Integer lapped transforms and their applications to image coding

This paper proposes new integer approximations of the lapped transforms, called the integer lapped transforms (ILT), and studies their applications to image coding. The ILT are derived from a set of orthogonal sinusoidal transforms having short integer coefficients, which can be implemented with simple integer arithmetic. By employing the same scaling constants in these integer sinusoidal transforms, integer versions of the lapped orthogonal transform (LOT), the lapped biorthogonal transform (LBT), and the hierarchical lapped biorthogonal transform (HLBT) are developed. The ILTs with 5-b integer coefficients are found to have similar coding gain (within 0.06 dB) and image coding performances as their real-valued counterparts. Furthermore, by representing these integer coefficients as sum of powers-of-two coefficients (SOPOT), multiplier-less lapped transforms with very low implementation complexity are obtained. In particular, the implementation of the eight-channel multiplier-less integer LOT (ILOT), LBT (ILBT), and HLBT (IHLBT) require 90 additions and 44 shifts, 98 additions and 59 shifts, and 70 additions and 38 shifts, respectively.     

Automatic construction of online catalog topologies

A good online catalog is crucial to the success of an e-commerce web site. Traditionally, an online catalog is mainly built by hand. To what extent this can be automated is a challenging problem. Recently, there have been investigations on how to reorganize an existing online catalog based on some criteria, but none of them has addressed the problem of organizing an online catalog automatically from scratch. This paper attempts to tackle this problem. We model an online catalog organization as a decision tree structure and propose a metric, based on the popularity of products and the relative importance of product attribute values, to evaluate the quality of a catalog organization. The problem is then formulated as a decision tree construction problem. Although traditional decision tree algorithms, such as C4.5, can be used to generate online catalog organization, the catalog constructed is generally not good based on our metric. An efficient greedy algorithm (GENCAT) is thus developed, and the experimental results show that GENCAT produces better catalog organizations based on our metric.     

Quasi-cyclic dyadic codes in the Walsh-Hadamard transform domain

A code is s-quasi-cyclic (s-QC) if there is an integer s such that cyclic shift of a codeword by s-positions is also a codeword. For s = 1, cyclic codes are obtained. A dyadic code is a code which is closed under all dyadic shifts. An s-QC dyadic (s-QCD) code is one which is both s-QC and dyadic. QCD codes with s = 1 give codes that are cyclic and dyadic (CD). We obtain a simple characterization of all QCD codes (hence of CD codes) over any field of odd characteristic using Walsh-Hadamard transform defined over that finite field. Also, it is shown that dual a code of an s-QCD code is also an s-QCD code and s-QCD codes for a given dimension are enumerated for all possible values of s.     

Improving MANET performance by a hop‐aware and energy‐based buffer management scheme

A hop‐aware and energy‐based buffer management scheme (HEB) is proposed in this paper. HEB can provide better quality of service to packets with real‐time requirements and improve MANET power efficiency. In our algorithm, the buffer is divided into real‐time and non‐real‐time partitions. We consider the number of hops passed, the power levels of the transmitting node, the predicted number of remaining hops, and waiting time in the buffer to determine packet transmission priority. In addition, specialized queue management and a probabilistic scheduling algorithm are proposed to decrease retransmissions caused by packet losses. Mathematical derivations of loss rates and end‐to‐end delays are also proposed. Coincidence between mathematical and simulation results is also shown. Finally, the HEB is compared with first in first out, random early detection, and hop‐aware buffering scheme. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm reduces loss rates, power consumption, and end‐to‐end delays for real‐time traffic, considerably improving the efficiency of queue management in MANET. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Optimization of active region for 1.3-µm GalnAsP compressive-strain multiple-quantum-well ridge waveguide laser diodes

We report on the optimization of Ga_0.27In_0.73As_0.67P_0.33/Ga_0.11In_0.89As_0.24P_0.76 compressive-strain multiple-quantum-well (CS-MQW) grown by low-pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition for 1.3-μm ridge-waveguide laser diodes (LDs). The structural and optical properties are characterized by doublecrystal x-ray diffraction and photoluminescence (PL) measurements, respectively. The optimum thicknesses of the well, barrier, and waveguide layer of the active region are 4 nm, 10 nm, and 100 nm, respectively. The GaInAsP/GaInAsP CS-MQW as-cleaved LDs with the optimum active region, a 3.5-μm-width ridge, and a 900-μm-cavity length exhibit the threshold current density of 1.09 kA/cm², a differential quantum efficiency of 30%, a characteristic temperature of 60 K, a maximum operating temperature up to 75°C, and a redshift rate of 0.30 nm/°C.     

