Development of B‐doped Si multiple delta‐layer reference materials for SIMS profiling

B‐doped Si multiple delta‐layers (MDL) were developed as certified reference materials (CRM) for secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) depth profiling analysis. Two CRMs with different delta‐layer spacing were grown by ion beam sputter deposition (IBSD). The nominal spacing of the MDL for shallow junction analysis is 10 nm and that for high energy SIMS is 50 nm. The total thickness of the film was certified by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR‐TEM). The B‐doped Si MDLs can be used to evaluate SIMS depth resolution and to calibrate the depth scale. A consistency check of the calibration of stylus profilometers for measurement of sputter depth is another possible application. The crater depths measured by a stylus profilometer showed a good linear relationship with the thickness measured from SIMS profiling using the calibrated film thickness for depth scale calibration. The sputtering rate of the amorphous Si thin film grown by sputter deposition was found to be the same as that of the crystalline Si substrate, which means that the sputtering rate measured with these CRMs can be applied to a real analysis of crystalline Si. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Size-dependent electron chemical potential: Effect on particle charging

Electrostatic charging of particles of identical composition, but different sizes, is a poorly understood phenomenon that may be of importance in dust storms, generation of lightning, numerous technological applications involving solid particulates, and in the agglomeration of lunar dust and inter-stellar dust clouds. We show that under optical excitation, the relative magnitude of surface to volume de-excitation gives size-dependent electron and hole concentrations. The consequent differences in chemical potentials can lead to charge transfer between particles of different size. The direction of charge transfer, from large to small or vice versa, depends critically on the properties of the materials.     

Symmetry and stability of asymptotic profiles for fast diffusion equations in annuli

This paper is concerned with stability analysis of asymptotic profiles for (possibly sign-changing) solutions vanishing in finite time of the Cauchy–Dirichlet problems for fast diffusion equations in annuli. It is proved that the unique positive radial profile is not asymptotically stable, and moreover, it is unstable for the two-dimensional annulus. Furthermore, the method of stability analysis presented here will be also applied to exhibit symmetry breaking of least energy solutions.     

Radial sample load distribution under overload conditions: Analytical scale columns

The homogeneity of the sample load across the radial cross section of analytical scale columns was determined when operating under overload conditions. The study was performed using active flow technology columns operating in parallel segmentation mode. The outlet segmentation ratio was varied to enable different volume fractions of mobile phase, and thus sample, to elute from the peripheral and central flow regions of the column. The amount of solute exiting the peripheral and radial central exit ports was determined as a function of the flow segmentation ratio. The experimental data using an analytical scale column with dimensions, 100?×?4.6?mm, indicated that the sample load distribution was essentially uniform as a function of the column radial cross section.     

Modulated nematic structures and chiral symmetry breaking in 2D

ABSTRACT

We have studied the properties of biaxial particles interacting via an anisotropic pair potential, involving second-rank quadrupolar and third-rank octupolar coupling terms, using Monte Carlo simulation. The particles occupy the sites of a 2D square lattice and the interactions are restricted to nearest neighbours. The system exhibits spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking from an isotropic phase to a chiral modulated nematic phase, composed of ambidextrous chiral domains. When twofold axes of quadrupolar and octupolar tensors coincide this modulated phase appears to be the ambidextrous cholesteric phase with pitch comparable to a few lattice spacings. The associated phase transition is first order.     

Homogenization of parabolic problem with nonlinear transmission condition

In this paper, we investigate the periodic homogenization of nonlinear parabolic equation arising from heat exchange in composite material problems. This problem, defined in periodical domain, is nonlinear at the interface. This nonlinearity models the heat radiation on the interface, which constitutes the transmission boundary conditions, between the two components of the material. The main challenge is, first, to show the well-posedness of the microscopic problem using the topological degree of Leray–Schauder tools. Then, we apply the two scale convergence to identify the equivalent macroscopic model using homogenization techniques. Finally, in order to confirm the efficiency of the homogenization process, we present some numerical results obtained via finite element approximation.     

Improvement of moving particle semi‐implicit method for simulation of progressive water waves

Precise simulation of the propagation of surface water waves, especially when involving breaking wave, takes a significant place in computational fluid dynamics. Because of the strong nonlinear properties, the treatment of large surface deformation of free surface flow has always been a challenging work in the development of numerical models. In this paper, the moving particle semi‐implicit (MPS) method, an entirely Lagrangian method, is modified to simulate wave motion in a 2‐D numerical wave flume preferably. In terms of consecutive pressure distribution, a new and simple free surface detection criterion is proposed to enhance the free surface recognition in the MPS method. In addition, a revised gradient model is deduced to diminish the effect of nonuniform particle distribution and then to reduce the numerical wave attenuation occurring in the original MPS model. The applicability and stability of the improved MPS method are firstly demonstrated by the calculation of hydrostatic problem. It is revealed that these modifications are effective to suppress the pressure oscillation, weaken the local particle clustering, and boost the stability of numerical algorithm. It is then applied to investigate the propagation of progressive waves on a flat bed and the wave breaking on a mild slope. Comparisons with the analytical solutions and experimental results indicate that the improved MPS model can give better results about the profiles and heights of surface waves in contrast with the previous MPS models. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Data envelopment analysis models of investment funds

This paper develops theory missing in the sizable literature that uses data envelopment analysis to construct return-risk ratios for investment funds. It explores the production possibility set of the investment funds to identify an appropriate form of returns to scale. It discusses what risk and return measures can justifiably be combined and how to deal with negative risks, and identifies suitable sets of measures. It identifies the problems of failing to deal with diversification and develops an iterative approximation procedure to deal with it. It identifies relationships between diversification, coherent measures of risk and stochastic dominance. It shows how the iterative procedure makes a practical difference using monthly returns of 30 hedge funds over the same time period. It discusses possible shortcomings of the procedure and offers directions for future research.     

Sharp oscillation and nonoscillation tests for delay dynamic equations

In this paper, we give new sufficient conditions for both oscillation and nonoscillation of the delay dynamic equation where and satisfy τ(t) ≤ σ(t) for all large t and . As an important corollary, we obtain the time scale invariant integral condition for nonoscillation: for all large t. Also, with some examples, we show that newly presented results are sharp.     

Persistence properties and wave‐breaking criteria for the Geng‐Xue system

Considered herein is a two‐component Novikov equations (called Geng‐Xue system for short) with cubic nonlinearities. The persistence properties and some unique continuation properties of the solutions to the system in weighted L_p spaces are established. Moreover, a wave‐breaking criterion for strong solutions is determined in the lowest Sobolev space by using the localization analysis in the transport equation theory, and we also give a lower bound for the maximal existence time.