Large signal modeling of HBT's including self-heating and transittime effects

A physically based, large signal heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) model is presented to account for the time dependence of the base, collector, and emitter charging currents, as well as self heating effects. The model tracks device performance over eight decades of current. The model can be used as the basis of SPICE modeling approximations, and to this end, examples are presented. A thesis for the divergence of high frequency large signal SPICE simulations from measured data is formulated, including a requisite empirical equation for the base-collector junction capacitance     

A boundary element technique applied to the analysis of waveguideswith periodic surface corrugations

A boundary integral formulation is used to characterize Floquet-Bloch modes of two-dimensional multilayered periodic waveguides. A technique for matching fields inside the grating to those external to the grating region is described. Although a simple four-layer structure is used to illustrate the method, an extension to multilayer waveguide structures is straightforward. The mathematical formalism has been simplified, allowing for more efficient computations using fast Fourier transform algorithms     

Microcells in personal communications systems

Research projects involving fiber-connected microcell base units, measurements and models of propagation in urban microcells, and radio link performance in urban microcells are summarized. Developments in microcell system issues, such as channel assignments and handoff in microcells and architectures for combining microcells with traditional macrocells, are discussed. Research on both indoor radio propagation and wireless indoor systems is reviewed     

Characterization of the CH4/H2/Ar high density plasma etching process for HgCdTe

High density plasma etching of mercury cadmium telluride using CH₄/H₂/Ar plasma chemistries is investigated. Mass spectrometry is used to identify and monitor etch products evolving from the surface during plasma etching. The identifiable primary etch products are elemental Hg, TeH₂, and Cd(CH₃)₂. Their relative concentrations are monitored as ion and neutral fluxes (both in intensity and composition), ion energy and substrate temperature are varied. General insights are made into surface chemistry mechanisms of the etch process. These insights are evaluated by examining etch anisotropy and damage to the remaining semiconductor material. Regions of process parameter space best suited to moderate rate, anisotropic, low damage etching of HgCdTe are identified.     

Spread spectrum image steganography

We present a new method of digital steganography, entitled spread spectrum image steganography (SSIS). Steganography, which means "covered writing" in Greek, is the science of communicating in a hidden manner. Following a discussion of steganographic communication theory and review of existing techniques, the new method, SSIS, is introduced. This system hides and recovers a message of substantial length within digital imagery while maintaining the original image size and dynamic range. The hidden message can be recovered using appropriate keys without any knowledge of the original image. Image restoration, error-control coding, and techniques similar to spread spectrum are described, and the performance of the system is illustrated. A message embedded by this method can be in the form of text, imagery, or any other digital signal. Applications for such a data-hiding scheme include in-band captioning, covert communication, image tamperproofing, authentication, embedded control, and revision tracking.     

A new PWM controller with one-cycle response

This paper proposes a new nonlinear control technique that has one-cycle response, does not need a resetable integrator in the control path, and has nearly constant switching frequency. It obtains one-cycle response by forcing the error between the switched variable and the control reference to zero each cycle, while the on and off pulses of the controller are adjusted each cycle to ensure near constant switching frequency. The small switching frequency variation due to changes in the reference signal and supply voltage and delays in the circuit are quantified. Using double-edge modulation, the switching frequency variation is further reduced, thus, the associated signal distortion is minimized. An experimental 0-20 kHz bandwidth 95 W RMS power audio amplifier using the control method demonstrates the applicability of this control technique for high-fidelity audio applications. The amplifier has a power supply ripple rejection (PSRR) of 63 dB at 120 Hz. Additionally, the total harmonic distortion plus noise (THD+N) is less than 0.07% measured with a power supply ripple of 15%     

Time-dependent-dielectric-breakdown measurements of thermal oxideson n-type 6H-SiC

Time-dependent-dielectric-breakdown (TDDB) measurements are reported on n-type 6H-SiC MOS capacitors formed by thermal oxidation. Failure distributions are obtained at 145, 240, and 305°C, and intrinsic mean-time-to-failure (MTTF) is plotted as a function of oxide field at each temperature. The results indicate that oxide reliability will not be a significant limitation to MOS-based power switching devices at temperatures up to 150°C. However, long-term operation of SiC MOS devices at temperatures higher than 250°C may not be practical     

A buck quadratic PWM soft-switching converter using a single activeswitch

High-switching frequency associated with soft commutation techniques is a trend in switching converters. Following this trend, a buck pulsewidth modulation (PWM) converter is presented. The DC voltage conversion ratio of this converter has a quadratic dependence on duty cycle, providing a large stepdown. This new buck quadratic PWM soft-single-switched converter, having only a single active switch, provides a high efficient operating condition for a wide load range at high-switching frequency. In order to illustrate the operating principle of this new converter, a detailed study including theoretical analysis, relevant equations and simulation, and experimental results is carried out     

In Situ Study of Nanostructure and Electrical Resistance of Nanocluster Films Irradiated with Ion Beams

An in situ study is reported on the structural evolution in nanocluster films under He⁺ ion irradiation using an advanced helium ion microscope. The films consist of loosely interconnected nanoclusters of magnetite or iron‐magnetite (Fe‐Fe₃O₄) core‐shells. The nanostructure is observed to undergo dramatic changes under ion‐beam irradiation, featuring grain growth, phase transition, particle aggregation, and formation of nanowire‐like network and nanopores. Studies based on ion irradiation, thermal annealing and electron irradiation have indicated that the major structural evolution is activated by elastic nuclear collisions, while both electronic and thermal processes can play a significant role once the evolution starts. The electrical resistance of the Fe‐Fe₃O₄ films measured in situ exhibits a super‐exponential decay with dose. The behavior suggests that the nanocluster films possess an intrinsic merit for development of an advanced online monitor for fast neutron radiation with both high detection sensitivity and long‐term applicability, which can enhance safety measures in many nuclear operations.     

A linear, time-varying system framework for noniterativediscrete-time band-limited signal extrapolation

A technique for the analysis and design of noniterative algorithms for discrete-time, band-limited signal extrapolation is described. The approach involves modeling the extrapolation process as a linear, time-varying (LTV) system, or filter. Together with a previously developed Fourier theory for LTV systems, this model provides a frequency-domain transfer function representation for the extrapolation system. This representation serves as a powerful tool for characterizing and comparing the reconstruction properties of several well-known least squares optimal algorithms for band-limited extrapolation. Moreover, the frequency-domain setting provides a conceptually attractive means for understanding the process of extrapolation itself. Additionally, a least squares approximation methodology for designing LTV filters for band-limited extrapolation is developed. The design technique is shown to unify a broad class of algorithms for extrapolating discrete-time data and, further, to provide a means for designing new and improved extrapolation algorithms