Depletion-All-Around Operation of the SOI Four-Gate Transistor

In the silicon-on-insulator four-gate transistors (G⁴-FETs), the conducting channel can be surrounded by depletion regions induced by independent vertical metal-oxide-semiconductor gates and lateral JFET gates. This unique conduction mechanism named depletion-all-around (DAA) enables majority carriers to flow in the volume of the silicon film far from the silicon/oxide interfaces. Especially when the interfaces are driven to inversion, the control of the lateral JFET gates on the conduction is maximized, while the sensitivity of the volume channel to the oxide and interface defects is minimized. This leads to excellent analog performance, low noise, and reduced sensitivity to ionizing radiation. The G⁴-FET properties in DAA mode are presented from multiple perspectives: experimental results, 3-D device simulations, and analytical modeling     

Diagnostics and active species formation in an atmospheric pressure helium sterilization plasma source

Systematic spectroscopic studies and diagnostics of an atmospheric pressure radiofrequency (13.56 MHz) He plasma is presented. The discharge is an intrinsic part of the resonant circuit of the radiofrequency oscillator and was obtained using a monoelectrode type torch, at various gas flow-rates (0.1-6.0 l/min) and power levels (0-2 W). As function of He flow-rate and power the discharge has three developing stages: point-like plasma, spherical plasma and ellipsoidal plasma. The emission spectra of the plasma were recorded and investigated as function of developing stages, flow-rates and plasma power. The most important atomic and molecular components were identified and their evolution was studied as function of He flow-rate and plasma power towards understanding basic mechanisms occurring in this type of plasma. The characteristic temperatures (vibrational T_vibr, rotational T_rot and excitation T_exc) and the electron number density (n_e) were determined.     

Microstructured Fibers for the Production of Food

Food engineering faces the difficult challenge of combining taste, i.e., tailoring texture and rheology of food matrices with the balanced intake of healthy nutrients. In materials science, fiber suspensions and composites have been developed as a versatile and successful approach to tailor rheology while imparting materials with added functionalities. Structures based on such types of physical (micro)fibers are however rare in food production mainly due to a lack of food‐grade materials and processes allowing for the fabrication of fibers with controlled sizes and microstructures. Here, the controlled fabrication of multi‐material microstructured edible fibers is demonstrated using a food compatible process based on preform‐to‐fiber thermal drawing. It is shown that different material systems based on gelatin or casein, with plasticizers such as glycerol, can be thermally drawn into fibers with various geometries and cross‐sectional structures. It is demonstrated that fibers can exhibit tailored mechanical properties post‐drawing, and can encapsulate nutrients to control their release. The versatility of fiber materials is also exploited to demonstrate the fabrication of food‐grade fabrics and scaffolds for food growth. The end results establish a new field in food production that relies on fiber‐based simple and eco‐friendly processes to realize enjoyable yet healthy and nutritious products.     

Spatial Stress and Strain Distributions of Viscoelastic Layers in Oscillatory Shear

One of the standard experimental probes of a viscoelastic material is to measure the response of a layer trapped between parallel surfaces, imposing either periodic stress or strain at one boundary and measuring the other. The relative phase between stress and strain yields solid-like and liquid-like properties, called the storage and loss moduli, respectively, which are then captured over a range of imposed frequencies. Rarely are the full spatial distributions of shear and normal stresses considered, primarily because they cannot be measured except at boundaries and the information was not deemed of particular interest in theoretical studies. Likewise, strain distributions throughout the layer were traditionally ignored except in a classical protocol of Ferry, Adler and Sawyer, based on snapshots of standing shear waves. Recent investigations of thin lung mucus layers exposed to oscillatory stress (breathing) and strain (coordinated cilia), however, suggest that the wide range of healthy conditions and environmental or disease assaults lead to conditions that are quite disparate from the "surface loading" and "gap loading" conditions that characterize classical rheometers. In this article, we extend our previous linear and nonlinear models of boundary stresses in controlled oscillatory strain to the entire layer. To illustrate non-intuitive heterogeneous responses, we characterize experimental conditions and material parameter ranges where the maximum stresses migrate into the channel interior.     

