bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Theoretical study of Urbach tail behavior in Hg1−xCdxTe in the 0.21 ≤ x ≤ 0.6 medium and far infrared optical ranges
Authors: Mokdad N. , Mami F. Z. , Boukli-Hacène N. , Zitouni K. , Kadri A.
Published: November 2022

We present a theoretical study of the optical absorption coefficient Urbach tail broadening parameter Γ behavior in the Hg1−xCdxTe alloy semiconductor in the 0.21 ≤ x ≤ 0.6 alloy composition interval. This x interval corresponds to the very attractive 0.10 ≤ EG ≤ 0.75 eV medium infrared (MIR) and far infrared (FIR) optical ranges. We compare two absorption coefficient nonparabolic models based on Kane 4-band formalism, one including the Burstein–Moss shift called the NPBM-model and the other one without and called the NP-model. By comparing the results of both models with existing experimental and theoretical data, we show the strong nonparabolic behavior of the absorption coefficient in Hg1−xCdxTe in agreement with previous studies. The best fitting is obtained with the NPBM-model, where Γ is used as an adjustable parameter varying with x, temperature (T), and photon energy (ħω) in the E ≤ EG sub-bandgap energy range. With decreasing x, Γ is found to increase first slightly with x in the 0.443 ≤ x ≤ 0.6 MIR range and then strongly and nonlinearly in the 0.21 ≤ x < 0.443 FIR range. These unusual Γ(x, ħω) dependences suggest a strong influence of nonparabolicity and band state mixing effects, which become strongly enhanced in the FIR range between strongly interacting and almost overlapping bands as x tends to 0.16 of the critical value, making Hg1−xCdxTe experience a semiconductor–semimetal transition.
Effect of cationic chemical disorder on defect formation energies in uranium–plutonium mixed oxides
Authors: Bathellier Didier , Messina Luca , Freyss Michel , Bertolus Marjorie , Schuler Thomas , Nastar Maylise , Olsson Pär , Bourasseau Emeric
Published: November 2022

At the atomic scale, uranium–plutonium mixed oxides (U,Pu)O2 are characterized by cationic chemical disorder, which entails that U and Pu cations are randomly distributed on the cation sublattice. In the present work, we study the impact of disorder on point defect formation energies in (U,Pu)O2 using interatomic-potential and density functional theory (DFT + U) calculations. We focus on bound Schottky defects (BSD) that are among the most stable defects in these oxides. As a first step, we estimate the distance RD around the BSD up to which the local chemical environment significantly affects their formation energy. To this end, we propose an original procedure in which the formation energy is computed for several supercells at varying levels of disorder. We conclude that the first three cation shells around the BSD have a non-negligible influence on their formation energy (RD≃7.0Å). We apply then a systematic approach to compute the BSD formation energies for all the possible cation configurations on the first and second nearest neighbor shells around the BSD. We show that the formation energy can range in an interval of 0.97 eV, depending on the relative amount of U and Pu neighboring cations. Based on these results, we propose an interaction model that describes the effect of nominal and local composition on the BSD formation energy. Finally, the DFT + U benchmark calculations show a satisfactory agreement for configurations characterized by a U-rich local environment and a larger mismatch in the case of a Pu-rich one. In summary, this work provides valuable insights on the properties of BSD defects in (U,Pu)O2 and can represent a valid strategy to study point defect properties in disordered compounds.
Increasing the output power of a heavily doped terahertz quantum cascade laser by avoiding the subband misalignment
Authors: Lin Tsung-Tse , Wang Li , Wang Ke , Grange Thomas , Birner Stefan , Miyoshi Teppei , Hirayama Hideki
Published: November 2022

A significant enhancement in the output power of a GaAs-based terahertz quantum cascade laser (THz QCL) was achieved by implementing a relatively high impurity doping concentration. The QC structure was precisely designed using the nonequilibrium green function method by considering the band bending effect caused by a higher doping concentration. This enabled us to avoid the subband misalignment induced by the strong band bending effect, to provide efficient carrier transport even at high doping concentrations, and to improve the output power. The maximum output power of a GaAs/Al0.16Ga0.84As 3.5 THz-band QCL at 10 K was enhanced from 390 to 600 mW by increasing the doping concentration at the depopulation layers from 6 × 1016 to 1.2 × 1017 cm−3. The average power of 21 mW was achieved by implementing the appropriate pulse drive conditions.
Low-temperature copper–copper quasi-direct bonding with cobalt passivation layer
Authors: Wang Peng , Shao Yun-Hao , Ni Zi-Hong , Hu Chun-Feng , Qu Xin-Ping
Published: November 2022

