synthetic Methods (66)]

The successive reduction of fully conjugated cyclic hydrocarbons leads to singly and multiply charged ions with unusual bonding. The charge distribution in these ions can be determined spectroscopically, and the information so obtained is then used in kinetically controlled trapping reactions for the regioselective introduction of electrophilic groups. When non-benzenoid substrates are used, syntheses become possible which can either not be carried out or can only be carried out with great difficulty in other ways. Examples of new preparative applications are cycloannelation and bridging reactions as well as polymerization reactions. The ion pair structure of the intermediate and the type of electrophile used are of paramount importance in controlling the mechanism of these reductive transformations.     

Explicit Volume-Preserving Splitting Methods for Linear and Quadratic Divergence-Free Vector Fields

We present new explicit volume-preserving methods based on splitting for polynomial divergence-free vector fields. The methods can be divided in two classes: methods that distinguish between the diagonal part and the off-diagonal part and methods that do not. For the methods in the first class it is possible to combine different treatments of the diagonal and off-diagonal parts, giving rise to a number of possible combinations. This paper is dedicated to Arieh Iserles on the occasion of his 60th anniversary.     

A random Euler scheme for Carathéodory differential equations

We study a random Euler scheme for the approximation of Carathéodory differential equations and give a precise error analysis. In particular, we show that under weak assumptions, this approximation scheme obtains the same rate of convergence as the classical Monte–Carlo method for integration problems.     

单支方法的收敛性

本文讨论用单支方法数值求解一类多刚性时滞微分代数方程的收敛性。我们获得了A－稳定的且p阶经典相容的单支方法（时滞部分用线性插值）的整体误差估计。     

Linear and non‐linear simulations of feedback control in plane Poiseuille flow

This paper examines the performance of optimal linear quadratic state and output feedback controllers in stabilizing two‐dimensional perturbations in a plane Poiseuille flow. The synthesis of the controllers is based on a linearized model of the flow using a new set of interpolating polynomials in the wall‐normal direction, which automatically satisfy the homogeneous Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions at the walls and eliminate spurious eigenvalues. The controllers are implemented into a non‐linear Navier–Stokes solver, which is modified to compute the evolution of the flow perturbations. Two cases are examined, one with small initial disturbances that do not violate the linearity assumptions and the other with much larger disturbances that trigger the non‐linear convection terms. For the smallest disturbances, the solver accurately reproduced the results of the linear simulations of open‐ and closed‐loop systems. The simulations for the larger disturbances without control showed a rapid initial growth but the flow soon reached a saturated state in agreement with previous findings in the literature. The large initial growth is a consequence of the non‐normal nature of the system dynamics. The state feedback and output feedback controllers were able to reduce significantly the perturbation energy. For the larger disturbances, the energy calculated from the state variables is well below the energy evaluated by direct integration of the velocity field. This is probably due to the non‐linear terms transferring energy to harmonics of the considered wavenumber, which are not sensed by the linear controller. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Expressing Forest Origins in the Chemical Composition of Cooperage Oak Woods and Corresponding Wines by Using FTICR‐MS

A non‐targeted, ultra‐high‐resolution mass spectrometric, direct analysis of oak‐wood extracts from two species (Quercus robur L. and Quercus petraea Liebl.) from three French forests, and of a wine aged in barrels derived therefrom has been performed to identify families of metabolites that could discriminate both the species and the geographical origin of woods. From 12 T ultra‐high‐resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectra of wood extracts, hundreds of mass signals were identified as possible significant biomarkers of the two species, with phenolic and carbohydrate moieties leading the differentiation between Q. robur and Q. petraea, respectively, as corroborated by both FTMS and NMR data. For the first time, it is shown that oak woods can also be discriminated on the basis of hundreds of forest‐related compounds, and particular emphasis is put on sessile oaks from the Tronçais forest, for which sugars are significantly discriminant. Despite the higher complexity and diversity of wine metabolites, forest‐related compounds can also be detected in wines aged in related barrels. It is only by using these non‐targeted analyses that such innovative results, which reveal specific chemodiversities of natural materials, can be obtained.     

One-dimensional coupled cavities photonic crystal filters with tapered Bragg mirrors

The performance of one-dimensional (1D) coupled cavities photonic crystal (PC) filters has been analyzed by finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation. It is shown that the addition of tapered Bragg mirrors at each side of the cavities, to create near-Gaussian field profiles for the cavity modes, results in the prediction of near flat-top passband filters with high out-of-band rejection ratio and near unity transmission. The tapered structures suppress the vertical radiation loss to allow optimization of the number of mirror periods for the best filter response whilst guaranteeing high transmission. A critical coupling condition (k = 2L_out/L_in = 1) for flat-top responses in doubly coupled cavities filters is proposed in the tapered structures. An optimized filter for 100 GHz optical communication system are demonstrated with 1 dB bandwidth of 0.17 nm, roll-off of 0.6 dB/GHz, out-of-band signal rejection of 33 dB and transmission of 95%. Further improvement of roll-off and out-of-band rejection is demonstrated in a triply coupled cavities filter.     

Monte Carlo and quasi-Monte Carlo sampling methods for a class of stochastic mathematical programs with equilibrium constraints

In this paper, we consider a class of stochastic mathematical programs with equilibrium constraints introduced by Birbil et al. (Math Oper Res 31:739–760, 2006). Firstly, by means of a Monte Carlo method, we obtain a nonsmooth discrete approximation of the original problem. Then, we propose a smoothing method together with a penalty technique to get a standard nonlinear programming problem. Some convergence results are established. Moreover, since quasi-Monte Carlo methods are generally faster than Monte Carlo methods, we discuss a quasi-Monte Carlo sampling approach as well. Furthermore, we give an example in economics to illustrate the model and show some numerical results with this example. The first author’s work was supported in part by the Scientific Research Grant-in-Aid from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and SRF for ROCS, SEM. The second author’s work was supported in part by the United Kingdom Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council grant. The third author’s work was supported in part by the Scientific Research Grant-in-Aid from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.     

Energy levels and spectral lines of Ne VII

All experimental data on Ne VII, including previously unpublished beam-foil spectroscopy data, have been compiled and critically evaluated. More than a hundred spectral lines have been newly identified. For 40 transitions, the previous identifications have been revised. These revisions resolved all existing contradictions between previously published interpretations of the spectrum. An optimized level scheme has been derived from the total list of observed lines. About a hundred new energy levels have been found, including several highly excited hydrogenic levels. Based on these newly determined levels, as well as on the analysis of theoretical data, the ionization potential has been newly determined with improved confidence. Electronic supplementary material Online Material