Energy landscape view of phase transitions and slow dynamics in thermotropic liquid crystals

Thermotropic liquid crystals are known to display rich phase behavior on temperature variation. Although the nematic phase is orientationally ordered but translationally disordered, a smectic phase is characterized by the appearance of a partial translational order in addition to a further increase in orientational order. In an attempt to understand the interplay between orientational and translational order in the mesophases that thermotropic liquid crystals typically exhibit upon cooling from the high-temperature isotropic phase, we investigate the potential energy landscapes of a family of model liquid crystalline systems. The configurations of the system corresponding to the local potential energy minima, known as the inherent structures, are determined from computer simulations across the mesophases. We find that the depth of the potential energy minima explored by the system along an isochor grows through the nematic phase as temperature drops in contrast to its insensitivity to temperature in the isotropic and smectic phases. The onset of the growth of the orientational order in the parent phase is found to induce a translational order, resulting in a smectic-like layer in the underlying inherent structures; the inherent structures, surprisingly, never seem to sustain orientational order alone if the parent nematic phase is sandwiched between the high-temperature isotropic phase and the low-temperature smectic phase. The Arrhenius temperature dependence of the orientational relaxation time breaks down near the isotropic-nematic transition. We find that this breakdown occurs at a temperature below which the system explores increasingly deeper potential energy minima.

Design of first- and second-order sliding mode observers for induction motors using a stator-flux model

We extend current research in the area of 'sensorless' control of induction motors by presenting two observers based on first- and second-order sliding mode control theories for the simultaneous estimation of flux and speed. We base the observers on the stator-flux model of the motor instead of the usual rotor-flux model mainly because of the uncertain rotor resistance that plays a significant role in the latter. By designing the observers as if they are sliding mode controllers, we lend the properties of parameter insensitive closed-loop dynamics and finite time convergence to the stator flux and speed estimation schemes. We also present simulation and experimental results to validate the operation of the observers.

Charge-order driven multiferroic and magneto-dielectric properties of rare earth manganates

Charge-order driven magnetic ferroelectricity is shown to occur in several rare earth manganates of the general formula, Ln(1-x)A(x)MnO(3) (In = rare earth, A = alkaline earth). Charge-ordered manganates exhibit dielectric constant anomalies around the charge-ordering or the antiferromagnetic transition temperature. Magnetic fields have a marked effect on the dielectric properties of these compounds, indicating the presence of coupling between the magnetic and electrical order parameters. Magneto-dielectric properties are retained in small particles of the manganates. The observation of magneto-ferroelectricity in these manganates is in accordance with theoretical predictions.

Charge-order driven multiferroic and magneto-dielectric properties of rare earth manganates

Charge-order driven magnetic ferroelectricity is shown to occur in several rare earth manganates of the general formula, Ln(1-x)A(x)MnO(3) (In = rare earth, A = alkaline earth). Charge-ordered manganates exhibit dielectric constant anomalies around the charge-ordering or the antiferromagnetic transition temperature. Magnetic fields have a marked effect on the dielectric properties of these compounds, indicating the presence of coupling between the magnetic and electrical order parameters. Magneto-dielectric properties are retained in small particles of the manganates. The observation of magneto-ferroelectricity in these manganates is in accordance with theoretical predictions.

Robust fixed order lateral H-2 controller for micro air vehicle

This paper presents a robust fixed order H-2 controller design using Strengthened discrete optimal projection equations, which approximate the first order necessary optimality condition. The novelty of this work is the application of the robust H-2 controller to a micro aerial vehicle named Sarika2 developed in house. The controller is designed in discrete domain for the lateral dynamics of Sarika2 in the presence of low frequency atmospheric turbulence (gust) and high frequency sensor noise. The design specification includes simultaneous stabilization, disturbance rejection and noise attenuation over the entire flight envelope of the vehicle. The resulting controller performance is comprehensively analyzed by means of simulation.

Second order cone programming approaches for handling missing and uncertain data

We propose a novel second order cone programming formulation for designing robust classifiers which can handle uncertainty in observations. Similar formulations are also derived for designing regression functions which are robust to uncertainties in the regression setting. The proposed formulations are independent of the underlying distribution, requiring only the existence of second order moments. These formulations are then specialized to the case of missing values in observations for both classification and regression problems. Experiments show that the proposed formulations outperform imputation.

