Calculation of the sputtering coefficients of oxide films from the surface of a homogeneous material by medium-energy helium ions

The paper presents an analytical model for sputtering two-component layered inhomogeneous targets by bombardment with light ions. An analytical formula is obtained that makes it possible to calculate the total and partial sputtering yields of a binary layer of target inhomogeneity by light ions. The obtained formula is used to calculate the sputtering yields of oxide layers from the surface of a homogeneous substrate. The calculation results are in good agreement with the computer simulation data.

Effects of Orthographic Consistency on Bilingual Reading: Human and Computer Simulation Data

English serves as today’s lingua franca, a role not eased by the inconsistency of its orthography. Indeed, monolingual readers of more consistent orthographies such as Italian or German learn to read more quickly than monolingual English readers. Here, we assessed whether long-lasting bilingualism would mitigate orthography-specific differences in reading speed and whether the order in which orthographies with a different regularity are learned matters. We studied high-proficiency Italian-English and English-Italian bilinguals, with at least 20 years of intensive daily exposure to the second language and its orthography and we simulated sequential learning of the two orthographies with the CDP++ connectionist model of reading. We found that group differences in reading speed were comparatively bigger with Italian stimuli than with English stimuli. Furthermore, only Italian bilinguals took advantage of a blocked presentation of Italian stimuli compared to when stimuli from both languages were presented in mixed order, suggesting a greater ability to keep language-specific orthographic representations segregated. These findings demonstrate orthographic constraints on bilingual reading, whereby the level of consistency of the first learned orthography affects later learning and performance on a second orthography. The computer simulations were consistent with these conclusions.

Microscopic origin of the scattering pre-peak in aqueous propylamine mixtures: X-ray and neutron experiments versus simulations

The structure of aqueous propylamine mixtures is investigated through X-ray and neutron scattering experiments, and the scattered intensities compared with computer simulation data.

An accurate analytical representation of the bridge function of hard spheres and a question of existence of a general closure to the Ornstein–Zernike equation

The bridge function of hard spheres is accurately calculated from computer simulation data on the pair distribution function via the inverted Ornstein–Zernike equation at reduced densities ρ* ≡ Nσ3/V ranging from 0.2 to 1.02, i.e. from low densities through densities in a vicinity of the phase transition to crystal to densities of metastable fluid region. The data are used to propose an analytical representation of the bridge function as a function of the interparticle distance and density. They are further used to construct the so-called Duh– Haymet plot. It is demonstrated that a “general closure” to the Ornstein–Zernike equation in the form B(r) = f[γ(r)], where γ is the indirect (or series) correlation function, does not match the data. Nor does an extended closure B(r) = f[γ(r),ρ*] even in the simplest case of the one component hard sphere fluid. A relative success of literature closures to the Ornstein–Zernike equation is discussed.

Reflectivity of the gyroid biophotonic crystals in the ventral wing scales of the Green Hairstreak butterfly, Callophrys rubi

We present a comparison of the computer simulation data of gyroid nanostructures with optical measurements (reflectivity spectra and scattering diagrams) of ventral wing scales of the Green Hairstreak butterfly, Callophrys rubi . We demonstrate that the omnidirectional green colour arises from the gyroid cuticular structure grown in the domains of different orientation. We also show that this three-dimensional structure, operating as a biophotonic crystal, gives rise to various polarization effects. We briefly discuss the possible biological utility of the green coloration and polarization effects.