A study of structural, compositional and optical properties of spray-deposited non-stoichiometric (Zn,Fe)S thin films

Non-stoichiometric ternary chalcogenides (Zn,Fe)S were prepared in the film form by pyrolytic spray deposition technique, using air/nitrogen as the carrier gas. The precursor solution comprised of ZnCl₂, FeCl₂ and thiourea. The depositions were carried out under optimum conditions of experimental parameters viz. carrier gas (air/nitrogen) flow rate, concentration of precursor constituents, nozzle substrate distance and temperature of quartz substrate. The deposited thin films were later sintered in argon at 1073 K for 120 min.The structural, compositional and optical properties of the sintered thin films were studied. X-ray diffraction studies of the thin films indicated the presence of (Zn,Fe)S solid solution with prominent cubic sphalerite phase while surface morphology as determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a granular structure.The chemical composition of the resulting thin films as analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) reflected the composition of the precursor solutions from which the depositions were carried out with Fe at% values ranging from 0.4 up to 33.SEM micrographs of thin films reveal that the grain sizes of the thin films prepared using air as carrier gas and N₂ as carrier gas are in the vicinity of 300 and 150 nm, respectively.The diffuse transmittance measurements for thin films, as a function of wavelength reveal the dependence of direct optical band gap on Fe content and type of phase.     

Development of a quantitative FI-MS technique for the characterization of high- and nonboiling saturated hydrocarbon mixtures

Summary Using a saturated non-boiling hydrocarbon mixture, the influence of two parameters on the results of field ionization mass spectrometry (FI-MS) measurements was studied: (a) the potential difference between the FI emitter and the counterelectrode; (b) the emitter temperature.Variation of the potential difference had only a minor effect on the average molecular mass measured and had no evident effect on the relative ring number distribution in the sample. In contrast, when the emitter temperature was increased, higher average molecular masses were recorded. Moreover, the average molecular masses shifted to higher ring numbers. In order to control the relationship between the described influences during mixture analysis, measuring instructions have been developed that enable the quantitative analysis of unknown saturated samples. However, average molecular mass of the mixture must be known.

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Entwicklung einer quantitativen FI-MS-Methode zur Charakterisierung von gesättigten hoch- und nichtsiedenden Kohlenwasserstoffgemischen

     

The benefit of practice for sound localization without sight

An experiment was designed to determine whether normally sighted human subjects would be able to adapt to the handicapping effects of sudden deprivation of visual cues on horizontal plane sound localization. Two groups of sighted normal-hearing young adults participated. One group was allowed the benefit of sight. The other group was blindfolded. Measurements of accuracy and the time to respond were made daily over the course of five consecutive days, in a semi-reverberant sound proof booth that modeled listening in a small office. Sound localization was assessed using an array of eight speakers that surrounded the subject in space. Each day, one block of 120 trials was presented for each of three stimuli, two one-third octave noise bands, centred at 0.5 and 4 kHz, and broadband noise, to assess the utilization of interaural temporal difference cues, interaural level difference cues and binaural and spectral cues in combination. Blindfolded subjects were relatively less accurate than sighted subjects. Both groups showed gains with practice, the blindfolded group to a greater degree, largely due to improvements in the use of spectral cues. The blindfolded group took longer to respond than the sighted group, but showed greater decrements in response time with practice.     

Kreiszylindrische Behälter auf nachgiebiger Unterlage

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

A Practical Solution to a Cargo Loading Problem at Bethlehem Steel

The optimum assignment of structural steel shapes to rail cars is an important logistical problem in the steel industry. In this paper, we discuss an application at Bethlehem Steel that not only involves weight and dimensional constraints, but also customer unloading constraints. The formulation is a generalized bin packing problem which is solved by modifying and extending the first fit decreasing algorithm. The solution algorithm, SOLID (for Structural Optimal Loading IDentification), has been used extensively for one of Bethlehem's high tonnage customers providing very good practical (implementable) results that achieve the desired goals. Bethlehem has enhanced this approach for use with other customers.     

Generalized Physical and SRB Measures for Hyperbolic Diffeomorphisms

In this paper we introduce the notion of generalized physical and SRB measures. These measures naturally generalize classical physical and SRB measures to measures which are supported on invariant sets that are not necessarily attractors. We then perform a detailed case study of these measures for hyperbolic Hènon maps. For this class of systems we are able to develop a complete theory about the existence, uniqueness, finiteness, and properties of these natural measures. Moreover, we derive a classification for the existence of a measure of full dimension. We also consider general hyperbolic surface diffeomorphisms and discuss possible extensions of, as well as the differences to, the results for Hènon maps. Finally, we study the regular dependence of the dimension of the generalized physical/SRB measure on the diffeomorphism. For the proofs we apply various techniques from smooth ergodic theory including the thermodynamic formalism. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification. Primary: 37C45, 37D20, 37D35, Secondary: 37A35, 37E30     

LIDAR mapping of ozone-episode dynamics in Paris and intercomparison with spot analyzers Supplementary material available at http://link.springer.de/journals/apb

Continuous mapping of an ozone episode in Paris in June 1999 has been performed using a differential absorption lidar system. The 2D ozone concentration vertical maps recorded over 33 h at the Champ de Mars are compiled in a video clip that gives access to local photochemical dynamics with unprecedented precision. The lidar data are compared over the whole period with point monitors located at 0-, 50-, and 300-m altitudes on the Eiffel Tower. Very good agreement is found when spatial resolution, acquisition time, and required concentration accuracy are optimized. Sensitivity to these parameters for successful intercomparison in urban areas is discussed. Received: 11 February 2002 / Published online: 14 March 2002