High-performance MIM capacitor using ALD high-k HfO/sub 2/-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ laminate dielectrics

For the first time, we successfully fabricated and demonstrated high performance metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors with HfO/sub 2/-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ laminate dielectric using atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. Our data indicates that the laminate MIM capacitor can provide high capacitance density of 12.8 fF//spl mu/m/sup 2/ from 10 kHz up to 20 GHz, very low leakage current of 3.2 /spl times/ 10/sup -8/ A/cm/sup 2/ at 3.3 V, small linear voltage coefficient of capacitance of 240 ppm/V together with quadratic one of 1830 ppm/V/sup 2/, temperature coefficient of capacitance of 182 ppm//spl deg/C, and high breakdown field of /spl sim/6 MV/cm as well as promising reliability. As a result, the HfO/sub 2/-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ laminate is a very promising candidate for next generation MIM capacitor for radio frequency and mixed signal integrated circuit applications.     

C-t analysis of MOS capacitors under constant current stress

The effect of high oxide field stress is studied using capacitance-time (C-t) measurements of MOS capacitors. The stress results in parallel shifts of the C-t curve along the time axis. The flatband voltage shift ΔV_FB obtained from the initial deep depletion capacitance C(t=0⁺) follows the same trend as that from the high-frequency C-V characteristics. However, the discrepancy between the two flatband voltages becomes larger as the stress increases due to the effect of interface charges on C-t characteristics. The flatband voltage difference is converted to interface trap density, showing a steady increase of interface trap density with stress, similar to that from low-frequency C-V measurements     

Influence of lips on thin-walled sections

Turning the free edge of an unstiffened flange inwards or outwards to form a ‘lip’, can substantially improve the local buckling resistance of a member. The lip is the most common type of edge stiffener used in cold-rolled, thin-walled sections. In this paper the behaviour of plate elements of thin-walled sections stiffened by compound lips (i.e. lips which are folded twice to form ‘lips on the lips’) is examined both theoretically and experimentally. An outline of a series of tests on compound edge-stiffened thin-walled sections of various geometries is given and some load-end compression displacement paths are compared with the theoretical predictions. Reasonably good agreement is obtained between the experimental and theoretical results. Comparisons of the theoretical predictions with experimental results of other researchers are also presented in this paper.     

Design aspects of planar and conventional SMPS transformer: a cost benefit analysis

The intent of this paper is to design a high-frequency transformer that is to be incorporated into the DC/DC pulsewidth-modulated switch-mode power supplies by two different technical approaches: a conventional wound-coil magnetic using copper wires, and a planar magnetic with layered copper tracks on laminated printed circuit board. Comparisons will be made between the two approaches in terms of profile: mounting height and surface area, and performance: power losses and efficiency. Other indicators like temperature rise and leakage inductance that causes electromagnetic interference, and cost, materials, and process fluency are also to be looked into. A sandwiched configuration for primary and secondary windings is proposed for the planar type. Issues arising and typical phenomena encountered will be discussed in detail. Primarily, the dominating factor in performance, cost effectiveness, or circuit compactness that restrains the choice of a particular type is to be evaluated.     

A New Variable Diffusion Drying Model for the Second Falling Rate Period of Paddy Dried in a Rapid Bin Dryer

The objectives of this article is to propose a new drying model for the second falling rate period known as the variable diffusion controlled period that follows after the first falling rate period and to propose a new method to determine the second critical moisture content that separates these two periods. Experimental work on paddy drying at minimum fluidization velocity was carried out in a rapid bin dryer. The effects of operating temperatures (60-120°C) and bed depths (2-6 cm) on the paddy drying characteristics were investigated. It was found that the normalized drying rate of paddy was proportional to the normalized moisture content in the first falling rate period but in the second falling rate period, the normalized drying rate of the material varies exponentially with the normalized moisture content. The different relationship between the normalized drying rate and the normalized moisture content in the first and second falling rate periods indicate that two different mechanism of moisture transport are at work. The new exponential model of the second falling rate period and the linear model of the first falling rate period were found to fit the experimental data very well. Derivation from variable diffusion equation shows that the linear model is the result of constant diffusion coefficient whereas the new exponential model is the result of linear diffusion coefficient. This also implies that the first falling rate period is a constant diffusion controlled period and the second falling rate period is a variable diffusion controlled period. In addition, drying kinetics data of a drying process that fits the exponential model over a very slow drying period will show that the drying process is under the effect of a linear diffusion coefficient. It was also found that the proposed new method to determine the second critical moisture content that distinguishes between the first and second falling rate periods by using a sudden change in the value of the drying rate gradient to a much lower value at that point is more rigorous and yet simpler than the method of determining the specific location of the receding drying boundary since it is based on the behavior of the actual drying kinetic data.     