In this work, an ultra-thin cobalt film is used as a passivation layer to achieve a Cu–Cu quasi-direct bonding process, and successful bonding was achieved at the bonding temperature of 230 °C with the bonding pressure of 0.5 MPa in non-vacuum conditions. A tensile bonding strength of over 12.8 MPa can be achieved. With the cobalt layer, the total film roughness is greatly reduced to around 1 nm, and the cross-sectional transmission electron microscope images reveal the presence of a void-free bonding interface. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry depth analysis is carried out using a PVD deposited multilayer sample, which simulates the bonding process without pressure. It is found that a Cu–Co intermixing layer formed between the Cu and Co interfaces during annealing, and Cu has diffused into the Co layer. Due to the nanocrystalline structure of the Co film and the low roughness of the system, a low bonding temperature can be achieved. These results demonstrate that Co, which can be selectively grown on the Cu surface, can be used as a passivation layer to achieve low-cost and high-quality interconnect for the three-dimensional integrated circuits.
Modulation of the NiOx bandgap by controlling oxygen stoichiometry
Authors: Dong M. D. , Shen J. Y. , Hong C. Y. , Ran P. X. , He R.-H. , Chen H. W. , Lu Q. Y. , Wu J.
Published: November 2022

Transition metal oxides are a class of functional materials widely used in optoelectronics, spintronics, and memory technology. The oxygen stoichiometry of these oxides plays a vital role in determining their electronic, optical, and thermal properties. Post-growth annealing in ozone has shown to be effective in modifying these properties. Here, we choose NiO, an antiferromagnetic Mott insulator in perfect stoichiometry, as an example to show that its stoichiometry can be tuned continuously in a broad range by the control of the oxidation power during growth or a post-growth topotactic reduction process. The bandgap of the as-processed NiOx films was modulated in accordance with their resistivity, lattice constant, and Ni chemical valence. This method can be readily applied to other transition metal oxides for the optimization of their properties.
The erythrocyte destruction mechanism in non-physiological shear mechanical hemolysis
Authors: Xu Zhike , Wang Chenyang , Xue Sen , He Feng , Hao Pengfei , Zhang Xiwen
Published: November 2022

Increasingly heart failure patients need to use Ventricular Assist Devices (VADs) to keep themselves alive. During treatment, hemolysis is an inevitable complication of interventional devices. The most common method for evaluating mechanical hemolysis is to calculate Hemolysis Index (HI) by the power-law formula. However, the HI formula still has obvious flaws. With an intention of further understanding the phenomenon of mechanical hemolysis in non-physiological flow, our study developed a coarse-grained erythrocyte destruction model at the cellular scale and explored the mechanism of the single erythrocyte shear destruction utilizing the Dissipative Particle Dynamics, including the erythrocyte stretching destruction process and the erythrocyte non-physiological shearing destruction process. In the process of stretching and shearing, the high-strain distribution areas of erythrocytes are entirely different. The high-strain areas during stretching are concentrated on the central axis. After the stretch failure, the erythrocyte changes from fusiform to shriveled biconcave. In the shear breaking process, the high strain areas are focused on the erythrocyte edge, causing the red blood cells to evolve from an ellipsoid shape to a plate shape. In addition to the flow shear stress, the shear rate acceleration is also an important factor in the erythrocyte shear damage. The erythrocyte placed in low shear stress flow is still unstably destroyed under high shear rate acceleration. Consequently, the inclusion of flow-buffering structures in the design of VADs may improve non-physiological hemolysis.
Water–air interface deformation by transient acoustic radiation pressure
Authors: Sisombat Félix , Devaux Thibaut , Haumesser Lionel , Callé Samuel
Published: November 2022

The deformation of a fluid interface by the acoustic radiation pressure has been used for surface tension measurements or to design exotic structures such as acoustic diodes. However, few studies focus on the characterization of the spatial characteristics of deformation induced by transient excitation, making research requiring precise spatial control of deformation challenging. This paper investigates experimentally and numerically the effects of transient excitation on deformation generated by an acoustic radiation pressure at the water–air interface. A numerical model using the finite-element method and based on theoretical background for permanent excitation is generalized to transient excitation. An experimental setup is developed to evaluate the maximum height of interface deformation for different durations and amplitudes of ultrasonic excitation using two complementary methods: the first using a camera and an edge detection algorithm and the other using a multichromatic confocal displacement sensor. Numerical and experimental results for a non-steady-state excitation show a quadratic evolution of the height of deformation as a function of incident pressure and also a linear increase as a function of the excitation duration. The evaluation of the deformation height induced by acoustic radiation pressure at a water–air interface for a transient excitation paves the way to applications requiring noncontact space-time interface modulation, such as subwavelength phenomena.
Linear stability of Poiseuille flow of viscoelastic fluid in a porous medium
Authors: M. C. Bharathi , Kudenatti Ramesh B.
Published: November 2022

We study the instability of plane Poiseuille flow of the viscoelastic second-order fluid in a homogeneous porous medium. The viscoelastic fluid between two parallel plates is driven by the pressure gradient. The effects of elasticity number E (depends on fluid properties, geometry; E is defined below) and Darcy number Da (gives the permeability of porous medium; Da is defined below) on flow stability are analyzed through the energy method that provides qualitative behavior of flow stability, and the numerical solution of generalized eigenvalue problem that gives the precise upper bound for stability. The plane Poiseuille flow of second-order fluid becomes unstable for increasing elasticity number while preserving Newtonian eigenspectrum up to a certain range of E. For large elasticity number, instability appears as a part of both wall and center modes for all Darcy numbers. We also noticed that along each neutral stability curve, the eigenfunctions are all antisymmetric with a single extremum near the channel walls. When E = 0.0011, we found an additional new elastic mode, which is unstable and also antisymmetric. For E < 0.0011, the neutral curves split into two lobes with different minima. The critical Reynolds number Rec is found to be decreasing (increasing) for higher (lower) values of fluid elasticity (Darcy number). Physical mechanisms are discussed in detail.
Impact of doped barriers on the recombination coefficients of c-plane InGaN/GaN single quantum well light-emitting diodes
Authors: Chow Y. C. , Lynsky C. , Nakamura S. , DenBaars S. P. , Weisbuch C. , Speck J. S.
Published: November 2022

