Multi-group ant colony algorithm based on simulated annealing method

To overcome the default of single search tendency, the ants in the colony are divided into several sub-groups. The ants in different subgroups have different trail information and expectation coefficients. The simulated annealing method is introduced to the algorithm. Through setting the temperature changing with the iterations, after each turn of tours, the solution set obtained by the ants is taken as the candidate set. The update set is obtained by adding the solutions in the candidate set to the previous update set with the probability determined by the temperature. The solutions in the candidate set are used to update the trail information. In each turn of updating, the current best solution is also used to enhance the trail information on the current best route. The trail information is reset when the algorithm is in stagnation state. The computer experiments demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has higher stability and convergence speed.

Continuously Doping Bi_(2)Sr_(2)CaCu_(2)O_(8+δ)into Electron-Doped Superconductor by CaH_(2)Annealing Method

As a typical hole-doped cuprate superconductor,Bi_(2)Sr_(2)CaCu_(2)O_(8+δ)(Bi2212)carrier doping is mostly determined by its oxygen content.Traditional doping methods can regulate its doping level within the range of hole doping.Here we report the first application of CaH_(2)annealing method in regulating the doping level of Bi2212.By continuously controlling the anneal time,a series of differently doped samples can be obtained.The combined experimental results of x-ray diffraction,scanning transmission electron microscopy,resistance and Hall measurements demonstrate that the CaH_(2)induced topochemical reaction can effectively change the oxygen content of Bi2212 within a very wide range,even switching from hole doping to electron doping.We also found evidence of a low-T_c superconducting phase in the electron doping side.

A novel annealing method to uniformly refine deformed mixed grain microstructure of a solution-treated Ni-based superalloy

Increasing static recrystallization(SRX)nucleation rate and decreasing grain growth rate are the main ways to obtain uniform and fine grain microstructure by annealing treatment.However,it is contradictory to raise the SRX nucleation rate and reduce grain growth rate during isothermal annealing treatment.This is because the increase of the SRX nucleation rate needs to raise annealing temperature,while the decline of grain growth rate needs to reduce the annealing temperature.To solve the contradiction,a novel method named cooling recrystallization annealing treatment(CRT)is designed and verified.For the CRT,the relatively high annealing temperature in the primary stage can promote SRX nucleation,and the gradually decreased annealing temperature can reduce the growth rate of SRX grains.Besides,an aged treatment is first carried out to precipitate high content of theδphase before the CRT.Enoughδphases not only provide large numbers of sites for SRX nucleation but also limit the grain growth due to the pinning effect,especially in the primary high-temperature stage.The results show that the novel method can refine deformed mixed grain microstructure well when the suitable cooling rate,start and final recrystallization annealing temperatures are employed.The deformed mixed grain can be uniformly refined to an average size of 8.26μm with the route of 900℃×12 h+1020℃→970℃×20 min.

A Reproducible Approach of Preparing High-Quality Overdoped Bi_2Sr_2CaCu_2O_(8+δ) Single Crystals by Oxygen Annealing and Quenching Method

We report a reproducible approach in preparing high-quality overdoped Bi2 Sr2 CaCu2 08＋δ （Bi2212） single crystals by annealing Bi2212 crystals in high oxygen pressure followed by a fast quenching. In this way, high-quality overdoped and heavily overdoped Bi2212 single crystals are obtained by controlling the annealing oxygen pressure. We find that, beyond a limit of oxygen pressure that can achieve most heavily overdoped Bi2212 with a Tc N63 K, the annealed Bi2212 begins to decompose. This accounts for the existence of the hole-doping limit and thus the Tc limit in the heavily overdoped region of Bi2212 by the oxygen annealing process. These results provide a reliable way in preparing high-quality overdoped and heavily overdoped Bi2212 crystals that are important for studies of the physical properties, electronic structure and superconductivity mechanism of the cuprate superconductors.

On the “Onion Husk” Algorithm for Approximate Solution of the Traveling Salesman Problem

The paper describes some implementation aspects of an algorithm for approximate solution of the traveling salesman problem based on the construction of convex closed contours on the initial set of points (“cities”) and their subsequent combination into a closed path (the so-called contour algorithm or “onion husk” algorithm). A number of heuristics related to the different stages of the algorithm are considered, and various variants of the algorithm based on these heuristics are analyzed. Sets of randomly generated points of different sizes (from 4 to 90 and from 500 to 10,000) were used to test the algorithms. The numerical results obtained are compared with the results of two well-known combinatorial optimization algorithms, namely the algorithm based on the branch and bound method and the simulated annealing algorithm. .

Reconstruction of 3-D digital cores using a hybrid method

A 3-D digital core describes the pore space microstructure of rocks. An X-ray micro CT scan is the most accurate and direct but costly method to obtain a 3-D digital core. In this study, we propose a hybrid method which combines sedimentation simulation and simulated annealing （SA） method to generate 3-D digital cores based on 2-D images of rocks. The method starts with the sedimentation simulation to build a 3-D digital core, which is the initial configuration for the SA method. We update the initial digital core using the SA method to match the auto-correlation function of the 2-D rock image and eventually build the final 3-D digital core. Compared with the typical SA method, the hybrid method has significantly reduced the computation time. Local porosity theory is applied to quantitatively compare the reconstructed 3-D digital cores with the X-ray micro CT 3-D images. The results indicate that the 3-D digital cores reconstructed by the hybrid method have homogeneity and geometric connectivity similar to those of the X-ray micro CT image. The formation factors and permeabilities of the reconstructed 3-D digital cores are estimated using the finite element method （FEM） and lattice Boltzmann method （LBM）, respectively. The simulated results are in good agreement with the experimental measurements. Comparison of the simulation results suggests that the digital cores reconstructed by the hybrid method more closely reflect the true transport properties than the typical SA method alone.

Ranking important nodes in complex networks by simulated annealing

In this paper, based on simulated annealing a new method to rank important nodes in complex networks is presented.First, the concept of an importance sequence（IS） to describe the relative importance of nodes in complex networks is defined. Then, a measure used to evaluate the reasonability of an IS is designed. By comparing an IS and the measure of its reasonability to a state of complex networks and the energy of the state, respectively, the method finds the ground state of complex networks by simulated annealing. In other words, the method can construct a most reasonable IS. The results of experiments on real and artificial networks show that this ranking method not only is effective but also can be applied to different kinds of complex networks.

Melamine/Stearic Acid Composite Nanowires and Vesicles with an Intercalated Nanostructure Prepared through NCCM Method

A solvent-non-solvent method invented in our laboratory for preparing non-covalently con- nected micelles （NCCM） was used to intercalate melamine （MA） molecules into stearic acid （SA） bilayers to form tile composite nanoparticles with an intercalated nanostructure in which a melamine bilayer is sandwiched between two stearic acid bilayers, NCCM method helps to sufficiently mix the two components in nanospace and meanwhile inhibits the strong tendency of self-crystallization of MA, leading to the intercalation. Although the nanopar- ticles have a regular inner structure, the primary MA/SA nanoparticles have an irregular morphology. Regular nanoparticles were obtained through annealing the suspension of the primary nanoparticles. Through annealing at different temperatures, the MA/SA compos- ite nanowires and vesicles with an intercalated structure were prepared respectively. It is proposed that the morphological change results from the change in the intercalated structure.

Research on optimization of valve open time of the launch barge's ballast tanks

Launch barge is an effective tool for transporting ship segments from one place to another in shipyards. During shifting of segments onto a barge, the slideway on the barge＇s deck must be adjusted to maintain the same level as the wharf and also the barge must be kept level by adjusting the water in the ballast tanks. When to open the adjusting valves is an important factor influencing the barge＇s trim during the water-adjustment process. Because these adjustments are complex a mathematical model was formulated,after analyzing the characteristics of the process of moving the segments onto the barges deck, and considering the effects of this movement＇s speed and variations in tidal levels during the move. Then the model was solved by the penalty function method, the grid method, and improved simulated annealing, respectively. The best optimization model and its corresponding solution were then determined. Finally, it was proven that the model and the method adopted are correct and suitable, by calculating and analysing an example.

Optimization of Shanghai marine environment monitoring sites by integrating spatial correlation and stratified heterogeneity

The water quality grades of phosphate（PO4-P） and dissolved inorganic nitrogen（DIN） are integrated by spatial partitioning to fit the global and local semi-variograms of these nutrients. Leave-one-out cross validation is used to determine the statistical inference method. To minimize absolute average errors and error mean squares,stratified Kriging（SK） interpolation is applied to DIN and ordinary Kriging（OK） interpolation is applied to PO4-P.Ten percent of the sites is adjusted by considering their impact on the change in deviations in DIN and PO4-P interpolation and the resultant effect on areas with different water quality grades. Thus, seven redundant historical sites are removed. Seven historical sites are distributed in areas with water quality poorer than Grade IV at the north and south branches of the Changjiang（Yangtze River） Estuary and at the coastal region north of the Hangzhou Bay. Numerous sites are installed in these regions. The contents of various elements in the waters are not remarkably changed, and the waters are mixed well. Seven sites that have been optimized and removed are set to water with quality Grades III and IV. Optimization and adjustment of unrestricted areas show that the optimized and adjusted sites are mainly distributed in regions where the water quality grade undergoes transition.Therefore, key sites for adjustment and optimization are located at the boundaries of areas with different water quality grades and seawater.

