A simple SNR representation method for AMC schemes of MIMO systems with ML detector

Adaptive modulation and coding (AMC) is a powerful technique to enhance the link performance by adjusting the transmission power, channel coding rates and modulation levels according to channel state information. In order to efficiently utilize the AMC scheme, an accurate signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) value is normally required for determining the AMC level. In this paper, we propose a simple method to represent the SNR values for maximum likelihood (ML) detector in multi-input multi-output (MIMO) systems. By analyzing the relation between the upper bound and the lower bound of the ML detector performance, we introduce an efficient way to determine the SNR for the ML receiver. Based on the proposed SNR representation, an AMC scheme for single antenna systems can be extended to MIMO systems with ML detector. From computer simulations, we confirm that the proposed SNR representation allows us to achieve almost the same system throughput as the optimum AMC systems in frequency selective channels with reduced complexity.     

Fabrication of Stable Metallic Patterns Embedded in Poly(dimethylsiloxane) and Model Applications in Non‐Planar Electronic and Lab‐on‐a‐Chip Device Patterning

This article describes the fabrication of durable metallic patterns that are embedded in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) and demonstrates their use in several representative applications. The method involves the transfer and subsequent embedding of micrometer‐scale gold (and other thin‐film material) patterns into PDMS via adhesion chemistries mediated by silane coupling agents. We demonstrate the process as a suitable method for patterning stable functional metallization structures on PDMS, ones with limiting feature sizes less than 5 μm, and their subsequent utilization as structures suitable for use in applications ranging from soft‐lithographic patterning, non‐planar electronics, and microfluidic (lab‐on‐a‐chip, LOC) analytical systems. We demonstrate specifically that metal patterns embedded in both planar and spherically curved PDMS substrates can be used as compliant contact photomasks for conventional photolithographic processes. The non‐planar photomask fabricated with this technique has the same surface shape as the substrate, and thus facilitates the registration of structures in multilevel devices. This quality was specifically tested in a model demonstration in which an array of one hundred metal oxide semiconductor field‐effect transistor (MOSFET) devices was fabricated on a spherically curved Si single‐crystalline lens. The most significant opportunities for the processes reported here, however, appear to reside in applications in analytical chemistry that exploit devices fabricated using the methods of soft lithography. Toward this end, we demonstrate durably bonded metal patterns on PDMS that are appropriate for use in microfluidic, microanalytical, and microelectromechanical systems. We describe a multilayer metal‐electrode fabrication scheme (multilaminate metal–insulator–metal (MIM) structures that substantially enhance performance and stability) and use it to enable the construction of PDMS LOC devices using electrochemical detection. A polymer‐based microelectrochemical analytical system, one incorporating an electrode array for cyclic voltammetry and a microfluidic system for the electrophoretic separation of dopamine and catechol with amperometric detection, is demonstrated.     

Self‐Organized Nanoporous Anodic Titania Films and Ordered Titania Nanodots/Nanorods on Glass

We report a new method to fabricate self‐organized nanoporous titania films (pore diameter ≈ 30 nm; ≈ 1100 nm thick) and ordered titania nanorod arrays (rod diameter ≈ 30–60 nm; 70–260 nm high) by combined anodizing of superimposed Al/Ti layers sputter‐deposited on glass substrates. The titania nanostructures mimic the ordered nanoporous anodic alumina films via a through‐mask anodization. We propose a new anodizing electrolyte, i.e., a diluted nitric acid solution, for fabricating uniform, self‐organized, ordered nanoporous titania films with parallel cylindrical pores and without any thickness limit. More significantly, the nanoporous titania films contain a small amount of titanium nitride and dissociated nitrogen, and exhibit a moderate transparency and an enhanced absorption throughout the UV and visible light regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. After heating at 600 °C for 2 h, the nanoporous titania films develop a small absorption red‐shift and exhibit high photocatalytic activity under UV illumination.     

Photolithographic Route to the Fabrication of Micro/Nanowires of III–V Semiconductors

Nano/microwires of semiconducting materials (e.g., GaAs and InP) with triangular cross‐sections can be fabricated by “top–down” approaches that combine lithography of high‐quality bulk wafers (using either traditional photolithography or phase‐shift optical lithography) with anisotropic chemical etching. This method gives good control over the lateral dimensions, lengths, and morphologies of free‐standing wires. The behaviors of many different resist layers and etching chemistries are presented. It is shown how wire arrays with highly ordered alignments can be transfer printed onto plastic substrates. This “top–down” approach provides a simple, effective, and versatile way of generating high‐quality single‐crystalline wires of various compound semiconductors. The resultant wires and wire arrays have potential applications in electronics, optics, optoelectronics, and sensing.     

