New two-CFOA-based floating immittance simulators

This paper presents new topologies for emulating floating immittance functions using three to five passive elements and only two current-feedback operational-amplifiers (CFOAs). The feasibility of using only two CFOAs and two passive components is explored. The proposed topologies can emulate lossy positive and negative inductances and capacitance-, inductance-, resistance-multipliers, and frequency dependent negative and positive conductances. The functionality of the proposed circuits was experimentally verified using the commercially available AD844 CFOA. The experimental results are in excellent agreement with theoretical calculations.     

Memory effect in a junction-like CdS nanocomposite/conducting polymer poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)1,4-phenylene-vinylene] heterostructure

The operation of a nonvolatile memory device is demonstrated using junction-like CdS nanocomposites embedded in a polymer matrix. The capacitance-voltage characteristics of Al/conducting polymer poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene-vinylene]/CdS nanocomposites in a polyvinyl alcohol matrix/indium tin oxide device exhibit hysteresis, which is attributed to the trapping, storage, and emission of holes in the quantized valence band energy levels of isolated CdS nanoneedles. The characteristics at different operating frequencies show that the hysteresis is due to trapping of charge carriers in CdS nanocomposites rather than in the interfacial states. The memory behavior in the inorganic/organic heterostructure is explained on the basis of a simple energy band diagram.     

Low-Delay Parallel Architecture for Fractal Image Compression

This paper presents an efficient hardware architecture for implementing fractal image compression (FIC) algorithm aimed toward image compression with improved encoding speed. The proposed architecture follows the full-search-based FIC scheme. Parallel processing has been effectively used in the present work to achieve the goal of reducing the time complexity of the encoder. This architecture requires a total of \(2n+2\) clock cycles for executing the set of operations consisting of fetching the pixels, calculating the mean of range and domain blocks and doing their mapping, computing the error, and storing the fractal parameter in a memory with n number of pixels in the range block. Further, this architecture does not make use of any preprocessing operations as specified in literature and utilizes the benefits of isometric transformation without requiring additional cycles for every single matching operation. Effective application of isometric transformation has also led to memory reduction of nearly 67 %. Again, in the present work, the use of multipliers has been avoided to save the chip area, to reduce hardware complexity, and to enhance the encoding speed. The operation of transforming contracted domain block with a zero-mean domain block has facilitated relatively fast convergence at the decoder. PSNR above 30dB for a range block of size \(4\times 4\) has been achieved by the proposed architecture, which is comparable to that realizable by other architectures. The proposed design has been coded in Verilog HDL, has been implemented in Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGA, and operates at a clock frequency of 75.52 MHz.     

Orientations of overdamped magnetic nanorod-gyroscopes

Overdamped magnetic nanorod-gyroscopes driven by a rotating magnetic field undergo a series of reorientations when sedimenting on top of a surface in a viscous liquid. By changing the amplitude and the rotation frequency of the driving magnetic field, the nanorod-gyroscope either synchronizes or desynchronizes with the field and rotates either around its long or short axis. The different regimes of motion are explained theoretically by coupling the nanorod-gyroscopes motion to the creeping flow equations of the surrounding fluid. It is shown that friction anisotropy plays an important role for the orientation of the nanorod-gyroscopes.     

Material characterization of SS 316 in low-cycle fatigue loading

This study deals with simulation of low-cycle fatigue (LCF), followed by evaluation of fatigue parameters, which would be suitable for estimating fatigue lives under uniaxial loading. The cyclic elastic–plastic stress–strain responses were analyzed using the incremental plasticity procedures. Finite-element (FE) simulation in elastic–plastic regime was carried out in FE package ABAQUS. Emphasis has been laid on calibration of SS 316 stainless steel for LCF behavior. For experimental verifications, a series of low-cycle fatigue tests were conducted using smooth, cylindrical specimens under strain-controlled, fully reversed condition in INSTRON UTM (Universal Testing Machine) with 8,800 controller at room temperature. The comparisons between numerical simulations and experimental observations reveal the matching to be satisfactory in engineering sense. Based on the cyclic elastic–plastic stress–strain response, both from experiments and simulation, loop areas, computed for various strain amplitude, have been identified as fatigue damage parameter. Fatigue strain life curves are generated for fatigue life prediction using Coffin–Manson relation, Smith–Watson–Topper model, and plastic energy dissipated per cycle (loop area). Life prediction for LCF has been found out to be almost identical for all these three criteria and correlations between predicted and experimental results are shown. It is concluded that the improvement of fatigue life prediction depends not only on the fatigue damage models, but also on the accurate evaluations of the cyclic elastic–plastic stress/strain responses.     

