Field Effect Transistors for Terahertz Detection and Emission

Resonant frequencies of the two-dimensional plasma in field effect transistors (FETs) increase with the reduction of the channel dimensions and can reach the Terahertz (THz) range. Nonlinear properties of the plasma/electron gas in the transistor channel can be used for the rectification and detection of THz radiation. The excitation of plasma waves by sub-THz and THz radiation was demonstrated for short gate transistors at cryogenic temperatures. At room temperature plasma oscillations are usually overdamped, but the FETs can still operate as efficient broadband rectifiers/detectors in the THz range. We present a few recent experimental results on THz detection by FETs showing some new ways of improvement of FETs for THz imaging at room temperature as well as the new physical phenomena like detection in quantizing magnetic fields. We also demonstrate THz emission properties of GaN based FETs.     

Effects of androgenizing dairy heifers with ear implants containing testosterone and estrogen on detection of estrus

Lactating dairy cows in four lots were observed for sexual behavior for 6 mo. One freemartin heifer in each lot was implanted with testosterone propionate and estradiol benzoate to aid in detection of estrus. Blood samples were obtained from androgenized heifers every other week for determination of serum testosterone. The addition of an androgenized heifer to each lot increased the number of mounts and attempts to mount cows, both overall and within observation periods. Thus, the likelihood of detecting a cow in estrus was increased with the addition of the androgenized heifers. Greatest benefit was seen when one or two cows were simultaneously in estrus in each lot. Observational data and serum progesterone concentration of mounted cows indicated that androgenized heifers were selectively mounting open cows displaying estrus, whereas the remaining nonandrogenized cows were less selective with their mounting activity. Serum testosterone increased after heifers were implanted, but testosterone was not related to the proportion of sexual activity. Duration of sexual activity by the implanted heifers was approximately 90 d.     

Crew cut, flower-like and mixed-shaggy micelles prepared from HLH and LHL triblocks as carriers: a comparative study of encapsulation, stability and release properties

Two model triblock copolymers composed of hydrophilic (H) polyethylene glycol (PEG) and lypophilic (L) poly(butylene adipate) (PBA) have been synthesized and characterized with quite same molecular weight of each segments and different segment order: PBA-PEG-PBA and mPEG-PBA-mPEG. While LHL micelles adopt a flower-like arrangement with looped PEG on the shell, HLH micelles form a crew-cut particle with stretched hydrated PEG on the shell. The comparative investigation of the pharmaceutical properties of the obtained crewcut and flower-like micellar nanoparticles displayed advantages and disadvantages over each other. In order to exploit the advantages of both systems, the mixing has been used as a strategy. The mixed micelles with ??shaggy arrangement?? have been produced from the comicelling of LHL and HLH triblocks. They revealed better drug loading, encapsulation efficiency, more controlled release rates, smaller particle sizes and size distributions.     

Mean-square deviation analysis of the zero-attracting variable step-size LMS algorithm

The well-known variable step-size least-mean-square (VSSLMS) algorithm provides faster convergence rate while maintaining lower mean-square error than the conventional LMS algorithm. The performance of the VSSLMS algorithm can be improved further in a channel estimation problem if the impulse response of the channel is sparse. Recently, a zero-attracting (ZA)-VSSLMS algorithm was proposed to exploit the sparsity of a channel. This was done by imposing an \(\ell _1\)-norm penalty to the original cost function of the VSSLMS algorithm which utilizes the sparsity in the filter taps during the adaptation process. In this paper, we present the mean-square deviation (MSD) analysis of the ZA-VSSLMS algorithm. A steady-state MSD expression for the ZA-VSSLMS algorithm is derived. An upper bound of the zero-attractor controller (\(\rho \)) that provides the minimum MSD is also provided. Moreover, the effect of the noise distribution on the MSD performance is shown theoretically. It is shown that the theoretical and simulation results of the algorithm are in good agreement with a wide range of parameters, different channel, input signal, and noise types.     

Synthesis and Properties of La2O3-Doped 8 mol% Yttria-Stabilized Cubic Zirconia

In this study, 8 mol% yttria-stabilized cubic zirconia (8YSZ) powder as a matrix material and 0-15 wt.% La₂O₃ powder as an additive were used to determine the effect of La₂O₃ addition and its amount on the phase stability, microstructure, sintering, and mechanical properties of 8YSZ. Colloidal processing was used to mix the powders uniformly and to obtain a homogenous microstructure. XRD results showed the existence of only a cubic crystal structure for 1 and 5 wt.% La₂O₃ addition amounts. However, La₂Zr₂O₇ with a hexagonal and cubic crystal structure was observed in 8YSZ specimens doped with 10 and 15 wt.% La₂O₃. Further, up to 5 wt.% La₂O₃ was completely dissolved in the crystal structure of the specimens; however, above 5 wt.%, La₂O₃ reacted with 8YSZ at high temperatures and formed pyrochloric La₂Zr₂O₇. Grain size measurements revealed that the grain size of 8YSZ increased up to 1 wt.% La₂O₃ addition, and then decreased beyond this amount. The hardness and fracture toughness of 8YSZ decreased and increased, respectively, with the increasing La₂O₃ amount.     

