Electrical properties of 1.5-nm SiON gate-dielectric using radical oxygen and radical nitrogen

We have developed a low-leakage and highly reliable 1.5-nm SiON gate-dielectric by using radical oxygen and nitrogen. In this development, we introduce a new method for determining an ultrathin SiON gate-dielectric thickness based on the threshold voltage dependence on the substrate bias in MOSFETs. It was found that oxidation using radical oxygen followed by nitridation using radical nitrogen provides the 1.5-nm (oxide equivalent thickness) SiON, in which leakage current is two orders of magnitude less than that of 1.5-nm SiO/sub 2/ without degrading device performance in NMOSFETs. The 1.5-nm (oxide equivalent thickness) SiON was also found to be ten times more reliable than 1.5-nm SiO/sub 2/.     

459 km, 2.4 Gbit/s four wavelength multiplexing optical fibre transmission experiment using six Er-doped fibre amplifiers

A 2.4 Gbit/s, four WDM optical fibre transmission experiment over 459 km using six Er-doped fibre amplifiers in the 1.55 mu m wavelength region is presented. The results confirm the possibility of WDM multiple optical amplifier repeater transmission systems.<>     

Studies on Effective Utilization of SOFC Exhaust Heat Using Thermoelectric Power Generation Technology

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are being researched around the world. In Japan, a compact SOFC system with rated alternative current (AC) power of 700 W has become available on the market, since the base load electricity demand for a standard home is said to be less than 700 W AC. To improve the generating efficiency of SOFC systems in the 700-W class, we focused on thermoelectric generation (TEG) technology, since there are a lot of temperature gradients in the system. Analysis based on simulations indicated the possibility of introducing thermoelectric generation at the air preheater, steam generator, and exhaust outlet. Among these options, incorporating a TEG heat exchanger comprising multiple CoSb₃/SiGe-based TEG modules into the air preheater had potential to produce additional output of 37.5 W and an improvement in generating efficiency from 46% to 48.5%. Furthermore, by introducing thermoelectric generation at the other two locations, an increase in maximum output of more than 50 W and generating efficiency of 50% can be anticipated.     

Waveform distortion due to stimulated Raman scattering in wide-bandWDM transmission systems

The influence of stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) taking into account the random modulation and the walk-off effect on wide-band wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) transmission systems are studied theoretically. First, it is shown that power depletion due to SRS can be separated into average power loss and waveform distortion. The waveform distortion is evaluated for various types of pulse shapes and fibers, and simple equations for evaluating the waveform distortion due to SRS are derived. These equations can be easily applied for designing wide-band WDM transmission systems from the viewpoint of the SRS waveform distortion. We also compare results obtained from our method with those from the split-step Fourier method, and confirm validity of our method. Our method should be useful in the design of wide-band WDM transmission systems, in which SRS is expected to be a serious limitation     

An animatronic system including lifelike robotic fish

This paper provides an outline of a new animatronic system, based on the technology of the flexible oscillating fin. The oscillating fin propulsion system was designed and constructed to be combined with a ship model. The system's feasibility has been confirmed by tank tests using the ship model. As a result, several advantages of the oscillating fin system have been found. A neural network was successfully applied for an identification of the ship model dynamics with the oscillating fin and its effectiveness was confirmed. The animatronic system is a computer-controlled biomechanically engineered model, rapidly gaining popularity throughout the world. We have developed aquatic robots with oscillating fins for the animatronics system to build a virtual aquarium. We have proposed an exhibition system for enhancing event spaces that includes an animatronic system for modern-day fish, coelacanths, and Cambrian-world creatures, able to swim under their own electric power.     

Criteria for versatile GaN MOVPE tool:high growth rate GaN by atmospheric pressure growth

Growth rate has a direct impact on the productivity of nitride LED production.Atmospheric pressure growth of GaN with a growth rate as high as 10μm/h and also Al_0.1Ga_0.9N growth of 1μm/h by using 4 inch by 11 production scale MOVPE are described.XRD of（002） and（102） direction was 200 arcsec and 250 arcsec, respectively.Impact of the growth rate on productivity is discussed.     