Differential carrier lifetime measurements were performed on c-plane InGaN/GaN single quantum well (QW) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) of different QW indium compositions as well as with and without doped barriers. Mg-doped p-type and Si-doped n-type barriers close to the QW were used to reduce the net internal electric field in the QW, thereby improving the electron–hole wavefunction overlap on the LEDs. LEDs with doped barriers show short lifetimes and low carrier densities in the active region compared to the reference LEDs. The recombination coefficients in the ABC model were estimated based on the carrier lifetime and quantum efficiency measurements. The improvement in the radiative coefficients in the LEDs with doped barriers coupled with the blueshift of the emission wavelengths indeed indicates an enhancement in wavefunction overlap and a reduction of quantum confined Stark effect as a result of the reduced internal electric field. However, doped barriers also introduce non-radiative recombination centers and thereby increase the Shockley–Read–Hall (SRH) coefficient, although the increment is less for LEDs with high indium composition QWs. As a result, at high indium composition (22%), LEDs with doped barriers outperform the reference LEDs even though the trend is reversed for LEDs with lower indium composition (13.5%). Despite the trade-off of higher SRH coefficients, doped barriers are shown to be effective in reducing the internal electric field and increasing the recombination coefficients.
The effect of substrate curvature on capacitance and transfer characteristics for thin film transistors on the surface of spheres
Authors: Chattopadhyay Shirsopratim , Labram John G.
Published: November 2022

Conformable, flexible, and stretchable thin film transistors hold promise for ubiquitous and low-cost electronics. As part of the research endeavor toward this goal, the challenges associated with compatible materials and growth processes have been intensely studied. What is seldom considered, however, is how device electrostatics change as the physical form of devices change. In this report, we study how one would expect the current–voltage characteristics of thin film transistors to change as they are deformed on the surface of a sphere. We derive analogous equations to those derived in the gradual channel approximation to relate current to applied voltage for various spherical geometries. Combined with a finite-difference strategy to evaluate geometric capacitance, example current–voltage characteristics are calculated. The results demonstrate for certain deformations in this geometry, the behavior deviates from what one would expect using just the gradual channel approximation. For flexible electronics to be commercially viable, it must be predictable in any physical form. These results represent some of the first steps in a broader effort to quantify the relationship between device geometry and electrical behavior.
On the velocity, size, and temperature of gaseous dendritic flames
Authors: Yanez Jorge , Kuznetsov Mike , Veiga-López Fernando
Published: November 2022

Dendritic combustion in Hele–Shaw cells is investigated qualitatively using a simplified one-dimensional thermo-diffusive model. Formulas for the velocity, size, and temperature of the flamelets are derived. The temperature and velocity of the flames increase for small radii to allow for their survival regardless of the activation energy. In addition, the results obtained with very large activation energy were compared with experimental results, finding that additional tests are required due to the strong influence of gravity on the velocity and size estimations. Conditions for the existence of this anomalous propagation are investigated, confirming analytically that it can only happen for low Lewis numbers.
Fast time-domain current measurement for quantum dot charge sensing using a homemade cryogenic transimpedance amplifier
Authors: Bohuslavskyi Heorhii , Hashisaka Masayuki , Shimizu Takase , Akiho Takafumi , Muraki Koji , Kumada Norio
Published: November 2022

We developed a high-speed and low-noise time-domain current measurement scheme using a homemade GaAs high-electron-mobility-transistor-based cryogenic transimpedance amplifier (TIA). The scheme is versatile for broad cryogenic current measurements, including semiconductor spin-qubit readout, owing to the TIA's having low input impedance comparable to that of commercial room-temperature TIAs. The TIA has a broad frequency bandwidth and a low noise floor, with a trade-off between them governed by the feedback resistance RFB. A lower RFB of 50 kΩ enables high-speed current measurement with a −3 dB cutoff frequency f−3dB = 28 MHz and noise-floor NF = 8.5 × 10−27 A2/Hz, while a larger RFB of 400 kΩ provides low-noise measurement with NF = 1.0 × 10−27 A2/Hz and f−3dB = 4.5 MHz. Time-domain measurement of a 2-nA peak-to-peak square wave, which mimics the output of the standard spin-qubit readout technique via charge sensing, demonstrates a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 12.7, with the time resolution of 48 ns, for RFB = 200 kΩ, which compares favorably with the best-reported values for the radio frequency reflectometry technique. The time resolution can be further improved at the cost of the SNR (or vice versa) by using an even smaller (larger) RFB, with a further reduction in the noise figure possible by limiting the frequency band with a low-pass filter. Our scheme is best suited for readout electronics for cryogenic sensors that require a high time resolution and current sensitivity and, thus, provides a solution for various fundamental research and industrial applications.
Influence of alloying and structural transition on the directional elastic and isotropic thermodynamic properties of wurtzite and layered hexagonal ScxAl1−xN crystals
Authors: Ambacher O. , Mihalic S. , Wade E. , Yassine M. , Yassine A. , Feil N. , Christian B.
Published: November 2022