The Emergence of Clusters in the Global Telecommunications Network

Studies of international telecommunication networks in past years have found increases in density, centralization, and integration. More recent studies, however, have identified trends of decentralization and regionalization. The present research examines these structural changes in international telephone traffic among 110 countries between 1989 and 1999. It examines the competing theoretical models of core–periphery and cluster structures. The initial results show lowered centralization and inequality in the network of international telecommunications traffic. Statistical p * procedures demonstrate significant interactions within countries in blocks of similar economic development status, geographic region, and telecommunications infrastructure development status. Specifically, countries with less developed economic and telecommunications status showed significant increases in tendencies to connect to each other and to reciprocate ties. Altogether, the result supports the idea that the global telecommunications network is moving toward a more diversified structure with the emergence of cohesive and interconnected subgroups. The findings have implications for global digital divide and developmental gap issues.     

A Review of Sensors and Biosensors Modified with Conducting Polymers and Molecularly Imprinted Polymers Used in Electrochemical Detection of Amino Acids: Phenylalanine,Tyrosine, and Tryptophan

Recently, the studies on developing sensors and biosensors—with an obvious interdisciplinary character—have drawn the attention of many researchers specializing in various fundamental, but also complex domains such as chemistry, biochemistry, physics, biophysics, biology, bio-pharma-medicine, and bioengineering. Along these lines, the present paper is structured into three parts, and is aimed at synthesizing the most relevant studies on the construction and functioning of versatile devices, of electrochemical sensors and biosensors, respectively. The first part presents examples of the most representative scientific research focusing on the role and the importance of the phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan amino acids, selected depending on their chemical structure and their impact on the central nervous system. The second part is dedicated to presenting and exemplifying conductor polymers and molecularly imprinted polymers used as sensitive materials in achieving electrochemical sensors and biosensors. The last part of the review analyzes the sensors and biosensors developed so far to detect amino acids with the aid of conductor polymers and molecularly imprinted polymers from the point of view of the performances obtained, with emphasis on the detection methods, on the electrochemical reactions that take place upon detection, and on the electroanalytical performances. The present study was carried out with a view to highlighting, for the benefit of specialists in medicine and pharmacy, the possibility of achieving and purchasing efficient devices that might be used in the quality control of medicines, as well as in studying and monitoring diseases associated with these amino acids.     

Optimization of four-colour photothermal converters used for power generation on interplanetary stations

This paper deals with the performance of multicolour photothermal converters with four conversion units. The power station consists in a combination multicolor converter-thermal engine. The influence of the solar radiation concentration ratio on the system performance is outlined. The effect of the sun's zenith angle is also discussed. The spectral distributions of optimum collector and radiator temperatures and the optimum temperature differences between the working fluid and the collector and radiator, respectively, are shown. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Propenoxide isomerization in a fluidized bed reactor

Propenoxide isomerization, over lithium orthophosphate as a catalyst, was investigated in a fluidized bed reactor. A mathematical model of the process was developed and its kinetic parameters identified. There is a high degree of selectivity for allyl alcohol.     

Defect localization induced by hot carrier injection in short-channel MOSFETs: Concept, modeling and characterization

Key aspects related to the localization of the hot-carrier induced damage in short channel MOSFET's are reviewed. Emphasis is put on the analysis, modeling and characterization of the degradation of device parameters caused by defects created locally beside the drain junction. Numerical simulations as well as analytical models predicting the post-stress performance are presented, compared and their limits of validity highlighted. Relevant experimental results, concerning the evolution of the static characteristics I_D(V_G, V_D) during transistor aging, are thoroughly discussed and efficient methods for the extraction of the defective region parameters are proposed. More specific techniques (charge pumping, noise spectroscopy, floating gate current, gated diode leakage), used for the characterization of aging induced defects, are evaluated from the point of view of their capability to cope with the localized nature of the defects. The merits of silicon on insulator structures and other technological solutions proposed for the attenuation of hot carrier effects are briefly commented.