Nonperturbative approach to potentials in impenetrable boxes based on quasi-exact solvability

In this work we develop an approach to obtain analytical expressions for potentials in an impenetrable box. In this kind of system the expression has the advantage of being valid for arbitrary values of the box length, and respect the correct quantum limits. The similarity of this kind of problem with the quasi exactly solvable potentials is explored in order to accomplish our goals. Problems related to the break of symmetries and simultaneous eigenfunctions of commuting operators are discussed.

Morphological analysis of pits formed on Al 2024-T3 in chloride aqueous solution

It has been used a new image analysis method, based on segmentation by shape parameters, for pits morphology examination from Al 2024 aluminum-copper alloy in chloride aqueous solution. Corrosion behavior of this alloys in naturally aerated 3.5% NaCl solution has been investigated through open circuit potential measurements. Afterwards, pits have been characterized by image analysis taking density and size measurements right from corroded surfaces. Morphological investigation has been conducted for profiles, cut orthogonally from mean surface planes, and observed through light microscopy. Image analysis data could demonstrate that pits are wider than deep, evoluting for conical, quasi-conical or irregular shapes. Most pits have presented a quasi-conical morphology, but the wider ones have evoluted to an irregular shape influenced by sub-surface microstructure. Image analysis based on shape segmentation could enhance the differences on morphological behavior. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An adaptive chart for monitoring the process mean and variance

Traditionally, an (X) over bar chart is used to control the process mean and an R chart is used to control the process variance. However, these charts are not sensitive to small changes in the process parameters. The adaptive ($) over bar and R charts might be considered if the aim is to detect small disturbances. Due to the statistical character of the joint (X) over bar and R charts with fixed or adaptive parameters, they are not reliable in identifing the nature of the disturbance, whether it is one that shifts the process mean, increases the process variance, or leads to a combination of both effects. In practice, the speed with which the control charts detect process changes may be more important than their ability in identifying the nature of the change. Under these circumstances, it seems to be advantageous to consider a single chart, based on only one statistic, to simultaneously monitor the process mean and variance. In this paper, we propose the adaptive non-central chi-square statistic chart. This new chart is more effective than the adaptive (X) over bar and R charts in detecting disturbances that shift the process mean, increase the process variance, or lead to a combination of both effects. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Synthetic control chart for monitoring the pprocess mean and variance

In this article, we consider the synthetic control chart with two-stage sampling (SyTS chart) to control the process mean and variance. During the first stage, one item of the sample is inspected; if its value X, is close to the target value of the process mean, then the sampling is interrupted. Otherwise, the sampling goes on to the second stage, where the remaining items are inspected and the statistic T = Sigma [x(i) - mu(0) + xi sigma(0)](2) is computed taking into account all items of the sample. The design parameter is function of X-1. When the statistic T is larger than a specified value, the sample is classified as nonconforming. According to the synthetic procedure, the signal is based on Conforming Run Length (CRL). The CRL is the number of samples taken from the process since the previous nonconforming sample until the occurrence of the next nonconforming sample. If the CRL is sufficiently small, then a signal is generated. A comparative study shows that the SyTS chart and the joint X and S charts with double sampling are very similar in performance. However, from the practical viewpoint, the SyTS chart is more convenient to administer than the joint charts.

X charts with supplementary samples to control the mean and variance

A standard X chart for controlling a process takes regular individual observations, for instance every half hour. This article proposes a modification of the X chart that allows one to take supplementary samples. The supplementary sample is taken (and the (X) over bar and R values computed) when the current value of X falls outside the control limits. With the supplementary sample, the signal of out-of-control is given by an (X) over bar value outside the (X) over bar chart's control limits or an R value outside the R chart's control limit. The proposed chart is designed to hold the supplementary sample frequency, during the in-control period, as low as 5% or less. In this context, the practitioner might prefer to verify an out-of-control condition by simply comparing the (X) over bar and R values with the control limits. In other words, without plotting the (X) over bar and R points. The X chart with supplementary samples has two major advantages when compared with the standard (X) over bar and A charts: (a) the user will be plotting X values instead of (X) over bar and R values; (b) the shifts in the process mean and/or changes in the process variance are detected faster.

Self-bound droplet of Bose and Fermi atoms in one dimension: Collective properties in mean-field and Tonks-Girardeau regimes

We investigate a dilute mixture of bosons and spin-polarized fermions in one dimension. With an attractive Bose-Fermi scattering length the ground state is a self-bound droplet, i.e., a Bose-Fermi bright soliton where the Bose and Fermi clouds are superimposed. We find that the quantum fluctuations stabilize the Bose-Fermi soliton such that the one-dimensional bright soliton exists for any finite attractive Bose-Fermi scattering length. We study density profile and collective excitations of the atomic bright soliton showing that they depend on the bosonic regime involved: mean-field or Tonks-Girardeau.

