Top Contenders Research Articles

Enhanced stability and photovoltaic performance of planar perovskite solar cells through anilinium thiobenzoate interfacial engineering

Organic-inorganic halide perovskite absorbers remain top contenders for current photovoltaic technologies owing to their ability to attain high efficiency at relatively low cost. However, commercialization of perovskite solar cells remains difficult due to their poor long-term stability. Such instability is commonly attributed to the ease in defect formation within the polycrystalline absorber film as well as at the surfaces between the layers, acting as recombination centers, reducing the overall performance of the device. Introduction of suitable interfacial layers has proven effective in defect passivation, allowing enhanced device stability and improving photovoltaic performance. In this study, a novel anilinium thiobenzoate (ATB) interlayer is deposited between the perovskite/hole transport layer (HTL) interface. Since ATB contains functional groups such as sulfur and ammonium, favourable coordination with under-coordinated lead ions on the perovskite film allows significant reduction in recombination losses and enhancement of open-circuit voltage from 1.05 to 1.11 V. Apart from the paramount efficiency of 19.33%, the 10 mg/mL ATB passivated device also shows exceptional long-term stability whereby 92% of initial efficiency is retained despite storage in ambient conditions for 150 days. Hence, results from this study highlights the importance of device passivation in attaining superior device performance and long-term stability.

Hydration of Reactive MgO as Partial Cement Replacement and Its Influence on the Macroperformance of Cementitious Mortars

A recent quest for more sustainable cement-based construction materials has triggered the pursuit of technically viable alternatives of cement, making reactive magnesium oxide (MgO) one of the least known top contenders to reduce this sector’s environmental impact since it participates in the cement’s hydration reactions and presents enhanced carbon capture ability during its life cycle. In this study, two different commercially available reactive MgO samples were evaluated as partial cement replacements (at 10%, 15%, and 20%, by weight) in the production of mortars. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, differential thermal analysis (DTA), and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of cement, MgO samples, and resulting mortars were carried out. All specimens were evaluated in terms of their mechanical and durability-related performance (i.e., flexural and compressive strength, carbonation, water absorption by capillary action, and shrinkage). The main results suggest that, in spite of the decreased, albeit acceptable, performance with increasing incorporation of MgO as partial cement replacement, a significant decrease was observed in the shrinkage strain of cementitious materials.

A compact model and TCAD simulation for GaN-gate injection transistor (GIT)

Wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor devices represent an attractive developing technology for power applications that is recently gaining commercial ground. GaN has advantages as one of the top contenders with high bandgap, high mobility, high saturation velocity, and high breakdown voltage. GaN enhancement-mode devices are favored over depletion-mode devices for power electronics applications and are only recently becoming commercially available. The enhancement-mode device investigated in this work is a GaN-gate injection transistor (GIT) in which the normally-off operation is achieved with an additional p-doped gate. This paper presents current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of GaN-GIT device using a physics based compact model as well as TCAD (Technology Computer-Aided Design) numerical simulation to predict and model the device behavior of the GIT. This paper presents a comparison of the TCAD simulation results with a compact model intended for low frequency applications in power electronics in the KHz to MHz range.

AnyDSL: a partial evaluation framework for programming high-performance libraries

This paper advocates programming high-performance code using partial evaluation. We present a clean-slate programming system with a simple, annotation-based, online partial evaluator that operates on a CPS-style intermediate representation. Our system exposes code generation for accelerators (vectorization/parallelization for CPUs and GPUs) via compiler-known higher-order functions that can be subjected to partial evaluation. This way, generic implementations can be instantiated with target-specific code at compile time. In our experimental evaluation we present three extensive case studies from image processing, ray tracing, and genome sequence alignment. We demonstrate that using partial evaluation, we obtain high-performance implementations for CPUs and GPUs from one language and one code base in a generic way. The performance of our codes is mostly within 10%, often closer to the performance of multi man-year, industry-grade, manually-optimized expert codes that are considered to be among the top contenders in their fields.

