Identification and properties of ultra-fine iron particles dispersed in a glass-like carbon matrix

Various kinds of iron particles and an iron species were synthesized from acetylferrocenefurfural resins in a glass-like carbon matrix by heat-treatment. These irons were investigated in terms of magnetic susceptibility, saturation magnetization, esr, and the Mössbauer effect. Body-centred cubic (b c c) iron, expanded b c c iron, hexagonal close-packed iron, and cluster iron were present as ultra-fine iron particles. The presence of Fe⁺ was well established as an iron species. The formation of iron particles and Fe⁺ is discussed on the basis of the pyrolysis of ferrocene skeletons in the resin.     

Fabrication of CNT-carbon composite microstructures using Si micromolding and pyrolysis

A fabrication method of carbon nanotube (CNT)-carbon composite microstructures has been developed. CNT-carbon composite microstructures with dimensions from 10 micrometers to several hundred micrometers have been fabricated by pyrolysis process from the patterned SU-8 photoresist mixed with 1 wt% of CNTs at temperature of ~600 °C under inert atmosphere. The resulting composite microstructures with a high aspect ratio of ~34 can be successfully fabricated by this novel fabrication method. This research provides a simple approach that is compatible with microfabrication technology and is capable of fabricating composite microstructures with reproducible shape and dimensions, at desired locations. This approach has potential for the further exploring of applications of composite micro/nano structures as functional units in various microdevices. Also the ultramicroindentation hardness of the CNT-carbon composite films was investigated by nanoindentation measurement.     

Induction-heated cooking appliance using new quasi-resonant ZVS-PWMinverter with power factor correction

This paper presents a new prototype of a voltage-fed quasi-load resonant inverter with a constant-frequency variable-power (CFVP) regulation scheme, which is developed for the next-generation high-frequency high-power induction-heated (IH) cooking appliances in household applications. This application-specific high-frequency single-ended push-pull inverter using new-generation specially designed insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) can efficiently operate under a principle of zero-voltage switching pulsewidth modulation (ZVS-PWM) strategy. This low-cost soft-switching inverter using reverse-conducting and reverse-blocking IGBTs is more suitable for multiple-burner-type induction-heating cooking appliances. The operating principle and unique features of a new resonant ZVS-PWM inverter circuit topology is originally described, together with its steady-state power regulation characteristics, which are illustrated on the basis of its computer-aided simulation and experimental results. The ZVS operation condition on power regulation, loss analysis of new IGBTs incorporated into this inverter, and its active filtering performance are discussed for IH cooking appliances     

Behavior navigation system for harsh environments

Performing general human behavior by experts’ navigation is expected to be realized as wearable technologies and computing systems are further developed. We have proposed and developed the prototype of the advanced behavior navigation system (BNS) using augmented reality technology. Utilizing the BNS, an expert can guide a non-expert to perform a variety of tasks. The BNSs are useful in tasks to be performed in harsh and hazardous environments, such as factories, construction sites, and areas affected by natural disasters (e.g. earthquakes and tsunamis). In this paper, we present a BNS that is specifically designed to operate in harsh environments, with characteristics such as wet or dusty conditions. The implementation, experimental results, and evaluation of the BNS prototypes are presented.     

Amorphous Electrically Actuating Submicron Fiber Waveguides

Amorphous electrically actuating submicron fiber waveguides are promising building blocks for creating novel opto‐electromechanical devices. In this study, waveguiding and electrically actuating properties of the waveguides composed of racemic poly(lactic acid) and a dye are investigated. The fibers have mean diameters of <0.4 µm, and each fiber demonstrates subwavelength waveguiding with a loss coefficient of 1.5 × 10^?4–8.3 × 10^?4 µm^?1 at 0.63 µm wavelength. Light propagates with a near‐light speed group velocity between wavelengths of 0.59 and 0.63 µm, where the fraction of power inside the core is 0.13–0.28. The fiber mat thicknesses change in response to both the polarity and the magnitude of an applied voltage, similar to the inverse‐piezoelectric effect. The estimated values for both the apparent piezoelectric constant (29 000 × 10^?12 m V^?1) and Young's modulus (1.5 kPa) indicate a high degree of electricity actuation and a soft mat. Extremely small, soft, and electrically actuating waveguides can produce novel opto‐electromechanical devices.     

Phase transformations in the B2 phase of Co-rich Co-Al binary alloys

Phase transformations in the β (B2) phase of Co-21 and -23 at.% Al alloys were examined using transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The microstructures obtained from as-quenched specimens were found to be strongly affected by the quenching condition. While relatively thick sheet-specimens with a lower quenching rate showed bainitic plate precipitates with a fcc structure, a martensite-like structure was observed by optical microscopy in relatively thin specimens with a higher quenching rate. Regardless of the quenching condition, a spinodal-like microstructure composed of A2 and B2 phases was also detected and the A2 phase changed to a metastable hcp phase during further aging.     

Design of narrow bandwidth ladder-type filters with sharp transition bands using mutually connected resonator elements

This paper proposes a new design technique for a ladder-type filter to reduce the passband width without sacrificing the insertion loss, out-of-band rejection, and steepness of the transition bands. First, it is shown that 2 transmission zeros can be generated by connecting an additional resonator in either series or parallel arm of the ladder filter topology. This new filter topology can be designed systematically by the derived-m transformation. Second, it is demonstrated that the narrow bandwidth, sharp transition bands, and large outof- band rejection are simultaneously realized by applying the present technique to specifically designed ladder-type filters. Finally, this technique is applied to the design of a SAW filter fabricated on the Cu-grating/15°YX-LiNbO₃ structure.     

Full-wave analysis of piezoelectric boundary waves propagating along metallic grating sandwiched between two semi-infinite layers

This paper describes full-wave analysis of piezoelectric boundary acoustic waves (PBAWs) propagating along a metallic grating sandwiched between 2 semi-infinite layers. In the analysis, the finite element method (FEM) is used for the grating region while the spectral domain analysis (SDA) is applied for an isotropic overlay region as well as a piezoelectric substrate region. The combination of the FEM and SDA makes the numerical analysis very fast and precise. As an example, the analysis was made on the PBAWs propagating in an SiO₂ overlay/ Cu grating/rotated Y-cut LiNbO₃ structure. It is shown that both the shear-horizontal (SH) type and Rayleigh-type PBAWs are supported in the structure, and that their velocities are very close to each other. Thus spurious responses due to the Rayleigh-type PBAW should completely be suppressed for device implementation. Discussions are made in detail on the influence of Cu grating thickness, substrate rotation angle, and metallization ratio on excitation and propagation characteristics of the SH- and Rayleigh-type PBAWs.     

Characterization of surface acoustic wave propagation in multi-layered structures using extended FEM/SDA software

This paper describes the characterization of SAW propagation in layered substrate and overlayered structures. The software based on the finite element method and spectral domain analysis was newly developed and applied to the characterization of SAW propagation under an infinitely-long Al interdigital transducer on a rotated Y-cut LiTaO₃/sapphire substrate. Because of the finite LiTaO₃ thickness, a series of spurious resonances appears. It is shown that the excitation strength of the spurious resonances changes with frequency as well as the rotation angle, which reflects the frequency and rotation angle dependence of the energy leakage. Next, the analysis was carried out for SAWs propagating in a SiO₂ layer/Al IDT/42°YX-LiTaO₃ structure. It is shown that the influence of the SiO₂ layer is significantly dependent on the location where the SiO₂ layer is deposited. In particular, it is shown that when the SiO₂ layer is deposited only on top of the electrodes, the SAW reflectivity increases compared with when the SiO₂ layer is deposited between and on top of electrodes.