Abnormality of electric field at a wedgelike edge of a conductor or a dielectric interface and methods for its relaxation

Abnormal electric field appears at a wedgelike edge of a conductor (electrode) or a dielectric interface, which usually becomes infinitely high. This paper analyzes the electric field near such an edge by the analytical variable separation method and by the numerical one of the charge simulation method. The analysis focuses on the special conditions where the electric field becomes zero at an edge. These conditions are important for the insulation design to suppress the discharge inception at such edges of conductors and dielectric interfaces. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 159(1): 1–8, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20280     

3D Visualization of Morphological Evolution of Large Defects during Spark Plasma Sintering of Alumina Granules

The mechanical reliability of products must be assured for scaling up and production of complex-shaped components by spark plasma sintering (SPS) of spray-dried granules. The evolution of morphologies of pores and defects, which control the mechanical strength, is investigated by using synchrotron X-ray multiscale tomography during SPS of alumina granules at 1300 °C. While large defects arising from the hierarchical granule packing structure cannot be removed by pressureless sintering, crack-like defects and branched rodlike defects are almost eliminated by SPS at stresses higher than 30 and 50 MPa, respectively. But, small ellipsoidal porous regions, which may arise from aggregates or dimples of granules, cannot be removed even at a pressure of 50 MPa. A very large defect is also found by using micro-CT. It is supposed that this defect is formed from a large void in loosely packed granules. The shrinkage of large voids and the elimination of crack-like defects are explained by the theoretical prediction based on the continuum theory of sintering.     

Highly reliable a‐IGZO TFTs on a plastic substrate for flexible AMOLED displays

We have successfully reduced threshold voltage shifts of amorphous In–Ga–Zn–O thin‐film transistors (a‐IGZO TFTs) on transparent polyimide films against bias‐temperature stress below 100 mV, which is equivalent to those on glass substrates. This high reliability was achieved by dense IGZO thin films and annealing temperature below 300 °C. We have reduced bulk defects of IGZO thin films and interface defects between gate insulator and IGZO thin film by optimizing deposition conditions of IGZO thin films and annealing conditions. Furthermore, a 3.0‐in. flexible active‐matrix organic light‐emitting diode was demonstrated with the highly reliable a‐IGZO TFT backplane on polyimide film. The polyimide film coating process is compatible with mass‐production lines. We believe that flexible organic light‐emitting diode displays can be mass produced using a‐IGZO TFT backplane on polyimide films.     

Microfluidic device with chemical gradient for single-cell cytotoxicity assays

Here, we report the fabrication of a chemical gradient microfluidic device for single-cell cytotoxicity assays. This device consists of a microfluidic chemical gradient generator and a microcavity array that enables entrapment of cells with high efficiency at 88 ± 6% of the loaded cells. A 2-fold logarithmic chemical gradient generator that is capable of generating a serial 2-fold gradient was designed and then integrated with the microcavity array. High density single-cell entrapment was demonstrated in the device without cell damage, which was performed in 30 s. Finally, we validated the feasibility of this device to perform cytotoxicity assays by exposing cells to potassium cyanide (0-100 μM KCN). The device captured images of 4000 single cells affected by 6 concentrations of KCN and determined cell viability by counting the effected cells. Image scanning of the microcavity array was completed within 10 min using a 10× objective lens and a motorized stage. Aligning cells on the microcavity array eases cell counting, observation, imaging, and evaluation of singular cells. Thus, this platform was able to determine the cytotoxicity of chemicals at a single-cell level, as well as trace the cytotoxicity over time. This device and method will be useful for cytotoxicity analysis and basic biomedical research.     

Study of self-trapped optical beams by high-speed holography

Output of a 10-MWQ-switched Nd³⁺glass laser was focused into several kinds of liquid media, and the change in the refractive indicesdeltandue to the focused laser beam was observed by means of double exposure holography using aQ-switched ruby laser as the light source. It has been shown that a filament of several 10 μ in diameter and several mm in length is formed around the focal point. The filament remains almost unchanged more than several μs. The sign ofdeltanafter the passage of the laser beam is negative. The temperature change at the filament has been estimated to be about 0.2°C, assumingdeltanto be caused entirely by thermal effect of the beam. The absorption of the laser beam that causes this temperature change has been found to be linear in the flux density, the absorption coefficient being2 times 10^{-3}cm^-1in CS2. The growth of spherical and plane pressure waves has also been observed.     

