Efficient filtering for the Resource-Cost AllDifferent constraint

This paper studies a family of optimization problems where a set of items, each requiring a possibly different amount of resource, must be assigned to different slots for which the price of the resource can vary. The objective is then to assign items such that the overall resource cost is minimized. Such problems arise commonly in domains such as production scheduling in the presence of fluctuating renewable energy costs or variants of the Travelling Salesman Problem. In Constraint Programming, this can be naturally modeled in two ways: (a) with a sum of element constraints; (b) with a MinimumAssignment constraint. Unfortunately the sum of element constraints obtains a weak filtering and the MinimumAssignment constraint does not scale well on large instances. This work proposes a third approach by introducing the ResourceCostAllDifferent constraint and an associated incremental and scalable filtering algorithm, running in \(\mathcal {O}(n \cdot m)\), where n is the number of unbound variables and m is the maximum domain size of unbound variables. Its goal is to compute the total cost in a scalable manner by dealing with the fact that all assignments must be different. We first evaluate the efficiency of the new filtering on a real industrial problem and then on the Product Matrix Travelling Salesman Problem, a special case of the Asymmetric Travelling Salesman Problem. The study shows experimentally that our approach generally outperforms the decomposition and the MinimumAssignment ones for the problems we considered.     

Highly stable strained layer leaky-mode diode laser arrays

A simple fabrication process for InGaAs strained quantum well leaky-mode laser arrays is demonstrated. The arrays are ten-element devices grown by two-step metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. The structure consists of a strained quantum well InGaAs graded index-separate confinement active region and a thin (0.12 μm), transparent GaAs waveguide region. The near-field pattern typical of leaky-mode phase-locked arrays was measured. Fundamental mode oscillation was observed up to 2 A (threshold was as low as 175 mA). The authors observed a 1 μs pulsed optical output power of 172 mW per facet and a far-field angle (full width at half maximum) of 1.6 times the diffraction limit at 1 A. This is the first reported operation of a strained quantum well leaky-mode laser utilizing a built-in index step     

Low series resistance high-efficiency GaAs/AlGaAs vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers with continuously graded mirrors grown by MOCVD

GaAs/AlGaAs vertical-cavity top-surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) with a continuously graded mirror composition have been grown by MOCVD, and planar devices with proton-implant current confinement have been characterized. Continuous grading of the heterointerfaces in the Bragg reflectors eliminated the energy-band discontinuities, thus improving carrier transport and resulting in a substantial reduction in the series resistance and threshold voltage of the laser diodes. These VCSELs have excellent room-temperature CW electrical characteristics, including some of the lowest series resistances, highest power efficiencies and lowest operating voltages ever reported.<>     

Eine Cermet-Glasschmiermittelkombination für Reibpaarungen bei Arbeitstemperaturen von 650–1100°C

A cermet/lubricating glass-combination for friction pairs at working temperatures 650–1100°C The function and the efficency of technical plants are limited by the used materials and their behaviour under working conditions. At elevated temperatures, the corrosion and wear resistance and the thermal shock behaviour are as necessary as mechanical stability at high operating temperatures. Metals and ceramics often cannot meet the conditions. Dynamic applications may require lubricatings, metals surfaces may be too soft and not very oxidation-resistant. Metal-ceramic materials, -cerments-, use a combination of the properties of their microstructural parts. This paper shows a combination of a cermet and a lubricating glass with interesting aspects for high temperature operation.     

Integrated laser/phototransistor optoelectronic switching device by organometallic vapour phase epitaxy

Computer-controlled organometallic vapour phase epitaxy has been used to optimise AlGaAs/GaAs quantum well lasers and bipolar phototransistors separately. Here the two structures are combined In a single growth to realise a high-performance two-terminal optoelectronic switch. DC I/V characteristics are typical of an npnp structure; however, the feedback mechanism is optical rather than electronic. Threshold switching voltage is determined by the optical input in the range 1.3?23 V and sensitivity is 2.5 V/?W. Output is both optical (laser) and electrical current. Gain is provided by the phototransistor and optical feedback and exceeds 104. Switching speed is determined to be less than 1 ns.     

High-efficiency CW operation of MOCVD-grown GaAs/AlGaAs vertical-cavity lasers with resonant periodic gain

A GaAs/AlGaAs vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser with resonant periodic gain has been grown by metal-organic chemical vapour deposition. The as-grown structure exhibits an optically pumped CW threshold below 15 mW at 300 K and a single-ended power efficiency up to 45%. Fundamental Gaussian and higher-order modes are observed with spectral widths (FWHM) as low as 0.27 AA.<>     

Inverting and latching optical logic gates based on the integrationof vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and photothyristors

Inverting optical logic gates based on the monolithic integration of a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) with a heterojunction photothyristor (PNPN) are described. Logic functions INVERT, NAND, and NOR are experimentally demonstrated for the first time using latchable and cascadable PNPN/VCSEL switches, which can be triggered with very low optical energy, while producing high optical gain and optical contrast. These gates are integrable on a single epitaxial structure to provide multifunctional logic and memory arrays     

Novel wavelength-resonant optoelectronic structure and itsapplication to surface-emitting semiconductor lasers

An optimised design for optoelectronic devices which depends on the interaction between an electromagnetic standing wave and the carrier population is described. The structure consists of quantum well layers spaced at one-half the wavelength of a selected optical transition in quantum wells. This spatial periodicity allows the amplifying or absorbing medium (quantum wells) to coincide with the peaks of the standing wave optical field in the Fabry-Perot cavity. In such a periodic medium, the gain or absorption for the selected wavelength is enhanced by a factor of two compared to a uniform medium. This concept was applied to fabricate a surface-emitting semiconductor laser in the GaAs/AlGaAs system. Lasing was achieved with the shortest gain medium length (320 nm) ever reported     

N-Methyl-5-tert-butyltryptamine: A novel, highly potent 5-HT1D receptor agonist

It has been observed that reported 5-HT1D receptor agonists have at least one heteroatom (N, O, or S) on the 5-substituent of the indole. This has led to the hypothesis that a 5-substituent capable of participating in hydrogen bonding is critical for conveying high affinity. This article describes the synthesis and biological evaluation of a new series of 5-alkyltryptamine analogues, which does not have a heteroatom in the 5-substituent group. In contrast to the hypothesis, 5-alkyltryptamines all exhibit high binding affinities for the human 5-HT1D receptor. The size of the lipophilic alkyl group at the 5-position of the indole has significant impact on the 5-HT1D binding affinity. Compounds with a tert-butyl group at the 5-position such as 9d, 10, and 11 were identified. These analogues display high binding affinity (Ki < 1 nM) and moderate receptor selectivity in comparison with known antimigraine agents such as sumatriptan, naratriptan, rizatriptan, and VML-251.