Computing the Detection Probability for Small Delay Defects of Nanometer ICs

Interconnect imperfections have become an important issue in modern nanometer technologies. Some of them cause Small Delay Defects (SDDs) which are difficult to detect. Those SDDs not detected during testing may pose a reliability problem. Furthermore, nanometer issues (e.g. process variations, spatial correlations) represent important challenges for traditional delay test methods. In this paper, a methodology to compute the Detection Probability (DP) of resistive open and bridge defects using a statistical timing framework that takes into account process variations and other nanometer issues is proposed. The DP gives the sensitivity of the circuit performance to a given resistance range of the defect. The efficiency issue when analyzing large circuits is alleviated using stratified sampling techniques to reduce the space of possible analyzed defect locations This methodology is applied to some ISCAS benchmark circuits. The obtained results show the feasibility of the proposed methodology. Measures can be taken for those circuits presenting non-acceptable DP in order to improve the test quality.     

A highly efficient receiver for satellite‐based automatic identification system signal detection

An innovative receiver architecture for the satellite‐based automatic identification system has been recently proposed. In this paper, we describe a few modifications that can be introduced on the algorithms for synchronization and detection, which provide an impressive performance improvement. The receiver architecture has been designed for an on‐board implementation, and a prototype has been implemented by the University of Parma and CGS S.p.A. Compagnia Generale per lo Spazio under the European Space Agency project FENICE (Flexible innovative AIS receiver prototype). A few modifications are also here described that could allow a further performance improvement in case of processing moved to ground‐based stations, based on a priori information there available. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Proportional Plus Integral Control for Set-Point Regulation of a Class of Nonlinear RLC Circuits

In this paper we identify graph-theoretic conditions which allow us to write a nonlinear RLC circuit as port-Hamiltonian with constant input matrices. We show that under additional monotonicity conditions on the network’s components, the circuit enjoys the property of relative passivity, an extended notion of classical passivity. The property of relative passivity is then used to build simple, yet robust and globally stable, proportional plus integral controllers. This work was partially supported by CONACyT, México.     

Melanin films on Au(1 1 1): Adsorption and molecular conductance

We have studied the adsorption and electronic properties of thin melanin films on Au(1 1 1) by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS), and density functional (DF) calculations. We have found that the minimum melanin unit detected under different adsorption conditions is consistent with the structural model for eumelanin protomolecules based on tetramer macrocycles formed by four monomer units (hydroquinone, indolequinone and its tautomers) with an inner porphyrin ring. DF calculations reveal that the entire π structure of the tetramers is implied in the chemisorption process through its frontier orbitals (HOMO and LUMO), a fact that is reflected in the change of intramolecular bonds. Also van der Waals interactions give an important contribution to the adsorption energy (≈0.02 eV/Ų). Dried thin melanin films (1 monolayer in thickness) exhibit good electronic conductance due to the presence of localized states near the Fermi level while dried thicker films exhibit a semiconductor-like behavior. Illumination of the thicker films with white light results in significant photo-induced tunneling currents when the melanin-covered Au is made negative with respect to the tip.     

Dye‐Doped Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS)‐Modified Polymeric Matrices for Highly Efficient and Photostable Solid‐State Lasers

Here, the design, synthesis, and characterization of laser nanomaterials based on dye‐doped methyl methacrylate (MMA) crosslinked with octa(propyl‐methacrylate) polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (8MMAPOSS) is reported in relation to their composition and structure. The influence of the silicon content on the laser action of the dye pyrromethene 567 (PM567) is analyzed in a systematic way by increasing the weight proportion of POSS from 1 to 50%. The influence of the inorganic network structure is studied by replacing the 8MMAPOSS comonomer by both the monofunctionalized heptaisobutyl‐methacryl‐POSS (1MMAPOSS), which defines the nanostructured linear network with the POSS cages appearing as pendant groups of the polymeric chains, and also by a new 8‐hydrogenated POSS incorporated as additive to the polymeric matrices. The new materials exhibit enhanced thermal, optical, and mechanical properties with respect to the pure organic polymers. The organization of the molecular units in these nanomaterials is studied through a structural analysis by solid‐state NMR. The domain size of the dispersed phase assures a homogeneous distribution of POSS into the polymer, thus, a continuous phase corresponding to the organic matrix incorporates these nanometer‐sized POSS crosslinkers at a molecular level, in agreement with the transparency of the samples. The silicon–oxygen core framework has to be covalently bonded into the polymer backbone instead of being a simple additive and both the silica content and crosslinked degree exhibit a critical influence on the laser action.     

