Low RF noise and power loss for ion-implanted Si having an improved implantation process

Very-low-transmission line noise of <0.25 dB at 18 GHz and low power loss /spl les/0.6 dB at 110 GHz have been measured on transmission lines fabricated on proton-implanted Si. In contrast, a standard Si substrate gave much higher noise of 2.5 dB and worse power loss of 5 dB. The good RF integrity of proton-implanted Si results from the high isolation impedance to ground, as analyzed by an equivalent circuit model. The proton implantation is also done after forming the transmission lines at a reduced implantation energy of /spl sim/4 MeV. This enables easier process integration into current VLSI technology.     

Do We Stand on Common Ground? A Threat Appraisal Model for Terror Alerts Issued by the Department of Homeland Security

The fabric and faces of threat, and the expediency and efficiency in the communication of threat, are examined with a threat appraisal model. This model is empirically tested on an ongoing communication challenge, the issuance of terror alerts by the United States' Department of Homeland Security (DHS), focusing on how threat is appraised by both the conservative and liberal audiences. Findings showed a shared view by the DHS and conservative audiences on the levels and nature of threats; liberal audiences thought otherwise. Though there appeared to be a consensus between the conservative and liberal audiences on the efficacy of threat communication, more internal consistency within DHS is needed to optimise its effectiveness.     

Modeling Temperature in Coupled Electrical and Thermal Simulations of the Electroconsolidation® Process

Electroconsolidation® is a process for densifying complex-shaped parts by using electrically conductive particulate solids as a pressure-transmitting medium. The part is immersed in a bed of the particulate medium contained in a die chamber. Sintering temperature is achieved by resistive heating of the medium while applying compaction pressure. The process is capable of ultrahigh temperatures and short cycle times and offers the potential for low processing costs.

Control of the process and selection of process conditions require knowledge of the temperatures within the die. Temperature gradients exist because of the high heating rate and because of variations of density and electrical resistivity of the medium due to the presence of the part. Direct measurement of temperature with thermocouples or other conventional means is impractical because of the high temperatures, high currents, and high pressures that are involved. Therefore, a computer model was developed to predict temperature as a function of time and applied voltage for any location in the die. The computer model is composed of three parts: a geometrical model to approximate the density and resistivity variations in the medium, a finite-element model to calculate the rate of resistive heating within each element, and a finite-difference model to calculate the temperature distribution based on solution of the heat-transfer equations. Predicted temperatures have been shown to be in excellent agreement with measurements, and numerical simulation provided encouraging consistency and reasonably accurate predictions of temperature profiles within the die. The model demonstrated the feasibility of a new process to achieve simultaneous application of pressure and heat to powder densification in Electroconsolidation.     

The Effect of Run Time on the Inter-Unit Uniformity of Aqueous Film Coating Applied to Glass Beads in a Hi-Coater

Coating experiments were conducted to assess the inter-unit uniformity using individual weight gains of glass beads. Applying more aqueous film coating and prolonging the film-coating process by diluting the coating suspension did improve the coating variability among glass beads. It appears that run time is an important underlying factor which affecting the inter-unit coating uniformity.     

On the design of multiple key hashing files for concurrent orthogonal range retrieval between two disks

This paper concerns the following problem: given a set of multi-attribute records, a fixed number of buckets and a two-disk system, arrange the records into the buckets and then store the buckets between the disks in such a way that, over all possible orthogonal range queries (ORQs), the disk access concurrency is maximized. We shall adopt the multiple key hashing (MKH) method for arranging records into buckets and use the disk modulo (DM) allocation method for storing buckets onto disks. Since the DM allocation method has been shown to be superior to any other allocation methods for allocating an MKH file onto a two-disk system for answering ORQs, the real issue is knowing how to determine an optimal way for organizing the records into buckets based upon the MKH concept.

A performance formula that can be used to evaluate the average response time, over all possible ORQs, of an MKH file in a two-disk system using the DM allocation method is first presented. Based upon this formula, it is shown that our design problem is related to a notoriously difficult problem, namely the Prime Number Problem. Then a performance lower bound and an efficient algorithm for designing optimal MKH files in certain cases are presented. It is pointed out that in some cases the optimal MKH file for ORQs in a two-disk system using the DM allocation method is identical to the optimal MKH file for ORQs in a single-disk system and the optimal average response time in a two-disk system is slightly greater than one half of that in a single-disk system.     

Prebiotic synthesis of sequential peptides on the Hadean beach by a molecular engine working with nitrogen oxides as energy sources

Addressing the still open question of the prebiotic origin of sequential macromolecules (peptides, nucleic acids) on the primitive Earth, we describe a molecular engine (the primary pump), which works at ambient temperature and continuously generates, elongates and complexifies sequential peptides. This new scenario is based on a cyclic reaction sequence, whose keystep is the activation of amino acids into their N‐carboxyanhydrides (NCA) through nitrosation by NOx. This process could have taken place on tidal beaches; it requires a buffered ocean, emerged land and a nitrosating atmosphere. With the help of geochemical studies and computer simulations of atmosphere photochemistry, we show that the primitive Earth during the Hadean may have satisfied all these requirements. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry.