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A pilot-scale field experiment has been conducted since 1990 to test the effectiveness of microbial volatilization in removing selenium (Se) from soils contaminated with agricultural drainage water. The experiment, in which only irrigation and aeration were employed to enhance microbial processes, was designed to measure all major Se fluxes, including not only selenium loss via volatilization, but also advection with infiltrating rainwater, evapotranspirative transport, and plant uptake. The goal was to account for the total Se mass balance and address questions as to the significance of microbial volatilization relative to other fluxes. Although data collected from 1990 to 1994 showed decreases of Se concentrations in the top soil, subsequent data demonstrated that advective Se fluxes due to rainwater infiltration and evapotranspiration are largely responsible for the observed changes. Se volatilization was measured to account for an annual loss of only about 1%, with volatilization rates decreasing significantly with time, presumably due to the depletion of soil organic carbon. The integrated results of this project demonstrate the advantages and even necessity of an inter-disciplinary and multi-phase approach to evaluating the effectiveness of bioremediation strategies. Extreme caution needs to be taken in interpreting early results; long-term data collection and follow-up are indispensable.

The capability to calculate effective delayed neutron fractions has now been implemented into MCNP4B and is in the testing phase. This option should prove to be most useful for multiplying systems which are not easily modeled using deterministic codes.

Humidity is shown to be a strong factor in the wear of rubbing surfaces in polysilicon micromachines. We demonstrate that very low humidity can lead to very high wear without a significant change in reliability. We show that the volume of wear debris generated is a function of the humidity in an air environment. As the humidity decreases, the wear debris generated increases. For the higher humidity levels, the formation of surface hydroxides may act as a lubricant. The dominant failure mechanism has been identified as wear. The wear debris has been identified as amorphous oxidized silicon. Large slivers (approximately 1 micron in length) of debris observed at the low humidity level were also amorphous oxidized silicon. Using transmission electron microscopy, we observed that the wear debris forms spherical and rod-like shapes. We compared two surface treatment processes: a fluorinated si- lane chain, (FITl) and supercritical C02 dried (SCC02). The microengines using the SCC02 process were found to be less reliable than those released with the FIX process under two humidity levels.

Computational models have the potential of being used to make credible predictions in place of physical testing in many contexts, but success and acceptance require a convincing model validation. In general, model validation is understood to be a comparison of model predictions to experimental results but there appears to be no standard framework for conducting this comparison. This paper gives a statistical framework for the problem of model validation that is quite analogous to calibration, with the basic goal being to design and analyze a set of experiments to obtain information pertaining to the `limits of error' that can be associated with model predictions. Implementation, though, in the context of complex, high-dimensioned models, poses a considerable challenge for the development of appropriate statistical methods and for the interaction of statisticians with model developers and experimentalists. The proposed framework provides a vehicle for communication between modelers, experimentalists, and the analysts and decision-makers who must rely on model predictions.

Continuing education is a critical issue in the workplace. Rapid change, the emergence of new technology, and the lack of trained individuals make continuing education an imperative for employers. The desire for individual growth and marketability make it an imperative for the employee also. While there are many options for continuing education, an increasingly popular vehicle is the short course. Time, cost efficiency and instruction by those experienced in real industrial practice are key factors in the success of this educational format. Over the past couple of decades, short course offerings and the number and type of sponsoring organizations have grown significantly. Within the scientific community, courses in basic disciplines (e.g., materials characterization), emergent technologies (e.g., Micro-Electro- Mechanical Systems), equipment operation (e.g., electron microscopes) and even business practices (e.g., ES&H, proposal writing) have emerged and are taught by universities, technical societies and equipment manufacturers. Short course offerings and formats are evolving. Presently, it is possible to find series of courses which define specific curricula. These curricula set the stage for new developments in the future, including increased certification and licensing (e.g., technologists). Along with such certifications will come the need for accreditation. Who will offer such programs, and especially, who …

High wire number, 25-mm diameter tungsten wire arrays have been imploded on the 8-MA Saturn generator, operating in a long-pulse mode. By varying the mass load from 710 to 6140 ps/cm, implosion times of 130 to 250 ns have been obtained with implosion velocities of 50 to 25 cn-dys, respectively. These z-pinch implosions produced plasmas with millimeter diameters that radiated 600 to 800 kJ of x-rays, with powers of 20 to 49 TW; the corresponding pulse widths were 19 to 7.5 ns, with risetimes ranging from 6.5 to 4.0 ns. These powers and pulse widths are similar to those achieved with 50 ns implosion times on Saturn. Two-dimensional, radiation- magnetohydrodynamic calculations indicate that the imploding shells in these long implosion time experiments are comparable in width to those in the short pulse cases. This can only be due to lower initial perturbations. A heuristic wire array model suggests that the reduced perturbations, in the long pulse cases, may be due to the individual wire merger occurring well before the acceleration of the shell. The experiments and modeling suggest that 150 to 200 ns implosion time z-pinches could be employed for high-power, x-ray source applications.

