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The analysis of lithium-ion battery aging relies on correct differentiation between irreversible and reversible capacity changes. Anode overhang regions have been observed to influence Coulombic Efficiency (CE) measurements through lithium diffusion into and out of these areas, complicating precise capacity determination. This work presents an analysis of the extent of graphite anode overhang lithiation after calendar storage by means of local X-ray diffraction (XRD), CE measurements, and color change analysis. We found LiC12 lithiation of the anode overhang area after 20 month storage at 40 °C at high state of charge (SoC) and partial lithiation (LiC18) at medium SoC storage at 40 °C and 25 °C. Graphite color changes in the overhang areas are observed and consistent with the state of lithiation measured by XRD. Coulombic efficiencies greater than unity and increasing capacity during 1200 h of cycling are detected for high SoC storage cells. The capacity difference between high and low storage SoC batteries decreases by up to 40 mAh (3.6% of nominal capacity) after cycling compared to tests directly after storage. Consequently, the size of the anode overhang areas as well as the battery storage temperature and duration need to be considered in CE analysis and state of health assessment.

The valuation of insurance liabilities plays a central role in the design of any solvency framework. We investigate the notion of “fair value of liabilities” at a conceptional level and compare several implementations which are currently discussed in the Solvency II project. Our focus is on the cost of capital approach based on market information. In particular, we discuss the applicability of arguments borrowed from financial mathematics.

In this chapter, the results from the previous chapters are used for the value-oriented management of an insurance company. We first give a theoretical introduction of the components of value-oriented management, namely, strategy, measurement, organization, process. In the second half of the chapter we introduce a simple example company and put the concepts derived in the first half to the practical test.

This chapter contains a high level description of the risk management process at insurance companies. This process has three stages, identification of risk, evaluation of risks, and the response to risks that have been evaluated. The chapter closes with general remarks on the role of the actuary in risk management.

We investigated high-density near-field readout using a diamond solid immersion lens (SIL). A synthetic single-crystal chemical vapor deposition diamond provides a high refractive index and a high transmission for a wide wavelength range. Since the refractive index at a wavelength of 405 nm is 2.458, we could design a solid immersion lens with an effective numerical aperture of 2.34. Using the diamond SIL, we observed the eye pattern of a 150-GB-capacity (104.3 Gbit/in.2) disk with a track pitch of 130 nm and a bit length of 47.6 nm.

We study irrotational, three-dimensional dust spacetimes and show that their only dynamical singularities are shell singularities in the sense of Kriele, Lim and Scott (1994). These singularities are weak and generically naked.

We show improvement of the optical and topographical resolution of scanning near-field optical microscopy by introducing a “tip-on-aperture” probe, a metallic tip formed on the aperture of a conventional fiber probe. The tip concentrates the light passing through the aperture. Thus the advantages of aperture and apertureless scanning near-field optical microscopy are combined. Tips are grown by electron beam deposition and then covered with metal. Fluorescent beads are imaged with a resolution down to 25 nm (full width at half maximum) in the optical signal. The near-field appears strongly localized within 5 nm in z direction, thus promising even higher resolution with sharper tips.

Focused-electron-beam-deposited carbon atomic-force microscope tips were characterized using flexural vibrations excited with piezoelectric transducers and observed directly inside a scanning electron microscope. Frequencies in the high-MHz range were measured and the elastic modulus was estimated to be 0.54±0.16 TPa.

Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) membranes of 150 nm thickness and diameters in the millimeter range grown by microwave-assisted chemical-vapor deposition were bulged to investigate their mechanical properties and their use as tuneable optical lenses. The NCD films were grown at different CH(ind 4)/H(ind 2) gas mixtures to vary the sp(exp 2)/sp(exp 3) ratio and thereby to tune their mechanical, optical, and surface morphology properties. By applying gas over pressure the membrane forms a lens shaped geometry. From deflection data we calculated Young's moduli which decrease with increasing CH(ind 4)/H(ind 2) ratio from 1160 GPa at 0.5% to 900 GPa at 7%. Optical lens applications show a variation in the focal point from infinity to 3.5 mm. The data indicate that NCD is a promising material for tuneable optical lenses applications.

This study presents diamond film growth, preparation, and characterization using microwave plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition for gyrotron window materials intended for fusion plasma ignition in magnetic and inertial confinement fusion such as ITER. A surface polishing technique is utilized to polish the films to a mirror grade surface finish. A fine-grained film surface morphology is realized to avoid any deformation caused by shock wave fronts during compression.

We report on a nanomachined electromechanical resonator applied as a mechanically flexible tunneling contact. The resonator was machined out of a single-crystal silicon-on-insulator substrate and operates at room temperature with frequencies up to some 73 MHz, transferring electrons by mechanical motion.

We present our recent work on nanomachined electromechanical resonators applied as mechanically flexible beams and tunneling contacts operating in the radio frequency regime. We will discuss how to build Au/Si beams of lengths varying from 1–4 μm and width down to only 80 nm. The resonators are machined out of single-crystal silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates. We will demonstrate how these nanometersize devices can be used to mechanically transfer only a few electrons. Furthermore, we will show how to apply them as charge detectors and how to drive the freely suspended beams into nonlinear response. This not onlym allows even more sensitive charge detection, but also opens up new possibilities for nonlinear dynamics in mechanical systems close to the quantum limit.

We investigated high-density near-field readout using a diamond solid immersion lens. A synthetic single crystal CVD diamond provides high refractive index and high transparency for wide wavelength. Since the refractive index at the wavelength of 405 nm is 2.458, we could design a solid immersion lens with an effective numerical aperture of 2.34. We observed an eye pattern of 150 GB capacity (104.3 Gbit/in2) disk with 130 nm track pitch and 47.6 nm bit length.

Diamond is the ultimate lens material for near-field optical data storage, allowing disk capacities up to 1000GB. Synthetic diamond super-hemispherical lenses were manufactured with surface accuracy of 15nm rms, and peak-to-value variation of 86nm.

Summary form only given. Chemically vapour deposited (CVD) diamond has recently become available in sufficient size and quality to be used as a material for optics in CO/sub 2/ lasers. For use in the highest-power lasers it must fulfil several requirements concerning material properties, processing, and mounting. Recent results on relevant material property measurements and performance of diamond optical components in these high-power lasers are discussed in this paper.

Low-energy electron-beam lithography using calixarene as a negative electron resist has been investigated in the energy range between 0.5 and 20 keV. The suitability of electron energies down to 2 keV with a writing resolution of about 10 nm is clearly demonstrated. At low electron energies the required electron dose is drastically reduced. Moreover, irradiation damage during the exposure of a high-mobility two-dimensional electron gas using calixarene plays no significant role in the low-energy regime.