Effect of hydrogen supplementation on engine performance and emissions

Vehicular Pollution and environmental degradation are on the rise with increasing vehicles and to stop this strict regulation have been put on vehicular emissions. Also, the depleting fossil fuels are of great concern for energy security. This has motivated the researchers to invest considerable resources in finding cleaner burning, sustainable and renewable fuels. However renewable fuels independently are not sufficient to deal with the problem at hand due to supply constraints. Hence, advanced combustion technologies such as homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI), low-temperature combustion (LTC), and dual fuel engines are extensively researched upon. In this context, this work investigates dual fuel mode combustion using a constant speed diesel engine, operated using hydrogen and diesel. The engine is operated at 25, 50 and 75% loads and substitution of diesel energy with hydrogen energy is done as 0, 5, 10 and 20%. The effect of hydrogen energy share (HES) enhancement on engine performance and emissions is investigated. In the tested range, slightly detrimental effect of HES on brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) is observed. Comparision of NO and NO₂ emissions is done to understand the non-thermal influence of H₂ on the NO_x emissions. Hence, HES is found beneficial in reducing harmful emissions at low and mid loads.     

Wide-band flat-gain optical amplifier using Hafnia and zirconia erbium co-doped fibres in double-pass parallel configuration

ABSTRACT

A new compact and wide-band erbium-doped fibre amplifier (EDFA) was demonstrated by combining Hafnia-bismuth Erbium co-doped fibre (HB-EDF) and zirconia–yttria–aluminum Erbium co-doped fibre (Zr-EDF) as a hybrid gain medium, in parallel double-pass configuration. The proposed amplifier comprises a 0.5?m long HB-EDF and 4?m long Zr-EDF optimized for C- and L-band operations, respectively. The HB-EDF and Zr-EDF has erbium ion concentration of 12,500?ppm and 2800?ppm, respectively. At -10 dBm input signal, a wide-band flat gain of 15.7?dB is achieved with gain fluctuation of less than 1.5?dB within a wavelength region from 1525 to 1600?nm. Compared to same configuration of HB-EDF and Zr-EDF amplifiers which are using two pieces of HB-EDF and Zr-EDF, respectively with the same total amount of erbium ions, the proposed EDFA with hybrid gain medium provides even better performances in term of flat gain, bandwidth and noise figure.     

Antioxidant capacities and total polyphenol contents of hydro-ethanolic extract of phytococktail from trans-Himalaya

The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant potential of hydro-ethanolic extract of a novel phytococktail comprising of sea buckthorn, apricot, and Rhodiola (SAR) from trans-Himalaya. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) activity of the extract increased in a dose-dependent manner (upto 0.1 mg/mL), and was found to be about 38% of that of ascorbic acid at 0.1 mg/mL. The hydro-ethanolic extract of SAR also scavenged the ABTS(.+) radical generated by ABTS/potassium persulfate (PPS) system and was found to be about 62% of that of ascorbic acid at 0.1 mg/ mL. The total antioxidant power of the extract was determined by ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Total phenolic content was found to be 1.28016 × 10(-3) mol gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g extract. Total flavonoid and flavonol contents were estimated to be 2.5970 × 10(-4) mol and 4.87 × 10(-4) mol quercetin equivalent/g extract, respectively. The hydro-ethanolic extract of this phytococktail indicated presence of essential phytoconstituents of polyphenols, flavonoids, flavonols, and ascorbic acid, which contributed significantly to its antioxidant capacity. The combination of the 3 plants may well support their use in traditional medicine to combat oxidative stress and high-altitude sickness.     

Electrooptical Characterization of MWIR InAsSb Detectors

InAs_1?x Sb _x material with an alloy composition of the absorber layer adjusted to achieve 200-K cutoff wavelengths in the 5-μm range has been grown. Compound-barrier (CB) detectors were fabricated and tested for optical response, and J _dark–V _d measurements were taken as a function of temperature. Based on absorption coefficient information in the literature and spectral response measurements of the midwave infrared (MWIR) nCBn detectors, an absorption coefficient formula α(Ε, x, T) is proposed. Since the presently suggested absorption coefficient is based on limited data, additional measurements of material and detectors with different x values and as a function of temperature should refine the absorption coefficient, providing more accurate parametrization. Material electronic structures were computed using a k·p formalism. From the band structure, dark-current density (J _dark) as a function of bias (V _d) and temperature (T) was calculated and matched to J _dark–V _d curves at fixed T and J _dark–T curves at constant V _d. There is a good match between simulation and data over a wide range of bias, but discrepancies that are not presently understood exist near zero bias.     

EuFe2As2: Magnetic Structure and Local Charge Distribution Anisotropies as Seen by Resonant X-ray Scattering

Non-resonant and element specific magnetic X-ray scattering has been used to determine the orientation of Eu and Fe magnetic moments in EuFe₂As₂ iron pnictide. Experiments have been carried out on single crystal samples at the ESRF. Resonant measurements on magnetic reflections at the Eu L₃ absorption edge indicate that the orientation of the Eu moments in the antiferromagnetic phase (T<T _N=19 K) lie parallel to the crystallographic a-axis. In addition, non-resonant magnetic X-ray measurements indicate that the Fe moments are aligned along the same direction in the spin density-wave ordered phase (T<T _S=190 K). The temperature dependence of the integrated intensities suggests that the Fe magnetic sublattice is barely affected by the onset of Eu ordering at T _N. The observation of non-zero resonant intensity on nuclear-forbidden reflections with wavevector corresponding to the Fe magnetic propagation vector at both the Eu L₃ and As K absorption edges may be interpreted as the result of the polarization of the Eu 5d and As 4p electronic bands via hybridization with the Fe 3d states.