Capacity improvement in CDMA downlink with orthogonal code-hopping multiplexing

Orthogonal code-hopping multiplexing (OCHM) is a statistical multiplexing scheme designed to increase the number of allowable downlink channels in code division multiple access (CDMA) systems. OCHM is expected to compensate for a lack of codewords in future communication systems. In CDMA systems including OCHM, system capacity is limited by the number of codewords and power (or interference), and the maximum system capacity is determined by a stronger limitation between them. Call blockings due to power limitation may occur firstly if downlink channels demand large E/sub b//I/sub 0/ values and a high-channel activity. On the other hand, code limitation may occur prior to power limitation in CDMA. The maximum system capacities determined by both code and power limitations must be known, even in OCHM. However, previous studies on OCHM system capacity focused only on increasing the number of multiplexed users with no consideration of the power limitation. In this paper, the overall system capacity of OCHM considering both code and power limitations was evaluated. For this analysis, the transmission chip energy of base station (BS) and inner/outer-cell interference is mathematically derived in a multicell and multiuser environment. The downlink system capacity for OCHM is larger than for orthogonal code division multiplexing (OCDM) as other cell interference (OCI), mean channel activity, and the required E/sub b//I/sub 0/ value decrease.     

Novel dual-metal gate technology using Mo-MoSi/sub x/ combination

A novel dual-metal gate technology that uses a combination of Mo-MoSi/sub x/ gate electrodes is proposed. An amorphous-Si/Mo stack was fabricated as a gate electrode for the n-channel device. It was thermally annealed to form MoSi/sub x/. Pure Mo served as the gate electrode for the p-channel device. The work functions of MoSi/sub x/ and pure Mo gates on SiO/sub 2/ are 4.38 and 4.94 eV, respectively, which are appropriate for devices with advanced transistor structures. The small increase in the work function (< 20 meV) and the negligible equivalent oxide thickness variation (< 0.08 nm) after rapid thermal annealing at 950 /spl deg/C for 30 s also demonstrate the excellent thermal stabilities of Mo and MoSi/sub x/ on SiO/sub 2/. Additional arsenic ion implantation prior to silicidation was demonstrated further to lower the work function of MoSi/sub x/ to 4.07 eV. This approach for modulating the work function makes the proposed combination of Mo-MoSi/sub x/ gate electrodes appropriate for conventional bulk devices. The developed dual-metal-gate technology on HfO/sub 2/ gate dielectric was also evaluated. The effective work functions of pure Mo and undoped MoSi/sub x/ gates on HfO/sub 2/ are 4.89 and 4.34 eV, respectively. A considerable work-function shift was observed on the high-/spl kappa/ gate dielectric. The effect of arsenic preimplantation upon the work function of the metal silicide on HfO/sub 2/ was also demonstrated, even though the range of modulation was a little reduced.     

Vertically integrated amorphous silicon color sensor arrays

Large-area color sensor arrays based on vertically integrated thin-film sensors were realized. The complete color information of each color pixel is detected at the same position of the sensor array without using optical filters. Sensor arrays consist of amorphous silicon thin-film color sensors integrated on top of amorphous silicon readout transistors. The spectral sensitivity of the sensors is controlled by the applied bias voltage. The operating principle of the color sensor arrays and the influence of device design on spectral sensitivity are described. Furthermore, the image quality of the sensor arrays is analyzed by measurements of the line spread function and the modulation transfer function.     

In-situ cleaning and passivation of oxidized Cu surfaces by alkanethiols and its application to wire bonding

The treatment of oxidized Cu surfaces using an alkanethiol as a reducing agent has been investigated. Exposure to a dilute solution of 1-decanethiol resulted in the complete removal and/or conversion of CuO and subsequent formation of a passivating thiolate film, a so-called self-assembled monolayer (SAM), on the underlying Cu/Cu₂O surface as evidenced by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. Morphological changes, monitored by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), revealed transformation of the rough, porous CuO layer into a comparatively smooth Cu/Cu₂O surface. Experiments performed on integrated circuit back-end-of-line (BEOL) die structures, comprising Cu/SiO₂ bond pads used as substrates for Cu wire bonding, demonstrate the potential application of a thiol-based in-situ cleaning-passivation procedure in microelectronics.     

Reliability issues for flip-chip packages

In this article, we review the reliability issues for plastic flip-chip packages, which have become an enabling technology for future packaging development. The evolution of area-array interconnects with high I/O counts and power dissipation has made thermal deformation an important reliability concern for flip-chip packages. Significant advances have been made in understanding the thermo-mechanical behavior of flip-chip packages based on recent studies using moiré interferometry. Results from moiré studies are reviewed by focusing on the role of the underfill to show how it reduces the shear strains of the solder balls but shifts the reliability concern to delamination of the underfill interfaces. The development of the high-resolution moiré interferometry based on the phase-shift technique provided a powerful method for quantitative analysis of thermal deformation and strain distribution for high-density flip-chip packages. This method has been applied to study plastic flip-chip packages and the results and impacts on delamination at the die/underfill interface and in the underfill region above the plated through-hole via are discussed. Here a related reliability problem of die cracking during packaging assembly and test is also discussed. Finally, we discuss briefly two emerging reliability issues for advanced flip-chip packages, one on the packaging effect on Cu/low k interconnect reliability and the other on electromigration of solder balls in flip-chip packages.