A novel low power hybrid cache using GC-EDRAM cells

In a typical embedded CPU, large on-chip storage is critical to meet high performance requirements. However, the fast increasing size of the on-chip storage based on traditional SRAM cells makes the area cost and energy consumption unsustainable for future embedded applications. Replacing SRAM with DRAM on the CPU’s chip is generally considered not worthwhile because DRAM is not compatible with the common CMOS logic and requires additional processing steps beyond what is required for CMOS. However a special DRAM technology, Gain-Cell embedded-DRAM (GC-eDRAM)  [1], [2], [3] is logic compatible and retains some of the good properties of DRAM (small and low power). In this paper we evaluate the performance of a novel hybrid cache memory where the data array, generally populated with SRAM cells, is replaced with GC-eDRAM cells while the tag array continues to use SRAM cells. Our evaluation of this cache demonstrates that, compared to the conventional SRAM-based designs, our novel architecture exhibits comparable performance with less energy consumption and smaller silicon area, enabling the sustainable on-chip storage scaling for future embedded CPUs.     

Erbium doped Bi2O3-B2O3 glass-ceramics containing Bi3B5O12 and CaF2 nanocrystallites for 1.53 μm fiber lasers

Trivalent erbium ions doped Bi₂O₃-B₂O₃ transparent glass ceramics containing CaF₂ were prepared and characterized through X -ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared absorption, optical absorption, and near infrared emission for 1.53 μm fiber lasers. The glass ceramics obtained by applying thermal treatment at 575 °C for 5 h and 575 °C for 10 h contain Bi₃B₅O₁₂ and CaF₂ crystallites. The Judd-Ofelt theory was applied to evaluate various spectroscopic and laser characteristic properties. The NIR emission corresponding to the ⁴I_13/2 → ⁴I_15/2 (∼1.53 μm) transition was studied by exciting the samples at 514.5 nm laser radiation. The stimulated emission cross-sections of ∼1.53 μm luminescence were also obtained applying the Mc Cumber theory. The experimental results confirm that the transparent glass ceramic obtained at a thermal treatment of 575 °C for 10 h is more suitable to design fiber lasers for diverse applications in the fields of industry, medicine and scientific research.     

Difference angle quantization index modulation scheme for image watermarking

In this paper, we propose a new angle quantization index modulation (AQIM) method, called the difference AQIM (DAQIM) method. The proposed method aims to improve the watermarking performance against gain attacks. Unlike the original AQIM method (Ourique et al., Angle QIM: a novel watermark embedding scheme robust against amplitude scaling distortions, in: Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing, vol. 2, 2005, pp. 797–800), the DAQIM method quantizes the difference of the two angles instead of the angles themselves. The main advantage of the DAQIM method is to disperse the interference to the watermark signal from one angle to more angles. Thus, the watermark has a higher ability to resist attacks. We perform a theoretical analysis of the document-to-watermark ratio (DWR) based on our proposed method. We show that our proposed method can obtain a lower embedding distortion compared to the AQIM and the gradient direction watermarking (GDWM) (Nezhadarya et al., IEEE Trans. Inf. Forensics Secur., 6(4), 2011, 1200–1213), methods under the same robustness and payload conditions. The experimental results demonstrate that our proposed method outperforms common existing methods in terms of the robustness against various attacks such as the JPEG quantization noise, additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN), cropping effect and mean filtering.     

Efficient recursive least squares parameter estimation algorithm for accurate nanoCMOS variable gain amplifier performances

ABSTRACT

With the aggressive scaling of integrated circuit technology, parametric estimation is a critical task for designers who looked for solutions to the challenges of some Nanoscale CMOS parameters. This paper presented the prediction of primary parameters of CMOS transistor for 16 nm to 10 nm process nodes using both of Bisquare Weights (BW) method and a novel recursive least squares (RLS) parameter estimation algorithm. The proposed RLS algorithm consists of the minimisation of a quadratic criterion relating to the prediction error in order to attain the best estimated parameters of the developed mathematical model. The obtained results thanks to the proposed RLS algorithm were better than those reached using the BW method. Comparisons between Predictive Technology Model (PTM) data and parameters estimated with RLS algorithm were made to check the validity and the consistency of the proposed algorithm. These predicted primary parameters were helpful to estimate and to optimise the performances of the Variable Gain Amplifier (VGA) which was a basic circuit element with a key role in the design of new upcoming receivers.     