Scholar-Public Intellectual

Viet thanh nguyen's recent successes might appear to have come out of nowhere. beforethe sympathizerwon the pulitzer prize andNothing Ever Dies: Vietnam and the Memory of Warwas long-listed for the National Book Award, and before he was named a MacArthur Fellow, Nguyen was another hardworking academic, laboring away in a field that no one outside it knew much about. For those who labored alongside him in the same field, the story looks different. When many of us were finishing graduate school and looking for our first teaching jobs, there was a joke going around that all the applicants on the market that year were waiting to find out what Nguyen would do. He had gotten all the job offers in the field, and the other top contenders were hanging out on the waiting list. His irst book,Race and Resistance: Literature and Politics in Asian America(2002), a study of how the idea of resistance circulates in critical discussions of Asian American literature, landed with a splash, becoming one of those works other scholars had to be familiar with. What made it stand out was his insistence that we not idealize resistance. If the standard story that scholars liked to tell was that Asian American literature adopted a radical posture when it came to race, seeking to critique racism and to conjure alternative social possibilities, Nguyen pointed out that the story was incomplete. Asian Americans, including creative writers, are as heterogeneous ideology-wise as they are heterogeneous in every other way.

A Collective Case Screening of the Zeolites made in Japan for High Performance NH3-SCR of NOx

Abstract Zeolites demonstrating better SCR of NOx performance due to wide temperature activity, hydrothermal stability and N2 selectivity have been identified under a joint research initiative by the Research Association of Automotive Internal Combustion Engines (AICE), Japan. Based on the AICE’s standards, over 25 zeolites with different structures and pore dimensions were investigated and their SCR efficiency and durability have been compared. While the performances of the top contenders cannot be related to a single parameter, the results suggest that the SAR, Cu quality/quantity, pore dimensions, diffusivity and acidity play a combined role in deciding the SCR activity and selectivity.

A multiple-criteria decision analysis to evaluate sonic boom noise metrics

A statistical analysis was performed to select which noise metrics are best at explaining human annoyance to sonic boom noise. This follows previous work to downselect these metrics, but offers a more robust argument. The analysis began with calculation of a set of thirteen noise metrics and collected information about their explanatory powers (r2 between annoyance rating and noise metric) in five laboratory dose-response studies performed at different sonic boom simulation facilities. In these studies, indoor and outdoor human responses were gathered under various experimental conditions—booms alone, booms with rattle indoors, and booms with indoor vibration. This input data was then passed through two stages of multiple-criteria decision-making algorithms. In the first step, a Pareto efficiency analysis was conducted to objectively group metrics and eliminate poor contenders. The second step involved an Analytic Hierarchy Process to rank the remaining metrics, with an option to subjectively weight the studies by perceived importance. The result of this downselection is the ranking of five metrics that were selected as top contenders: BSEL, ESEL, ISBAP, PL, and DSEL. [ISBAP = PL + 0.4201(CSEL-ASEL)].

Salient Object Detection: A Benchmark.

We extensively compare, qualitatively and quantitatively, 41 state-of-the-art models (29 salient object detection, 10 fixation prediction, 1 objectness, and 1 baseline) over seven challenging data sets for the purpose of benchmarking salient object detection and segmentation methods. From the results obtained so far, our evaluation shows a consistent rapid progress over the last few years in terms of both accuracy and running time. The top contenders in this benchmark significantly outperform the models identified as the best in the previous benchmark conducted three years ago. We find that the models designed specifically for salient object detection generally work better than models in closely related areas, which in turn provides a precise definition and suggests an appropriate treatment of this problem that distinguishes it from other problems. In particular, we analyze the influences of center bias and scene complexity in model performance, which, along with the hard cases for the state-of-the-art models, provide useful hints toward constructing more challenging large-scale data sets and better saliency models. Finally, we propose probable solutions for tackling several open problems, such as evaluation scores and data set bias, which also suggest future research directions in the rapidly growing field of salient object detection.

The great race: the global quest for the car of the future

Great Race recounts the story of a century-long battle between automakers for market share, profit, and technological dominance and a race to build the car of the The world s great manufacturing juggernaut the $2 trillion automotive industry is in the throes of a revolution. Its future will include cars Henry Ford and Karl Benz could scarcely have imagined. They will drive themselves, won t consume oil, and will come in radical shapes and sizes. But the path to that future is fraught. The top contenders are two traditional manufacturing giants, the United States and Japan, and a newcomer, China. Team America has a powerful and little known weapon in its arsenal: a small group of technology buffs and regulators from California. The story of why and how these men and women could shape the future how you move, how you work, how you live on earth is an unexpected tale filled with unforgettable characters: a scorned chemistry professor, a South African visionary who went for broke, an ambitious Chinese expat, a quixotic Japanese nuclear engineer, and a string of billion-dollar wagers by governments and corporations. Tillemann s account is incisive and riveting. It explains how America bounced back in this global contest and what it will take to command the industrial future.