Preparation of ceramic membranes from surface modified tin oxide nanoparticles

The preparation of crack-free SnO2 supported membranes requires the development of new strategies of synthesis capable to allow controlled changes of surface chemistry and to improve the processability of supported layers. In this way, the controlled modification of the SnO2 nanoparticle surface by adding capping molecules like Tiron(R) ((OH)(2)C6H2(SO3Na)(2)) during the sol-gel process was studied, aiming to obtain high performance membranes. Colloidal suspensions were prepared by hydrolyzing SnCl4.5H(2)O aqueous solution with NH4OH in presence of Tiron(R). The effect of the amount of Tiro(R) (from I to 20 wt.%) on the structural features of nanoparticles, powder redispersability and particle-solution interface properties was investigated by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), quasi-elastic light scattering and electrophoretic mobility measurements. XRPD and EXAFS results showed that the addition of Tiron(R) up to 20 wt.% to colloidal suspensions does not affect the crystallite size of SnO2 primary particles, determined around 2-3 nm. This value is comparable to the hydrodynamic size measured after redispersion of powder prepared with amount of Tiro(R) higher than 7.5 wt.%, indicating the absence of condensation reactions between primary particles after the initial precipitation step. As a consequence the powder with amount of Tiron(R) > 7.5 wt.%, can be fully redispersed in aqueous solution at pH greater than or equal to I I until a nanoparticle concentration of 6 vol.%. The electrophoresis measurements showed a decrease of the isoelectric point by increasing the amount of grafted Tiron(R) at the SnO2 nanoparticle surface, resulting in negatively charged particle-solution interface in all the studied pH range (2-11). These features govern the gelation process favoring the preparation of crack-free SnO2 supported membranes. The control exercised by Tiron(R) modifying agent in the aggregation process allows the fine-tuning of the porosity, from 0.124 to 0.065 cm(3) g(-1), and mean pore size, from 6.4 to 1.9 nm, as the amount of grafted molecules increases from 0 to 10 wt.%. In consequence, the membrane cut-off determined by filtration of polyethylene glycol standard solutions can be screened from 1500 to 3500 g mol(-1). (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Relativistic deformed mean-field calculation of binding energy differences of mirror nuclei

Binding energy differences of mirror nuclei for A = 15, 17, 27, 29, 31, 33, 39 and 41 are calculated in the framework of relativistic deformed mean-field theory. To fully include the effects of the polarization of the nuclear core due to the extra particle or hole, the spatial components of the vector meson fields and the photon are taken into account in a self-consistent manner. The calculated binding energy differences are systematically smaller than the experimental values and lend support to the existency of the Okamoto-Nolen-Schiffer anomaly found decades ago in nonrelativistic calculations, For the majority of the nuclei studied, however, the results are such that the anomaly is significantly smaller than the one obtained within state-of-the-art nonrelativistic calculations.

A new proposal of Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) to work with paraconsistent annotated logic

It can be observed that the number and the complexity of the application's domains, where the Paraconsistent Annotated Logic has been used, have grown a lot in the last decade. This increase in the complexity of the application's domain is an extra challenge for the designers of such systems, once there are not suitable computer hardware to run paraconsistent systems. This work proposes a new hardware architecture for the building Paraconsistent system.

Monitoring process mean and variability with one non-central chi-square chart

Traditionally, an (X) over bar -chart is used to control the process mean and an R-chart to control the process variance. However, these charts are not sensitive to small changes in process parameters. A good alternative to these charts is the exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) control chart for controlling the process mean and variability, which is very effective in detecting small process disturbances. In this paper, we propose a single chart that is based on the non-central chi-square statistic, which is more effective than the joint (X) over bar and R charts in detecting assignable cause(s) that change the process mean and/or increase variability. It is also shown that the EWMA control chart based on a non-central chi-square statistic is more effective in detecting both increases and decreases in mean and/or variability.

Band-edge states of the zero(th)-order gap in quasi-periodic photonic superlattices

The photonic modes of Thue-Morse and Fibonacci lattices with generating layers A and B, of positive and negative indices of refraction, are calculated by the transfer-matrix technique. For Thue-Morse lattices, as well for periodic lattices with AB unit cell, the constructive interference of reflected waves, corresponding to the zero(th)-order gap, takes place when the optical paths in single layers A and B are commensurate. In contrast, for Fibonacci lattices of high order, the same phenomenon occurs when the ratio of those optical paths is close to the golden ratio. In the long wavelength limit, analytical expressions defining the edge frequencies of the zero(th) order gap are obtained for both quasi-periodic lattices. Furthermore, analytical expressions that define the gap edges around the zero(th) order gap are shown to correspond to the = 0 and = 0 conditions.

Monitoring the process mean and variance using a synthetic control chart with two-stage testing

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Photoluminescence in quasi-amorphous Pb0.8X0.2Zr0.53Ti0.47O3 (X = Ca, Sr and Ba) powders: An optical and structural study

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Carbon monoxide oxidation over platinum: Stable, oscillatory and quasi-chaotic regimes

We model the heterogeneously catalyzed oxidation of CO over a Pt surface. A phase diagram analysis is used to probe the several steady state regimes and their stability. We incorporate an experimentally observed 'slow' sub-oxide kinetic step, thereby generalizing a previously presented model. In agreement with experimental data, stable, oscillatory and quasi-chaotic regimes are obtained. Furthermore, the inclusion of the sub-oxide step yields a relaxation oscillation regime. © 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.