High bit rate digital subscriber line echo cancellation

The authors explore the issues of complexity, precision, and dynamic range and practical implementation issues such as nonlinearities in high bit rate digital subscriber line (HDSL) echo cancelers. The approach taken is to study these issues analytically using computer simulations, and then to verify simulation results with laboratory prototyping. One of the objectives was to determine whether HDSL echo cancellation will be practical and cost effective within the next several years, consistent with the desire to develop and deploy a repeaterless T1 capability by 1993. Thus, attention is given to practical design issues     

Observation of field-induced refractive index variation in quantum box structure

An electric-field-induced refractive index variation in a GaInAs/InP five-layered quantum box structure was observed for the first time. The wavelength dependence of the refractive index variation was measured to confirm the quantum box effect. The size of the GaInAs/InP quantum box was estimated to be (22-30 nm)/sup 2/ with the thickness of 7.5 nm. from the spectral property of the field-induced refractive index variation. The maximum value of the refractive index variation in the quantum box was evaluated to be 7% around 1.52 mu m wavelength at an applied electric field of 8*10/sup 4/ V/Cm.<>     

Thermal diffusion of lithium acceptors into ZnO crystals

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) has been used to monitor the diffusion of lithium ions into single crystals of ZnO. The in-diffusion occurs when a crystal is embedded in LiF powder and then held in air at temperatures near 750°C for periods of time ranging up to 22 h. These added lithium ions occupy zinc sites and become singly ionized acceptors (because the material is initially n type). A corresponding reduction in the number of neutral shallow donors is observed with EPR. To monitor the lithium acceptors, we temporarily convert them to the EPR-active neutral acceptor state by exposure to laser light (325 nm or 442 nm) at low temperatures. Also, after each diffusion treatment, we monitor the EPR signal of singly ionized copper acceptors and the photo-induced EPR signal of neutral nitrogen acceptors. These nitrogen and copper impurities are initially present in the crystal, at trace levels, and are made observable by the thermal anneals. Infrared-absorption measurements at room temperature in the 2–10 μm region show that the concentration of free carriers decreases as lithium is added to the crystal. After 22 h at 750°C in the LiF powder, the free-carrier absorption is no longer present, and the crystal is semi-insulating.     

Optical response of tin nitride thin films prepared by halide chemical vapor deposition under atmospheric pressure

Optical response of tin nitride (SnN_x) films, which were deposited onto quartz substrates by means of atmospheric pressure, halide chemical vapor deposition (AP-HCVD), were examined by pulsed irradiation of a YAG laser (532 nm). It was observed that the transmittance of a light of a He-Ne laser (633 nm) through the SnN_x film decreases after the film is irradiated with a YAG laser. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) micrograph observation confirmed that spot-like humps appeared on the SnN_x film surface in the regions spotted by the YAG laser. This phenomenon was explained in terms of the laser-assisted thermal decomposition of SnN_x to β-tin.     

A Markov-Based Channel Model Algorithm for Wireless Networks

Techniques for modeling and simulating channel conditions play an essential role in understanding network protocol and application behavior. In [11], we demonstrated that inaccurate modeling using a traditional analytical model yielded suboptimal error control protocol parameters choices. In this paper, we demonstrate that time-varying effects on wireless channels result in wireless traces which exhibit non-stationary behavior over small window sizes. We then present an algorithm that extracts stationary components from a collected trace in order to provide analytical channel models that, relative to traditional approaches, more accurately represent characteristics such as burstiness, statistical distribution of errors, and packet loss processes. Our algorithm also generates artificial traces with the same statistical characteristics as actual collected network traces. For validation, we develop a channel model for the circuit-switched data service in GSM and show that it: (1) more closely approximates GSM channel characteristics than traditional Markov models and (2) generates artificial traces that closely match collected traces' statistics. Using these traces in a simulator environment enables future protocol and application testing under different controlled and repeatable conditions.     

A fast parametric motion estimation algorithm with illumination and lens distortion correction

Methods for estimating motion in video sequences that are based on the optical flow equation (OFE) assume that the scene illumination is uniform and that the imaging optics are ideal. When these assumptions are appropriate, these methods can be very accurate, but when they are not, the accuracy of the motion field drops off accordingly. This paper extends the models upon which the OFE methods are based to include irregular, time-varying illumination models and models for imperfect optics that introduce vignetting, gamma, and geometric warping, such as are likely to be found with inexpensive PC cameras. The resulting optimization framework estimates the motion parameters, illumination parameters, and camera parameters simultaneously. In some cases these models can lead to nonlinear equations which must be solved iteratively; in other cases, the resulting optimization problem is linear. For the former case an efficient, hierarchical, iterative framework is provided that can be used to implement the motion estimator.     

Nonminimum-phase FIR channel estimation using cumulant matrix pencils

This paper studies the blind estimation of single-input-single-output channels with finite impulse response (FIR) and nonminimum phase. Based on higher order statistics, we introduce a new algorithm that exploits a matrix pencil constructed from a set of cumulant matrices. By solving a generalized eigenvalue problem, channel estimates (up to a scalar ambiguity) can be obtained from nontrivial generalized eigenvectors of this cumulant matrix pencil. With multiple estimation results available, different schemes are given to extract channel information effectively. The proposed algorithm does not require exact knowledge of the channel length and can function properly under channel length overestimation. Numerical simulations demonstrate the robustness of this new algorithm to various adverse conditions.     

Charging effect of Si nanocrystals in gate oxide near gate on MOS capacitance

MOS structure with Si nanocrystals embedded in the gate oxide close to the gate has a much larger capacitance compared to a similar MOS structure without the nanocrystals. However, charge trapping in the nanocrystals reduces the capacitance dramatically, and after most of the nanocrystals are charged up the capacitance is much smaller than that of the MOS structure without nanocrystals. An equivalent-capacitance model is proposed to explain the phenomena observed.     

Series analysis of valid sequences in calculation of synchronisation delay for T-codes

An analysis of the series encountered in Higgie's algorithm of computing average synchronisation delay for T-codes is presented. Convergence for the limiting case of those series is established and an analytical method is developed to verify a result previously found by simulation. These lead to significant improvement in the algorithm, facilitating the search for optimal T-codes for any information source.     

Set reconciliation with nearly optimal communication complexity

We consider the problem of efficiently reconciling two similar sets held by different hosts while minimizing the communication complexity, which we call the set reconciliation problem. We describe an approach to set reconciliation based on a polynomial encoding of sets. The resulting protocols exhibit tractable computational complexity and nearly optimal communication complexity when the sets being reconciled are sparse. Also, these protocols can be adapted to work over a broadcast channel, allowing many clients to reconcile with one host based on a single broadcast, even if each client is missing a different subset.