Europe should stop taxing innovation

After nearly 48 years of failure to create the EU patent, language issues and the design of a centralised patent-litigation court still dominate headlines. But behind these issues there are high financial stakes and control power to play for. The recent EU Council deal on an ‘enhanced’ European patent system does not solve the above problems, and has not eliminated lingering governance issues. The risk for Europe is that a final patent agreement might be reached that does not cure the system of its major ills, and thus does not bring about any significant improvement for those that need it most: entrepreneurs and innovative companies starting out on the innovation process. The creation of an effective single EU patent requires (i) English-only post-grant translation, (ii) the end of nationally granted patents, (iii) phasing-out of the current ‘European patent’, (iv) lower fees for young innovative companies, and (v) a radical shake-up of the governance of the European Patent Office.     

Exact corotational shell for finite strains and fracture

The corotational method for frame-invariant elements is generalized to obtain a consistent large-strain shell element incorporating thickness extensibility. The resulting element allows arbitrary in-plane deformations and is distinct from the traditional corotational methods (either quadrature-based or element-based) in the sense that the corotational frame is exact. The polar decomposition operation is performed in two parts, greatly simplifying the linearization calculations. Expressions for the strain-degrees-of-freedom matrices are given for the first time. The symbolic calculations are performed with a well-known algebraic system with a code generation package. Classical linear benchmarks are shown with excellent results. Applications with hyperelasticity and finite strain plasticity are presented, with asymptotically quadratic convergence and very good benchmark results. An example of finite strain plasticity with fracture is solved successfully, showing remarkable robustness without the need of enrichment techniques.     

Edge degree-of-sharpness and free-stream turbulence scale effects on the aerodynamics of a bridge deck

This paper discusses the sensitivity of the aerodynamic behavior of a trapezoidal-shaped bridge deck cross-section to its lower corner degree-of-sharpness and to the incoming flow turbulence integral length scale in conjunction with low turbulence intensity. Since these features are hard to set and measure in experimental facilities, the aerodynamic behavior of the body has been investigated through the computational simulation of the flow around it. The results are given in term of force coefficients, Strouhal number, pressure distribution along its surface, and the mean and instantaneous flow patterns. Dramatic changes in the force coefficients and Strouhal number occur following small changes in the parameter values. These changes have been found to be due to significant modifications in the topological structure of the flow. Special emphasis has been given to the analysis of the separation and reattachment points, the recirculation bubble length, the vortex shedding mechanisms and the wake structures. On the basis of the results, four aerodynamic regimes have been pointed out in analogy with the well-known individual Re number regimes. Some of these regimes have also been recognized on the deck section with the considered sharpest and smoothest lower edge treatments, i.e. for the highest and lowest degrees-of-sharpness.     

FIB voltage contrast measurement for enhanced circuit repairs

Recent planar technologies with 3 metal layers or more challenge current physical design modification capacities using Focused Ion Beam tools. Image visibility on the FIB is drastically reduced, making accurate positioning and milling operations in the area of interest more difficult. Despite the complexity of FIB modifications, however, the demand for circuit modifications continues to increase. We will present a method which brings voltage contrast measurement capabilities to FIB systems. With this method, it is possible to verify the completion of FIB repairs.     

泵浦用大功率半导体激光器研制与应用发展状况

详尽地介绍了当前可以使用半导体泵浦的固体激光器泵浦要求，相应的半导体泵浦源的发展状况，存在的问题，最后介绍了列阵和耦合两种提高半导体泵浦源功率，改善其光束质量的方法。     

Evaluation of graded-channel SOI MOSFET operation at high temperatures

This paper presents a comparative analysis between graded-channel (GC) and conventional fully depleted SOI MOSFETs devices operating at high temperatures (up to 300 °C). The electrical characteristics such as threshold voltage and subthreshold slope were obtained experimentally and by two-dimensional numerical simulations. The results indicated that GC transistors present nearly the same behavior as the conventional SOI MOSFET devices with similar channel length. Experimental analysis of the g_m/I_DS ratio and Early voltage demonstrated that in GC devices the low-frequency open-loop gain is significantly improved in comparison to conventional SOI devices at room and at high-temperature due to the Early voltage increase. The multiplication factor and parasitic bipolar transistor gain obtained by two-dimensional numerical simulations allowed the analysis of the breakdown voltage, which was demonstrated to be improved in the GC as compared to conventional SOI transistors in thin silicon layer devices in the whole temperature range under analysis.     

Transmission Fiber Chromatic Dispersion Dependence on Temperature: Implications on 40 Gb/s Performance

In this letter, we will evaluate the performance degradation of a 40 km high‐speed (40 Gb/s) optical system, induced by optical fiber variations of the chromatic dispersion induced by temperature changes. The chromatic dispersion temperature sensitivity will be estimated based on the signal quality parameters.     

带有低噪声单端转差分电路的射频增益可控放大器

为了改进传统电路中单端转差分电路的噪声性能,提高传统射频可变增益放大器的覆盖范围和步进精度,该文设计了一种带有低噪声单端转差分电路的射频增益可控放大器。该文利用噪声抵消技术降低了噪声系数,利用电容交叉耦合技术展宽电路带宽,利用输出源级跟随器的增益可调功能实现更高的步进精度。电路采用0.18 mm CMOS工艺,1.8 V供电电源,在170-870 MHz频率信号输入下,可以实现最低3.8 dB的噪声系数,55 dB的动态范围,步进精度0.8 dB,消耗14.76 mW的功耗,面积800 mm×600 mm。测试结果表明在覆盖更宽的频段范围下,该文设计的射频可变增益放大器在消耗相同功率条件下与传统的单端转差分电路相比可以达到更低的噪声系数,同时整个可变增益放大器可以提供更高的步进精度。