A soft-error-immune 0.9-ns 1.15-Mb ECL-CMOS SRAM with 30-ps 120 klogic gates and on-chip test circuitry

A soft-error-immune, 0.9-ns address access time, 2.0-ns read/write cycle time, 1.15-Mb emitter coupled logic (ECL)-CMOS SRAM with 30-ps 120 k ECL and CMOS logic gates has been developed using 0.3-μm BiCMOS technology. Four key developments ensuring good testability, reliability, and stability are on-chip test circuitry for precise measurement of access time and for multibit parallel testing, a memory-cell test technique for an ECL-CMOS SRAM, a highly stable current source with a simple design using a current mirror, and a soft-error-immune memory cell using a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer. These techniques will be especially useful for making the ultrahigh-speed, high-density SRAM's used as cache and control storages in mainframe computers     

Effect of surface imperfections on the ductility of pure chromium

The fracture behaviour of high-purity polycrystalline chromium was investigated using bend tests at room temperature in air. It was found that plasticity was dependent largely on surface imperfections. For example, brittle fracture took place in a roughly polished specimen containing a large number of small cracks on the surface. However, once the specimen was polished finely or electropolished, it was able to be bent by more than 90 without showing any brittle fracture. Such a surface effect on the fracture mode is very similar to the observations in glasses and in alkali halide crystals (for example, NaCl and LiF).     

Biochemical and physical properties of an activated sludge on settling characteristics

Settling characteristics of an activated sludge discussed from the physical and biochemical stands point of view in this paper.Corresponding to worsening of settling characteristics, conspicuous changes of the physical properties such as the size, density and floc strength, and also the biochemical properties such as the ECP, PHB and the electrophoretic mobility were observed. And these indices were closely related with the proposed mean TOC residence time of the process.     

Effect of branching of polyolefin backbone chain on catalytic gasification reaction

A basic study on the catalytic gasification of polyolefins such as PE and PP, which account for a major part of general waste plastics, was conducted in order to develop a technique for effective recycling of these wastes. In the case of PE, the gasification of PE is considered to consist of the following scheme: polymer → catalytically degraded polymer → catalytically degraded oligomer → liquid component → gas component. The gasification of PE does not occur directly from the polymer chains, but gaseous C₄ substances are selectively found from the liquid components with the highest branching frequency. The overall yield of C₄ components including isobutane was 74.5 and 60.5% molar for PE and PP. These liquid components (gasification precursors) have the branching frequencies. For example, a molecule with M?_w of 400 contains about eight branches for every 30 methylenes. From the catalytic gasification of PE, PP, and PIB, the gas conversion rate is also found to increase with increasing frequency of the backbone branching. It is concluded that the branching frequency is the key factor governing the gas conversion rate of polyolefins.     

Ar ion milling-induced suppression of surface oxidation in Fe70Co30 thin films

We show from the depth-resolved X-ray absorption analysis that the degree of surface oxidation of Fe₇₀Co₃₀ thin films is reduced by Ar⁺ ion milling even if the film is exposed to air after ion milling. The milled film has thinner surface oxide layer and smaller ratio of Fe oxide component in the surface layer than those of the as-deposited film. It is also indicated that selective oxidation of Fe proceeds accompanied by the movement of Fe atoms toward the surface. The suppression of oxidation is explained by the obstruction of Fe movement toward the surface by the milling-induced disorder.     

Ultrasonic detection of moving interfaces in gas–liquid two-phase flow

Ultrasound reflects strongly off the gas–liquid interface when there is a large change in acoustic impedance. We exploit this phenomenon to detect the instantaneous position of the interface from the time of flight of pulsed ultrasound. Because the characteristics of the reflected wave depend on the shape and size of the interface relative to the ultrasound wavelength, the single-sensing principle is insufficient to capture the interface for generalized gas–liquid two-phase flows. In the present study, we design and examine three types of ultrasound interface detection techniques: the echo intensity technique, the local Doppler technique, and the velocity-variance technique, and investigate and compare the merits and limitations of each. The results indicate that the echo intensity technique is appropriate for turbulent interfaces that cause ultrasound scattering over wide angles. In contrast, the local Doppler technique is required to capture information from waves reflected from smooth interfaces and bubbles. Finally, we find that the velocity-variance technique works for quasi-steady and periodical two-phase flow, and we apply this technique to horizontal slug flow in a tube.     

In situ observations and crystallographic analysis of martensitic transformation in steel

The development of a martensitic structure in a low-carbon and low-alloy steel was characterized using in situ confocal laser microscopy, high-speed photography and crystallographic analysis, including the nature of variant selection. The initial stage of transformation involves the partitioning of the austenite grain into packets, after which the rate of transformation is gradual. The crystallographic orientation of the plates that form is not random, but involves selection determined by the relationship between the shape deformation direction and the free surface. The vicinity of austenite grain and twin boundaries, and martensite/austenite interfaces also affect variant selection.     

Evolution of bonding interface during ultrasonic welding between steel and aluminium alloy

Ultrasonic welding (USW), a solid-state bonding technique, was applied to join ultra-low carbon steel and Al5052 aluminium alloy. The evolution of bonding strength and microstructure at the bonding interface during ultrasonic welding was investigated with an emphasis on the early stage before the formation of intermetallic compound. Initially, adhesive wear starts when steel and Al alloy have sliding contact, and thereafter, a thin layer of Al is attached onto the surface of the steel while the wear of Al base metal is continued owing to the sliding. As the welding time increases, bonding sections are gradually formed with the increase of interfacial temperature owing to the sliding friction, whose process is illustrated in this article.