Visualization and identification of cytoskeletal filaments in embryonic chick heart by the quick-freeze deep-etch method combined with immunocytochemistry

Cytoskeletal filaments in myocardial cells of chick embryo (stage 18-20, day 3) were studied by immunocytochemical and rapid-freeze deep-etch methods. A three-dimensional network of cytoplasmic filaments surrounding nascent myofibrils was visualized in saponin-treated myocardial cells. The major part of the network was composed of 12 to 14 nm filaments in platinum replicas. To identify the filaments, the myocardial cells were permeabilized with Triton X-100 and treated with myosin subfragment-1 (S1) for actin or immunogold-labeled antibody for desmin. A large number of filaments in myofibrils and a few cytoplasmic filaments were decorated with S1. A loose network surrounding the myofibrils was not decorated with S1 but with gold particles. This finding means that the majority of filaments occupying the interfibrillar space were desmin-containing filaments.     

Triple‐junction effect and its electric field relaxation in three dielectrics

This paper analyzes the electric field distribution near a wedge‐like edge in arrangements consisting of three dielectrics using analytical and numerical methods. The electric potential behaves exponentially as rⁿ (r is the distance from the edge) near the edge, leading to an infinitely high field with decreasing r for all cases. The value of the analytically derived exponent n agreed well with that obtained from the numerical field calculations. It has also been demonstrated that rounded contact of the spacer with a zero contact angle can make the electric field constant without showing an exponential rise near the edge. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 167(1): 1– 8, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20670     

A high-density low on-resistance trench lateral power MOSFET with a trench bottom source contact

A novel trench lateral power MOSFET with a trench bottom source contact (TLPM/S) is proposed, fabricated, characterized, and compared with the equivalent TLPM with a trench bottom drain contact (TLPM/D). The TLPM/S is formed along the sidewalls of the trenches so as to reduce the device pitch and realize very small on-resistance per unit area. A total of eight masks are used for fabricating the device. Since the gate electrode and the trench bottom source contact are formed by self-aligning to the trench sidewalls, the device pitch is reduced. Using a line width of 0.6 /spl mu/m, the fabricated TLPM/S, whose device pitch is 3.0 /spl mu/m, exhibits a specific on-resistance of 60 m/spl Omega/-mm/sup 2/ for a breakdown voltage of 73 V, which is close to the estimated silicon limit for this voltage class of devices. Due to reduced Miller capacitance, the TLPM/S exhibits excellent switching performance, and is approximately 50% faster than the equivalent TLPM/D.     

Electric field calculation in composite dielectrics by surface charge method based on electric flux continuity condition

We propose a new surface charge method based on the continuity of electric flux passing through each partial area on the dielectric boundary. N partial areas divided on the boundary give the boundary equations for solving N unknown variables representing the surface charge density distribution. The electric flux is numerically calculated by integrating the normal component of electric flux density on each partial area. This method permits us to exclude the singularity of edge parts from the boundary equations because these parts do not contribute to the integration area. In this paper, we apply first‐order functions to simulate both triangular surface shape and charge density distribution on its surface as well. First, we have computed the electric field for a spherical dielectric under a uniform field. The calculated results show that the accuracy of the electric field at the spherical center is almost equal to the accuracy of the total surface area of the polygon which represents the sphere. Furthermore, this method has improved the accuracy of the field by about one order compared with the conventional surface charge methods. Second, we have computed the electric field for a dielectric human model under a uniform field. The calculated results demonstrates that the proposed method works well for a complicated shaped object with a dielectric constant greatly different from that of an ambient medium. © 2002 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 138(4): 10–17, 2002; DOI 10.1002/eej.1133