Effect of Welding Parameters on Microstructure,Thermal, and Mechanical Properties of Friction-Stir Welded Joints of AA7075-T6 Aluminum Alloy

A high-strength Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy AA7075-T6 was friction-stir welded with various process parameter combinations incorporating the design of the experiment to investigate the effect of welding parameters on the microstructure and mechanical properties. A three-factors, five-level central composition design (CCD) has been used to minimize the number of experimental conditions. The friction-stir welding parameters have significant influence on the heat input and temperature profile, which in turn regulates the microstructural and mechanical properties of the joints. The weld thermal cycles and transverse distribution of microhardness of the weld joints were measured, and the tensile properties were tested. The fracture surfaces of tensile specimens were observed by a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the formation of friction-stir processing zone has been analyzed macroscopically. Also, an equation was derived to predict the final microhardness and tensile properties of the joints, and statistical tools are used to develop the relationships. The results show that the peak temperature during welding of all the joints was up to 713 K (440 °C), which indicates the key role of the tool shoulder diameter in deciding the maximum temperature. From this investigation, it was found that the joint fabricated at a rotational speed of 1050 rpm, welding speed of 100 mm/min, and shoulder diameter of 14 mm exhibited higher mechanical properties compared to the other fabricated joints.     

Cotton in the new millennium: advances,economics, perceptions and problems

Cotton is the most significant natural fibre and has been a preferred choice of the textile industry and consumers since the industrial revolution began. The share of man-made fibres, both regenerated and synthetic fibres, has grown considerably in recent times but cotton production has also been on the rise and accounts for about half of the fibres used for apparel and textile goods. To cotton’s advantage, the premium attached to the presence of cotton fibre and the general positive consumer perception is well established, however, compared to commodity man-made fibres and high performance fibres, cotton has limitations in terms of its mechanical properties but can help to overcome moisture management issues that arise with performance apparel during active wear.

This issue of Textile Progress aims to:

1. Report on advances in cotton cultivation and processing as well as improvements to conventional cotton cultivation and ginning. The processing of cotton in the textile industry from fibre to finished fabric, cotton and its blends, and their applications in technical textiles are also covered.

2. Explore the economic impact of cotton in different parts of the world including an overview of global cotton trade.

3. Examine the environmental perception of cotton fibre and efforts in organic and genetically-modified (GM) cotton production. The topic of naturally-coloured cotton, post-consumer waste is covered and the environmental impacts of cotton cultivation and processing are discussed. Hazardous effects of cultivation, such as the extensive use of pesticides, insecticides and irrigation with fresh water, and consequences of the use of GM cotton and cotton fibres in general on the climate are summarised and the effects of cotton processing on workers are addressed. The potential hazards during cotton cultivation, processing and use are also included.

4. Examine how the properties of cotton textiles can be enhanced, for example, by improving wrinkle recovery and reducing the flammability of cotton fibre.

     

Models for fiber stress utilization in air jet yarns

Abstract

The coefficient of fiber stress utilization of air jet viscose staple spun yarns was predicted from the experimental specific stress-strain curves of both fiber and yarns. The coefficient of fiber stress utilization was calculated from Gegauff’s model, single integral model (SIM) and double integral model (DIM). Results showed that the single integral model overestimated the coefficient of fiber stress utilization considering actual stress-strain relationship which was not considered by Gegauff’s model. When fiber orientation effect in the air jet yarn was considered in double integral equation, the predicted coefficient of fiber stress utilization was in good agreement with the experimental coefficient of fiber stress utilization before the process of break. Furthermore, the yarn specific stress was also evaluated from the predicted coefficient of fiber stress utilization from double integral model and experimental fiber specific stress-strain curve for all three air jet viscose yarns. The predicted yarn specific stress-strain curves were in good agreement with experimental yarn specific stress-strain curves for all air jet yarns.     

Three‐Dimensional Numerical Investigation of Nanofluids Flow in Microtube with Different Values of Heat Flux

Forced convective laminar flow of different types of nanofluids such as Al₂O₃, CuO, SiO₂, and ZnO, with different nanoparticle size 25, 45, 65, and 80 nm, and different volume fractions which ranged from 1% to 4% using ethylene glycol as base fluids were used. A three‐dimensional microtube (MT) with 0.05 cm diameter and 10 cm in length with different values of heat fluxes at the wall is numerically investigated. This investigation covers Reynolds number (Re) in the range of 80 to 160. The results have shown that SiO₂‐EG nanofluid has the highest Nusselt number (Nu), followed by ZnO‐EG, CuO‐EG, Al₂O₃‐EG, and finally pure EG. The Nu for all cases increases with the volume fraction but it decreases with the rise in the diameter of nanoparticles. In all configurations, the Nu increases with Re. In addition, no effect of heat flux values on the Nu was found.