TY - JOUR
T1 - Models and simulations in material science
T2 - two cases without error bars
AU - Wenmackers, Sylvia
AU - Vanpoucke, Danny E. P.
PY - 2012/8
Y1 - 2012/8
N2 - We discuss two research projects in material science in which the results cannot be stated with an estimation of the error: a spectroscopic ellipsometry study aimed at determining the orientation of DNA molecules on diamond and a scanning tunneling microscopy study of platinum-induced nanowires on germanium. To investigate the reliability of the results, we apply ideas from the philosophy of models in science. Even if the studies had reported an error value, the trustworthiness of the result would not depend on that value alone.
AB - We discuss two research projects in material science in which the results cannot be stated with an estimation of the error: a spectroscopic ellipsometry study aimed at determining the orientation of DNA molecules on diamond and a scanning tunneling microscopy study of platinum-induced nanowires on germanium. To investigate the reliability of the results, we apply ideas from the philosophy of models in science. Even if the studies had reported an error value, the trustworthiness of the result would not depend on that value alone.
KW - empirical models
KW - scientific models
KW - philosophy of science
KW - NANOWIRES
U2 - 10.1111/j.1467-9574.2011.00519.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1467-9574.2011.00519.x
M3 - Article
SN - 0039-0402
VL - 66
SP - 339
EP - 355
JO - Statistica Neerlandica
JF - Statistica Neerlandica
IS - 3
ER -