This paper theoretically compares the performance of simulated annealing and evolutionary algorithms. Our main result is that under mild conditions a wide variety of evolutionary algorithms can be shown to have greater performance than simulated annealing after a sufficiently large number of function evaluations. This class of EAs includes variants of evolutionary strategie and evolutionary programming, the canonical genetic algorithm, as well as a variety of genetic algorithms that have been applied to combinatorial optimization problems. The proof of this result is based on a performance analysis of a very general class of stochastic optimization algorithms, which has implications for the performance of a variety of other optimization algorithm.

The first step in the fabrication of microstructure using deep x-ray lithography (DXRL) is the irradiation of a x-ray sensitive resist like polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) by hard x-rays. At the Advanced Photon Source, a dedicated beamline allows the proper exposure of very thick (several mm) resists. To fabricate electroformed metal microstructure with heights of several mm, a PMMA sheet is glued onto a metallic plating base. An important requirement is that the PMMA layer must adhere well to the plating base. The adhesion is greatly reduced by the penetration of even a small fraction of hard x-rays through the mask absorber into the substrate. In this work we will show a novel technique to improve the adhesion of PMMA onto high-Z substrates for DXRL. Results of the improved adhesion are shown for different exposure/substrate conditions.

We describe the development and implementation of a spectral element code for multimillion gridpoint simulations of incompressible flows in general two- and three-dimensional domains. Parallel performance is present on up to 2048 nodes of the Intel ASCI-Red machine at Sandia.

In 1998, we reported the three-laboratory measurement of the {sup 44}Ti half-life which was determined relative to the well known value (5.2714 {+-} 0.0005 yr) of the {sup 60}Co half-life. We have continued the measurement at Argonne and Jerusalem and inclusion of data points for additional two years does not change our published value of 59.0 {+-} 0.6 yr.

Structural components and semiconductor devices based on silicon nitride, aluminum nitride and gallium nitride are expected to function more reliably at elevated temperatures and at higher levels of performance because of the strong atomic bonding in these materials. The degree of covalency, lattice specific heat, and thermal conductivity are important design factors for the realization of advanced applications. We have determined the phonon densities of states of these ceramics by the method of neutron scattering. The results provide a microscopic interpretation of the mechanical and thermal properties. Moreover, experimental data of the static, structures, and dynamic excitations of atoms are essential to the validation of interparticle potentials employed for molecular-dynamics simulations of high-temperature properties of multi-component ceramic systems. We present an overview of neutron-scattering investigations of the atomic organization, phonon excitations, as well as calculations of related thermodynamic properties of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}, {beta}-sialon, AlN and GaN. The results are compared with those of the oxide analogs such as SiO{sub 2} and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}.

The Advanced Photon Source (APS) injector linac has been reconfigured with a low-emittance rf thermionic gun and a photocathode (PC) rf gun to support self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) free-electron laser (FEL) experiments. One of the most critical parameters for optimizing SASE performance (gain length) is the electron beam peak current, which requires a charge measurement and a bunch length measurement capability. We report here initial measurements of the latter using both incoherent optical transition radiation (OTR) and coherent transition radiation (CTR), A visible light Hamarnatsu C5680 synchroscan streak camera was used to measure the thermionic rf gun beam's bunch length ({sigma} {approximately}2 to 3ps) via OTR generated by the beam at 220 MeV and 200 mA macropulse average current. In addition, a CTR monitor (Michelson Interferometer) based on a Golay cell as the far infrared (FIR) detector has been installed at the 40-MeV station in the beamline. Initial observation s of CTR signal strength variation with gun a-magnet current and interferograms have been obtained. Progress in characterizing the beam at these locations and a comparison to other bunch length determinations will be presented.

The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory will collide beams of nuclei (as light as protons and as heavy as gold) at energies of up to 200 GeV per nucleon. At these energies, the probability of detecting a phase transition to a state of matter where quarks and gluons are not confined to nucleons is large. (The nuclear densities are approaching nucleon densities) Additionally, the collision is occurring in a kinematic regime where perturbative QCD is expected to be reliable. I discuss the capabilities of the STAR detector at RHIC and a subset of the physics program the STAR collaboration hopes to undertake with this detector.

The stability of particulate carbon formed in the detonation of high explosives has been investigated with first principles and semiempirical molecular orbital calculations carried out on carbon clusters. The dangling surface bonds were capped wit/r hydrogen atoms and the surface contributions to the cohesive energy were removed by extrapolation as a function of the cluster size. Comparison of the calculated heat of formation of graphite and diamond particles as a function of size predicts that the graphite phase becomes more stable for IO⁴ -10<sup5</sup> carbon atoms. Calculations were also carried out on geometry optimized carbon clusters without capping atoms, resulting in reconstructed cluster surfaces that may be a more realislic model for particulate carbon formed under the extreme conditions of detonation. The calculated energy barrier for tbe conversion of a graphitic cluster to the cubic diamond structure was in good agreement with calculations on b

The authors have completed fabrication and preliminary testing of a 12-channel SQUID array using the superconducting image-surface gradiometer concept. Sensor response to point dipole magnetic sources, and uniform fields used to simulate ambient magnetic fields followed predicted values to high precision. Edge effects were not observed for sources, within 5cm of the center of the imaging surface independent of whether the source is close or far from the surface. The superconducting imaging-surface also reduced uniform ambient fields at the SQUID sensors by approximately a factor of ten. Finally, a high degree of symmetry was observed between sides of the imaging surface for uniform fields. This symmetry, together with the very small sensitivity of sensors on the back side of the imaging surface to sources close to the front side provides an excellent circumstance for implementing either digital or analog background rejection. Their goal is to implement a higher density array with the superconducting imaging surface, together with background rejection, and utilize this system for MCG and other biomagnetic studies.

To better understand the vortex dynamics of coherent structures in turbulent and transitional boundary layers, we consider direct numerical simulation of the interaction between a flat-plate-boundary-layer flow and an isolated hemispherical roughness element. Of principal interest is the evolution of hairpin vortices that form an interlacing pattern in the wake of the hemisphere, lift away from the wall, and are stretched by the shearing action of the boundary layer. Using animations of unsteady three-dimensional representations of this flow, produced by the vtk toolkit and enhanced to operate in a CAVE virtual environment, we identify and study several key features in the evolution of this complex vortex topology not previously observed in other visualization formats.

A new ground state source of negative hydrogen ions with polarized nuclei ({rvec H}{sup {minus}}) is being developed at BNL. Extensive developmental research has been aimed at improving each element of ({rvec H}{sup {minus}}) production: cold H{degrees} beam, spin selection and focusing magnets, and ionizer. These elements have recently been integrated into a source. A first test with the accommodator nozzle cooled only to liquid nitrogen temperatures resulted in 5 {mu}A of H{sup {minus}}. Tests at liquid helium temperatures are now beginning. 7 refs., 1 fig.