The structural, elastic, and basic thermodynamic properties of hexagonal ScxAl1−xN crystals are calculated and discussed over the whole range of possible random alloys, including the transition from wurtzite to the layered hexagonal structure. Based on a review of lattice and internal parameters in combination with complete datasets of stiffness coefficients published in the literature, differing in the considered alloying intervals and the predicted structural transitions, changes in the crystal lattices caused by the substitution of aluminum by scandium atoms are discussed and illustrated. Crystal properties like the mass densities, average bond angles, and bond lengths are calculated, and the compliance coefficients, Young's modulus, shear modulus, Poisson's ratio, compressibility, and sound velocities are determined depending on the alloy composition and in relation to the orientation of crystal planes and axes. Particular attention is paid to the occurring directional anisotropies and the changes in structural and elastic properties in the alloy region of the structural transition between wurtzite and layered hexagonal ScxAl1−xN crystals. The acoustic velocities determined are used to calculate basic thermodynamic properties such as the Debye temperature, heat capacity, and minimum heat conduction, as well as to evaluate both the influence of the alloying and the structural transition on these properties.
Density functional theory study of different metal dopants influence on the structural and electronic properties of a tetragonal α-PbO
Authors: Geldasa Fikadu Takele , Kebede Mesfin Abayneh , Shura Megersa Wodajo , Hone Fekadu Gashaw
Published: November 2022

In this work, using the Quantum ESPRESSO package, density functional theory was used to study the effects of different metal dopants on the structural and electronic properties of tetragonal α-PbO. Tetragonal α-PbO has attracted attention due to its application in various optoelectronic devices. However, in order to apply it in these technologies suitably, its properties have to be improved since it has low electronic conductivity. In this study, nine different metals from alkali metals, p-block metals, and 3d-transition metals have been used as dopants to investigate its electronic properties. Moreover, the performance of four pseudopotentials was tested. Via the partial density of state and band structure calculations, an indirect bandgap was found for pristine α-PbO. The generalized gradient approximation of the Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof exchange correlation with ultrasoft pseudopotential gives 1.75 eV for pristine α-PbO, which decreased during the incorporation of different metal dopants. Depending on the position of the Fermi level and impurity energy level in metal doping, the n- or p-type conductivity has been identified. The calculated partial density of states shows the contribution of orbital states of dopants to the partial density of states. The valence band maximum is mainly made of O-2p states whereas the conduction band minimum is dominated by Pb-6p states in undoped α-PbO. The calculated lattice constants were a = b = 3.997 Å and c = 5.220 Å, which are in best agreement with the experimental values. The computational study verified that doping various metals had a significant effect on the structural and electronic properties of α-PbO.
The electrostatic potential inside and around α-lactalbumin: Fluctuations and mean-field models
Authors: Torres Paola B. , Blanco Pablo M. , Garcés Josep L. , Narambuena Claudio F.
Published: November 2022

The electrostatic potential (EP) generated by the protein α-lactoalbumin in the presence of added salt is computed as a thermal average at a given point in space. With this aim, constant pH Monte Carlo (MC) simulations are performed within the primitive model, namely, the solvent is treated as a continuum dielectric. The study of the thermal and spatial fluctuations of the EP reveals that they are remarkably high inside the protein. The calculations indicate that fluctuations inside the protein are mainly due to the asymmetric distribution of the charge groups, while the charge fluctuations of the titratable groups play a minor role. The computed EP matches very well with the one obtained from the Poisson equation for the average charge density in spherical symmetry. The Tanford–Kirkwood multipole expansion reproduces the simulated angular-averaged potential rather accurately. Surprisingly, two of the simplest mean-field models, the linear Poisson–Boltzmann (PB) equation and Donnan potential, provide good estimations of the average EP in the effective protein surface (surface EP). The linear PB equation predicts a linear relationship between charge and surface EP, which is numerically reproduced only if the small ions within the protein are taken into account. On the other hand, the partition coefficients of the small ions inside and outside the protein predicted by Donnan theory reproduce reasonably well the simulation results.
Effects of competitive adsorption on production capacity during CO2 displacement of CH4 in shale
Authors: Deng Jia , Zhang Qi , He Jiujiu , Zhao Guangjie , Song Fuquan , Song Hongqing
Published: November 2022

