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Books > Science & Mathematics > Physics > Applied physics & special topics > General
Eminent physicist and economist, Robert Ayres, examines the history of technology as a change agent in society, focusing on societal roots rather than technology as an autonomous, self-perpetuating phenomenon. With rare exceptions, technology is developed in response to societal needs that have evolutionary roots and causes. In our genus Homo, language evolved in response to a need for our ancestors to communicate, both in the moment, and to posterity. A band of hunters had no chance in competition with predators that were larger and faster without this type of organization, which eventually gave birth to writing and music. The steam engine did not leap fully formed from the brain of James Watt. It evolved from a need to pump water out of coal mines, driven by a need to burn coal instead of firewood, in turn due to deforestation. Later, the steam engine made machines and mechanization possible. Even quite simple machines increased human productivity by a factor of hundreds, if not thousands. That was the Industrial Revolution. If we count electricity and the automobile as a second industrial revolution, and the digital computer as the beginning of a third, the world is now on the cusp of a fourth revolution led by microbiology. These industrial revolutions have benefited many in the short term, but devastated the Earth's ecosystems. Can technology save the human race from the catastrophic consequences of its past success? That is the question this book will try to answer.
This book is about the strategic relevance of quantum technologies. It debates the military-specific aspects of this technology. Various chapters of this book cohere around two specific themes. The first theme discusses the global pattern of ongoing civilian and military research on quantum computers, quantum cryptography, quantum communications and quantum internet. The second theme explicitly identifies the relevance of these technologies in the military domain and the possible nature of quantum technology-based weapons. This thread further debates on quantum (arms) race at a global level in general, and in the context of the USA and China, in particular. The book argues that the defence utility of these technologies is increasingly becoming obvious and is likely to change the nature of warfare in the future.
This first book on load-pull systems is intended for readers with a broad knowledge of high frequency transistor device characterization, nonlinear and linear microwave measurements, RF power amplifiers and transmitters. Load-Pull Techniques with Applications to Power Amplifier Design fulfills the demands of users, designers, and researchers both from industry and academia who have felt the need of a book on this topic. It presents a comprehensive reference spanning different load-pull measurement systems, waveform measurement and engineering systems, and associated calibration procedures for accurate large signal characterization. Besides, this book also provides in-depth practical considerations required in the realization and usage of load-pull and waveform engineering systems. In addition, it also provides procedure to design application specific load-pull setup and includes several case studies where the user can customize architecture of load-pull setups to meet any specific measurement requirements. Furthermore, the materials covered in this book can be part of a full semester graduate course on microwave device characterization and power amplifier design.
The major developments in the field of fluid and solid mechanics
are scattered throughout an array of scientific journals, making it
often difficult to find what the real advances are, especially for
a researcher new to the field. The Advances in Applied Mechanics
book series draws together the recent significant advances in
various topics in applied mechanics.
Laser assisted fabrication involves shaping of materials using laser as a source of heat. It can be achieved by removal of materials (laser assisted cutting, drilling, etc.), deformation (bending, extrusion), joining (welding, soldering) and addition of materials (surface cladding or direct laser cladding). This book on Laser assisted Fabrication' is aimed at developing in-depth engineering concepts on various laser assisted macro and micro-fabrication techniques with the focus on application and a review of the engineering background of different micro/macro-fabrication techniques, thermal history of the treated zone and microstructural development and evolution of properties of the treated zone.
This book presents simple interdisciplinary stochastic models meant as a gentle introduction to the field of non-equilibrium statistical physics. It focuses on the analysis of two-state models with cooperative effects, which are versatile enough to be applied to many physical and social systems. The book also explores a variety of mathematical techniques to solve the master equations that govern these models: matrix theory, empty-interval methods, mean field theory, a quantum approach, and mapping onto classical Ising models. The models discussed are at the confluence of nanophysics, biology, mathematics, and the social sciences and provide a pedagogical path toward understanding the complex dynamics of particle self-assembly with the tools of statistical physics.