Salesforce Acquisition? Looking Through the Patent Lens

The IT industry is known for its fair share of mergers and acquisitions. From acquiring nascent start-ups with a small revenue stream to those with a huge potential, the technology industry has seen it all. Be it WhatsApp’s $18 Bn acquisition or Nest for $3.2 Bn, the industry does only little not to surprise us. Running up to an acquisition demands ascertaining available cash flow, culture fit and market sentiments, among others. Most importantly, however, the strategic fit in technology should make sense. Salesforce has been in the limelight recently since it hired financial advisors, possibly to discuss an acquisition. This document attempts to look at the patent portfolios of possible contenders and compare them to the portfolio of Salesforce. At present, it is unclear as for which company among the top contenders this acquisition will make a strategic fit. It is also unclear which company among the possible bidders will actually move forward to acquire Salesforce, even if an acquisition were to happen. The top ones in line are: Oracle, IBM, SAP, Microsoft, HP Enterprise and Google. However, given the patent portfolio and technological overlaps, for some companies it makes more sense than for others. While we see that the acquisition could give a boost to Microsoft, for Oracle the assimilation might be far easier. Google could still surprise us as it has been known to acquire companies not belonging to its palette. For IBM the acquisition will be much out of its character. The same applies to SAP, who does not seem to have any interest in acquiring Salesforce. Nevertheless, the comparison of the patent portfolios of these companies is an interesting one and it presents the whole scenario of the possible acquisition of Salesforce in a different light for the readers.

Capacity Advantage of Array-Reader-Based Magnetic Recording (ARMR) for Next Generation Hard Disk Drives

This paper proposes an array-reader-based magnetic recording (ARMR) approach for enhancing recording capacity in hard disk drives (HDDs). The HDD industry is now at crossroads to choose a technology that will support continued increase in recording density, and the top contenders are bit patterned media recording (BPMR) and heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) for near-term and 2-D magnetic recording for long-term. Deployment of BPMR and HAMR has been delayed due to the challenges in media and heads. We propose the ARMR approach as a viable technology that can deliver significant capacity by combining array-reader-based readback with modest changes in readback signal processing. Offtrack performance evaluation using waveforms captured at various squeeze levels show that ARMR offers about 30% enhancement in capacity for single-track detection with two or three read elements positioned at different cross-track positions in the track.

A Landscape of the New Dark Silicon Design Regime

Because of the breakdown of Dennard scaling, the percentage of a silicon chip that can switch at full frequency drops exponentially with each process generation. This utilization wall forces designers to ensure that, at any point in time, large fractions of their chips are effectively "dark silicon"--that is, significantly underclocked or idle for large periods of time. As exponentially larger fractions of a chip's transistors become dark, silicon area becomes an exponentially cheaper resource relative to power and energy consumption. This shift is driving a new class of architectural techniques that "spend" area to "buy" energy efficiency. All these techniques seek to introduce new forms of heterogeneity into the computational stack. This article begins by examining four promising directions--the "four horsemen"--that have emerged as top contenders for thriving in the dark silicon age. Each direction carries with its virtues deep-seated restrictions that require a careful understanding of the underlying trade-offs and benefits. Furthermore, the author proposes a set of evolutionary dark silicon design principles and examines how one of the "darkest" computing architectures of all, the human brain, trades off energy and area in ways that provide potential insights into more revolutionary directions for computer architecture.

Performance of negative tone chemically amplified fullerene resists in extreme ultraviolet lithography

With extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) emerging as one of the top contenders to succeed from optical lithography for the production of next generation semiconductor devices, the search for suitable resists that combine high resolution, low line edge roughness (LER) and commercially viable sensitivity for high volume production is still ongoing. One promising approach to achieve these goals has been the development of molecular resists. Here we report our investigations into the EUV lithographic performance of a molecular fullerene resist showing resolution down to 20-nm half-pitch with interference lithography with a LER of >5 nm and sensitivity of about 20 mJ/cm 2.