Thermal Stability of Ge<Subscript>2</Subscript>Sb<Subscript>2</Subscript>Te<Subscript>5</Subscript> in Contact with Ti and TiN

The thermal stability of a Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ chalcogenide layer in contact with titanium and titanium nitride metallic thin films has been investigated mainly using x-ray diffraction and elastic nuclear backscattering techniques. Without breaking vacuum, Ti and TiN have been deposited on Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ material using magnetron sputtering. Thermal treatments have been performed in a 10⁻⁷ mbar vacuum furnace. On annealing up to 450°C, the TiN metallic film does not interact with the chalcogenide film, but at the same time adhesion problems and instabilities in contact resistance arise. To improve the adhesion and eventually stabilize the contact resistance, an interfacial Ti layer has been considered. At 300°C, a TiTe₂ compound is formed by interacting with Te segregated from the Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ layer. At higher temperatures, the Ti layer decomposes the chalcogenide film, forming several compounds tentatively identified as GeTe, Ge₃Ti₅, Ge₅Ti₆, TiTe_2,, and Sb₂Te₃. It has been found that the properties of the Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ film can be retained by controlling the decomposition rate of the chalcogenide layer, which is achieved by providing a limited supply of Ti and/or by depositing a Te-rich Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ film.     

Methods for Compression of Feedback in Adaptive Multi-carrier 4G Schemes

In this paper, several algorithms for compressing the feedback of channel quality information are presented and analyzed. These algorithms are developed for a proposed adaptive modulation scheme for future multi-carrier 4G mobile systems. These strategies compress the feedback data and, used together with opportunistic scheduling, drastically reduce the feedback data rate. Thus the adaptive modulation schemes become more suitable and efficient to be implemented in future mobile systems, increasing data throughput and overall system performance.

CWDM Metropolitan Multiple-Access Ring Network Based on Optical Packet Witching

We present a novel CWDM metropolitan multiple-access ring network based on optical switching of packets according to their wavelength. Each node within the MAN is identified by a combination of wavelength and numerical address. Hence, nodes are able to drop packets presenting a particular wavelength and numerical address, but can insert packets in any wavelength into the ring. This configuration allows wavelength sharing, as several nodes are identified by the same wavelength (but different numerical addresses), and simplifies switching requirements since the set of numerical addresses is reduced. We analyze the viability and scalability of such a network, determining the number of nodes supported by the network under different traffic scenarios and wavelength resources. The impact of switching time on network performance is also analyzed in order to determine which switching technology should be employed when implementing the network. An erratum to this article is available at .     

Design of different planar geometries of antenna arrays for isoflux radiation in GEO satellites

The synthesis of different planar geometries of antenna arrays for isoflux radiation is presented in this paper. This synthesis considers the reduction of the side lobe level and the isoflux radiation requirements for Geostationary Earth Orbit satellites. The behavior of the radiation is studied in three geometries of two-dimensional antenna arrays such as uniform planar arrays, aperiodic planar arrays (APA) and concentric ring arrays (CRA). The well-known methods of genetic algorithm and particle swarm optimization are utilized for the optimization problem. In this way, the designs of APA and CRA presented in this paper could provide an acceptable solution for reducing the antenna hardware and simplifying the power feeding even more than results presented previously in the literature.     

Teamwork assessment in the educational web of data: A learning analytics approach towards ISO 10018

The Web of Data is an emerging research field that contributes to make better decisions because it gathers, combines and analyses different data sources available worldwide. Educational data is an interesting domain because it deals with the quality of the education itself and educational institutions which are common goals for every country. This paper is devoted to present how this idea has been used to improve a learning analytics tool. By means of this tool, teachers can perform teamwork competence assessment of a group of students taking into account how the individuals acquire the essential components of such competence. In this sense, authors use the Comprehensive Training Model of the Teamwork Competence in Engineering Domain (CTMTC) method to gather competence evidences and improve the system with a learning analytics tool to support the process. This tool is able to transform competence evidences and stores them in a competence ontology built upon ISO 10018 concepts. The final result is the production of educational results for the web of data.