Cost-Effective Low Vt Ni-FUSI CMOS on SiON by Means of Al Implant (pMOS) and Yb+P Coimplant (nMOS)

Low V_t Ni fully silicided (FUSI) devices are demonstrated making use of Al implantation for pMOS and Yb or Yb+P implantation for nMOS combined with Ni-silicide phase engineering. When Yb(+P) and Al implantation are followed by a high temperature anneal, significant segregation of Yb or Al toward the Ni-FUSI/SiON interface is observed and large Vt shifts of 450 mV (330 mV) and 200 mV are obtained for nMOS NiSi FUSI/SiON devices and pMOS Ni-rich FUSI/SiON devices, respectively, as compared to the undoped reference devices. The Vt shifts are preserved down to the shortest gate lengths. For both Al and Yb, the V_t shifts are explained by the dopants reacting with and modifying the dielectric. Thus, the low V_t dual implantation approach proposed achieves a low-cost "dual dielectric" implementation without the need of dual deposition of dielectrics or capping layers. In the case of Yb implantation followed by a high temperature anneal, a significant reduction in the inversion dielectric thickness is observed, indicating that the reaction between Yb and SiON results in the formation of a high-k dielectric. The Yb diffusion and reaction at the interface can be engineered using a P coimplant.     

Are micro-benefits negligible? The implications of the rapid expansion of Solar Home Systems (SHS) in rural Bangladesh for sustainable development

This paper examines the multiple benefits of the adoption of Solar Home Systems (SHS) and discusses the dissemination potential for sustainable rural livelihoods in developing countries. Based on a household survey conducted in rural Bangladesh, we first identify the impact of SHS on the reduction in energy costs and compare purchasing costs. We then examine household lifestyle changes following the adoption of SHS. Finally, we consider several price-reduction scenarios to examine the potential demand for SHS and to evaluate its future dissemination potential. The results of the analysis indicate that households with SHS successfully reduce their consumption of kerosene and dependency on rechargeable batteries, with the cost reductions accounting for some 20–30% of monthly expenditures on SHS. Moreover, most households with SHS can enjoy its benefits, including electric lighting, watching television, and the ease of mobile phone recharging at home. Further, the price reduction can make possible potential demand in more than 60% of households without SHS, while additional price reductions promote the purchase of even larger SHS packages. This study concludes that even though the scale of single SHS is small, the micro-benefits for each household and the dissemination potential are substantial.     

Visualization of electroporation-induced temperature rise using temperature-sensitive ink

Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is attracting attention as a new technique to treat tumors, in which electric pulses over a certain threshold perforate the cell membrane and induce necrotic cell death. Since the electric pulses potentially generate the Joule heating around electrodes, successful IRE needs to apply a pulsed voltage high enough for the irreversible perforation yet minimizes the thermal effect on the extracellular matrix in the surrounding tissue. The temperature rise around the electrodes is therefore one of the most important concerns in the IRE. However, no experimental evidence has been reported for the temperature rise because of extremely short pulses used in the IRE. The aim of this study was therefore to establish a new method to detect the temperature rise during the IRE. A key technique is to use temperature-sensitive ink to visualize in situ instantaneous temperature rise. Chromatic change of the ink that depends on the temperature was preliminarily calibrated by a transient short-hot-wire technique combined with color analysis of the ink, and then utilized to determine the temperature distribution after electroporation. The maximum temperature rise was thus successfully visualized after the electroporation using agar gel as a tissue phantom. Our method is useful for direct evaluation of a risk of thermal damage and provides experimental evidence for theoretical study.     

