Interconnect limits on gigascale integration (GSI) in the 21stcentury

Twenty-first century opportunities for GSI will be governed in part by a hierarchy of physical limits on interconnects whose levels are codified as fundamental, material, device, circuit, and system. Fundamental limits are derived from the basic axioms of electromagnetic, communication, and thermodynamic theories, which immutably restrict interconnect performance, energy dissipation, and noise reduction. At the material level, the conductor resistivity increases substantially in sub-50-nm technology due to scattering mechanisms that are controlled by quantum mechanical phenomena and structural/morphological effects. At the device and circuit level, interconnect scaling significantly increases interconnect crosstalk and latency. Reverse scaling of global interconnects causes inductance to influence on-chip interconnect transients such that even with ideal return paths, mutual inductance increases crosstalk by up to 60% over that predicted by conventional RC models. At the system level, the number of metal levels explodes for highly connected 2-D logic megacells that double in size every two years such that by 2014 the number is significantly larger than ITRS projections. This result emphasizes that changes in design, technology, and architecture are needed to cope with the onslaught of wiring demands. One potential solution is 3-D integration of transistors, which is expected to significantly improve interconnect performance. Increasing the number of active layers, including the use of separate layers for repeaters, and optimizing the wiring network, yields an improvement in interconnect performance of up to 145% at the 50-nm node     

Modeling and estimation of the spatial variation of elevation errorin high resolution DEMs from stereo-image processing

The spatial variability of elevation errors in high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) derived from stereo-image processing is examined. Error models are developed and evaluated by examining the correlation between various DEM parameters and the magnitude of the observed DEM vertical error. DEM vertical errors were estimated using a dataset of more than 51000 points of known elevation obtained from a kinematic Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) ground survey. Elevation variability and the quality of the stereo-correlation match over small spatial scales were the dominant factors that determined the magnitude of the DEM error at any given location. The error models are strongly correlated with the magnitude of the DEM vertical error and are shown to adequately represent the full range of the observed error. The error models are used to estimate the magnitude of the vertical error for every point in the DEMs. The models are then used to predict the overall error in the DEMs. The results demonstrate that the error models can accurately quantify and predict the spatial variability of the DEM error     

Network mobility and protocol interoperability in ad hoc networks

The integration of various network-level functions, including routing, management, and security, is critical to the efficient operation of a mobile ad hoc network. In this article we focus on network mobility (rather than node mobility), implying the movement of entire subnetworks with respect to one another, while individual users initially associated with one such subnetwork may also move to other domains. One example is a battlefield network that includes ships, aircraft, and ground troops. In this "network of networks", subnets (e.g. shipboard networks) may be interconnected via a terrestrial mobile wireless network (e.g., between moving ships). We discuss the design and implementation of a new ad hoc routing protocol, a suite of solutions for policy-based network management, and approaches for key management and deployment of IPsec in a MANET. These solutions, in turn, are integrated with real-time middleware, a secure radio link, and a topology monitoring tool. We briefly describe each component of the solution, and focus on the challenges and approaches to integrating these components into a cohesive system to support network mobility. We evaluate the effectiveness of the system through experiments conducted in a wireless ad hoc testbed.     

Remote sensing of suspended sediments and shallow coastal waters

Ocean color sensors were designed mainly for remote sensing of chlorophyll concentrations over the clear open oceanic areas (Case 1 water) using channels between 0.4-0.86 /spl mu/m. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) launched on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Terra and Aqua spacecrafts is equipped with narrow channels located within a wider wavelength range between 0.4-2.5 /spl mu/m for a variety of remote sensing applications. The wide spectral range can provide improved capabilities for remote sensing of the more complex and turbid coastal waters (Case 2 water) and for improved atmospheric corrections for ocean scenes. We describe an empirical algorithm that uses this wide spectral range to identify areas with suspended sediments in turbid waters and shallow waters with bottom reflections. The algorithm takes advantage of the strong water absorption at wavelengths longer than 1 /spl mu/m that does not allow illumination of sediments in the water or a shallow ocean floor. MODIS data acquired over the east coast of China, west coast of Africa, Arabian Sea, Mississippi Delta, and west coast of Florida are used.     

A 14-bit high-temperature /spl Sigma//spl Delta/ modulator in standard CMOS

Experimental verification is given for the use of /spl Sigma//spl Delta/ modulation for high-temperature applications (/spl ges/approximately 150/spl deg/C) in a standard CMOS process. Switched-capacitor circuits are used to implement a second-order single-stage and a third-order 2-1 MASH /spl Sigma//spl Delta/ modulator with single-bit quantization. The two modulators have an oversampling ratio of 256 with an input signal bandwidth of 500 Hz. The modulators were fabricated in a 1.5-/spl mu/m standard CMOS technology. A fully differential signal path and near minimum sized switches are used to mitigate the effect of large junction-to-substrate leakage current present at high temperatures. Experimental results show both modulators are capable of over 14 bits of resolution at 225/spl deg/C and over 13 bits of resolution at 255/spl deg/C. Results show that the single-stage modulator is more resistant to high-temperature circuit impairment than is the MASH cascaded structure.     