During CO2 displacement of CH4 in shale, competitive adsorption results in reduced pore space used for gas flow in shale, which is closely associated with the production capacity of shale-gas reservoirs. Thus, the present work investigates the effects of CO2–CH4 competitive adsorption on production capacity. Herein, a slit–pore model is developed in terms of gas storage (CO2 and CH4) and graphene pores using molecular dynamics and implemented via large-scale atomic/molecular massively parallel simulator. The effects of CO2 injection pressure, temperature, and velocity and of pore size on CO2–CH4 displacement and competitive adsorption properties are simulated and examined. Hence, the displacement efficiency of CH4 and the adsorption layer thickness of the CO2–CH4 binary mixture are determined. Moreover, based on a basic seepage model of planar linear flooding, the effect of CO2–CH4 competitive adsorption on production capacity is analytically investigated. Results demonstrate that the production capacity with consideration of adsorption layer thickness is less than that without consideration of adsorption layer thickness, illustrating that CO2–CH4 competitive adsorption behaviors are closely connected with permeability, flow rate, and production capacity of shale-gas reservoirs, especially for shale-gas reservoirs containing large numbers of pores and slits.
Spectra of CO2-Rg2 and CO2-Rg-He trimers (Rg = Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe): Intermolecular CO2 rock, vibrational shifts and three-body effects
Authors: Barclay A. J. , McKellar A. R. W. , Moazzen-Ahmadi N.
Published: November 2022

Weakly bound CO2-Rg2 trimers are studied by high-resolution (0.002 cm−1) infrared spectroscopy in the region of the CO2 ν3 fundamental band (≈2350 cm−1), using a tunable optical parametric oscillator to probe a pulsed supersonic slit jet expansion with an effective rotational temperature of about 2 K. CO2–Ar2 spectra have been reported previously, but they are extended here to include Rg = Ne, Kr, and Xe as well as new combination and hot bands. For Kr and Xe, a unified scaled parameter scheme is used to account for the many possible isotopic species. Vibrational shifts of CO2-Rg2 trimers are compared to those of CO2-Rg dimers, and in all cases the trimer shifts are slightly more positive (blue-shifted) than expected on the basis of linear extrapolation from the dimer. Combination bands directly measure an intermolecular vibrational mode (the CO2 rock) and give values of about 32.2, 33.8, and 34.7 cm−1 for CO2–Ar2, –Kr2, and –Xe2. Structural parameters derived for CO2-Rg2 trimers are compared with those of CO2-Rg and Rg2 dimers. Spectra of the mixed trimers CO2-Rg-He are also reported.
Effects of owl-inspired leading-edge serrations on tandem wing aeroacoustics
Authors: Rong Jiaxin , Liu Hao
Published: November 2022

Leading-edge (LE) serrations on owls’ outermost remiges play a crucial role in the silent flight of owls. While the aeroacoustic characteristics of LE serrations have been widely studied using single feathers/airfoils, how they affect feather–feather (feather slots) interactions during flight remains unclear. Here, we present a numerical analysis of the effects of owl-inspired LE serrations on the aeroacoustics of tandem wing models. Large-eddy simulations and Ffowcs Williams–Hawkings analogy are combined to resolve the flow and acoustic fields around the tandem wings. The results demonstrate that serration-induced aeroacoustics are closely associated with the gap distance (D) between fore and hind wings. At a low AoA of 5°, as D increases, the LE serrations on the fore wing initially reduce the far-field sound pressures (D < 0.22c) by passively altering the laminar–turbulent transition on upper wing surfaces but turn out to increase the sound pressures remarkedly when D > 0.22c due to the flow instability induced at the hind wing LE. However, at a high AoA of 15°, the fore wing serrations enable robust sound reductions for all gap distances by mitigating the flow instabilities in the vicinity of the fore wing trailing edge and hind wing LE. Furthermore, the combination of LE serrations on fore and hind wings is verified to be capable of bringing nonlinear synergetic effects on the suppression of flow fluctuations and noise, which can inspire innovative biomimetic designs for low-noise multirotor drones and wind turbines.
Beyond single-crystal surfaces: The GAL21 water/metal force field
Authors: Clabaut Paul , Beisert Matthieu , Michel Carine , Steinmann Stephan N.
Published: November 2022

Solvent effects are notoriously difficult to describe for metallic nanoparticles (NPs). Here, we introduce GAL21 which is the first pairwise additive force field that is specifically designed to modulate the near chemisorption energy of water as a function of the coordination numbers of the metallic atoms. We find a quadratic dependence to be most suitable for capturing the dependence of the adsorption energy of water on the generalized coordination number (GCN) of the metal atoms. GAL21 has been fitted against DFT adsorption energies for Cu, Ag, Au, Ni, Pd, Pt, and Co on 500 configurations and validated on about 3000 configurations for each metal, constructed on five surfaces with GCNs varying from 2.5 to 11.25. Depending on the metals, the root mean square deviation is found between 0.7 kcal mol−1 (Au) to 1.6 kcal mol−1 (Ni). Using GAL21, as implemented in the open-source code CP2K, we then evaluate the solvation energy of Au55 and Pt55 NPs in water using thermodynamic integration. The solvation free energy is found to be larger for Pt than for Au and systematically larger than 200 kcal mol−1, demonstrating the large impact of solvent on the surface energetics of NPs. Still, given that the amorphous NPs are both, the most stable and the most solvated ones, we do not predict a change in the preferred morphology between the gas-phase and in water. Finally, based on a linear regression on three sizes of NPs (from 38 to 147), the solvation energy for Au and Pt surface atoms is found to be −5.2 and −9.9 kcal mol−1, respectively.
The behavior of thin curved sheets is ironed out
Authors: Lopatka Alex
Published: November 2022

