High-speed small-scale InGaP/GaAs HBT technology and itsapplication to integrated circuits

We have developed the advanced performance, small-scale InGaP/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) by using WSi/Ti base electrode and buried SiO₂ in the extrinsic collector. The base-collector capacitance C_BC was further reduced to improve high-frequency performance. Improving the uniformity of the buried SiO ₂, reducing the area of the base electrode, and optimizing the width of the base-contact enabled us to reduce the parasitic capacitance in the buried SiO₂ region by 50% compared to our previous devices. The cutoff frequency f_T of 156 GHz and the maximum oscillation frequency f_max of 255 GHz were obtained at a collector current I_C of 3.5 mA for the HBT with an emitter size S_E of 0.5×4.5 μm², and f_T of 114 GHz and f_max of 230 GHz were obtained at I_C of 0.9 mA for the HBT with S_E of 0.25×1.5 μm². We have also fabricated digital and analog circuits using these HBTs. A 1/8 static frequency divider operated at a maximum toggle frequency of 39.5 GHz with a power consumption per flip-flop of 190 mW. A transimpedance amplifier provides a gain of 46.5 dB·Ω with a bandwidth of 41.6 GHz at a power consumption of 150 mW. These results indicate the great potential of our HBTs for high-speed, low-power circuit applications     

A new class of zero-correlation zone sequences

In this correspondence, two new methods for constructing sets of zero-correlation zone (ZCZ) sequences are proposed. These methods are based on perfect sequences and unitary matrices. Compared with previous methods, the proposed methods can generate sets of nonbinary ZCZ sequences having a longer zero-correlation zone. The sequences obtained by these methods are suitable for approximately synchronized code-division multiple-access (AS-CDMA) systems.     

Optical response of tin nitride thin films prepared by halide chemical vapor deposition under atmospheric pressure

Optical response of tin nitride (SnN_x) films, which were deposited onto quartz substrates by means of atmospheric pressure, halide chemical vapor deposition (AP-HCVD), were examined by pulsed irradiation of a YAG laser (532 nm). It was observed that the transmittance of a light of a He-Ne laser (633 nm) through the SnN_x film decreases after the film is irradiated with a YAG laser. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) micrograph observation confirmed that spot-like humps appeared on the SnN_x film surface in the regions spotted by the YAG laser. This phenomenon was explained in terms of the laser-assisted thermal decomposition of SnN_x to β-tin.     

Multiobjective genetic algorithm applied to aerodynamic design ofcascade airfoils

A multiobjective genetic algorithm (GA) based on Fonseca-Fleming's Pareto-based ranking and fitness-sharing techniques has been applied to aerodynamic shape optimization of cascade airfoil design. Airfoil performance is evaluated by a Navier-Stokes code. Evaluation of GA population is parallelized on the Numerical Wind Tunnel, a parallel vector machine. The present multiobjective design seeks high pressure rise, high flow turning angle, and low total pressure loss at a low Mach number. Pareto solutions that perform better than existing control diffusion airfoils were obtained     

Multidimensional feedforward compensator for industrial systems through pole assignment regulator and observer

A feedforward-compensator-design technique is presented for industrial control systems. The proposed feedforward compensator can improve dynamic characteristics of multidimensional systems by modifying the input signals. The multidimensional feedforward-compensator design is based on the pole assignment regulator, the minimal-order observer, and the conversion from a closed-loop system to an open-loop system. The effectiveness of the proposed feedforward compensator is demonstrated by a simulation study of temperature control of a thermal power plant and by experiments of the contour control of an articulated robot arm.     

Radiation from the transmission line with an acute bend

The transmission and radiation characteristics at an acute bend of a transmission line are investigated analytically. First, in consideration of the strong coupling to the adjacent conductor, the current distributions are decomposed into even and odd modes. Applying the traveling-wave mode method to these modes, it is shown that transmission characteristics of the line with an acute bend can be easily obtained. The abrupt variation of the voltage near the bend is noted. Next, the discontinuities of the traveling wave currents are regarded as radiating sources and the radiation field from the bend in the transmission line is derived by the summation of fields created by each of the discontinuities. It is found that there exist the electric field component radiating strongly in the directions of propagation of the current and another electric field component radiating strongly into the intermediate direction. Finally, by comparing with the former method and experimental results, the validity of the method is confirmed     

Geometrical Characteristics and Surface Polarity of Inclined Crystallographic Planes of the Wurtzite and Zincblende Structures

Inclined crystallographic planes of the wurtzite structure were investigated in comparison with the zincblende structure in terms of surface geometry characteristics. The ball–stick model indicates that the semipolar surface possesses a surface polarity resembling the anion polarity, which agrees with the common experimental observations of epitaxial growth preference for the cation-polarity surface over the surface. The wurtzite surface was found to share geometrical similarities with the zincblende {100} surface uniquely among the possible semipolar planes. This finding encourages epitaxial growth on the plane of wurtzite semiconductors, e.g., GaN, with the potential of avoiding atomic step formations typically associated with off-axis crystallographic planes.     

Control scheme for optimizing the interferometer phase bias in a symmetric-Mach-Zehnder-type all-optical switch

A control scheme for accurately optimizing (and also automatically stabilizing) the interferometer phase bias of symmetric-Mach-Zehnder (SMZ)-type ultrafast all-optical switches is proposed. In this control scheme, weak continuous-wave light is used as supervisory input light and its spectral power ratio at the switch output is used as a bipolar error signal. Our experimental results for 168-Gb/s 16:1 demultiplexing with a hybrid-integrated SMZ switch indicate the feasibility and the sensitivity of this control scheme.     

Changes in the characteristics of CuInGaSe2 solar cells under light irradiation and during recovery: degradation analysis by the feeble light measuring method

Changes in the characteristics of CuInGaSe₂ solar cells in response to light irradiation were investigated. Then these changes, which suggest long-term degradation, were clarified using the measurement technique by feeble light. The thin-film cell of this type is considered to be “ever stable”. A stable result over the short term was also obtained in the light accelerated test of 2-SUN performed in this experiment. On the other hand, it was found that the characteristics measured with feeble light show a remarkable change over time. As a result of measuring at 0.065–105 mW/cm² light intensity, the change rate of cell output power was so intense the measurement light was weak. This finding reflects the increase in an internal defect and suggests a possibility that light irradiation exerts the influence on long-term cell performance. Moreover, by measuring with feeble light, we found that the changed output recovers by reverse voltage application. The phenomenon of recovery up on comparatively low reverse voltage can be considered as an application for maintaining stability.     

A low-impedance open-bitline array for multigigabit DRAM

The noise-generating mechanisms inherent in the open-bitline DRAM array using the 6F² (F: feature size) memory cells and techniques for reducing the noise are described. The sources of differential noise coupled to the paired bitlines laid out in two arrays are the p-well, cell plate, and the group of nonselected wordlines. It was found, by simulation and by experiment with a 0.13-μm 256-Mb test chip, that the level of noise is dramatically reduced by using a low-impedance array with careful layout featuring low-resistivity materials, tight bridging between pairs of adjacent arrays, and a small array, achieving a comparable level of noise to that seen in the twisted and folded-bitline array. On basis of these results, it turns out that the open-bitline array has a strong chance of revival in the multigigabit generation, as long as these noise reduction techniques are applied