The asymptotically singular stress state found at the tip of a rigid, square inclusion embedded within a thin, linear elastic disk has been determined for both uniform cooling and an externally applied pressure. Since these loadings we symmetric, the singular stress field is characterized by a single stress intensity factor, and the applicable calibration relationship has been determined for both fully bonded and unbended inclusions. A lack of interfacial bonding has a profound effect on inclusion-tip stress fields. A large radial compressive stress is generated in front of the inclusion tip when the inclusion is well bonded, whereas a large tensile hoop stress is generated when the inclusion is unbended, and frictionless sliding is allowed. Consequently, an epoxy disk containing an unbended inclusion appears more likely to crack when cooled than a disk containing a fully bonded inclusion. Elastic-plastic calculations show that when the inclusion is unbended, encapsulant yielding has a significant effect on the inclusion-tip stress state. Yielding relieves stress parallel to the interface and greatly reduces the radial compressive stress in front of the inclusion. As a result, the encapsulant is subjected to a nearly uniaxial tensile stress at the inclusion tip. For a typical high-strength epoxy, the …

Deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) measurements were utilized to investigate deep level defects in metal-organic chemical deposition (MOCVD)-grown unintentionally doped p-type InGaAsN films lattice matched to GaAs. The as-grown material displayed a high concentration of deep levels distributed within the bandgap, with a dominant hole trap at E{sub v} + 0.10 eV. Post-growth annealing simplified the deep level spectra, enabling the identification of three distinct hole traps at 0.10 eV, 0.23 eV, and 0.48 eV above the valence band edge, with concentrations of 3.5 x 10{sup 14} cm{sup {minus}3}, 3.8 x 10{sup 14} cm{sup {minus}3}, and 8.2 x 10{sup 14} cm{sup {minus}3}, respectively. A direct comparison between the as-grown and annealed spectra revealed the presence of an additional midgap hole trap, with a concentration of 4 x 10{sup 14} cm{sup {minus}3} in the as-grown material. The concentration of this trap is sharply reduced by annealing, which correlates with improved material quality and minority carrier properties after annealing. Of the four hole traps detected, only the 0.48 eV level is not influenced by annealing, suggesting this level may be important for processed InGaAsN devices in the future.

Fibrous monolithic ceramics generally have a cellular structure that consists of a strong cell surrounded by a weaker boundary phase [1-5]. Fibrous monoliths (FMs) are produced from powders by conventional ceramic fabrication techniques, such as extrusion [1,2]. When properly engineered, they exhibit fail gracefully [3-5]. Several compositions of ceramics and cermets have been processed successfully in fibrous monolithic form [4]. The most thoroughly investigated fibrous monolith consists of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} cells and a BN cell-boundary phase [3-5]. Through appropriate selection of initial powders and extrusion and hot-pressing parameters, very tough final products have been produced. The resultant high toughness is due primarily to delamination during fracture along textured platelike BN grains. The primary objectives of our program are to develop: (1) Oxide-based FMs, including new systems with improved properties; (2) FMs that can be pressureless sintered rather than hot-pressed; (3) Techniques for continuous extrusion of FM filaments, including solid freeform fabrication (SFF) for net-shape fabrication of FMs; (4) Predictive micromechanical models for FM design and performance; and (5) Ties with industrial producers and users of FMs.

High-speed InGaP/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) for high-voltage circuit applications have been investigated. In order to obtain ideal IV characteristics, a lightly doped (N{sub DC} = 7.5 x 10{sup 15} cm{sup {minus}3}) thick (W{sub C} = 3.5 {micro}m) layer of GaAs was used as the collector layer. The devices fabricated have shown breakdown voltage exceeding 65 V. Device operated at up to a 60V bias, which is the highest operating voltage reported up to date for single heterojunction HBTs. Peak {line_integral}{sub T} and {line_integral}{sub MAX} values of 18 GHz and 29 GHz, respectively, have been achieved on a device with emitter area of 4x 12.5 {micro}m{sup 2}. Both {line_integral}{sub T} and {line_integral}{sub Max} degrades with higher bias, which is related to the elongation of the collector depletion width.

