Two-level optimal output feedback stabilizer design

The paper addresses the design of two-level power system stabilizers using an optimal reduced order model whose state variables are torque angles and speeds. The reduced order model retains their physical meaning and is used to design a two-level linear feedback controller that takes into account the realities and constraints of electrical power systems. The two-level control strategy is used, and a global control signal is generated from the output variables to minimize the effect of interactions. The effectiveness of this controller is evaluated and a multimachine system is given as an example to illustrate the advantages of the proposed method. Responses of the system with a two-level scheme and an optimal reduced order scheme are included for comparative analysis.     

Shotcrete for underground support: a state-of-the-art report with focus on steel-fibre reinforcement

This paper reviews current trends in shortcreting, primarily based on the Status Report of a Working Group of the International Tunneling Association and the most recent U.S. Engineering Foundation conference on the theme (held in Uppsala, Sweden, in 1990). Of special interest is the increasing use of fibre reinforcement, which implies increased safety and substantial cost savings. The need for scientific collaboration and exchange of ideas between concrete and rock mechanics specialists is emphasized as a tool for a better understanding of the support behaviour of shotcrete linings.     

Circular beam emission from 1.3 μm InGaAsPstrained-multiquantum-well lasers

The beam divergence in the vertical direction from a graded index separate confinement heterostructure (GRINSCH) multiquantum-well (MQW) laser has been studied. It is demonstrated both theoretically and experimentally that a circular beam MQW laser can be produced by choosing appropriate thicknesses for the GRINSCH layers, while maintaining other desired laser characteristics. The beam divergence is found to be more affected by the index change induced by injected carriers than by strain in the MQW active layer. Theoretical results are in good agreement with the measurements for 1.3-μm InGaAsP strained MQW lasers     

Failure modes of tantalum capacitors made by different technologies

Tantalum capacitor failure modes have been discussed both for the standard manganese dioxide cathode and the new conductive polymer (CP) type. For standard tantalum in the normal operation mode, an electrical breakdown can be stimulated by an increase of the electrical conductance in channel by an electrical pulse or voltage level. This leads to capacitor destruction followed by thermal breakdown. In the reverse mode, we have reported that thermal breakdown is initiated by an increase of the electrical conductance by Joule heating at a relatively low voltage level. Consequently, a feedback cycle consisting of temperature–conductivity–current–Joule heat–temperature, ending with electrical breakdown was created. Both of these breakdown modes possess a stochastic behavior and can be hardly localized in advance. CP capacitors have shown a slightly different current conductivity mechanism compared to standard tantalum capacitors. The breakdown of CP dielectrics is similar to avalanche and field emission breaks. It is an electromechanical collapse due to the attractive forces between electrodes, electrochemical deterioration, dendrite formation, and so on. However, some self-healing of the cathode film has been reported. This can be attributed to film evaporation, carbonizing or reoxidation. Not all of the breakdowns of CP capacitors can lead to self-healing or an open circuit state. Short circuits can also occur.     

Synthesizing Energy-Efficient Embedded Systems with LOPOCOS

In this paper, we introduce the LOPOCOS (Low Power Co-synthesis) system, a prototype CAD tool for system level co-design. LOPOCOS targets the design of energy-efficient embedded systems implemented as heterogeneous distributed architectures. In particular, it is designed to solve the specific problems involved in architectures that include dynamic voltage scalable (DVS) processors. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how LOPOCOS can support the system designer in identifying energy-efficient hardware/software implementations for the desired embedded systems. Hence, highlighting the necessary optimization steps during design space exploration for DVS enable architectures. The optimization steps carried out in LOPOCOS involve component allocation and task/communication mapping as well as scheduling and dynamic voltage scaling. LOPOCOS has the following key features, which contribute to this energy efficiency. During the voltage scaling valuable power profile information of task execution is taken into account, hence, the accuracy of the energy estimation is improved. A combined optimization for scheduling and communication mapping based on genetic algorithm, optimizes simultaneously execution order and communication mapping towards the utilization of the DVS processors and timing behaviour. Furthermore, a separation of task and communication mapping allows a more effective implementation of both task and communication mapping optimizationsteps. Extensive experiments are conducted to demonstrate the efficiency of LOPOCOS. We report up to 38% higher energy reductions compared to previous co-synthesis techniques for DVS systems. The investigations include a real-life example of an optical flow detection algorithm.     

UTD multiple-edge transition zone diffraction

The uniform theory of diffraction (UTD) is applied to multiple absorbing screens, which are in the transition zones near shadow boundaries. The theory includes the application of slope diffraction, which is a first-order effect in transition zone diffraction. By choosing length parameters independently for amplitude and slope diffraction, it is ensured that the solution has continuity of amplitude and slope at each point. The solution is compared with known solutions with good results except when two screens are very near each other. The study is of particular interest to radio propagation over terrain in mobile radio systems     

Photogenerated carrier collection in solar cells in terms of darkcarrier distribution: three dimensions

A relationship between the collection efficiency and the normalized excess minority carrier distribution under forward bias in the dark, which was recently derived using the Green's function technique for a one-dimensional (1-D) quasi-neutral region of a solar cell, is generalized here to three dimensions. The link with other reciprocity theorems is also briefly discussed     

Cyclic GMP inhibits and shifts the activation curve of the delayed-rectifier (I[K1]) of type I mammalian vestibular hair cells

NITRIC oxide (NO) plays a role in the modulation of the predominant potassium current of type I vestibular hair cells, a low-voltage activated current called I(K1). Since many effects of NO are mediated via cGMP, patch-clamp recordings were made to evaluate the effects of cGMP on I(K1). In whole-cell recordings 1 mM cGMP shifted Vhalf of I(K1) by 15.0 +/- 2.4 mV (n = 6) to more positive. In cell-attached 'multichannel' recordings 1 mM 8-bromo-cGMP caused a reversible shift of Vhalf by 13.8 +/- 2.6 mV (n = 12) and in single channel recordings in the cell-attached configuration the open probability was reduced at -60 mV from 0.39 +/- 0.14 to 0.08 +/- 0.01. cGMP had no effect on excised inside-out patches, indicating that an intact cytosolic milieu with functioning phosphorylation cascades is necessary. cGMP seems to be an important second messenger which reduces the potassium conductance of vestibular hair cells.