Modeling and Interoperability Test Case Generation of a Real-Time QoS Monitoring Protocol

QoS monitoring is a kind of real-time systems which allows each level of the system to track the ongoing QoS levels achieved by the lower network layers. For these systems, real-time communication between corresponding transport protocol objects is essential for their correct behavior. When two or more entities are employed to perform a certain task as in the case of communication protocols, the capability to do so is called interoperability and considered as the essential aspect of correctness of communication systems. This paper describes a formal approach on modeling and interoperability test case generation of a real-time QoS monitoring protocol. For this, we specify the behavior of flow monitoring of transport layer QoS protocol, i.e., METS protocol, which is proposed to address QoS from an end-to-end's point of view, based on QoS architecture model which includes ATM network in lower layers. We use a real-time Input/Output Finite State Machine to model the behavior of real-time flow monitoring over time. From the modeled real-time I/OFSM, we generate interoperability test cases to check the correctness of METS protocol's flow monitoring behaviors for two end systems. A new approach to efficient interoperability testing is described and the method of interoperability test cases generation is shown with the example of METS protocol's flow monitoring. The current TTCN is not appropriate for testing real-time and multimedia systems. Because test events in TTCN are for message-based system and not for stream-based systems, the real-time in TTCN can only be approximated. This paper also proposes the notation of real-time Abstract Test Suite by means of real-time extension of TTCN. This approach gives the advantages that only a few syntactical changes are necessary, and TTCN and real-time TTCN are compatible. This formal approach on interoperability testing can be applied to the real-time protocols related to IMT-2000, B-ISDN and real-time systems.     

Poly(diketopyrrolopyrrole‐benzothiadiazole) with Ambipolarity Approaching 100% Equivalency

As a characteristic feature of conventional conjugated polymers, it has been generally agreed that conjugated polymers exhibit either high hole transport property (p‐type) or high electron transport property (n‐type). Although ambipolar properties have been demonstrated from specially designed conjugated polymers, only a few examples have exhibited ambipolar transport properties under limited conditions. Furthermore, there is, as yet, no example with ‘equivalent’ hole and electron transport properties. We describe the realization of an equivalent ambipolar organic field‐effect transistor (FET) by using a single‐component visible–near infrared absorbing diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)‐benzothiadiazole (BTZ) copolymer, namely poly[3,6‐dithiene‐2‐yl‐2,5‐di(2‐decyltetradecyl)‐pyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐1,4‐dione‐5’,5’’‐diyl‐alt‐benzo‐2,1, 3‐thiadiazol‐4,7‐diyl] ( PDTDPP‐alt‐BTZ ). PDTDPP‐alt‐BTZ shows not only ideally balanced charge carrier mobilities for both electrons (?_e = 0.09 cm²V^?1s^?1) and holes (?_h = 0.1 cm²V^?1s^?1) but also its inverter constructed with the combination of two identical ambipolar FETs exhibits a gain of ～35 that is much higher than usually obtained values for unipolar logic.     

Multiaxial and Transparent Strain Sensors Based on Synergetically Reinforced and Orthogonally Cracked Hetero‐Nanocrystal Solids

Wearable strain sensors are widely researched as core components in electronic skin. However, their limited capability of detecting only a single axial strain, and their low sensitivity, stability, opacity, and high production costs hinder their use in advanced applications. Herein, multiaxially highly sensitive, optically transparent, chemically stable, and solution‐processed strain sensors are demonstrated. Transparent indium tin oxide and zinc oxide nanocrystals serve as metallic and insulating components in a metal–insulator matrix and as active materials for strain gauges. Synergetic sensitivity‐ and stability‐reinforcing agents are developed using a transparent SU‐8 polymer to enhance the sensitivity and encapsulate the devices, elevating the gauge factor up to over 3000 by blocking the reconnection of cracks caused by the Poisson effect. Cross‐shaped patterns with an orthogonal crack strategy are developed to detect a complex multiaxial strain, efficiently distinguishing strains applied in various directions with high sensitivity and selectivity. Finally, all‐transparent wearable strain sensors with Ag nanowire electrodes are fabricated using an all‐solution process, which effectively measure not only the human motion or emotion, but also the multiaxial strains occurring during human motion in real time. The strategies can provide a pathway to realize cost‐effective and high‐performance wearable sensors for advanced applications such as bio‐integrated devices.     

Sintering of Inkjet-Printed Silver Nanoparticles at Room Temperature Using Intense Pulsed Light

Intense pulsed light (IPL) was used to sinter printed silver nanoink patterns consisting of 20-nm to 40-nm silver nanoparticles dispersed in diethylene glycol (DEG). Three consecutive pulses at 50 J/cm² in less than 30 ms was sufficient to adequately sinter silver nanoink patterns for printed electronics without degradation of the substrates. This is an exceptionally short time compared with that of the conventional thermal sintering process. On the sintered conductive silver patterns, neck-like junctions between nanoparticles were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The melting temperature, 194.1°C, of silver nanoparticles was found using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Also, x-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to find the grain size of the printed silver nanoink patterns. The IPL-sintered silver pattern had a grain size of 86.3 ± 7.2 nm. From this work, it was found that the IPL-sintered silver pattern had a low resistivity of 49 ± 3 nΩ m, which is low enough to be used for printed electronics.     