The book is devoted to the problem of microgeometry properties and anisotropy relations in modern piezo-active composites. These materials are characterized by various electromechanical properties and remarkable abilities to convert mechanical energy into electric energy and vice versa. Advantages of the performance of the composites are discussed in the context of the orientation effects, first studied by the authors for main connectivity patterns and with due regard to a large anisotropy of effective piezoelectric coefficients and electromechanical coupling factors. The novelty of the book consists in the systematization results of orientation effects, the anisotropy of piezoelectric properties and their role in forming considerable hydrostatic piezoelectric coefficients, electromechanical coupling factors and other parameters in the composites based on either ferroelectric ceramic or relaxor-ferroelectric single crystals.
This text is an introduction to the physics of collisional plasmas, as opposed to plasmas in space. It is intended for graduate students in physics and engineering . The first chapter introduces with progressively increasing detail, the fundamental concepts of plasma physic. The motion of individual charged particles in various configurations of electric and magnetic fields is detailed in the second chapter while the third chapter considers the collective motion of the plasma particles described according to a hydrodynamic model. The fourth chapter is most original in that it introduces a general approach to energy balance, valid for all types of discharges comprising direct current(DC) and high frequency (HF) discharges, including an applied static magnetic field. The basic concepts required in this fourth chapter have been progressively introduced in the previous chapters. The text is enriched with approx. 100 figures, and alphabetical index and 45 fully resolved problems. Mathematical and physical appendices provide complementary information or allow to go deeper in a given subject.
This volume is a compilation of significant papers by leading scientists exploring exciting frontiers of physics. It presents the latest results in well-defined fields as well as fields represented by the interfaces between mainstream sciences.G 't Hooft is the 1999 Nobel Laureate in Physics and A Richter is the Stern-Gerlach prize recipient of 2000.
These Proceedings contain the papers presented at the 1stAsian
Pacific Congress on "Computational Mechanics" held in Sydney, on
20-23 November 2001.
This book gives a representative survey of the state of the art of research on gas-surface interactions. It provides an overview of the current understanding of gas surface dynamics and, in particular, of the reactive and non-reactive processes of atoms and small molecules at surfaces. Leading scientists in the field, both from the theoretical and the experimental sides, write in this book about their most recent advances. Surface science grew as an interdisciplinary research area over the last decades, mostly because of new experimental technologies (ultra-high vacuum, for instance), as well as because of a novel paradigm, the 'surface science' approach. The book describes the second transformation which is now taking place pushed by the availability of powerful quantum-mechanical theoretical methods implemented numerically. In the book, experiment and theory progress hand in hand with an unprecedented degree of accuracy and control. The book presents how modern surface science targets the atomic-level understanding of physical and chemical processes at surfaces, with particular emphasis on dynamical aspects. This book is a reference in the field.
This book describes how surface tension effects can be used by engineers to provide mechanical functions in miniaturized products (<1 mm). Even if precursors of this field such as Jurin or Laplace already date back to the 18th century, describing surface tension effects from a mechanical perspective is very recent. The originality of this book is to consider the effects of capillary bridges on solids, including forces and torques exerted both statically and dynamically by the liquid along the 6 degrees-of-freedom. It provides a comprehensive approach to various applications, such as capillary adhesion (axial force), centering force in packaging and micro-assembly (lateral force) and recent developments such as a capillary motor (torque). It devises how surface tension can be used to provide mechanical functions such as actuation (bubble-actuated compliant table), sealing and tightness, energy harvesting, nanodispending.
Musical Sound, Instruments, and Equipment offers a basic understanding of sound, musical instruments and music equipment, geared towards a general audience and non-science majors. The book begins with an introduction of the fundamental properties of sound waves, and the perception of the characteristics of sound. The relation between intensity and loudness, and the relation between frequency and pitch are discussed. The basics of propagation of sound waves, and the interaction of sound waves with objects and structures of various sizes are introduced. Standing waves, harmonics and resonance are explained in simple terms, using graphics that provide a visual understanding.