Highly anisotropic, ultra-smooth patterning of GaN/SiC by low energy electron enhanced etching in DC plasma

Hetero-epitaxial films of GaN(OOOl), deposited on SiC(OOOl) by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy and masked by 200 nm of SiO₂, have been patterned by low energy electron enhanced etching (LE4) in hydrogen and chlorine dc plasmas at room temperature. Lines 2.0 μm wide showed highly anisotropic etching: straight side walls, no overcut, no trenching, and no “pedestal” at the base of the line. Root mean square (RMS) surface roughness of the films as grown was 8.5–10?; after LE4, RMS surface roughness of the etched surfaces was 2.5?.     

Electromagnetic scattering calculated from pair distributionfunctions retrieved from planar snow sections

Electromagnetic wave scattering in dense media, such as snow, depends on the three-dimensional (3D) pair distribution function of particle positions. In snow, two-dimensional (2D) stereological data can be obtained by analyzing planar sections. In this paper the authors calculate the volume 3D pair distribution functions from the 2D stereological data by solving Hanisch's integral equation. They first use Monte Carlo simulations for multisize particles to verify the procedure. Next they apply the procedure to available planar snow sections. A log-normal distribution of particle sizes is assumed for the ice grains in snow. To derive multisize pair functions, a least squares fit is used to recover pair functions for particles with sufficient number density and the hole correction approximation is assumed for the larger particles. A family of 3D pair distribution functions are derived. These are then substituted into dense media scattering theory to calculate scattering. It is found that the computed scattering rates are comparable to those calculated under the Percus-Yevick approximation of pair distribution functions of multiple sizes     

Information and Telecommunications Project for a Digital City: A Brazilian case study

Making information and telecommunications available is a permanent challenge for cities concerned to their social, urban and local planning and development, focused on life quality of their citizens and on the effectiveness of public management. Such a challenge requires the involvement of everyone in the city. The objective is to describe the information and telecommunications project from the planning of a digital city carried out in Vinhedo-SP, Brazil. It was built as a telecommunications infrastructure of the kind of “open access metropolitan area networks” which enables the integration of citizens in a single telecommunications environment. The research methodology was emphasized by a case study which turned to be a research-action, comprising the municipal administration and its local units. The results achieved describe, by means of a methodology, the phases, sub-phases, activities, approval points and resulting products, and formalize their respective challenges and difficulties. The contributions have to do with the practical feasibility of the project and execution of its methodology. The conclusion reiterates the importance of the project, collectively implemented and accepted, as a tool to help the management of cities, in the implementation of Strategic Digital City Projects, in the decisions of public administration managers, and in the quality of life of their citizens.     

Growth of the Greenland ice sheet: a performance assessment ofaltimeter retracking algorithms

The authors compare the performance of different altimeter retracking algorithms for measuring ice sheet elevations and growth rates. The results show that the threshold, ESA, and S/V retracking algorithms produce growth rates that are 30-55% smaller than those produced by the NASA algorithm. Based upon a comparison of crossover-point standard deviations, the analysis indicates that the surface elevation estimates produced by these algorithms are more repeatable than the NASA surface elevations. An analysis of the NASA algorithm shows that a mixing of its 5 and 9 parameter functional fits on the crossover-point altimeter waveforms occurs in over 70% of the crossover data. The mixing of the functional fits is shown to reduce the repeatability of the NASA elevations and this may be responsible for the larger estimates of ice sheet growth produced by the NASA retracking algorithm. The extremely close agreement between the standard deviations and the growth-rate estimates from the threshold, ESA, and S/V retracking algorithms: lead the authors to conclude that 0.10 m/yr is a more accurate estimate of the growth of the Greenland ice sheet from 1978-1987 (south of 72°N)     

Bilateral Laplace Transforms on Time Scales: Convergence, Convolution, and the Characterization of Stationary Stochastic Time Series

The convergence of Laplace transforms on time scales is generalized to the bilateral case. The bilateral Laplace transform of a signal on a time scale subsumes the continuous time bilateral Laplace transform, and the discrete time bilateral z-transform as special cases. As in the unilateral case, the regions of convergence (ROCs) time scale Laplace transforms are determined by the time scale’s graininess. ROCs for the bilateral Laplace transforms of double sided time scale exponentials are determined by two modified Hilger circles. The ROC is the intersection of points external to modified Hilger circle determined by behavior for positive time and the points internal to the second modified Hilger circle determined by negative time. Since graininess lies between zero and infinity, there can exist conservative ROCs applicable for all time scales. For continuous time (ℝ) bilateral transforms, the circle radii become infinite and results in the familiar ROC between two lines parallel to the imaginary z axis. Likewise, on ℤ, the ROC is an annulus. For signals on time scales bounded by double sided exponentials, the ROCs are at least that of the double sided exponential. The Laplace transform is used to define the box minus shift through which time scale convolution can be defined. Generalizations of familiar properties of signals on ℝ and ℤ include identification of the identity convolution operator, the derivative theorem, and characterizations of wide sense stationary stochastic processes for an arbitrary time scales including autocorrelation and power spectral density expressions.