Can Bharat Bazar sustain its growth? The story of an Indian retail giant

Subject area The subject area is retailing in the Indian business context. Study level/applicability The case is suitable for an MBA course on retail marketing. Positioning is that of an advanced elective, trying to educate, apply and synthesize the facets of learning, thinking and assimilating concepts with practicalities. Case overview The case elucidates the trials and tribulations of Bharat Bazar, one of the top contenders in the Indian retail scene. It explores the journey of brand making and customer patronage. Under consideration is a set of options for the retailer's next stage of growth. While the decisions are not to be mutually exclusive, it is clear that the firm has neither the capacity to scale up without proper locations nor unlimited management resources for economic viability. The retailer naturally has to choose the best direction possible and dedicate all efforts to bring the firm to the next level of growth. The strategy has to be robust in any case. Expected learning outcomes The case will help students to: appreciate Indian macro retail variables; analyse business decisions of a retailer based on location, merchandise, and profitability; and explore future strategy options from the growth perspective as well as a socially responsible player. Social implications Socially, the case is nourishing and enriching as it connotes not only a wealth creation angle, but also a green and efficient supply chain one. Retailers must cater for the choice pattern of the society, whether essential or non essential items of consumption. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Pacing in Olympic track races: Competitive tactics versus best performance strategy

The purpose of this study was to describe pacing strategies in the 800 to 10,000-m Olympic finals. We asked 1) if Olympic finals differed from World Records, 2) how variable the pace was, 3) whether runners faced catastrophic events, and 4) for the winning strategy. Publically available data from the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games gathered by four transponder antennae under the 400-m track were analysed to extract descriptors of pacing strategies. Individual pacing patterns of 133 finalists were visualised using speed by distance plots. Six of eight plots differed from the patterns reported for World Records. The coefficient of running speed variation was 3.6–11.4%. In the long distance finals, runners varied their pace every 100 m by a mean 1.6–2.7%. Runners who were ‘dropped’ from the field achieved a stable running speed and displayed an endspurt. Top contenders used variable pacing strategies to separate themselves from the field. All races were decided during the final lap. Olympic track finalists employ pacing strategies which are different from World Record patterns. The observed micro- and macro-variations of pace may have implications for training programmes. Dropping off the pace of the leading group is an active step, and the result of interactive psychophysiological decision making.

Competitive Pacing Strategies Used In Olympic Track Races

Most of the literature on pacing in long distance running events is either on World Record or on best pace performances, with few data regarding how races at high level championships are actually contested. PURPOSE: To determine the pacing strategies used in the 800 to 10,000 m track finals. Specifically, we asked 1) if Olympic pacing strategies were different from World Record pacing, 2) how constant the running velocity was, 3) whether runners faced catastrophic events after dropping off the leading group, and 4) what the winning strategy amongst the medalists was based upon. METHODS: We used publically available data from the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games gathered by transponder antennae under the 400m track at 0m, 100m, 200m and 300m. In a descriptive approach, we plotted velocity by distance to visualize 1 & 2) individual velocity of all runners in comparison to the world record, 3) velocity collapsed into groups of runners as well as 4) individual velocity of the three medalists only. RESULTS: Most finals were won in a time within 4% of the World Record. No clear pattern of velocity was evident, and plots differed from the 'inverted U' pattern reported for World Record races. The coefficient of variability of running velocity was 3.6-11.4 %. The variation in running velocity evident in the 100m data was greater than was evident in the traditionally used 400m split data. In the longer events, the runners who were 'dropped' from the field appeared to achieve a stable running velocity and displayed an endspurt. Following the reduction in the size of the field by 'dropping' the majority of the competitors, most races were not decided amongst the top contenders until the final lap. DISCUSSION: The pacing strategy used in Olympic track races differs from the strategy employed in World Record or best pace races. There is a high degree of variation in running velocity evident in the 100 m data, which is not adequately represented by 400m lap 'splits'. Dropping off the pace of the leading group is not a catastrophic event, but seems to be an active step designed to prevent a catastrophic event. Finally, the race among the medalists is decided by differences in the endspurt, with the peak velocity achieved during the last 400m.

Implementing Change in Smaller Firms

OVERVIEW:How to achieve a sustained competitive advantage that ensures long-term survival has become a major concern for managers of any company, but especially for managers of small and medium-sized firms. It is well-known that these firms have more trouble than larger ones in enduring under hostile environmental conditions. This study illustrates one example of a smaller firm—Nicolas Correa, in Spain—that in recent years has become one of the top contenders in its business sector worldwide. Its successful competitive performance is the result of its managers' implementing a series of interrelated changes and innovations throughout the firm with a single purpose: to satisfy its customers' needs above and beyond their own expectations while also paying increasing attention to the remainder of the firm's stakeholders.

