Ultrafast Measurement of Optical DPSK Signals Using 1-Symbol Delayed Dual-Channel Linear Optical Sampling

We propose and demonstrate a 1-symbol delayed dual-channel linear optical sampling for observing optical differential phase-shift keying (DPSK) signals. As this technique is based on optical gate processing by means of interference with local short pulses, its performance allows ultrafast measurement for a symbol rate of greater than 100 Gsymbol/s. Moreover, as the new measurement apparatus employs a two-series interferometer system with a 1-symbol delay, the measured phase distribution reflects the signal quality between adjacent symbols of the optical DPSK signals. In our experiment, we successfully observe the waveform degradation caused by the coherence of the light source and the pattern effect of the phase modulator. The measurement system noise is also discussed.     

Dependence of the efficiency-bandwidth product on electrical volumeof small dielectric loaded antennas

The efficiency fractional efficiency bandwidth product (EB) that is expressed as a ratio of the radiation resistance to the absolute value of an input reactance of an antenna is used as a performance measure for small dielectric-loaded monopole antennas (DLMAs). The dependence of the efficiency bandwidth (EB) on the permittivity of the dielectric loading (i.e., the electrical volume) is experimentally investigated for the first time after we succeeded in measuring the small radiation resistance of the DLMAs precisely on the basis of the Wheeler cap method. As a result, it was found that the EBs of some DLMAs were enhanced over a bare monopole antenna and an EB characteristic curve has a maximum point. This result suggests the presence of the optimum electrical volume for the dielectric loading in order to obtain the best EB performance. A calculation by the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method was also conducted to confirm the presence of the maximum EB value under a certain condition. A general reason for the existence of the peak value is also explained using a mathematical deduction     

Novel Conjugated Organic Dyes for Efficient Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

Novel conjugated organic dyes that have N,N‐dimethylaniline (DMA) moieties as the electron donor and a cyanoacetic acid (CAA) moiety as the electron acceptor were developed for use in dye‐sensitized nanocrystalline‐TiO₂ solar cells (DSSCs). We attained a maximum solar‐energy‐to‐electricity conversion efficiency (η) of 6.8 % under AM 1.5 irradiation (100 mW cm^–2) with a DSSC based on 2‐cyano‐7,7‐bis(4‐dimethylamino‐phenyl)hepta‐2,4,6‐trienoic acid (NKX‐2569): short‐circuit photocurrent density (J_sc) = 12.9 mA cm^–2, open‐circuit voltage (V_oc) = 0.71 V, and fill factor (ff) = 0.74. The high performance of the solar cells indicated that highly efficient electron injection from the excited dyes to the conduction band of TiO₂ occurred. The experimental and calculated Fourier‐transform infrared (FT‐IR) absorption spectra clearly showed that these dyes were adsorbed on the TiO₂ surface with the carboxylate coordination form. A molecular‐orbital calculation indicated that the electron distribution moved from the DMA moiety to the CAA moiety by photoexcitation of the dye.     

Application-aware buffer management: new metrics and techniques

An important issue for video transmission over IP networks is preservation of perceived video quality despite packet loss. Packet loss can be detrimental to compressed video. However, reducing packet loss to a very low level is difficult with current loss control techniques. Furthermore, even a very low objective loss probability can still seriously distort perceived video quality. This paper presents two buffer management schemes using video characteristics. They increase maximum loss tolerance for a desired level of video quality, providing better quality at equal loss ratios, when compared to a conventional buffer management scheme. Meanwhile, service fairness and network efficiency are also improved.     

Class-Based Packet Scheduling to Improve QoS for IP Video

An important issue for video transmission over IP networks is the preservation of perceived video quality despite packet loss. Packet loss can be detrimental to compressed video. However, reducing packet loss to a very low level is difficult with current techniques. Furthermore, even a very low objective loss probability can still seriously distort perceived video quality. This paper presents a packet scheduling scheme at a router which addresses the loss issues of networked video. Experiments using real video data show that the proposed scheme can significantly improve the visual quality of video and network efficiency. Moreover, it can provide different classes of videos with different levels of loss guarantees, while maintaining service fairness among the same class of videos.     

1.55-μm wavelength periodic traveling-wave photodetectorfabricated using unitraveling-carrier photodiode structures

We report the first periodic traveling-wave photodetector fabricated by using unitraveling-carrier photodiodes (UTC-PDs). The photodetector comprises three UTC-PDs with a 0.06-μm absorption layer that is periodically arranged along a coplanar waveguide transmission line. The photoresponse of the photodetector is three times larger than that of a single UTC-PD. A photodetector with terminal resistors at the input end achieves a 3-dB bandwidth of 115 GHz at 1.55 μm. This is almost the same value as that for a single UTC-PD. For one without terminal resistors, the 3-dB bandwidth degrades to 56 GHz as a result of the backward-propagating microwave being reflected at the input end. These results suggest that the photodetector is well designed with both velocity and impedance matchings     

100 Å-thick tunnel junction by double impurity doping liquid phase epitaxy for V-band TUNNETT oscillation

The tunnel injection transit time (TUNNETT) diodes with p⁺p⁺n⁺n⁻n⁺ structure were fabricated by liquid phase epitaxy (LPE). About 100 Å tunnel junction (p⁺n⁺) was successfully prepared by the double impurity diffusion of Ge and S during LPE growth. Continuous wave (CW) oscillation was realized at 51.520 GHz in the V-band cavity with the phase noise of −60 dBc/Hz at 1 kHz bandwidth.     

The Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observing System (AMSR-E), NASDA's contribution to the EOS for global energy and water cycle studies

The Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) was developed and provided to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's EOS Aqua satellite by the National Space Development Agency of Japan, as one of the indispensable instruments for Aqua's mission. AMSR-E is a modified version of AMSR that was launched December 2002 aboard the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite-II (ADEOS-II). It is a six-frequency dual-polarized total-power passive microwave radiometer that observes water-related geophysical parameters supporting global change science and monitoring efforts. The hardware improvements over existing spaceborne microwave radiometers for Earth imaging include the largest main reflector of its kind and addition of 6.925-GHz channels. These improvements provide finer spatial resolution and the capability to retrieve sea surface temperature and soil moisture information on a global basis. This paper provides an overview of the instrument characteristics, mission objectives, and data products.     

W-band waveguide photomixer using a uni-traveling-carrier photodiode with 2-mW output

Developed a W-band (75-110 GHz) waveguide photomixer with a uni-traveling carrier photodiode, which can be driven by two 1.5-/spl mu/m lasers. It generates an output power of 2.2/spl plusmn/0.2 mW at 100 GHz with a laser power of less than 100 mW, and its relative power variation is as small as 3 dB across the entire frequency range of the W-band. A 100-GHz superconductor-insulator-superconductor receiver driven by this photomixer shows the same noise temperature around 26 K as that driven by a conventional Gunn oscillator.