Two simple geometric rules predict the wrinkle patterns of curved surfaces that are flattened.
A review of the potential risks associated with mercury in subsea oil and gas pipelines in Australia
Authors: Gissi Francesca , Koppel Darren , Boyd Alexandra , Kho Fenny , von Hellfeld Rebecca , Higgins Stuart , Apte Simon , Cresswell Tom
Published: November 2022

Environmental context The oil and gas industry has a significant liability in decommissioning offshore infrastructure. Following decommissioning, subsea pipelines could be left on the seabed to provide artificial reefs. Mercury is a contaminant of concern which could remain within pipelines. There are gaps in our knowledge on how mercury moves through the marine environment. We review the current science and identify future research needs to understand potential impacts from mercury in subsea pipelines which will better inform decommissioning activities globally. Abstract In the coming years, the oil and gas industry will have a significant liability in decommissioning offshore infrastructure such as subsea pipelines. The policies around decommissioning vary depending on regional policies and laws. In Australia, the ‘base case’ for decommissioning is removal of all property and the plugging and abandonment of wells in line with the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (OPGGS) Act 2006. Options other than complete removal may be considered where the titleholder can demonstrate that the alternative decommissioning activity delivers equal or better environmental outcomes compared to complete removal and meets all requirements under the OPGGS Act and regulations. Recent research has demonstrated that decommissioning in situ can have significant environmental benefits by forming artificial reefs, increasing marine biodiversity, and providing a potential fishery location. An issue, which has been given less attention, is around contaminants remaining within decommissioned infrastructure and their potential risks to the marine environment. Mercury is a contaminant of concern known to be present in some oil and gas pipelines, but the potential long-term impacts on marine ecosystems are poorly understood. We present a synthesis of information on mercury cycling in the marine environment including key drivers of methylation in sediments and ocean waters, existing models to predict methylmercury concentrations in sediments, and toxicological effects to marine biota. We discuss the applicability of existing water and sediment quality guidelines, and the associated risk assessment frameworks to decommissioning offshore infrastructure contaminated with mercury. Globally, research is needed to provide a comprehensive risk assessment framework for offshore infrastructure decommissioning. We recommend future areas of research to improve our understanding of the potential risks associated with mercury in subsea oil and gas pipelines.
Linguistic and metalinguistic resemblance
Authors: Ruiz de Mendoza Ibáñez Francisco José , Barreras Gómez María Asunción
Published: November 2022

Similarity judgments are fundamental to
cognition. They are part and parcel of our ability as humans to deal
with the world around us. This ability shows in how we structure
and use language. In this context, this chapter addresses the role
of perceived similarity, or resemblance, in
language use. It starts from a basic distinction between linguistic
and metalinguistic resemblance. The former addresses similarities
between entities and states of affairs, while the latter addresses
metarepresentational aspects of language, which can be treated in
terms of the notion of echo. It further distinguishes three
dimensions of linguistic resemblance: attribute-based resemblance,
structural resemblance, and high versus low-level resemblance. It
pays special attention to the important theoretical status of
high-level resemblance as a constraining factor on experiential
correlation, which is also active in synesthesia and situation and
event-based metaphors. The paper then discusses the role of
resemblance in cross-domain relations in irony, hyperbole, and
understatement, and it ends with an analysis of the role of
metalinguistic resemblance as a pre-requisite for the inferential
activity which arises from ironic, parodic, and metonymy-based
implicational echoes.
Looking for metaphor in the natural world
Authors: Gibbs Raymond W.
Published: November 2022

Metaphor in thought, language, and other
expressive actions, emerges not just from the body (or culture)
alone, but from humans acting in the natural world. Numerous natural
world phenomena serve as source domains in many areas of
metaphorical thinking and language use. This is not surprising given
people’s intimate relations with the natural word, yet this fact has
not been sufficiently acknowledged in contemporary theories of
metaphor. My aim in this chapter is to outline some of the
methodological strategies that scholars may adopt to detect how
people’s interactions with the natural world may give rise to very
different metaphorical experiences. These strategies focus on
several ways that scholars can seek evidence of the impact of the
natural world on metaphorical thinking: from linguistic analyses,
experimental studies, ethnographic investigations, and
hypothesis-driven examinations of human actions in a variety of
contexts. Collectively, these methods for finding metaphor in the
natural world highlight the importance of an ecological perspective
on metaphor (e.g., what the world affords for meaning) and provide
new insights into theoretical models of metaphorical thought and
meaning-making.
Metaphor meets narrative
Authors: Horst Dorothea
Published: November 2022