Wavelength‐Dependent Photosensitivity in a Germanium‐Doped Sol–Gel Hybrid Material for Direct Photopatterning

Photosensitivity, as evident in permanent changes in refractive index and volume upon light exposure, is observed in a germanium‐doped methacrylate hybrid material (hybrimer) and found to depend on the wavelength of the UV light. Exposure to short‐wavelength UV illumination (220–260 nm) results in very high photosensitivity with changes in refractive index (Δn ≈ 0.0164) and film thickness (Δt ≈ –40 %) that are mainly a result of photopolymerization and Ge‐related densification. In contrast, the hybrimer is hardly photosensitive to light in the long UV‐wavelength range (350–390 nm). Direct photopatterning of a single circle on the hybrimer film creates a concave lens‐like topography upon illumination with UV light of short wavelength and a convex lens‐like one upon illumination with UV light of long wavelength.     

Design,Implementation, and Validation of KOMPSAT‐2 Software Simulator

In this paper, we present design features, implementation, and validation of a satellite simulator subsystem for the Korea Multi‐Purpose Satellite‐2 (KOMPSAT‐2). The satellite simulator subsystem is implemented on a personal computer to minimize costs and trouble on embedding onboard flight software into the simulator. An object‐oriented design methodology is employed to maximize software reusability. Also, instead of a high‐cost commercial database, XML is used for the manipulation of spacecraft characteristics data, telecommand, telemetry, and simulation data. The KOMPSAT‐2 satellite simulator subsystem is validated by various simulations for autonomous onboard launch and early orbit phase operations, anomaly operation, and science fine mode operation. It is also officially verified by successfully passing various tests such as the satellite simulator subsystem test, mission control element system integration test, interface test, site installation test, and acceptance test.     

Pipelined Scheduling of Functional HW/SW Modules for Platform‐Based SoC Design

We developed a pipelined scheduling technique of functional hardware and software modules for platform‐based system‐on‐a‐chip (SoC) designs. It is based on a modified list scheduling algorithm. We used the pipelined scheduling technique for a performance analysis of an MPEG4 video encoder application. Then, we applied it for architecture exploration to achieve a better performance. In our experiments, the modified SoC platform with 6 pipelines for the 32‐bit dual layer architecture shows a 118% improvement in performance compared to the given basic SoC platform with 4 pipelines for the 16‐bit single‐layer architecture.     

Design and analysis of novel quorum-based sink location service scheme in wireless sensor networks

Geographic routing in wireless sensor networks requires sources nodes to be aware of the location information of sinks to send their data. To provide the sink location service, quorum-based schemes have been proposed, which exploit crossing points between a quorum of a sink location announcement (SLA) message from a sink and a quorum of a sink location query (SLQ) message from a source node. For guaranteeing at least one crossing point in irregular sensor networks with void areas or irregular boundaries, the previous schemes however collect and flood the network boundary information or forward a SLA and SLQ message along the whole network boundary. In this paper, we design a novel quorum-based sink location service scheme that exploits circle and line quorums, which does not require the network boundary information and send a SLA and SLQ message along the whole network boundary. In the proposed scheme, a source node sends a SLQ message to the network center and sends another SLQ message to an edge node in the network boundary, thus generating a SLQ line quorum. On the other hand, a sink node sends a SLA message along a circle path whose center is the network center, thus forming a SLQ circle quorum. By this way, it is guaranteed that the SLQ and SLA quorums have at least one crossing point in irregular sensor networks. Both numerical analysis and extensive simulation results verify that the proposed scheme outperforms the existing schemes in terms of the delivery distance, the delivery hop count, and the energy consumption for providing sink location service.     

Luminescence Properties of Aminobenzanthrones and Their Application as Host Emitters in Organic Light‐Emitting Devices

A series of aminobenzanthrone derivatives, possessing a keto and an amino group on the aromatic ring, are synthesized and their photoluminescence (PL) and electroluminescence (EL) properties are studied in detail. These compounds emit strongly in solution and in the solid state, with the emission maxima in the range of 528–668 nm resulting from charge‐transfer transitions from the amino group to the keto moiety. The emission wavelength depends greatly on the polarity of the solvent. A red shift of nearly 100 nm is observed from n‐hexane to dichloromethane for each of these compounds. The PL quantum yields of these molecules also depend tremendously on the solvent. The values are between 88 and 70 % in n‐hexane and decrease as the polarity of the solvent increases. The single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction data reveal that the aminobenzanthrone planes of these molecules stack in the crystals in an antiparallel head‐to‐tail fashion. This strong dipole–dipole interaction accounts for the observed red‐shifted emissions of the aminobenzanthrone molecules in powders and in films relative to those in nonpolar solvents. Electroluminescent devices using aminobenzanthrone derivatives as the host emitters or dopants emit orange to red light in the range 590–645 nm. High brightness, current efficiency, and power efficiency are observed for some of these devices. For example, the device using N‐(4‐t‐butylphenyl)‐N‐biphenyl‐3‐benzanthronylamine as the emitter gives saturated red light with a current efficiency of 1.82 cd A^–1, brightness of 11 253 cd m^–2, and Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.64,0.36); the device using N‐(2‐naphthyl)‐N‐phenyl‐3‐benzanthronylamine as the emitter gives orange–red light with a current efficiency of 3.52 cd A^–1, brightness of 25 000 cd m^–2, and CIE coordinates of (0.61,0.38).