In pressurized water reactors (PWRs), stainless steel components are irradiated at temperatures that may reach 400 C due to gamma heating. If large amounts of swelling (>10%) occur in these reactor internals, significant swelling related embrittlement may occur. Although fast reactor studies indicate that swelling should be insignificant at PWR temperatures, the low dose rate conditions experienced by PWR components may possibly lead to significant swelling. To address these issues, JNC and ANL have collaborated to analyze swelling in 316 stainless steel, irradiated in the EBR-II reactor at temperatures from 376-444 C, at dose rates between 4.9 x 10{sup {minus}8} and 5.8 x 10{sup {minus}7} dpa/s, and to doses of 56 dpa. For these irradiation conditions, the swelling decreases markedly at temperatures less than approximately 386 C, with the extrapolated swelling at 100 dpa being around 3%. For temperatures greater than 386 C, the swelling extrapolated to 100 dpa is around 9%. For a factor of two difference in dose rate, no statistically significant effect of dose rate on swelling was seen. For the range of dose rates analyzed, the swelling measurements do not support significant (>10%) swelling of 316 stainless steel in PWRs.

We have fabricated unidirectional fibrous monoliths based on dense ZrSiO{sub 4} cells that are surrounded by a porous, weak ZrSiO{sub 4} cell boundary phase. We coextruded a duplex filament, cut it to short lengths, bundled the lengths and packed them into an extruder, and then extruded a new filament. This filament was cut and packed into a bar die to produce test specimens. After heat treatment, the specimens were tested in four-point flexure and examined by scanning electron microscopy. Load-displacement curves were linear to failure, but some evidence of toughening was observed microscopically.

Hybrid powertrains for certain heavy vehicles may improve fuel economy and reduce emissions. Of particular interest are commercial vehicles, typically in Classes 3-6, that travel in urban areas. Hybrid strategies and associated energy/emissions benefits for these classes of vehicles could be significantly different from those for passenger cars. A preliminary analysis has been conducted to investigate the energy and emissions performance of Class 3 and 6 medium-duty trucks and Class 6 school buses under eight different test cycles. Three elements are associated with this analysis: (1) establish baseline fuel consumption and emission scenario's from selected, representative baseline vehicles and driving schedules; (2) identify sources of energy inefficiency from baseline technology vehicles; and (3) assess maximum and practical potentials for energy savings and emissions reductions associated with heavy vehicle hybridization under real-world driving conditions. Our analysis excludes efficiency gains associated with such other measures as vehicle weight reduction and air resistance reduction, because such measures would also benefit conventional technology vehicles. Our research indicates that fuel economy and emission benefits of hybridization can be very sensitive to different test cycles. We conclude that, on the basis of present-day technology, the potential fuel economy gains average about 60-75% for Class 3 medium-duty …

A GaN based depletion mode metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) was demonstrated using Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3}(Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3}) as the gate dielectric. The MOS gate reverse breakdown voltage was > 35V which was significantly improved from 17V of Pt Schottky gate on the same material. A maximum extrinsic transconductance of 15 mS/mm was obtained at V{sub ds} = 30 V and device performance was limited by the contact resistance. A unity current gain cut-off frequency, f{sub {tau}}, and maximum frequency of oscillation, f{sub max} of 3.1 and 10.3 GHz, respectively, were measured at V{sub ds} = 25 V and V{sub gs} = {minus}20 V.

Calculations can naturally be described as graphs in which vertices represent computation and edges reflect data dependencies. By partitioning the vertices of a graph, the calculation can be divided among processors of a parallel computer. However, the standard methodology for graph partitioning minimizes the wrong metric and lacks expressibility. We survey several recently proposed alternatives and discuss their relative merits.

A high-intensity, plasma-sputter negative-ion source based on the use of RF power for plasma generation has been developed that can be operated in either pulsed or dc modes. The source utilizes a high-Q, self-igniting, inductively coupled antenna system, operating at 80 MHz that has been optimized to generate Cs-seeded plasmas at low pressures (typically, <1 mTorr for Xe). The source is equipped with a 19-mm diameter spherical-sector cathode machined from the desired material. To date, the source has been utilized to generate dc negative-ion beams from a variety of species, including: C{sup {minus}}(610 {micro}A); F{sup {minus}}(100 {micro}A); Si{sup {minus}}(500 {micro}A); S{sup {minus}}(500 {micro}A); P{sup {minus}}(125 {micro}A); Cl{sup {minus}}(200 {micro}A); Ni{sup {minus}}(150 {micro}A); Cu{sup {minus}}(230 {micro}A); Ge{sup {minus}}(125 {micro}A); As{sup {minus}}(100 {micro}A); Se{sup {minus}}(200 {micro}A); Ag{sup {minus}}(70 {micro}A); Pt{sup {minus}}(125 {micro}A); Au{sup {minus}}(250 {micro}A). The normalized emittance {var_epsilon}{sub n} of the source at the 80% contour is: {var_epsilon}{sub n} = 7.5 mm.mrad.(MeV){sup 1/2}. The design principles of the source, operational parameters, ion optics, emittance and intensities for a number of negative-ion species will be presented in this report.

