Development of a distributed sensing technique using Brillouinscattering

This paper reviews the developments of a distributed strain and temperature sensing technique that uses Brillouin scattering in single-mode optical fibers. This technique is based on strain- and temperature-induced changes in the Brillouin frequency shift. Several approaches for measuring the weak Brillouin line are compared     

A new write/erase method to improve the read disturbcharacteristics based on the decay phenomena of stress leakage currentfor flash memories

This paper describes a new write/erase method for flash memory to improve the read disturb characteristics by means of drastically reducing the stress leakage current in the tunnel oxide. This new write/erase operation method is based on the newly discovered three decay characteristics of the stress leakage current. The features of the proposed write/erase method are as follows: 1) the polarity of the additional pulse after applying write/erase pulse is the same as that of the control gate voltage in the read operation; 2) the voltage of the additional pulse is higher than that of a control gate in a read operation, and lower than that of a control gate in a write operation; and 3) an additional pulse is applied to the control gate just after a completion of the write/erase operation. With the proposed write/erase method, the degradation of the read disturb life time after 10⁶ write/erase cycles can be drastically reduced by 50% in comparison with the conventional bipolarity write/erase method used for NAND type flash memory. Furthermore, the degradation can he drastically reduced by 90% in comparison with the conventional unipolarity write/erase method fur NOR-, AND-, and DINOR-type flash memory. This proposed write/erase operation method has superior potential for applications to 256 Mb flash memories and beyond     

A novel therapeutic approach for rectal varices: a case report of rectal varices treated with double balloon-occluded embolotherapy

We present a patient with continuous melena, diagnosed as rectal varices bleeding. She had a history of esophageal varices, which was treated by endoscopic ligation therapy. Eight years after the treatment of esophageal varices, the continuous melena began. Colonoscopic examination showed that the melena was caused by rectal varices, which were so severe that they could not be treated by either endoscopic sclerotherapy or surgical devascularization. Taking into considering the overall risk of treating rectal varices, we chose the approach of double balloon-occluded embolotherapy (DBOE) with 5% ethanolamine oleate with iopamodol as a liquid embolic material. DBOE is one of the interventional radiology techniques (Morita et al., Acta Hepatol Jpn 1994;35:109-120), but in this case was a completely new and novel clinical procedure for rectal varices. After the DBOE therapy, the condition of rectal varices was markedly improved. Thus, DBOE might be a new tool for treating inoperable rectal varices.     

Effects of electrolyte on the structure of pyrolytic graphite surfaces in anodic oxidation

Anodic oxidation effects on the structure of the basal and edge surfaces of pyrolytic graphite in alkaline electrolytes have been studied. Laser Raman spectroscopy, a gas-phase chemical modification method, coupled with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and secondary ion-mass spectroscopy techniques, were used. Anodic oxidation of the surfaces of pyrolytic graphite in alkaline electrolytes does not cause destruction of their surface structure, even at a higher level of treatment, unlike oxidation of acid electrolytes. In alkaline electrolytes, the number of hydroxyl groups added on the edge surface gradually increases with the increase in treatment level, whereas the number of carboxyl groups does not increase. It was found that anodic oxidation in alkaline electrolytes has a wider permitted range of treatment, in which hydroxyl groups can be added without destroying the edge surface structure, than that found in acid electrolytes. On the other hand, the number of hydroxyl groups added by treating with alkaline electrolytes is smaller than that with acid electrolytes. At a higher treatment level with acid electrolytes, oxidation occurs, even to a depth of 40 nm from the edge surface, whereas with alkaline electrolytes, oxidation occurs only at the surface. On the basis of these results, the effects of electrolytes on the adhesion between carbon fibres and epoxy resin matrix are discussed.     

Expectation of LET∞ for a tritium beta particle

The expectation of LET_∞ (unrestricted linear energy transfer) for a tritium beta particle around its parent nucleus in water has been calculated by the use of the energy-range relation of electrons. The amount of energy deposited by a beta particle with a certain initial energy over the interval of one micron at a definite position is obtained from the relation by the calculus of difference, and the probability that the event takes place per decay of tritium is estimated from the energy spectrum of tritium beta particles. The calculated values of expectations of LET_∞ are higher at positions close to the parent nucleus.     

Activity measurement of the constituents in molten Fe–B and Fe–B–C alloys

The distribution ratios of Fe and B between molten Fe–B alloy and molten Ag were measured at temperatures between 1573 and 1923 K. Also, distribution ratios of Fe and B between molten Fe–B–C_satd. alloys and molten Ag were measured at 1873 K. It was found that the excess Gibbs free energy of mixing in molten Fe–B and Fe–B–C alloys can be expressed by utilizing the Redlich–Kister polynomial. The activity curves of the elements in molten Fe–B alloy and Fe–B–C alloy were estimated.     

Improved performance of subcarrier multiplexed multichannel AM-VSBvideo signal transmission using Pr3+-doped fluoride fibreamplifier

The performance of 40 channel AM-VSB video signal transmission using a Pr³⁺-doped fluoride fibre amplifier (PDFA) was examined. The PDFA improves the loss budget by 10 dB for 52 dB CNR, and distortion levels almost satisfy the CATV trunk line specifications. The video quality degradation after PDFA amplification was `imperceptible' in subjective tests