Change and Continuity in Soviet Policy Towards Soviet Jewry and Israel, May-December 1948

Change and Continuity in Soviet Policy Towards Soviet Jewry and Israel, May–December 1948 Binyamin Pinkus (bio) Introduction This article focuses on the Jewish national awakening among Soviet and East European Jewry and the first signs of official Soviet policy on the Jewish Question. Although May-December 1948 is a relatively brief period in Israeli-Soviet relations, it is one of utmost importance because it reflects the dilemmas and inconsistencies of Soviet policy toward Israel and Jewish issues. The Soviet regime under Stalin's leadership would solve these issues in typical totalitarian style: a war to the death using all means available to the state. Israel requested that the Government of the USSR grant official recognition to the Provisional Government of the State of Israel. On May 18, 1948 Soviet Foreign Minister, Vyacheslav Molotov notified Israel of the USSR's decision to grant full de jure recognition. He asserted that the "Soviet Government hopes that the establishment of the sovereign independent state by the Jewish People will serve to strengthen peace and security in Palestine and the Near East, and it expresses its faith in the development of friendly relations between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the State of Israel."1 The Soviet Union was the first superpower to extend de jure. Although Washington preceded Moscow in endorsing the Jewish State, it had only accorded de facto recognition. The other two Western powers, France and Britain, after exhaustive efforts granted de facto recognition to Israel in January 1949. De jure recognition was delayed until May 1949 and April 1950 respectively. The situation in eastern Europe was different. The new socialist states competed with one another to be the first to recognize Israel after the Soviet Union. On May 18, Zygmunt Modzelewski, the Polish Foreign Minister, informed Moshe Sharett, the Israeli Foreign Minister: [End Page 96] In the name of the Polish Government, I would like to express [Poland's] satisfaction with the Provisional Government as the provisional Jewish regime in Israel . . . The Polish Government's position on matters related to the Jewish People and Jewish Government in Israel is common knowledge in international forums and especially in the UN. The Polish Government has consistently maintained a position of great sympathy for the Jewish People who have fought for their freedom and their own state.2 One of the members of the Polish delegation at the UN, Julius Katz-Sukhy, lauded the establishment of the Jewish state and expressed hope that "the Arabs of Palestine would also establish their own state."3 In mid-June, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Hungary, and Rumania extended de facto recognition to Israel, and Bulgaria followed in turn.4 The "right" person had to be selected to serve as Israel's representative to the Soviet Union. Eliahu Elath, a senior official of the Jewish Agency who was involved in Zionist diplomatic affairs, could have been chosen, or a top figure in the ruling political party, Mapai. The heads of the left-wing parties in Israel had been unconditionally excluded from the mission to Moscow and were allowed a place only on the mission to Warsaw. According to Eli Tzur, "The most sensitive ministry under Mapai's control was the Foreign Ministry headed by Moshe Sharett. Mapam's (left-wing Zionist- Socialist party) involvement in this ministry was perceived as a major political issue because of the party's pro-Moscow orientation." Mapai's Central Committee debated whether to admit Mapam representatives into the Diplomatic Corps, especially to posts in eastern Europe, according to a proportional party key.5 Mapai could offer many qualified candidates of Russian origin who were fully acquainted with the country's history and culture. One of top contenders was Mordechai Namir, a leader of the Histadrut and key Mapai figure, who asked Ben-Gurion "for an assignment in Moscow or another Slavic country."6 He had already carried out a number of important diplomatic missions in February and July 1948 in East European countries and negotiated with Czechoslovakia and Rumania on arms, oil, and immigration. Namir recalled that they had received him there "with a standing ovation."7 Sharett considered Golda Meir the most suitable candidate for the Soviet mission. He approached...

An Interview with Mr. Ben C. Bryant, Jr. President and CEO SCB Computer Technology, Inc.

SCB Computer Technology, Inc. (SCB) ranks among the top contenders in the competition for information management consulting services. Having grown from a small partnership established in 1976, SCB enjoys a nationwide presence with a corporate office in Memphis, Tennessee and regional and branch offices in most major metropolitan areas.

The Development of the Speed Hill-Climb Car

This paper highlights the development of a very specialized class of race vehicle—the speed hill-climb car. The speed hill-climb discipline requires a unique set of performance parameters which places particular emphasis on traction. Historical development is traced through a review of successful cars to the top contenders of 1993 and the paper concludes with an examination of future trends.