The origination and optimization of Si/SiO/sub 2/ interface roughness and its effect on CMOS performance

As CMOS device dimensions scale down to 100 nm and beyond, the interface roughness between Si and SiO/sub 2/ has become critical to device performance and reliability. Si/SiO/sub 2/ interface roughness degrades channel mobility decreasing drive currents. The authors have used atomic force microscopy to study surface roughness in the processing of 0.16 /spl mu/m CMOS integrated circuits. All of the process steps that could potentially affect the interface roughness have been studied. The results show that oxidation is the major contributor to the interface roughness. The rms roughness is found to be linearly dependent on oxide thickness. Transistors with Si/SiO/sub 2/ interface rms roughness that has been reduced from 1.6 to 1.1 /spl Aring/ by reducing oxide thicknesses show improved device drive currents. This technique for interfacial smoothing and device performance improvement has the advantage of being easily implemented in today's technology.     

Application of the blind source separation method to feature extraction of machine sound signals

As the result of vibration emission in air, a machine sound signal carries important information about the working condition of machinery. But in practice, the sound signal is typically received with a very low signal-to-noise ratio. To obtain features of the original sound signal, uncorrelated sound signals must be removed and the wavelet coefficients related to fault condition must be retrieved. In this paper, the blind source separation technique is used to recover the wavelet coefficients of a monitored source from complex observed signals. Since in the proposed blind source separation (BSS) algorithms it is generally assumed that the number of sources is known, the Gerschgorin disk estimator method is introduced to determine the number of sound sources before applying the BSS method. This method can estimate the number of sound sources under non-Gaussian and non-white noise conditions. Then, the partial singular value analysis method is used to select these significant observations for BSS analysis. This method ensures that signals are separated with the smallest distortion. Afterwards, the time-frequency separation algorithm, converted to a suitable BSS algorithm for the separation of a non-stationary signal, is introduced. The transfer channel between observations and sources and the wavelet coefficients of the source signals can be blindly identified via this algorithm. The reconstructed wavelet coefficients can be used for diagnosis. Finally, the separation results obtained from the observed signals recorded in a semi-anechoic chamber demonstrate the effectiveness of the presented methods .     

Transformations in machining. Part 1. enhancement of wavelet transformation neural network (WT-NN) combination with a preprocessor

Properly selected transformation methods obtain the most significant characteristics of metal cutting data efficiently and simplify the classification. Wavelet Transformation (WT) and Neural Networks (NN) combination was used to classify the experimental cutting force data of milling operations previously. Preprocessing (PreP) of the approximation coefficients of the WT is proposed just before the classification by using the Adaptive Resonance Theory (ART2) type NNs. Genetic Algorithm (GA) was used to estimate the weights of each coefficient of the PreP. The WT-PreP-NN (ART2) combination worked at lower vigilances by creating only a few meaningful categories without any errors. The WT-NN (ART2) combination could obtain the same error rate only if very high vigilances are used and many categories are allowed.     

Nd3+ Doped Silicate Glass Photonic Crystal Fiber with Random Hole Distributions

The fabrication of one kind of large core area Nd3 doped silicate glass photonic crystal fiber, and demonstration of the fiber's waveguidence properties were reported. This fiber owns a random air hole distribution in the cladding. The measured minimum loss of this kind of fiber is 10 dB·m-1 at 660 nm. These fibers can sustain only a single mode at least over wavelength ranging from 660 nm to 980 nm.     

A Shortcut Method for Estimating the HETP of Structured Packed Distillation Columns at Elevated Pressure

A shortcut model is developed for predicting the HETP of a structured packed distillation column operating at elevated pressure. The proposed model incorporates the geometrical parameters of the packing, physical properties of the vapor and liquid phases, and the hydrodynamics of the two‐phase flow. The proposed model is tested and validated by comparing the predicted results with the present experimental data and some published HETP data. The results show that the proposed model can predict the experimental data with a deviation smaller than 20 %.     

DIFFUSION LAG TIME FOR MULTIPLE AND PERIODIC LAMINATES

The permeability and lag time for a heterogeneous diffusion system, in which the diffusivity and partition coefficient for the diffusant are dependent on position, are formulated in terms of a linear asymptotic analysis. A repeated integration of the diffusion equation is used to obtain the time dependence of the total solute release into the receiver, Q(t). The asymptotic form of Q(t) is linear in time. The slope, and intercept of this linear asymptote with the time axis, respectively, give formulas for the steady-state permeability and lag time. These formulas are then applied to diffusion systems of multiple laminates, consisting of a series of different homogeneous slabs. Thus, for the first time, a concise treatment of diffusion in multiple laminates is obtained. The formulas are also applied to periodic laminates, consisting of a series of identical slabs, but with position-dependent diffusivity and partition coefficient. We found that the lag time can be well approximated by (nh))²/(6D_eff), where n and h are, respectively, the number and thickness of individual lamella, and D_eff is an effective diffusivity, for which a relation in terms of the local property distributions is obtained. This approximation becomes more accurate with increasing number of lamellae. At n = 5, the relative error is already within 4%. Finally a procedure is discussed for readily obtaining the lag time for periodic structures consisting of a serial repetition of a multi-laminate.     

Evaluation of accuracy of measuring intraocular pressure by handheld non-contact applanation tonometer

PURPOSE: To evaluate the accuracy of measuring intraocular pressure by handheld non-contact applanation tonometer. METHOD: 58 patients' (113 eyes) intraocular pressure were measured by Keeler, non-contact tonometer and R 900 Goldmann applanation tonometer and the results of measurement of intraocular pressure by the two kinds of tonometers were compared. RESULT: The mean intraocular pressure measured by non-contact is 16.31 +/- 5.59 mmHg and 17.49 +/- 6.13 mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.1333 kPa) by Goldmann applanation tonometer, respectively. There was no statistical significance to be found (P > 0.05) between the two methods. By linear correlation and regression analysis, a positive correlation was found between the two methods (r = 0.8942, b = 0.8154). CONCLUSION: The handheld non-contact tonometer has the same accuracy and reliability of measurement of intraocular pressure comparing with Goldmann applanation tonometer, and it can be used in glaucoma clinic and screening.     

Monoalkyl Esters of Isoalkylphosphonic Acid as Extractants in Rare Earth Separation

Four monoalkyl esters of isoalkylphosphonic acids have been studied for the chromatographic separation ofrare earths (RE).The relationship between distribution ratios and acid concentration of the eluants forsamarium and ytterbium has been explored.The characteristics of these extractants loaded onto macroreticularpoly (methyl methacrylate) resin beads for the separation of lanthanum,cerium,praseodymium and neodymiumhave been compared.Among the extractants studied,mono(1-methylheptyl) ester of isooctylphosphonic acidwas found to be the best for RE separation.The acidity for separation is lower than any known P-containingextractants for the same purpose.For instance,with 1.73 mol·L~(-1) nitric acid as eluent,thulium,ytterbium andlutetium can be separated quantitatively.The extractant-loaded resins possess high column efficiency with goodkinetic characteristics.The extraction mechanism was also explored.