The Synchronous Timing System is designed to provide sub-nanosecond timing to instrumen-tation during the acceleration of particles in the Main Injector. Increased energy of the beam particles leads to a small but significant increase in speed, reducing the time it takes to com-plete a full turn of the ring by 61 nanoseconds (or more than 3 RF buckets). In contrast, the reference signal, used to trigger instrumentation and transmitted over a cable, has a constant group delay. This difference leads to a phase slip during the ramp and prevents instrumentation such as dampers from properly operating without additional measures. The Synchronous Tim-ing System corrects for this phase slip as well as signal propagation time changes due to tem-perature variations. A module at the LLRF system uses a 1.2 Gbit/s G-Link chip to transmit the RF clock and digital data (e.g. the current frequency) over a single mode fiber around the ring. Fiber optic couplers at service buildings split off part of this signal for a local module which reconstructs a synchronous beam reference signal. This paper describes the background, design, and expected performance of the Synchronous Timing System.

It is shown how mobile H{sup +} ions can be generated thermally inside the oxide layer of Si/SiO{sub 2}/Si structures. The technique involves only standard silicon processing steps: the nonvolatile field effect transistor (NVFET) is based on a standard MOSFET with thermally grown SiO{sub 2} capped with a poly-silicon layer. The capped thermal oxide receives an anneal at {approximately}1100 C that enables the incorporation of the mobile protons into the gate oxide. The introduction of the protons is achieved by a subsequent 500-800 C anneal in a hydrogen-containing ambient, such as forming gas (N{sub 2}:H{sub 2} 95:5). The mobile protons are stable and entrapped inside the oxide layer, and unlike alkali ions, their space-charge distribution can be controlled and rapidly rearranged at room temperature by an applied electric field. Using this principle, a standard MOS transistor can be converted into a nonvolatile memory transistor that can be switched between normally on and normally off. Switching speed, retention, endurance, and radiation tolerance data are presented showing that this non-volatile memory technology can be competitive with existing Si-based non-volatile memory technologies such as the floating gate technologies (e.g. Flash memory).

A novel solution method has been developed to solve the coupled electron-photon transport problem on an unstructured triangular mesh. Instead of tackling the first-order form of the linear Boltzmann equation, this approach is based on the second-order form in conjunction with the conventional multi-group discrete-ordinates approximation. The highly forward-peaked electron scattering is modeled with a multigroup Legendre expansion derived from the Goudsmit-Saunderson theory. The finite element method is used to treat the spatial dependence. The solution method is unique in that the space-direction dependence is solved simultaneously, eliminating the need for the conventional inner iterations, a method that is well suited for massively parallel computers.

Current drafts of proposed standards and suggested State regulations for control and release of technologically-enhanced naturally-occurring radioactive material (TENORM), and standards for release of volumetrically-contaminated material in the US are reviewed. These are compared to the recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) Safety Series and the European Commission (EC) proposals. Past regulatory efforts with respect to TENORM in the US dealt primarily with oil-field related wastes. Currently, nine states (AK, GA, LA, MS, NM, OH, OR SC, TX) have specific regulations pertaining to TENORM, mostly based on uranium mill tailings cleanup criteria. The new US proposals are dose- or risk-based, as are the IAEA and EC recommendations, and are grounded in the linear no threshold hypothesis (LNT). TENORM wastes involve extremely large volumes, particularly scrap metal and mine wastes. Costs to control and dispose of these wastes can be considerable. The current debate over the validity of LNT at low doses and low dose rates is particularly germane to this discussion. Most standards setting organizations and regulatory agencies base their recommendations on the LNT. The US Environmental Protection Agency has released a draft Federal Guidance Report that recommends calculating health risks from low-level exposure to radionuclides based on …

Spherical harmonic solutions are presented for the Kobayashi benchmark suite. The results were obtained with Ardra, a scalable, parallel neutron transport code developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The calculations were performed on the IBM ASCI Blue-Pacific computer at LLNL.

We propose a like-sign dilepton search for chargino-neutralino production in p#22; p collisions at ps = 1:8 TeV, which complements the previously published trilepton search by the CDF detector using Fermilab Run I data. Monte Carlo predictions for the signal and background e#14;ciencies indicate a signi#12;cant increase in sensitivity to chargino-neutralino production compared to the traditional trilepton analysis alone.

We report on the most recent measurements of the top quark mass in three decay channels, performed by the CDF Collaboration at the Tevatron collider. We combine these results to obtain a mass value of 176.0 #6; 6.5 GeV/ c 2.