Strained CMOS Devices With Shallow-Trench-Isolation Stress Buffer Layers

In this brief, shallow-trench-isolation (STI) stress buffer techniques, including sidewall stress buffer and channel surface buffer layers, are developed to reduce the impact of compressive STI stress on the mobility of advanced n-type MOS (NMOS) devices. Our investigation shows that a 7% driving current gain at an NMOS device has been achieved, whereas no degradation at a p-type MOS (PMOS) device was observed. The same junction leakage at both the NMOS and PMOS devices was maintained. A stress relaxation model with simulation is thus proposed to account for the enhanced transport characteristics.     

Multiuser adaptive transmission technique for time-varying frequency-selective fading channels

This paper proposes an efficient multiuser adaptive modulation and coding (AMC) scheme that considers inevitable feedback delay by employing short-term and long-term channel state information (CSI) in time-varying frequency-selective fading channels. By taking the statistic of the true signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at a given predicted SNR value into account, the required transmit power to meet the target packet-error-rate (PER) can be obtained and used for user selection, power allocation, and modulation and coding set (MCS) selection. In addition, a simple and useful approximation method of obtaining the required transmit power is proposed. The performance of the proposed scheme is shown to be much better than that of conventional schemes without considering the feedback delay or the prediction error. The proposed scheme can also reduce the feedback resource while maintaining the system throughput by allocating different feedback resources to different users according to their prediction error variances.     

Simulations and experiments of three-dimensional paddle shift for IC packaging

Paddle shift is one of the most serious defects which may arise during the IC encapsulation of leadframe-type packages. The term “paddle shift” means the deflection of the leadframe-pad and die as a result of the pressure difference between the top and bottom mold cavities. In extreme cases, paddle shift could lead to a substantial reduction in the reliability of package.This paper employed a computational approach to predict the paddle shift quantity during the IC packaging process. The approach was based on precise finite element (FE) models and flow-structure decoupled analyses. Two kinds of FE models were needed for the decoupled analyses, namely a 3D FE model for the mold filling analysis (i.e. fluid-flow mesh) and a 3D FE model for the structural analysis (i.e. paddle mesh). The aim of the mold filling analysis was to identify the pressure distribution acting on the paddle structure during the encapsulation process, while the objective of the structural analysis was to determine the amount of paddle shift which was caused by pressure distribution.To investigate the relationship between the package geometry and the amount of paddle shift, the present simulations considered six TQFP (Thin quad flat package) models with different geometrical parameters. The simulation results for the paddle shift were compared with the experimental results to demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed numerical approach. It was found that a good agreement exists between the two sets of results.     

Design and evaluation of inter‐bandwidth broker signaling

Bandwidth brokers (BBs) have been proposed for providing end‐to‐end quality of services (QoS) in differentiated services (Diffserv) networks. As a single entity in each domain, a BB aims at performing both intra‐ and inter‐domain resource management on behalf of its domain. There have been plenty of BB studies for intra‐domain resource management. However, how a BB can perform inter‐domain resource management in a scalable and deployable manner is still an open issue. In this work, we present the design, implementation and evaluation of an inter‐BB communication protocol that is used by each BB to communicate with its neighboring BBs for inter‐domain QoS resource management. The proposed model uses a destination‐based aggregation scheme in which reservations are aggregated as they merge through the destination region. The destination‐based aggregation improves inter‐domain state and signaling scalability. The protocol also performs traffic engineering to increase inter‐domain resource utilization. The implementation and simulation results verify the achievements of our model. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

1.5 V Sub‐mW CMOS Interface Circuit for Capacitive Sensor Applications in Ubiquitous Sensor Networks

In this paper, a low‐power CMOS interface circuit is designed and demonstrated for capacitive sensor applications, which is implemented using a standard 0.35‐μm CMOS logic technology. To achieve low‐power performance, the low‐voltage capacitance‐to‐pulse‐width converter based on a self‐reset operation at a supply voltage of 1.5 V is designed and incorporated into a new interface circuit. Moreover, the external pulse signal for the reset operation is made unnecessary by the employment of the self‐reset operation. At a low supply voltage of 1.5 V, the new circuit requires a total power consumption of 0.47 mW with ultra‐low power dissipation of 157 μW of the interface‐circuit core. These results demonstrate that the new interface circuit with self‐reset operation successfully reduces power consumption. In addition, a prototype wireless sensor‐module with the proposed circuit is successfully implemented for practical applications. Consequently, the new CMOS interface circuit can be used for the sensor applications in ubiquitous sensor networks, where low‐power performance is essential.     