Prevalent cognitive readings of narrative in film
have generally described it as a causal-logical re-organization of
audiovisually represented agents, actions and spaces that is achieved through
mental processing. Suggesting that such a perspective fundamentally
disregards the media mode of perception that distinguishes
film-viewing from other media experiences, the chapter proposes an
alternative view. It presents an analysis of a TV news feature in
order to demonstrate that metaphor and film share a coupling of two
distinct realms of experience that provides the grounds for a
fictional world and a narrative to emerge. The chapter concludes with an
understanding of narrative as a dynamic embodied process of “narrativizing” instead of a
product being reconstructed from given representations.
On syntactic categories and metaphors
Authors: Popova Milena
Published: November 2022

This paper aims at studying some syntactic
categories in Spanish, namely, atypical subjects and emphatic
constructions, in the context of relevant developments in the
conceptualization of grammaticalization. The analysis is carried out
on the basis of multifaceted and holistic approaches with regard to
the dynamic interplay between formal, semantic and pragmatic aspects
of Spanish utterances. Attention is drawn to some diachronic and
cross-linguistic aspects of the addressed problems. Metaphor and
metonymy are regarded as basic ways of grammaticalization.
What drives emotion and physiological arousal in adverts?
Authors: Houghton David , Littlemore Jeannette , Ford Samantha , Harfield Chelsea , Marder Ben
Published: November 2022

The inclusion of figurative operations in
marketing videos has the potential to improve the effectiveness of
marketing campaigns due to their reported ability to trigger
emotional responses, thus making the campaigns resonate more
strongly with the viewer. This study explored the relationship
between the presence of three figurative operations (hyperbole,
metaphor and metonymy) in campaign videos and the levels of
physiological arousal and emotion that were triggered by those
videos. Seven videos were coded for these three embedded figurative
operations. Participants watched the videos in laboratory
conditions, where their levels of electrodermal activity and
self-report emotional responses were recorded. The ability of these
figurative operations to trigger physiological arousal was compared
to that of two other features that have been shown to promote
arousal (the presence of humor and unmarked contrast). The presence
of hyperbole led to higher levels of arousal than humor and unmarked
contrast, the presence of metaphor led to higher levels of arousal
than humor, and the presence of metonymy led to higher levels of
arousal than humor, but lower levels than unmarked contrast.
Associations between these arousal levels and the reported emotions
are discussed, and collectively provide insights into the optimal
use of figurative operations in marketing campaign videos. Our
findings contribute to a deeper theoretical understanding of the
relationship between figurative operations and arousal, and provide
practitioners with information regarding which figurative operations
are likely to evoke a stronger emotional response when used in
marketing videos.
Metonymy in multimodal discourse, or
Authors: Brdar-Szabó Rita , Brdar Mario
Published: November 2022

One of the most intriguing open issues in
metonymy research is the nature of metonymies that transcend or do
not appear in spoken/written language. More specifically, we should
clarify the issue of whether there exist genuine multimodal (or
polysemiotic) metonymies, parallel to multimodal metaphors. Taking
into consideration their essence and the way that metonymies are
defined, it is clear that, strictly speaking there could be no
multimodal metonymies of the simplest kind. However, multimodality
is possible in the case of complex metonymies, and metonymies
interacting with metaphors. The results of all these processes that
unsurprisingly leave the impression of novelty and creativity are
regularly put to very effective uses, even leading to hyperbolic
and/or ironic effects.
Metonymic patterns of count-to-mass and mass-to-count changes and
their implications for metonymy research
Authors: Drożdż Grzegorz
Published: November 2022

This chapter formulates a proposal for dealing
with two of the notorious problems of countability and
uncountability in English: the problem of nouns changing their
grammatical properties from count to mass and mass to count, and
establishing the regularities of such changes. On the basis of the
assumptions of Cognitive Grammar (e.g., Langacker, 2000, 2008), the chapter shows how, through an
analysis of 30 count and 30 mass nouns (Drożdż, 2017), one more dimension arises:
the metonymic one. This dimension enables a juxtaposition of this
kind of research with that of Cognitive Metaphor Theory / Cognitive
Metonymy Theory (Radden &
Kövecses, 1999; Kövecses 2010, etc.), where comparable,
conceptual structures are indicated. This leads to a discussion of
certain issues concerning the methodology of metonymy analysis, the
types of structures determined within both approaches, and their
ultimate properties.
What is time?
Authors: Piata Anna
Published: November 2022

The focus of this chapter is on poetic metaphors of time that appear in so-called equations, that is, copula constructions of the form ‘NP be NP’. While metaphorical creativity of time has been extensively and thoroughly studied, research on such metaphors is rather limited and mostly associated with image metaphors. Based on data from the English PoetiCog corpus, this chapter demonstrates that these metaphors activate mental imagery (as previously assumed) but due to the constructional pattern of equations they also directly evoke the source of the metaphorical mapping. This posits a challenge for their understanding, which I argue to tap into a process of mental simulation along the lines of embodied semantics.
Working on it
Authors: Lavi Liron
Published: November 2022

