Low voltage current mirrors with enhanced bandwidth

This paper presents an improved low voltage cascode and flipped voltage follower (FVF) based current mirror with the enhancement of the bandwidth obtained by using a compensation resistor between the gates of the primary transistor pair. In this technique a carefully determined resistance is used in the diode connected MOS transistor of the current mirror for enhancing the bandwidth. Active realization of the compensation resistance using MOS operating in the triode region has also been applied to both the cascode and FVF based current mirror circuits. The proposed circuits have been simulated using PSpice for 0.25 μm CMOS technology and the obtained results are compared with their uncompensated topologies to show their effectiveness.     

Abnormal expression of a 170-kilodalton P-glycoprotein encoded by MDR1 gene, a metabolically active efflux pump, in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from patients with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection

Peripheral blood CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from 16 patients with HIV-1 infection, 8 each with CD4+ T cell counts of > 200/mm3 (group I) and with CD4+ T cell counts of < 200/mm3 (group II), and 8 age- and sex-matched controls, were examined for the expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), a 170-kDa phosphoglycoprotein encoded by the MDR1 gene, using dual-color flow cytometric analysis. The function of P-glycoprotein was assessed by the accumulation of rhodamine-123 (Rh123) dye in the presence or absence of cyclosporin A (which inhibits Rh123 efflux). A significantly increased proportion of CD4+ T cells from patients with HIV-1 infection expressed P-glycoprotein as compared to controls, resulting in a significantly increased ratio of the proportions of CD4+P-gp+/CD8+P-gp+ cells. The ratio of CD4+P-gp+/CD8+P-gp+ in group II patients was significantly higher (p = 0.02) than in group I patients, suggesting a progressive increase in P-gp expression with the advancement of HIV-1 infection. The proportions of CD4+P-gp+ and CD8+P-gp+ T cells did not differ significantly between those who received AZT and those who were not treated with AZT. Contrary to expectation, both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from patients accumulated significantly more Rh123 as compared to controls. Furthermore, cyclosporin A failed to increase intracellular accumulation of Rh123 in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from patients. These data suggest a functionally defective P-gp expression in HIV-1 infection that appears to increase with the progression of HIV-1 infection. A study of a large number of patients with HIV-1 infection is needed to determine the effects of opportunistic infection and antiretroviral therapy on the expression of P-gp and to determine whether the expression of P-gp could serve as another surrogate marker for the progression of HIV-1 infection.     

Fast approximate methods for the reliability analysis of computer networks

The complexity of computer communication networks has taken a dramatic upswing, following significant developments in electronic technology such as medium and large scale integrated circuits and microprocessors. Although components of a computer communication network are broadly classified into software, hardware and communications, the most important problem is that of ensuring the reliable flow of information from source to destination. An important parameter in the analysis of these networks is to find the probability of obtaining a situation in which each node in the network communicates with all other remaining communication centres (nodes). This probability, termed as overall reliability, can be determined using the concept of spanning trees. As the exact reliability evaluation becomes unmanageable even for a reasonable sized system, we present an approximate technique using clustering methods. It has been shown that when component reliability ⩾ 0.9, the suggested technique gives results quite close to those obtained by exact methods with an enormous saving in computation time and memory usage. For still quicker reliability analysis while designing the topological configuration of real-time computer systems, an empirical form of the reliability index is proposed which serves as a fairly good indicator of overall reliability and can be easily incorporated in a design procedure, such as local search, to design maximally reliable computer communication network.     

Thermodynamic properties of lithium nitrate-ammonia mixtures

In this paper, the thermodynamic properties of lithium nitrate-ammonia mixtures are presented. The vapour pressure-temperature correlations are developed by fitting the experimental P-T-x data. The enthalpy of solution, the latent heat of vaporization, the integral heat of solution and the differential heat of solution are presented in appropriate tabular and graphical forms.     

A differential line protection scheme for power systems based oncomposite voltage and current measurements

A differential feeder protection that utilizes voltage and current signals is described. This approach obviates the need for relay bias to compensate for capacitance spill current, thus improving the relay sensitivity. From a practical point of view, the scheme has been designed to simplify the digital hardware requirements and reduce the bandwidth requirements for signal transmission over a fiber-optic link     

Development of Materials Integration Strategies for Electroceramic Film-Based Devices Via Complementary In Situ and Ex Situ Studies of Film Growth and Interface Processes

We review our studies of film growth and interface processes performed using complementary in situ and ex situ characterization techniques that provide valuable information critical to the development of materials integration strategies for the fabrication of electroceramic film-based devices. Specifically, we review our work performed using in situ time-of-flight ion scattering and recoil spectroscopy (TOF-ISARS) / X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) / spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), in conjunction with ex situ TEM and other techniques to study film growth and interface processes critical to the fabrication of non-volatile ferroelectric memories (NVFRAMs), dynamic random access memories (DRAMs), and high frequency devices based on high-K thin films. TOF-ISARS involves three distinct but closely related experimental methods, namely: ion scattering spectroscopy, direct recoil spectroscopy and mass spectroscopy of recoiled ions, which provide monolayer-specific information on film growth and surface segregation processes. Spectroscopic Ellipsometry enables investigation of buried interfaces. XPS provides valuable information on the chemistry of surface and interfaces. Specifically, we discuss: a) studies of oxidation of Ti-Al layers and synthesis and properties of La 0.5 Sr 0.5 CoO 9 /Ti-Al heterostructured layers for integration of PZT capacitors with Si substrates, and b) studies of BaSr x Ti 1 m x O 3 layer integration with Si substrates relevant to DRAMs, high frequency devices and high-K gate oxides for integrated circuits. This review shows the power of combined in situ / ex situ analytical techniques to provide valuable information for material integration strategies for electroceramic thin film-based devices.     

Zirconia-mullite ceramics by reaction-sintering

Zirconia-mullite composites were prepared byin situ reaction between zircon and alumina. Stabilizers like yttria and magnesium carbonate were used. Almost vitrified bodies were obtained by sintering at 1465–1535°C. Flexural strength increased on annealing at 1040°C.     

Small-signal gain measurement in a Ti:Al2O3amplifier

A small-signal single-pass power gain of e^5.2=180 has been measured for a signal in the π polarization at 790.7 nm in a longitudinally pumped Ti:Al₂O ₃ amplifier. A double-pass power gain of e^5.2 ≈10⁴ has been attained for the same polarization at 799.8 nm. The ratio of the gain cross sections at 632.8 and 790.7 nm is 1/25. The gain anisotropy at 632.8 nm is g_π/g _σ=2.3. The lifetime of the upper lasing level decreases with increased pumping, probably as the result of amplified spontaneous emission