Responsive Smart Windows from Nanoparticle–Polymer Composites

Windows play significant roles in commercial and residential buildings and automobiles, which direct and control light illumination, thermal insulation, natural ventilation, and aesthetics. Various approaches are attempted to make windows “smart” by tailoring their transparency and thermal insulation in response to environmental changes. Hence, there has been much effort to develop smart windows that can dynamically modulate the transmission and reflectance of the visible light and solar radiance into buildings according to weather conditions or personal preferences. Development of smart window materials is also beneficial to applications including wearable sensors, energy harvesting and storage, and medical devices. By carefully matching the refractive indices of nanoparticle (NPs) and polymer matrix, surface chemistry, and their mechanical properties, particle‐embedded polymer composites can exhibit synergistic effects with improved chemical and mechanical stability, enhanced dispersion of NPs, and optimized and stimuli‐responsive optical properties. Here, an overview of recent progresses in the development of smart windows based on electro‐, thermo‐, and mechanoactuations is provided. Additional functionalities, e.g., flexibility, stretchability, and mechanical/chemical stability, can also be achieved by careful choices of NPs and polymers.     

Covalent 0D–2D Heterostructuring of Co9S8–MoS2 for Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution in All pH Electrolytes

Ultrasmall Co₉S₈ nanoparticles are introduced on the basal plane of MoS₂ to fabricate a covalent 0D–2D heterostructure that enhances the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity of electrochemical water splitting. In the heterostructure, separate phases of Co₉S₈ and MoS₂ are formed, but they are connected by Co–S–Mo type covalent bonds. The charge redistribution from Co to Mo occurring at the interface enhances the electron‐doped characteristics of MoS₂ to generate electron‐rich Mo atoms. Besides, reductive annealing during the synthesis forms S defects that activates adjacent Mo atoms for further enhanced HER activity as elucidated by the density functional theory (DFT) calculation. Eventually, the covalent Co₉S₈–MoS₂ heterostructure shows amplified HER activity as well as stability in all pH electrolytes. The synergistic effect is pronounced when the heterostructure is coupled with a porous Ni foam (NF) support to form Co₉S₈–MoS₂/NF that displays superior performance to those of the state‐of‐the‐art non‐noble metal electrocatalysts, and even outperforms a commercial Pt/C catalyst in a practically meaningful, high current density region in alkaline (>170 mA cm^?2) and neutral (>60 mA cm^?2) media. The high HER performance and stability of Co₉S₈–MoS₂ heterostructure make it a promising pH universal alternative to expensive Pt‐based electrocatalysts for practical water electrolyzers.     

Effect of IQ Mismatch Compensation in an Optical Coherent OFDM Receiver

The performance enhancement using the Gram–Schmidt orthogonalization procedure (GSOP) for compensating transmitter (Tx) and receiver (Rx) in-phase/quadrature (IQ) mismatch in the coherent optical orthogonal frequency-division-multiplexing system is investigated. The analytic result containing frequency offset is presented to describe the different behavior of Tx and Rx IQ mismatch. Bit-error-rate curves measured at back-to-back and 1040-km transmission over single-mode fiber indicate that the GSOP is more efficient to compensate of Rx IQ mismatch than Tx IQ mismatch.      

Plasmonic Light Beaming Manipulation and its Detection Using Holographic Microscopy

Plasmonic off axis beaming and focusing of light by the use of asymmetric or non-periodic dielectric gratings around a metallic slit are experimentally demonstrated. The far-field probing was done by holographic microscopy. While the conventional near-field microscopes can probe only near-fields, our four-step phase-shift interferometer provides an efficient way of probing and reconstructing light paths coming out from the plasmonic devices. We hope our experimental work contributes to the practical applications of plasmonics such as optical interconnection and optical data storage.      

High-Temperature Stability of Thermoelectric Skutterudite In0.25Co3FeSb12

The thermal stability of skutterudite-based thermoelectric modules is of great importance since they are used at elevated temperatures. This study examined the high-temperature stability of In-filled and Fe-doped skutterudites (In_0.25Co₃FeSb₁₂) as a function of the following aging variables: atmosphere (vacuum and air), temperature, and time. Sb-based oxides are produced preferentially on exposure to high temperatures in air. The oxide layer produced during aging at 823?K in air was much thinner than that produced during aging at 723?K in air. The formation of InSb is believed to retard the oxidation of Sb and act as an obstacle to the growth of the oxide layer. The CoSb₃-based skutterudites were stable at 823?K if they were not exposed to air, and InSb phases were not produced in the In_0.25Co₃FeSb₁₂ skutterudites.     

Fault-Tolerant UAV Data Acquisition Schemes

Wireless Personal Communications - Through the use of UAV, the functional lifetime of WSN can be elongated in exchange for higher data delivery latency as the UAV replaces the multi-hop...