Following elections, processes of interpretation in the political discourse shape the meaning of elections. I draw from theories of democracy, time, and meaning to posit the concept of chrono-work, and suggest that creative construction of connections between past, present, and future horizons shape the meaning of an election, and that this process is critical for the democratic meaning of elections. With a qualitative analysis of media discourse in two case studies – the 1949 and the 1988 Israeli elections – I show that when these connections form a chronological narrative, an election obtains a democratic meaning, whereas when the narrative is non-chronological, an election’s democratic meaning is challenged. I discuss the implications for the role of creative time for the democratic role of elections.
Creative to whom, and on what basis?
Authors: Cienki Alan
Published: November 2022

This epilogue considers creativity from three different perspectives: that of the producer of the expression, of the person paying attention to the expression (the attender) in the same context, and of any attender from a different time and place than that in which the expression was produced. These perspectives are considered in face-to-face interaction and contrasted with mediated interaction. Whether an expression is perceived as creative or not from one of these perspectives depends on what is in that person’s scope of relevant behaviors. In addition, frame knowledge is considered in relation to viewing expressions as creative or not. Examples from the chapters in this volume illustrate how these various factors play out in relation to each other.
History of the group GCS/ASOLC/SOCS*
Authors: Vallverdu Francesc
Published: November 2022

In 1973 a small group of scholars from the Catalan Countries joined to form the Catalan Group of Sociolinguistics (GCS). Their mission was to promote the planning of the Catalan language and sociolinguistic studies in this area. Their first public appearance was at the 8th Congress of Sociology (Toronto, 1974), where, thanks to L.V. Aracil – one of the promoters of GCS –, a session on the Catalan language was organised, the material from which was published in 1977 in the first issue of the annual review Treballs de Sociolingüística Catalana. In 1981, GCS had eighteen associates and by 2005, the group’s expansion led to its becoming the Association of Catalan Language Sociolinguists (ASOLC). Shortly after it became a subsidiary of the Institute of Catalan Studies (IEC) and in 2008 it adopted the name Catalan Society of Sociolinguistics (SOCS). Over the years this association has not only been dedicated to promoting and disseminating sociolinguistic research, but it has also been involved in numerous planning initiatives.
Research on language codification
Authors: Costa-Carreras Joan
Published: November 2022

In a previous work (Costa-Carreras 2016c
: “La planificació de corpus sobre el català: bibliografia classificada i comentada”) I reviewed the research on Catalan normative grammar systematically. The present paper aims at updating this information, but previously it focuses on the concept of research into normative grammar by analysing what objects, objectives, theoretical frameworks, methodologies, infrastructure and actors need to be involved. So in the first part the concept of research into normative grammar is analysed, and in the second part an update of the bibliography on research in Catalan normative grammar is provided.
Forty years of language policy in Catalonia (1980–2020)
Authors: Riera-Gil Elvira
Published: November 2022

This article provides a summary of language policies implemented in Catalonia since the recovery of self-government in 1979, drawing attention to their main successes and failures and to their current challenges. It distinguishes three stages regarding the governmental intervention in linguistic skills, practices and ideologies. First, a large stage (1980–2002) of initial impetus and development, characterised by a significant social consensus around the need of recovering Catalan as a democratic right and unequivocal sign of the collective identity after Franco dictatorship. Second, a stage (2003–2010) of adaptive growth, marked by a huge demo-linguistic impact of international immigration, political instability and more contestation of language policies. Third, a stage (2011–2020) of discreet work, impacted by a strong nation-building conflict between Catalonia and Spain, the rise of secessionism and its subsequent repression by the State.
Language law in the Catalan domain
Authors: Pons Parera Eva
Published: November 2022

The scientific study of linguistic law in the Catalan field begins, during the decade of the eighties of the twentieth century, with the approval of the first laws of linguistic normalization of the Autonomous Communities of the Spanish State, at a time when the development of this area of study is still incipient at European and world level. Theoretical studies share common premises, when articulated around the notions of official languages and Catalan as the own language and their projection in the regulation of linguistic uses in the different sectors, and adopt a propositional approach, often critical to the jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court. As of the Judgement of 28 Of June of 2010, on the Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, this constitutional jurisprudence imposes an even stricter limits to the regional legislator, that are at the same time reinterpreted restrictively by the ordinary tribunes, which supposes a clear brake to the development of these studies. The legal and doctrinal evolution in the territories located under Andorran, French and Italian jurisdiction responds to different patterns, such as the constitutionalization of Catalan as the official language of the Andorran State in the decade of the 1990s and the interpretation and deployment of constitutional notions of linguistic minority, in Italy, and regional language, in France, of application to the Catalan language in these territories.
Research on educational sociolinguistics in the Catalan-speaking area
Authors: Moreno Vila F. Xavier
Published: November 2022

This article starts with a definition of the field and the identification of the main agents that play a social role in language-in-education policies, and then moves to review the evolution and the state of the art of educational sociolinguistics research in the Catalan-speaking territories. The article surveys the main theoretical and applied debates during the Republican period in the 1930’s, the controversies about language and education in the late period of Francoist dictatorship, the many challenges associated with the definition of a school language model in the early decades of the autonomy between the 1970’s and the 1980’s, the development of a plurality of research studies connected, among others, with sociological and ethnographic perspectives, and the growing role of linguistic and cultural diversity in the first two decades of the 21st century. The article ends with a critical balance of achievement and what-to-does in the field.