Pool fires under atmosphere and ventilation in steady-state burning (part I)

Modeling based on Spalding's theory was undertaken to obtain information on a solvent pool fire under atmosphere and ventilation in steady-state burning. The model comprised the modified B-number with burning parameters governing the burning rate of solvent. Mass loss rate and burning rate of solvent from the burning pan were governed by heat conduction through the pan wall for small pans and by turbulent free convective heat transfer for large pans.This paper will be published inFire Technology in two parts. Part II will appear in the August 1987 issue. Reference: Gunji Nishio and Satoru Machida, Pool Fires under Atmosphere and Ventilation in Steady-State Burning, Part I,Fire Technology, Vol. 23, No. 2, May 1987, pp. 146–155.     

Near-infrared hyperspectral imaging for classification of mung bean seeds

Hard mung bean seeds pose a problem in the sprouting process as they develop mold and infect neighboring seeds. Near-infrared hyperspectral imaging combined with partial least squares discriminant analysis was applied to develop a classifying model to separate hard mung beans from normal ones. The orientation of the measured beans was found to affect the classification result. The optimal partial least squares discriminant analysis model based on all orientations resulted in a correlation coefficient (R) of 0.919 with a root mean squared error of prediction of 0.197. The non-germinative parts were mapped and were concentrated at one end of the bean. Finally, a germinability index was proposed according to the proportion of colored areas between the germinative and non-germinative parts from the hyperspectral imaging results.     

Superconductivity and Ferromagnetism of the Ru-1232 Compounds in the (Ru1?xNbx)Sr2(GdCe1.8Sr0.2)Cu2Oz System

The Ru-1232 compounds have been synthesized in the (Ru_1–xNb _x )Sr₂(GdCe_1.8Sr_0.2)Cu₂O _z system, and effects of Nb substitution for Ru on superconductivity and ferromagnetism of the Ru-1232 compounds have been investigated. First, X-ray powder diffraction study shows that nearly the single 1232 phase samples can be obtained in the x composition range from 0.0 to 0.3. Then, from the electrical resistivity study, it is found that each of the samples shows resistivity dropping phenomenon at two temperatures of T _c ^l and T _c ^h, which originates from superconductivity of the Ru-1232 phase and the Ru-1222 one, respectively. Both of the starting temperatures are lowering with increasing Nb content x. Lastly, from the magnetic susceptibility study, it is found that superconducting transition temperature T _c is 20 K for the Ru-1232 sample with x = 0.0 and the ferromagnetic transition temperature T _m is about 90 K. This study also shows that both of the values of T _c and T _m become low with increasing x from 0.0 to 0.3.     

Structure and properties of highly crystallized graphite films based on polyimide Kapton

Highly crystallized graphite films were prepared by heat treatment of carbonized polyimide films (Kapton) at temperatures of 2700 and 3050° C. Interlayer spacing d ₀₀₂ at room temperature, and electrical resistivity, magnetoresistance and Hall coefficient at room and liquid nitrogen temperatures were measured. All of these data indicate high crystallinity of the graphitized Kapton films obtained. For the graphite films heat treated at 3050° C mean-square mobilities were estimated from the magnetoresistance data at 1 T to be 0.91 m² V^–1 sec^–1 at room temperature and 2.3 m² V^–1 sec^–1 at liquid nitrogen temperature; the value at liquid nitrogen temperature corresponds to that for a pyrolytic graphite heat treated at 3200° C for 1 h (PG 3200). Magnetic field dependence of Hall coefficient at liquid nitrogen temperature for this sample also agrees well with that for PG 3200. Scanning electron micrographs on the surfaces show that the present graphite films consist of grains of large crystallites, and grain size increases as the crystallinity of the material improves.     

Discharge of a shock wave from an open end of a tube

IntroductionWhen a Pressure wave such as the shock waveprOPagates along a constant area straight tube andreaches at the open end, an impulsive wave is emittedOutward from the tube exit toward the surrounding areaand causes an impulsive noise laal a sonic boomproduced by a supersonic aircraft. Therefore, someauthors have investigated the discharge of a weakcompression wave from an open end in order to reducethe impulsive noise in relation to'the high speed railWaytUImel in the previous paped'…