The Improvement of Bulk-Heterojunction Order in Polymer Photovoltaic Device

The blend morphology and vertical arrangement are critical to the performance of organic bulk-heterojunction photovoltaic devices.In the present paper,the authors proposed a new annealing method that controls the blend morphology and vertical arrangement of two materials by means of simultaneously applying external electrical field and violet irradiation on the active layer of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and -phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester(PCBM) during annealing process.By using this annealing method,the power conversion efficiency increased by 36%,which was caused by vertical phased-separated blend of crystalline P3HT and PCBM and better charge extraction of electrodes.X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) was measured to prove more fullerene derivatives at the organic/cathode interfaces by using this annealing method.The X-ray diffraction(XRD) analysis and UV-Vis absorption spectrum analysis also revealed more ordered polymer crystallization.

YIG Thin Film for RF Integrated Inductor

The yttrium iron garnet（YIG） thin films prepared by the sol-gel method and rapid thermal annealing（RTA） process for integrated inductor are investigated. The X-ray diffraction（XRD） results indicate that the YIG film annealed above 650 ℃ is poly-crystalline with single-phase garnet structure. Moreover, it can be found that the initial permeability μi, saturation magnetization MS and coercivity Hc of these YIG films increase with increasing RTA temperature. Low temperature annealing after crystallization can further improve the magnetic properties of YIG film. Thereby, a planar integrated inductor in the presence of Si substrate/SiO2 layer/Y2.8Bi0.2Fe5O12 thin film/Cu spiral coil structure is fabricated successfully by the standard IC processes. Due to the magnetic enhancement originated from YIG film, the inductance L and quality factor Q of the inductor with YIG film are improved in a certain frequency range.

Construction of a 3D meso-structure and analysis of mechanical properties for deposit body medium

For deposit body medium, the internal structural properties may be the controlling factors for the strength of the material and the mechanical response. Based on the results of soil-rock meso-statistics using digital imaging, a simulated annealing algorithm is adopted to expand the meso-structural features of deposit bodies in 3D. The construction of the 3D meso-structure of a deposit body is achieved, and then the particle flow analysis program PFC3 D is used to simulate the mechanical properties of the deposit body. It is shown that with a combination of the simulated annealing algorithm and the statistical feature functions, the randomness and heterogeneity of the rock distribution in the 3D inner structure of deposit body medium can be realized, and the reconstructed structural features of the deposit medium can match the features of the digital images well. The spatial utilizations and the compacting effects of the body-centered cubic, hexagonal close and face-centered packing models are high, so these structures can be applied in the simulations of the deposit structures. However, the shear features of the deposit medium vary depending on the different model constructive modes. Rocks, which are the backbone of the deposit, are the factors that determine the shear strength and deformation modulus of the deposit body. The modeling method proposed is useful for the construction of 3D meso-scope models from 2D meso-scope statistics and can be used for studying the mechanical properties of mixed media, such as deposit bodies.

The Notched Filtering Characteristics of Stratified Volume Holographic Grating

Utilizing the tool of beam propagation method (BPM) to calculate the zeroth order diffraction beam intensity, we find SVHG displays notched diffraction response as a function of the readout wavelength. Using the method of SA and considering the variance of refractive index as the readout wavelength changes, a practiced notch filter can be designed and the period of the filter is discussed.

Simulated annealing optimization and experiments of a five-bar aerating mechanism for vertically aerating on salt-affected lands

Current agronomic improving treatments for soil salinization are faced with challenges of heavy workload,high cost,etc.,which may seriously restrict agricultural productivity and sustainability on a large scale.Aerator has been applied to loosen soil and enhance soil permeability.In this research,aiming to realize vertically aerating,an aerator with a five-bar aerating mechanism was proposed to improve the aerating performance for saline-alkali land.The five-bar structure of aerating mechanism was designed based on analysis of the aerator on saline-alkali land.The kinematic model was established to describe the aerating process,and the key parameters of the aerating mechanism were obtained by satisfying the motion trajectory conditions.Subsequently,the related parameters were optimized by a simulated annealing method.Furthermore,numerical modeling was simulated to verify the perpendicularity performance after aerating head hitting into the soil.The simulation results indicated that the optimized five-bar aerating mechanism could decrease swinging extreme value by 24%compared with the initial parameters.Finally,the physical prototype of the aerator was tested in the field and performed as expected,producing<7 mm depth tolerances and<3.3°angle tolerances,which met the design requirement.