Suppression of charge order, disappearance of antiferromagnetism, and emergence of ferromagnetism in Nd0.5Ca0.5MnO3 nanoparticles

Nd0.5Ca0.5MnO3 nanoparticles (average diameter similar to 20 and 40 nm) are synthesized by the polymeric precursor sol-gel method and characterized by various physico-chemical techniques. Quite strikingly, in the 20 nm particles, the charge-ordered (CO) and the antiferromagnetic phases observed in the bulk below 250 K and 160 K, respectively, are completely absent. Instead, a ferromagnetic (FM) transition is observed at 95 K followed by an insulator-to-metal transition at 75 K. The 40 nm particles show a residual CO phase but a transition to the FM state also occurs, at a slightly higher temperature of 110 K.

Trapped waves in the neighborhood of a sonic-type singularity

A model equation is derived to study trapped nonlinear waves with a turning effect, occurring in disturbances induced on a two-dimensional steady flow. Only unimodal disturbances under the short wave assumption are considered, when the wave front of the induced disturbance is plane. In the neighbourhood of certain special points of sonic-type singularity, the disturbances are governed by a single first-order partial differential equation in two independent variables. The equation depends on the steady flow through three parameters, which are determined by the variations of velocity and depth, for example (in the case of long surface water waves), along and perpendicular to the wave front. These parameters help us to examine various relative effects. The presence of shocks in a continuously accelerating or decelerating flow has been studied in detail.

Time Scale Separated Nonlinear Partial Integrated Guidance and Control of Interceptors in the Terminal Phase

The paper proposes a time scale separated partial integrated guidance and control of an interceptor for engaging high speed targets in the terminal phase. In this two loop design, the outer loop is an optimal control formulation based on nonlinear model predictive spread control philosophies. It gives the commanded pitch and yaw rates whereas necessary roll-rate command is generated from a roll-stabilization loop. The inner loop tracks the outer loop commands using the dynamicinversion philosophy. However, unlike conventional designs, in both the loops the Six degree of freedom (Six-DOF) interceptor model is used directly. This intelligent manipulation preserves the inherent time scale separation property between the translational and rotational dynamics, and hence overcomes the deficiency of current IGC designs, while preserving its benefits. Six-DOF simulation studies have been carried out accounting for three dimensional engagement geometry. Different comparison studies were also conducted to measure the performance of the algorithm.

Evolution of magnetic order in the system LaNi1-xMnxO3 (x < 0.10)

Magnetic susceptibility measurements on dilute solid-solutions LaNi1-xMnxO3 (x < 0.1) have been carried out. With increasing x the magnetic susceptibility behaviour changes from Pauli paramagnetic to Curie-Weiss type. The temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) changes sign around x = 0.03 but the system seems to be metallic in terms of showing a finite extrapolated conductivity at 0 K even when x = 0.10. The x = 0.10 system shows indications of spin-glass like behaviour.

Chronopotentiometry with power-law perturbation functions at an expanding plane electrode with and without a preceding blank period for systems with a coupled first-order homogeneous chemical reaction

The systems formalism is used to obtain the interfacial concentration transients for power-law current input at an expanding plane electrode. The explicit results for the concentration transients obtained here pertain to arbitrary homogeneous reaction schemes coupled to the oxidant and reductant of a single charge-transfer step and the power-law form without and with a preceding blank period (for two types of power-law current profile, say, (i) I(t) = I0(t−t0)q for t greater-or-equal, slanted t0, I(t) = 0 for t < t0; and (ii) I(t) = I0tq for t greater-or-equal, slanted t0, I(t) = 0 for t < t0). Finally the potential transients are obtained using Padé approximants. The results of Galvez et al. (for E, CE, EC, aC) (J. Electroanal. Chem., 132 (1982) 15; 146 (1983) 221, 233, 243), Molina et al. (for E) (J. Electroanal. Chem., 227 (1987) 1 and Kies (for E) (J. Electroanal. Chem., 45 (1973) 71) are obtained as special cases.

Extension of Darken's Quadratic Formalism to Dilute Multicomponent Solutions

Darken's quadratic formalism is extended to multicomponent solutions. Equations are developed for the representation of the integral and partial excess free energies, entropies and enthalpies in dilute multicomponent solutions. Quadratic formalism applied to multicomponent solutions is thermodynamically consistent. The formalism is compared with the conventional second order Maclaurin series or interaction parameter representation and the relations between them are derived. Advantages of the quadratic formalism are discussed.