Temperature dependence and characterization of gold thin film actuated membranes for radio frequency microelectromechanical switches

Over the last 10 years, the development and the understanding of the mechanical properties of thin film material have been essential for improving the reliability and lifetime in operation of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Although the properties of a bulk material might be well characterized, thin-film properties are considerably different from those of the bulk and it cannot be assumed that mechanical properties measured using bulk specimens will apply to the same materials when used as a thin film in MEMS. For many microelectronic thin films, the material properties depend strongly on the details of the deposition process and the growth conditions on its substrate. ^ The purpose of this dissertation is to determine the temperature dependence of a gold thin film membrane on the pull down voltage of a MEMS switch as the temperature is varied from room temperature (300 K) to cryogenic temperature (10 K). For this purpose, an RF MEMS shunt switch was designed and fabricated. The switch is composed of a gold coplanar waveguide structure with a gold bridge membrane suspended above an area of the center conductor which is covered by a dielectric (BaTiO3). The gold membrane is actuated by an electrostatic force acting between the transmission line and the membrane when voltage is applied. ^ Material characterization of the gold evaporated thin film membrane was obtained via AFM, SEM, TEM and X-ray diffraction analyses. A mathematical relation was used to estimate the pull down voltage of the switch at cryogenic temperature and results showed that the mathematical theory match the experimental values of the tested MEMS switches. ^

Colonialism, political unconscious and cognitive mapping in the space of the film "Captain Phillips"

The purpose of this article has been made through a Marxist analysis of the US film "Captain Phillips" (PaulGreengrass, 2013), based on a true story. I have found how the evolution of capitalism in the West continuesto consolidate the belief reified in a historical and geographical superiority of the political and socioeconomicwestern models regarding Africa and Asia lowers models. At the same time, through categories like dialecticalmaterialism, criticism of diffusionist theory and application of cognitive mapping to large geopoliticalspaces located in most poor areas of the world, I have realized a remark about currently being articulatingthe political unconscious of working class in rich countries and the poor in poor countries, establishing arelationship between the ideological representation that takes an individual from his historical reality (ona scale that moves from local to global), and how he has developed a mental ability to escape of the responsibilityto make a critical review of what's happening around him in all areas. Finally, through physicalspace captured in the film, I have realized a materialist critique of globalized business process that takesplace through the carriage of goods, outlining spatial and cognitively limits of the mentality of our time, bothamong "winners"as among the "losers", based on the spatial movement of capital.

Motivating film title translation: a cognitive análisis

This proposal is a non-quantitative study based on a corpus of real data which offers a principled account of the translation strategies employed in the translation of English film titles into Spanish in terms of cognitive modeling. More specifically, we draw on Ruiz de Mendoza and Galera’s (2014) work on what they term content (or low-level) cognitive operations, based on either ‘stands for’ or ‘identity’ relations, in order to investigate possible motivating factors for translations which abide by oblique procedures, i.e. for non-literal renderings of source titles. The present proposal is made in consonance with recent findings within the framework of Cognitive Linguistics (Samaniego 2007), which evidence that this linguistic approach can fruitfully address some relevant issues in Translation Studies, the most outstanding for our purposes being the exploration of the cognitive operations which account for the use of translation strategies (Rojo and Ibarretxe-Antuñano 2013: 10), mainly expansion and reduction operations, parameterization, echoing, mitigation and comparison by contrast. This fits in nicely with a descriptive approach to translation and particularly with skopos theory, whose main aim consists in achieving functionally adequate renderings of source texts.

