Reliability assessment of polysilicon MEMS structures under mechanical fatigue loading

This paper examines the current status and methodologies of study of material and system reliability in Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS). This includes: a review of the current literature in the area of MEMS regarding failure analysis experimental investigations; testing methods and philosophies for material characterization and possible mechanistic analytical solutions for estimating material properties. The paper proposes a reliability framework that encompasses all the available information. This statistical platform will enable the MEMS design engineer to distill all the available information in the literature into a stand-alone semi-empirical material reliability model, and a holistic system-level model for a complete system.     

Characterisation of K, Na, and Li birnessites prepared by oxidation with H2O2 in a basic medium. Ion exchange properties and study of the calcined products

Birnessites containing Na, K or Li in the interlayer have been prepared by oxidation of Mn(II) cations with H₂O₂ in a basic medium with different alkaline cation/Mn molar ratios. The solids prepared have been characterised by elemental chemical analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, thermal analyses (differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetric analysis), FT-IR spectroscopy and surface texture assessment by adsorption of N₂ at –196°C. Crystalline birnessites are obtained for A/Mn ratios (A = K, Li) larger than 3.4, but MnO(OH) has been also identificed when such a ratio is smaller than 3.4. Ion exchange is topotactic, but is not complete for exchanging Na, K, or Mg for pre-existing Li. The solids are stable up to 400°C, and formation of spinels and solids with tunnel structures is observed at this temperature. Li-containing birnessites are transformed to LiMn₂O₄ spinel at 400°C, and co-crystallization of bixbyte (Mn₂O₃) is observed at higher temperatures. Bixbyte and cryptomelane are formed at 500°C for the K-containing birnessites.     

Significance of DNA ploidy in the treatment of T1 glottic carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: To assess the role of DNA ploidy as a predictor of radioresistance in T1 glottic carcinoma. DESIGN: Case-control study. Flow cytometric DNA ploidy measurements were performed on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor specimens from 15 patients with T1 glottic laryngeal carcinomas in whom radiotherapy had failed and from a matched group of 15 patients in whom an identical radiotherapy regimen was curative. Analysis of DNA content was performed blind to outcome of treatment. SETTING: Academic tertiary referral medical center. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty patients with clinically staged T1, N0, M0 glottic carcinoma. INTERVENTION: All patients received radiation to the larynx through opposed lateral ports at a total dose of 64 to 70 Gy. RESULTS: Ten diploid and five aneuploid histograms were found in the resistant group, and six diploid and nine aneuploid histograms were found in the radiosensitive group. This difference was not statistically significant. A trend toward a higher relapse rate after radiotherapy (62.5%) among patients with diploid tumor compared with those with aneuploid tumor (35.7%) was noted. CONCLUSIONS: DNA ploidy did not predict response to radiotherapy in patients with T1 glottic cancer, probably because of the small number of patients. A trend toward lower risk of local recurrence after radiotherapy in aneuploid tumors was noted. A larger prospective study is needed to assess the value of DNA ploidy in the treatment of early laryngeal cancer.     

Chelated alkoxyalumoxanes and a silica-free binder based on them

Chelated alkoxyalumoxane oligomers have been synthesized through consecutive hydrolysis and alcoholysis of organoaluminum compounds stabilized by compounds capable of keto-enol tautomerism. The chelated alkoxyalumoxanes were used to prepare a silica-free binder for the fabrication of heat-resistant (up to 2050°C), chemically inert corundum ceramic composites. The likely structures of the synthesized preceramic alumoxane oligomers were inferred from physicochemical characterization results (¹H, ¹³C, and ²⁷Al NMR, IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, gel-permeation chromatography, thermal analysis, and elemental analysis).     

Signal processing using cellular neural networks

The cellular neural network (CNN) architecture combines the best features from traditional fully-connected analog neural networks and digital cellular automata. The network can rapidly process continuous-valued (gray-scale) input signals (such as images) and perform many computation functions which traditionally were implemented in digital form. Here, we briefly introduce the the theory of CNN circuits, provide some examples of CNN applications to image processing, and discuss work toward a CNN implementation in custom CMOS VLSI. The role of analog computer-aided design (CAD) will be briefly presented as it relates to analog neural network implementation.This work is supported in part by the Office of Naval Research under Contract N00014-89-J1402, and the National Science Foundation under grant MIP-8912639.     

89-GHz fT room-temperature silicon MOSFETs

The authors report the implementation of deep-submicrometer Si MOSFETs that at room temperature have a unity-current-gain cutoff frequency (f_T) of 89 GHz, for a drain-to-source bias of 1.5 V, a gate-to-source bias of 1 V, a gate oxide thickness of 40 Å, and a channel length of 0.15 μm. The fabrication procedure is mostly conventional, except for the e-beam defined gates. The speed performance is achieved through an intrinsic transit time of only 1.8 ps across the active device region     

Special Features of Fracture of Steels from Partially-Alloyed Powders

Special features of fracture of structural steels 45N2D2M and 45N4D2M manufactured by pressing with subsequent sintering from partially alloyed iron powders are studied. Impact bending tests of specimens with different levels of retained porosity show two kinds of fracture, i.e., intraparticle cleavage and interparticle dimple fracture. In addition, the surfaces of the “initial” pores come out to the fracture surface. Other conditions being equal, growth in porosity decreases the proportion of the brittle component of fracture and decreases the critical brittle point.     

Metal fusion by laser radiation action in an oxidizing medium

Results are presented from a calculation of fusion of a massive zirconium plate under the action of laser radiation with consideration of simultaneous surface oxidation.Translated from Inzhenerno-Fizicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 61, No. 1, pp. 11–14, July, 1991.