This book provides a coherent and comprehensive overview of the generation and application of mono-energetic positron beams. It has been written by acknowledged experts, at a level accessible to graduate students working, or planning to work, with positron beams, and to scientists in other areas who want to know something about the field. The book begins with a brief historical introduction and an overview of how positron beams are generated and transported. A description of the fate of slow positrons in gaseous and condensed matter, with reference to many of the fundamental measurements made possible by the advent of positron beams, is followed by a discussion on applications in the study of solid surfaces, defect profiling in subsurface regions, interfaces and thin films, and the probing of bulk properties in novel ways. The book ends with a look at the future, considering the prospects for intense positron beams and their potential for further research.
The PUILS series delivers up-to-date reviews of progress in Ultrafast Intense Laser Science, a newly emerging interdisciplinary research field spanning atomic and molecular physics, molecular science, and optical science, which has been stimulated by the recent developments in ultrafast laser technologies. Each volume compiles peer-reviewed articles authored by researchers at the forefront of each their own subfields of UILS. Every chapter opens with an overview of the topics to be discussed, so that researchers unfamiliar to the subfield, as well as graduate students, can grasp the importance and attractions of the research topic at hand; these are followed by reports of cutting-edge discoveries. This ninth volume covers a broad range of topics from this interdisciplinary research field, focusing on ultrafast molecular responses to an intense laser field, advanced techniques for attosecond pulse generation, atomic and molecular responses to attosecond pulses, photoelectron spectroscopy of atoms and molecules interacting with intense light fields, and attosecond pulse interaction with solid materials.
Since the invention of the first laser 30 years ago, the frequency conversion of laser radiation in nonlinear optical crystals has become an important technique widely used in quantum electronics and laser physics for solving various scientific and engineering problems. The fundamental physics of three-wave light interactions in nonlinear optical crystals is now well understood. This has enabled the production of various harmonic generators, sum-and difference frequency generators, and optical parametric oscillators based on nonlinear optical crystals that are now commercially available. At the same time, scientists continue an active search for novel, highly efficient nonlinear optical materials. Therefore, in our opinion, there is a great need for a handbook of nonlinear optical crystals, intended for specialists and practitioners with an engineering background. This book contains a complete description of the properties and applications of all nonliner optical crystals of practical importance reported in the literature up to the beginning of 1990. In addition, it contains the most important equations for calculating the main parameters (such as phase-matching direction, effective nonlinearity, and conversion efficiency) of nonlinear frequency converters. Dolgoprudnyi, Yerevan, Troitzk v. G. Dmitriev USSR G. G. Gurzadyan October 1990 D. N. Nikogosyan Contents 1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Optics of Nonlinear Crystals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . ."
This handbook is a compendium giving a comprehensive description of the basics of semiconductor physics relevant to the design and analysis of thin film solar cell materials. It starts from the basics of material science, describing the material and its growth, defect and electrical properties, the basics of its interaction with photons and the involved statistics, proceeding to space charge effects in semiconductors and pn-junctions. Most attention is given to analyze homo- and hetero-junction solar cells using various models and applying the field-of-direction analysis for discussing current voltage characteristics, and helping to discover the involvement of high-field effects in solar cells. The comprehensive coverage of the main topics of - and relating to - solar cells with extensive reference to literature helps scientists and engineers at all levels to reach a better understanding and improvement of solar cell properties and their production. The author is one of the founders of thin film solar cell research.
This book provides an in-depth treatment of both linear fiber-optic systems and their key enabling devices. It presents a concise but rigorous treatment of the theory and practice of analog (linear) fiber-optics links and systems that constitute the foundation of Hybrid Fiber Coax infrastructure in present-day CATV distribution and cable modem Internet access. Emerging applications in remote fiber-optic feed for free-space millimeter wave enterprise campus networks are also described. Issues such as dispersion and interferometric noise are treated quantitatively, and means for mitigating them are explained. This broad but concise text will thus be invaluable not only to students of fiber-optics communication but also to practicing engineers. To the second edition of this book important new aspects of linear fiber-optic transmission technologies are added, such as high level system architectural issues, algorithms for deriving the optimal frequency assignment, directly modulated or externally modulated laser transmitters and the use of Erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) in linear fiber optic systems. Significant examples of field deployed military systems enabled by linear fiber optic links are described in an appendix.