Understanding the Patient Experience Through the Power of Film: a Mixed Method Qualitative Research Study

Background For decades film has proved to be a powerful form of communication. Whether produced as entertainment, art or documentary, films have the capacity to inform and move us. Films are a highly attractive teaching instrument and an appropriate teaching method in health education. It is a valuable tool for studying situations most transcendental to human beings such as pain, disease and death. Objectives The objectives were to determine how this helps students engage with their role as health care professionals; to determine how they view the personal experience of illness, disease, disability or death; and to determine how this may impact upon their provision of patient care. Design, Setting and Participants The project was underpinned by the film selection determined by considerate review, intensive scrutiny, contemplation and discourse by the research team. 7 films were selected, ranging from animation; foreign, documentary, biopic and Hollywood drama. Each film was shown discretely, in an acoustic lecture theatre projected onto a large screen to pre-registration student nurses (adult, child and mental health) across each year of study from different cohorts (n = 49). Method A mixed qualitative method approach consisted of audio-recorded 5-minute reactions post film screening; coded questionnaires; and focus group. Findings were drawn from the impact of the films through thematic analysis of data sets and subjective text condensation categorised as: new insights looking through patient eyes; evoking emotion in student nurses; spiritual care; going to the moves to learn about the patient experience; self discovery through films; using films to link theory to practice. Results Deeper learning through film as a powerful medium was identified in meeting the objectives of the study. Integration of film into pre registration curriculum, pedagogy, teaching and learning is recommended. Conclusion The teaching potential of film stems from the visual process linked to human emotion and experience. Its impact has the power to not only help in learning the values that underpin nursing, but also for respecting the patient experience of disease, disability, death and its reality.

Liquid film dynamics in horizontal and tilted tubes: dry spots and sliding drops

Using a model derived from lubrication theory, we consider the evolution of a thin viscous film coating the interior or exterior of a cylindrical tube. The flow is driven by surface tension and gravity and the liquid is assumed to wet the cylinder perfectly. When the tube is horizontal, we use large-time simulations to describe the bifurcation structure of the capillary equilibria appearing at low Bond number. We identify a new film configuration in which an isolated dry patch appears at the top of the tube and demonstrate hysteresis in the transition between rivulets and annular collars as the tube length is varied. For a tube tilted to the vertical, we show how a long initially uniform rivulet can break up first into isolated drops and then annular collars, which subsequently merge. We also show that the speed at which a localized drop moves down the base of a tilted tube is non-monotonic in tilt angle.

Feminist Disability Theory: Domestic Violence Against Women with a Disability

Women with a disability continue to experience social oppression and domestic violence as a consequence of gender and disability dimensions. Current explanations of domestic violence and disability inadequately explain several features that lead women who have a disability to experience violent situations. This article incorporates both disability and material feminist theory as an alternative explanation to the dominant approaches (psychological and sociological traditions) of conceptualising domestic violence. This paper is informed by a study which was concerned with examining the nature and perceptions of violence against women with a physical impairment. The emerging analytical framework integrating material feminist interpretations and disability theory provided a basis for exploring gender and disability dimensions. Insight was also provided by the women who identified as having a disability in the study and who explained domestic violence in terms of a gendered and disabling experience. The article argues that material feminist interpretations and disability theory, with their emphasis on gender relations, disablism and poverty, should be used as an alternative tool for exploring the nature and consequences of violence against women with a disability.

Investigation of RuO2/Ta2O5 thin film evolution by thermogravimetry combined with mass spectrometry

The thermal evolution process of RuO2–Ta2O5/Ti coatings with varying noble metal content has been investigated under in situ conditions by thermogravimetry combined with mass spectrometry. The gel-like films prepared from alcoholic solutions of the precursor salts (RuCl3·3H2O, TaCl5) onto titanium metal support were heated in an atmosphere containing 20% O2 and 80% Ar up to 600 °C. The evolution of the mixed oxide coatings was followed by the mass spectrometric ion intensity curves. The cracking of retained solvent and the combustion of organic surface species formed were also followed by the mass spectrometric curves. The formation of carbonyl- and carboxylate-type surface species connected to the noble metal was identified by Fourier transform infrared emission spectroscopy. These secondary processes–catalyzed by the noble metal–may play an important role in the development of surface morphology and electrochemical properties. The evolution of the two oxide phases does not take place independently, and the effect of the noble metal as a combustion catalyst was proved.