Friction and wear of Inconel 690 and Inconel 600 for steam generator tube in room temperature water

In the steam generators of nuclear power plants, the flow of cooling water can cause the tubes to vibrate, resulting in fretting wear damage due to contacts between these tubes and their supports. The tubes are made of Inconel 690 and Inconel 600 and the supports are made of STS 304. In this paper, fretting wear tests in water were performed using the materials Inconel 690 and Inconel 600 in contact with STS 304. Fretting tests using a cross-cylinder type set up were conducted under various vibrating amplitudes and applied normal loads in order to measure friction forces and wear volumes. Also, conventional sliding tests using a pin-on-disk type set up were carried out to compare these test results.In the fretting tests, friction force was found to be strongly dependent on normal load and vibrating amplitude. Coefficients of friction decreased with an increase in the normal load and a decrease in the vibrating amplitude applied. Also, the wear of Inconel 600 and Inconel 690 was predicted using a work rate model. Depending on the normal load and vibrating amplitude applied, distinctively different wear mechanisms and often drastically different wear rates occurred. It was found that the fretting wear coefficients for Inconel 600 and Inconel 690 were 9.3×10⁻¹⁵ and 16.2×10⁻¹⁵ Pa⁻¹, respectively. This study shows that Inconel 690 can result in lesser friction forces and exhibits less wear resistance than Inconel 600 in room temperature water.     

Drug release from heat-treated polyvinyl alcohol films

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) films containing 10% w/w of a model drug, sulphathiazole, were cast from aqueous solutions and subjected to heat treatment at specific temperatures for known periods of time. Heat treatment at temperatures above the T_g of the PVA films slowed down the rate of drug release from the films. Increasing the temperature of heat treatment from 120°C to 160°C further decreased the rate of drug release. On the other hand, if the heat treatment were conducted at a temperature below the T_g e.g. at 80°C, there were insignificant differences between the release profile of sulphathiazole from heat-treated films and that from untreated films. The duration of heat treatment affected the rate of drug release to a smaller extent compared to the temperature of heat treatment. These results correlated with the heat induced changes in the morphology of, and in the extent of water uptake by the PVA films.     

A three-dimensional model for suspension-to-membrane-wall heat transfer in circulating fluidized beds

A three-dimensional model is proposed for both furnace-side and wall-side heat transfer in circulating fluidized beds with membrane walls. Following previous publications (Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer (2003a, b)), a core-annulus flow structure is employed in the model, with consideration of the membrane wall influence on bed hydrodynamics. The model couples radiation, conduction and convection on the furnace side to conduction and convection on the wall side. Radiation in the wall layer is simulated by the moment method. A finite-element method is employed to solve the set of non-linear, partial differential equations. The solution is demonstrated for a typical example. The model gives predictions of suspension-to-wall heat transfer which show satisfactory agreement with published experimental data.     

Nitrogen removal using recycled polystyrene bottles as biofilm media

The performance of an attached growth wastewater treatment process was investigated in an effort to improve nitrogen removal efficiency. Recycled Yakult (lactic acid fermentation drink) bottles made of polystyrene were used as a biofilm media. The use of Yakult bottles as a biofilm media has been attempted by numerous researchers in Japan for the removal of solids and organics. However, these studies focused only on the removal of solids and organics. This study extended their application to the removal of nitrogen for domestic sewage treatment. Yakult media was placed in a reactor with 70% apparent reactor volume in a conventional A/O process. The bottom of the Yakult media was removed, and randomly filled Yakult media were effectively able to reduce the flow in tanks, resulting in an increase in the contact time between pollutants and microorganisms. With higher HRT, the nitrogen removal efficiency was increased by up to 83% with 12 hr of HRT. Nitrification appeared to be the limiting factor of nitrogen removal at an HRT that is less than 12 hr, indicating that the Yakult process requires more retention time to achieve nitrification compared to other biofilm processes. The removal efficiencies of organics and solids were high regardless of the change of operational parameters. This article is based on a presentation in “The 7th Korea-China Workshop On Advanced Materials” organized by the Korea-China Advanced Materials Cooperation Center and the China-Korea Advanced Materials Cooperation Center, held at Ramada Plaza Jeju Hotel, Jeju Island, Korea on August 24–27, 2003.