This book highlights a novel and robust platform in the form of in-situ characterization setup for creating X-ray computed tomography (XCT)-based textile material twins. In this hybrid experimental-numerical platform, XCT images of different complex fibrous reinforcements at different levels of compaction are acquired. The images are converted into computational models for resin flow simulations. The capabilities of this hybrid framework are applied to a variety of reinforcements used in liquid composite molding processes such as 2D, 3D fabrics and dry tapes. This book is a milestone in the development of virtual manufacturing protocols using material twins of textiles, providing a step closer to the digitalization of advanced composites used in manufacturing processes for industry 4.0.
Lithium niobate, LiNbO , is an oxide ferroelectric with various kinds of pro- 3 nouncedphysicalproperties. Thisversatilityhaspromoteditscareerinscience anddevices. Ithasbeenparticularlyfruitfulintheopticalregime,wheremany e?ects have been found in LiNbO and devices introduced using it as a host. 3 One of the few big drawbacks, namely the low level laser damage threshold based on photorefraction due to extrinsic defects was discovered very early. A relatively new topic, not involved so far in any general description, is a fundamental dependence of the optical properties of LiNbO on intrinsic de- 3 fects. Their importance has been realised out due to the development of varies growthtechniquesintherecentpast. Theprogressinthegrowthandstudiesof LiNbO crystals with di?erent composition, particularly almost stoichiomet- 3 ric ones, has revealed a signi?cant and sometimes decisive role of the intrinsic defects. For example, the photoinduced charge transport, and therefore the photorefractive properties governing the recording of the phase gratings in LiNbO , are strongly controlled by the content of intrinsic defects. The re- 3 cently found impact of intrinsic defects on the coercive ?eld in LiNbO is 3 of fundamental importance for the creation of periodically poled structures (PPLN) aimed at the optical-frequency conversion in the quasi-phase mat- ing (QPM) mode of operation. As a consequence of these results, an idea of the intrinsic defects in LiNbO has been developed during the last decade 3 and involves microscopic studies on defects, photorefraction and ferroelectric switching using spectroscopic and structure methods.
This book describes the operation of a particular technique for the
production of compound semiconductor materials. It describes how
the technique works, how it can be used for the growth of
particular materials and structures, and the application of these
materials for specific devices. It contains not only a fundamental
description of the operation of the technique but also contains
lists of data useful for the everyday operation of OMVPE reactors.
It also offers specific recipes that can be used to produce a wide
range of specific materials, structures, and devices.
Technology has been the spark that ignited NATO's interest and commitment to scientific advancement during its history. Since its creation, the Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme has been instrumental to NATO's commitment to innovation, science and technological advancement. During the years, SPS has demonstrated a flexible and versatile approach to practical scientific cooperation, and has promoted knowledge-sharing, building capacity, and projected stability outside NATO territory. The priorities addressed by the SPS Programme are aligned with NATO's strategic objectives, and aim to tackle emerging security challenges that require dynamic adaptation for the prevention and mitigation of risks. By addressing priorities such as advanced technologies, hybrid threats, and counter-terrorism, the Programme deals with new, contemporary challenges. On 17-18 September 2019, the SPS Programme gathered at the KU Leuven University a wide number of researchers from a selection of on-going and recently closed SPS projects in the field of security-related advanced technologies for a "Cluster Workshop on Advanced Technologies". The workshop covered, in particular, the following scientific domains: communication systems, advanced materials, sensors and detectors, and unmanned and autonomous systems. This book provides an overview on how these projects have contributed to the development of new technologies and innovative solutions and recommendations for future actions in the NATO SPS programme. |
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