In common-value auctions and contests economic agents often have varying levels of information regarding the value of the good to be allocated. Using theoretical and experimental analysis, I examine the effect of such information asymmetry on behavior. Chapter II considers a model in which players compete in two sequential contests. The winner of the first contest (the incumbent) privately observes the value of the prize, which provides private information if the prizes are related. Relative to the case where the prizes are independent, the incumbent is strictly better off, and the other contestants (the challengers) are strictly worse off. This increases the incentive to win the first contest such that the sum of expected effort over both contests increases relative to the case of independent prizes. Chapter III experimentally considers the role of asymmetric information in first-price, sealed-bid, common-value auctions. Bidders who observe a private signal tend to overbid relative to Nash equilibrium predictions. Uninformed bidders, however, tend to underbid relative to the Nash equilibrium. Chapter IV examines asymmetric information in one-shot common-value all-pay auctions and lottery contests from both experimental and theoretical perspectives As predicted by theory, asymmetric information yields information rents for the informed bidder in both all-pay auctions and lottery contests.

Abstract The purpose of this thesis is to fabricate l = 1.55mm ridge waveguide spot size converter lasers for high laser-to-fiber coupling. The laser structure design includes the lateral and vertical directions. In the vertical aspect, we use six asymmetric InGaAsP/InP quantum wells of 50, 50, 100, 100, 150, 150Å. The asymmetric multi-quantum-well structure is designed to gather the optical field in the 150Å-wide quantum wells. Besides, we add a passive waveguide near the 150Å-wide quantum wells to expand optical field profile. In the lateral aspect, we use tapered ridge waveguides which have two different fashions: one is tapered down from 2.5mm to 1mm, and the other is tapered up from 2.5mm to 4mm. The results show that the tapered-up ridge waveguide laser has a CW operation with Ith = 34mA and diverge angles of 14¢X¡Ñ36¢X (q//¡Ñq^) at room temperature. The tapered-down ridge waveguide laser exhibits only a pulsed operation at room temperature. At lower temperature T = 13¢XC, the tapered-down laser has a CW operation of Ith = 36mA and diverge angles of 14¢X¡Ñ36¢X(q//¡Ñq^). From I-V and C-V measurements, we attribute the heating problem to the large series resistance caused by the incorrect n-type doping profile in the epitaxy process.

This paper presented Symmetric and Asymmetric Regular Sampling techniques apply successfully to a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) together with an inverter. Experimental results are shown that taking advantage of SPWM control techniques can reduce the waste of energy. Further, the Soft Start techniques of DSP scripts can boost security for driver. Moreover motor driver safely can be increased by designing circuit to prevent over voltage. The function of motor driver will be better due to the decreased hardware size and increased accuracy which are the advantage of writing DSP scripts to analysis rotor speed.

The intramolecular nucleophile catalyzed aldol-lactonization (NCAL) process was optimized successfully. A variety of C9-acylated cinchona alkaloids were synthesized and used for NCAL reactions with non-activated aldehydes. New pyridinium salts, derivatives of Mukaiyama’s reagent, led to marked improvements in efficiency for the catalytic, asymmetric NCAL process while maintaining high enantioselectivity. Larger scale versions of the catalytic, asymmetric NCAL reaction were also developed allowing practical access to chiral bicyclic b-lactones. As an extension of the intramolecular NCAL process, pyrrolidine and piperidine fused blactones were synthesized. Simple g-lactam fused b-lactones were synthesized as a model study for omuralide, salinosporamide A, and derivative synthesis. Synthesis of asubstituted aldehyde acids was extensively studied but steric effects from both acid and amine moieties led to great difficulties in this approach.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 176-187).

A review on catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of C=O double bonds is presented in the first chapter. Noyori’s pioneering research on ruthenium complexes containing both phosphine and diamine ligands using [i superscript]PrOH and [t superscript]BuOK is described, this system gave impressive highly chemeo-selectivity for C=O bonds and extremely high enantioselectivity for a range of acetophenone derivatives. Numerous groups have been inspired by Noyori’s catalyst of the type RuCl₂(chiraldiphosphine)(chiraldiamine), these systems often give excellent results for acetophenone. However, these catalysts have limitations, they are found to be either inactive or unselective for hydrogenation of tetralones, dialkylketones, bulky ketones, some heterocyclic ketones and imines prove difficult using this system. In this project, we are searching for a new catalyst for asymmetric hydrogenation of ketones that solve the difficult challenges faced when using Noyori’s [Ru(diphosphine)(diamine)Cl₂] catalysts system. Departing from Noyori’s type catalyst in the second chapter is described our effort to synthesise new diamines derived from amino acids and the synthesis of [Ru(diamine)(diphosphine)Cl₂] complexes. These catalysts are tested in asymmetric hydrgenation of ketones. In the next two chapters the finding of a new tridentate P N NH₂ type ligand is reported and the novel ruthenium complex containing the tridentate ligand has been synthesised and characterised by X-ray crystallography and been found to be active in the hydrogenation of a range of C=O and C=N double bonds, including the enantioselective hydrogenation of normally unreactive bulky ketones with up to 93 % ee. The last chapter explains the transfer hydrogenation activity for this new catalyst, involving a novel method of transfer hydrogenation reaction under microwave irradiation.

The work in this dissertation describes improved methods of asymmetrically substituted Pc derivative synthesis addressing some currently encountered problems including: (1) the need for facile synthesis of asymmetric Pc/Nc hybrids; (2) a lack of general methods for producing asymmetric Pc materials with structural diversity. Chapter 1 provides a concise review on Pc and Pc/perylenediimide (PDI) derivatives that have been reported as a part of architecture in monochromophoric or multichromophoric molecules for energy and charge transfer studies. In addition, the intrinsic electronic and photophysical properties suitable for OPV applications, such as charge transfer rate, lifetime of charge separated state, and transfer pathway are also discussed. Chapter 2 details the use of ROMP-Capture-Release to synthesize a small library of asymmetric Pc/Nc hybrids and study of chemical and physical properties of these structurally related asymmetric chromophores and the corresponding symmetric Pc and Nc in both metalated (Zn) and unmetallated form. The extension of the Pc aromatic core as well as the asymmetry afforded by the unique quadrant can result in modulated physical properties, particularly bathochromic shifted electronic absorption spectra. Further modification of the pendent hydroxyl group on the molecule demonstrated the possibility for covalently grafting Pcs onto inorganic contacts such as ITO and TiO₂. Chapter 3 reports the investigation of using an asymmetric Pc as the platform for the preparation of a small library of zinc hexatriazolyl-monohydroxyphthalocyanines via Cu-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC). The modification of peripheral substituents was demonstrated using azides bearing hydrophobic, photo-crosslinkable, and electroactive moieties. Monitoring the click chemistry by both UV-Vis and FT-IR spectroscopies was performed to provide insight into the role of azide equivalent, reaction time, and catalyst on reaction progress. Chapter 4 describes the synthesis and characterization of a novel series of Pc-PDI dyads with different perylene bay-functional groups (H, thioether, and sulfonyl), as well as phosphonic acid as an anchoring group connected to the perylene moieties, for the studies of molecular-level heterojunction on transparent conductive oxides. The developed model system for further electrochemical analysis was proved to firmly attach to the ITO surface by ATR-UV/Vis spectroscopy.

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