Physical and mechanical properties of plasticized butenediol vinyl alcohol copolymer/thermoplastic starch blend

The poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVOH) is an eco‐friend polymer and has an excellent oxygen barrier property due to its strong intermolecular force, but difficulty in processing with conventional extrusion process gives it a limitation for various industrial applications, especially packaging industry. Many studies have attempted to plasticize PVOH to improve its processability, but high cost of PVOH is still drawback for a variety of industrial applications. Therefore, PVOH often blended with other biodegradable polymers such as starch to acquire the cost benefit. Nowadays, the butenediol vinyl alcohol copolymer (BVOH) is getting a great attention due to its melt processability and bio‐degradability, but its high cost is barrier to the industrial application as well. In this study, thermoplastic starch (TPS)/plasticized BVOH (P‐BVOH) were prepared by melt mixing technique, and the plasticization effect of glycerol on starch and BVOH with different composition was observed for optimized processing condition. Based on our preliminary study, TPS was blended with varying amount of P‐BVOH (100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, and 50:50 weight ratio). Physical, oxygen barrier, and mechanical properties of the TPS/P‐BVOH blends were evaluated by various analytical instruments to achieve balanced property and performance. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 25:109–116, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Formability and forming force in incremental sheet forming of AA7075-T6 at different temperatures

Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology - The AA7075-T6 sheet recently received attention, owing to its low weight and strength for use fabricating automotive parts (e.g., body, motor case)....     

Epigenetic Manipulation Induces the Production of Coumarin‐Type Secondary Metabolite from Arthrobotrys foliicola

Pursuing epigenetic manipulation approach in fungi led to the isolation of an unusual coumarin metabolite from fungi. An addition of the histone deacetylase inhibitor, suberohydroxamic acid (SBHA), to the culture medium of Arthrobotrys foliicola induced production of the coumarin‐type secondary metabolite represented by a single intensive peak in the HPLC profile of the ethyl acetate extract. The compound which was identified as 4‐ethyl‐7‐hydroxy‐8‐methyl‐2H‐chromen‐2‐one ( 1 ) was isolated from nature for the first time. Moreover, the investigation on the remaining part of the HPLC profile led to the separation of 6‐ethyl‐2,4‐dihydroxy‐3‐methylbenzaldehyde ( 2 ) and ten 2,5‐diketopiperazine compounds ( 3 – 12 ). The structures of isolates were deduced by their mass and NMR spectroscopic data. The coumarin‐type secondary metabolite ( 1 ) with peculiar smell induced by epigenetic stimulation is found for the first time in the Arthrobotrys species and the family Orbiliaceae. We evaluated 1 for the cytotoxic, anti‐inflammatory, anti‐allergic and nematocidal activities, however, it was found inactive.     

High calcium cementless fly ash binder with low environmental footprint: Optimum Taguchi design

Despite the myriad of research efforts on exploiting fly ash as an alternative binder, its current role in industry is largely restricted to the supplementary use, which enables only partial replacement of conventional portland cement. Herein, we propose an unprecedented binder composite with the promising early-age strength, which is cost-effective and reduces the CO₂ footprint compared with portland cement. The major constituent is fly ash occupying 76.4%-80.3% by the total mass of the constituents, while calcium oxide, nanosilica, and the minimum amounts of sodium-based activators are added to induce the early-age strength development. Optimization of the composition via the Taguchi design of experiments produced the early (7-day) compressive strength of 16.18 MPa. This value is encouraging considering that it is comparable to that of conventional portland cement and that a cementless composition with the minimum amounts of sodium-based activators was employed. The extensive materials analysis demonstrates that the starting Ca/Na molar ratio and the amount of nanosilica play instrumental roles in strength development by influencing the formation of key reaction products, which include the sodium-substituted AFm phase (the U-phase), katoite and portlandite. Overall, the promising early-age strength coupled with the significantly decreased amount of sodium-based chemicals and the reduced CO₂ footprint will lay a foundation for development of low-cost, environmentally friendly binder in diverse industries.