Carbon precipitation and diffusion in SiGeC alloys under silicon self-interstitial injection

In this work we investigate the diffusion and precipitation of supersaturated substitutional carbon in 200-nm-thick SiGeC layers buried under a silicon cap layer of 40 nm. The samples were annealed in either inert (N₂) or oxidizing (O₂) ambient at 850 °C for times ranging from 2 to 10 h. The silicon self-interstitial (I) flux coming from the surface under oxidation enhances the C diffusion with respect to the N₂-annealed samples. In the early stages of the oxidation process, the loss of C from the SiGeC layer by diffusion across the layer/cap interface dominates. This phenomenon saturates after an initial period (2–4 h), which depends on the C concentration. This saturation is due to the formation and growth of C-containing precipitates that are promoted by the I injection and act as a sink for mobile C atoms. The influence of carbon concentration on the competition between precipitation and diffusion is discussed. Received: 19 October 2001 / Accepted: 19 December 2001 / Published online: 20 March 2002 / Published online: 20 March 2002     

Metric fluctuations,entropy, and the Wheeler-deWitt equation

Quantization using quantum potentials is described in terms of momentum fluctuations, and it is related to Fisher information and entropy. __________ Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Matematicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 152, No. 1, pp. 32–44, July, 2007.     

Some remarks on Newton–Sabatier methods

It is shown how Newton–Sabatier methods (arising in inverse scattering at fixed energy) can be related to spectral measures and typically when they correspond to regular potentials. A number of spectral formulae for various transmutation kernels are also given in terms of general Kontorovi?–Lebedev theory and connections to generating functions, generalized orthogonal polynomials, etc. are indicated.     

Strong formulations for mixed integer programs: valid inequalities and extended formulations

 We examine progress over the last fifteen years in finding strong valid inequalities and tight extended formulations for simple mixed integer sets lying both on the ``easy' and ``hard' sides of the complexity frontier. Most progress has been made in studying sets arising from knapsack and single node flow sets, and a variety of sets motivated by different lot-sizing models. We conclude by citing briefly some of the more intriguing new avenues of research. Received: January 15, 2003 / Accepted: April 10, 2003 Published online: May 28, 2003 Key words. mixed integer programming – strong valid inequalities – convex hull – extended formulations – single node flow sets – lot-sizing This paper presents research results of the Belgian Program on Interuniversity Poles of Attraction initiated by the Belgian State, Prime Minister's Office, Science Policy Programming. The scientific responsibility is assumed by the authors. Research carried out with financial support of the project TMR-DONET nr. ERB FMRX–CT98–0202 of the European Union.     

Geometric Knowledge of Middle School Students in a Reform-based Mathematics Curriculum

National and international studies have found U.S. elementary students to be weak in their understandings and applications of geometric concepts. The University of Chicago School Mathematics Project's (UCMSP) Everyday Mathematics Program is one of the current reform-based elementary curricula incorporating geometry throughout the K-6 curriculum, with an emphasis on hands-on and problem-solving activities. In this study, the geometric knowledge of fifth and sixth graders using the UCSMP curriculum is compared to the knowledge of students using more traditional curricula. Because UCSMP students had been in the program since kindergarten, this research attempts to measure the longitudinal effects of such an approach. Along with an overall score, a subset of test items was used to assign each student a van Hiele level for geometric thinking, as well as a reasoning score. On all measures, UCSMP students substantially outperformed their counterparts, and nearly all differences were significant. Aspects of the UCSMP curriculum and the van Hiele model for learning geometry are discussed relative to these results.     

Nuclear forward scattering vs. conventional Mössbauer studies of atomically tailored Eu-based materials

With the decrease in size of devices, rapid characterization of nano-devices is an inevitable necessity. It is shown that Mössbauer spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation from the advanced photon source provides such a tool of investigation. Results are presented and compared for conventional Mössbauer and Nuclear Forward Scattering for ¹⁵¹Eu-doped magnesium sulfide as an example, especially at low concentrations.     

Automated method, based on micro-sequential injection, for the study of enzyme kinetics and inhibition.

A micro-reactor system with continual spectrophotometric detection has been operated in Sequential Injection lab-on-valve (SI-LOV) mode and applied to enzyme kinetics and inhibition studies, using acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) as model systems. With the advantages of automation, real-time kinetic measurement, and thorough mixing, the SI-LOV micro-reactor system allows for the monitoring of initial reaction rates and determination of reactant concentrations in the reaction mixture, both of which are essential for the determination of kinetic constants for enzymes and inhibitors. Enzyme, substrate, and inhibitor are precisely metered by the syringe pump and delivered to a stirred micro-reactor, followed by a reference scan that establishes the baseline for the following reaction rate measurement. Michaelis constants (Km) for AChE and ACE were determined to be 0.16 mM and 0.30 mM, respectively, which are consistent with literature values. The type of inhibition (competitive, uncompetitive, or mixed), the dissociation constants for the inhibitors, and the inhibitor dose-response curves were also determined.