MEMS谐振器刚度非线性特性及其表征

为了准确表征微电子机械系统(MEMS)谐振器在大振幅运动时的行为特性,建立了刚度非线性MEMS谐振器集总参数模型,并创建了一整套MEMS谐振器非线性特性的表征方法和测试系统。搭建了基于锁相环和自动增益控制的MEMS谐振器闭环工作电路,分析了不同驱动振幅下,MEMS谐振器的工作状态。推导建立了工作振幅、工作频率与MEMS谐振器刚度非线性之间的数量关系。最后,基于衰减模式和稳定振荡模式两种工作形态,实际测量了MEMS谐振器的无阻尼自然谐振频率和刚度非线性。结果显示:无阻尼自然谐振频率和刚度非线性系数的测量重复性分别为18.6×10-6和1.50%。针对实测的MEMS谐振器无激励振幅自衰减曲线,分别用理想二阶系统谐振器模型和刚度非线性谐振器模型进行残差分析。结果显示后者的残差要比前者的残差小9.5%,表明刚度非线性MEMS谐振器模型更接近真实情况,也验证了该刚度非线性特性表征方法的准确性。基于该方法,测量了MEMS谐振器刚度非线性系数和无阻尼自然谐振频率的温度特性,得到的无阻尼自然谐振频率的温度系数为-0.487Hz/℃,线性拟合度达99.964%。     

Gain-scheduling multivariable LPV control of an irrigation canal system

The purpose of this paper is to present a multivariable linear parameter varying (LPV) controller with a gain scheduling Smith Predictor (SP) scheme applicable to open-flow canal systems. This LPV controller based on SP is designed taking into account the uncertainty in the estimation of delay and the variation of plant parameters according to the operating point. This new methodology can be applied to a class of delay systems that can be represented by a set of models that can be factorized into a rational multivariable model in series with left/right diagonal (multiple) delays, such as, the case of irrigation canals. A multiple pool canal system is used to test and validate the proposed control approach.     

Nanograin Mn-Zn ferrite smart cores to miniaturize electronic devices

Conventional ceramic and sol-gel auto combustion routes were adopted to develop Mn-Zn ferrite cores. To control high frequency (>500 kHz) losses, zirconia (0.2 wt%) and calcia (0.04 wt%) were added in Mn_0.57Zn_0.35Fe_2.08O₄. The results revealed that Mn-Zn ferrite smart cores synthesized by auto combustion process have superior properties than conventionally prepared cores. It is believed that the presence of unique properties such as nanograin microstructure, light weight and short height (thickness) dimensions have played their role to enhance the magnetic impedance of smart core to manifold. Fabricated smart core excellently performed in a test frequency band of 3-15 MHz.     

一种加工BQ喷油泵法兰式套筒零件腰形孔的夹具

圆弧腰形孔一般采用分度头铣削加工,但效率不高,批量生产中可能成为限制生产能力的工序。针对BQ喷油泵法兰式套筒零件的圆弧腰形孔,使用专用夹具,采用先钻孔再铣通的方法,效率可明显提高。同时,还可节约刀具磨耗的费用。     

Determination of all feasible robust PID controllers for open-loop unstable plus time delay processes with gain margin and phase margin specifications

This paper proposes a novel alternative method to graphically compute all feasible gain and phase margin specifications-oriented robust PID controllers for open-loop unstable plus time delay (OLUPTD) processes. This method is applicable to general OLUPTD processes without constraint on system order. To retain robustness for OLUPTD processes subject to positive or negative gain variations, the downward gain margin (GM_down), upward gain margin (GM_up), and phase margin (PM) are considered. A virtual gain-phase margin tester compensator is incorporated to guarantee the concerned system satisfies certain robust safety margins. In addition, the stability equation method and the parameter plane method are exploited to portray the stability boundary and the constant gain margin (GM) boundary as well as the constant PM boundary. The overlapping region of these boundaries is graphically determined and denotes the GM and PM specifications-oriented region (GPMSOR). Alternatively, the GPMSOR characterizes all feasible robust PID controllers which achieve the pre-specified safety margins. In particular, to achieve optimal gain tuning, the controller gains are searched within the GPMSOR to minimize the integral of the absolute error (IAE) or the integral of the squared error (ISE) performance criterion. Thus, an optimal PID controller gain set is successfully found within the GPMSOR and guarantees the OLUPTD processes with a pre-specified GM and PM as well as a minimum IAE or ISE. Consequently, both robustness and performance can be simultaneously assured. Further, the design procedures are summarized as an algorithm to help rapidly locate the GPMSOR and search an optimal PID gain set. Finally, three highly cited examples are provided to illustrate the design process and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.     

Fabrication of a planar water gated organic field effect transistor using a hydrophilic polythiophene for improved digital inverter performance

A planar water gated OFET (WG-OFET) structure is fabricated by patterning gate, source and drain electrodes on the same plane at the same time. Transistor output characteristics of this novel structure employing commercial regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (rr-P3HT) as polymer semiconductor and deionized (DI) water as gate dielectric show successful field effect transistor operation with an on–off current ratio of 43 A/A and transconductance of 2.5 μA/V. These output characteristics are improved using P3HT functionalized with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) (P3HT-co-P3PEGT), which is more hydrophilic, leading to on–off ratio of 130 A/A and transconductance of 3.9 μA/V. Utilization of 100 mM NaCl solution instead of DI water significantly increases the on–off ratio to 141 A/A and transconductance to 7.17 μA/V for commercial P3HT and to 217 A/A and to 11.9 μA/V for P3HT-co-P3PEGT. Finally, transistors with improved transconductances are used to build digital inverters with improved characteristics. Gain of the inverters employing P3HT and P3HT-co-P3PEGT are measured as 2.9 V/V and 10.3 V/V, respectively, with 100 mM NaCl solution.