填充热丝激光窄间隙焊接的实验研究

将填充热丝应用到高光束质量、长焦距的光纤激光窄间隙焊接中,不锈钢母材通过激光加热,镍基焊丝通过电流加热,有效利用复合热源的优势,提高了焊丝过渡稳定性和熔覆效率。通过高速摄像机对送丝过程进行在线观察,分析工艺参数对焊丝过渡的影响。研究不锈钢和镍基合金异种金属窄间隙焊接接头的凝固组织,并对焊缝金属进行元素分布扫描。研究发现,由焊丝电流和送丝速度等工艺参数决定的送丝稳定性是影响填充热丝激光焊接质量的最主要因素。对于窄间隙焊接,采用与间隙宽度相当的离焦光斑激光热导焊,可形成较好的侧壁熔合,由熔融金属曲面和侧壁构成的激光反射是侧壁熔合的主要原因。焊缝冷却速度较快,焊缝金属的凝固组织呈明显的对生生长,在坡口侧壁附近其生长方向与侧壁近似垂直,焊缝不存在宏观偏析。在间隙底部直角处容易出现未熔合现象,采用底部圆弧过渡的U型坡口后,可较好地解决底部未熔合问题,获得了无宏观缺陷的焊接接头。     

Organic Solar Cells by Annealing Stacked Amorphous and Microcrystalline Layers

Organic solar cells were fabricated by stacking aromatic amine and C₆₀ layers. The energy conversion efficiency of these solar cells was low because of poor photoabsorption by these layers and short diffusion length of excitons. However, the photocurrent density was increased by about 3 times by the application of heat treatment to the stacked organic layers at 140 °C, and the maximum energy conversion efficiency reached 1.1 % under AM 1.5, 100 mW cm^–2 simulated solar light. The internal quantum efficiency of the photocurrent after the annealing reached about 45 %. When the aromatic amine layer was about 100 nm thick, the organic layers after the annealing showed a wrinkled structure under an optical microscope. The annealing temperature needed for the formation of this structure was in good agreement with the temperature needed for the increase in the photocurrent. The morphological change caused by the annealing was attributed to infiltration of the amorphous aromatic amine compound into grain boundaries of the microcrystalline C₆₀ layer, resulting in expansion of the C₆₀ layer and the wrinkled structure of the organic layers. From observation by electron microscopy, the mixed form of these two compounds near the interface was found to be suited to solar cells because the C₆₀ and aromatic amine phases wedge each other in a direction normal to two electrodes. However, the annealing slightly lowered photovoltage of the solar cell. This effect was attributed to a partial contact of the C₆₀ layer with a counter electrode through the aromatic amine layer.     

Uncooled 25 Gbit/s direct modulation of semi-insulating buried-heterostructure 1.3 μm AlGaInAs quantum-well DFB lasers

Uncooled 25 Gbit/s direct modulation of 1.3 mum DFB lasers is demonstrated. The 150 mum-long semi-insulating buried-heterostructure AIGalnAs quantum-well DFB lasers show clear eye-openings with dynamic extinction ratio of 5 dB up to 70degC. 13 km singlemode-fibre transmission experiments using the devices show low power penalty within 1.3 dB between 25 and 70degC. These characteristics are the first achievement by 1.3 mum directly modulated lasers.     

Low-driving-current temperature-stable 10 Gbit/s operation of p-doped 1.3 /spl mu/m quantum dot lasers between 20 and 90/spl deg/C

Low-driving-current temperature-stable 10 Gbit/s direct modulation was achieved for optimised 200 mum-long short cavity 1.3 mum p-doped quantum dot lasers. Driving conditions were 25.2 mA_p-p for the modulation current and 23.4 mA for the bias current through the whole temperature range from 20 to 90degC