A multicarrier CDMA system with adaptive subchannel allocation forforward links

Multicarrier transmission schemes have been introduced into code-division multiple access (CDMA) systems to gain advantages for high data rate transmission. One of the methods is to transmit identical narrowband direct-sequence (DS) waveforms in parallel over a number of subchannels using frequency diversity. In this paper, we propose a multicarrier CDMA system with an adaptive subchannel allocation method for forward links. In the proposed system, instead of identical DS waveforms being transmitted over a number of subchannels in parallel, each user's DS waveform is transmitted over the user's favourite subchannel which has the largest fading amplitude among all the subchannels. We analyze the performance characteristics of the system when orthogonal and random signature sequences are used. The proposed system is shown to have performance gain over the conventional multicarrier CDMA system. We also investigate how the performance is influenced when the signal is not perfectly allocated into the best subchannel     

Joint utility function-based scheduling for two-way communication services in wireless networks

A type of joint utility function-based scheduling is proposed for two-way communication services in wireless networks. The scheduling of uplink and downlink services is done jointly so that the base station selects a user efficiently and fairly while considering the channel state of both the uplink and the downlink. Because a user generally has two communication links, an uplink and a downlink, the overall satisfaction with a communication service can be formulated as the sum of the quality of the uplink and downlink services. However, most of the previous types of scheduling for the uplink and downlink were designed separately and independently. This paper proposes a joint scheduling algorithm for integrated uplink and downlink services: a base station selects a user while simultaneously considering both the uplink channel state and the downlink channel state. An analytical model is developed for the purpose of determining the scheduling metric, the system throughput, and the level of fairness. The numerical and computer simulation results show that in comparison with conventional proportional fair scheduling the proposed joint scheduling achieves a better throughput while satisfying the fairness among users.     

Interfacial Connections between Organic Perovskite/n+ Silicon/Catalyst that Allow Integration of Solar Cell and Catalyst for Hydrogen Evolution from Water

The rapidly increasing solar conversion efficiency (PCE) of hybrid organic–inorganic perovskite (HOIP) thin-film semiconductors has triggered interest in their use for direct solar-driven water splitting to produce hydrogen. However, application of these low-cost, electronic-structure-tunable HOIP tandem photoabsorbers has been hindered by the instability of the photovoltaic-catalyst-electrolyte (PV+E) interfaces. Here, photolytic water splitting is demonstrated using an integrated configuration consisting of an HOIP/n⁺silicon single junction photoabsorber and a platinum (Pt) thin film catalyst. An extended electrochemical (EC) lifetime in alkaline media is achieved using titanium nitride on both sides of the Si support to eliminate formation of insulating silicon oxide, and as an effective diffusion barrier to allow high-temperature annealing of the catalyst/TiO₂-protected-n⁺silicon interface necessary to retard electrolytic corrosion. Halide composition is examined in the (FA_1-xCs_x)PbI₃ system with a bandgap suitable for tandem operation. A fill factor of 72.5% is achieved using a Spiro-OMeTAD-hole-transport-layer (HTL)-based HOIP/n⁺Si solar cell, and a high photocurrent density of −15.9 mA cm⁻² (at 0 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode) is attained for the HOIP/n⁺Si/Pt photocathode in 1 m NaOH under simulated 1-sun illumination. While this thin-film design creates stable interfaces, the intrinsic photo- and electro-degradation of the HOIP photoabsorber remains the main obstacle for future HOIP/Si tandem PEC devices.     

Linear prediction approach to oversampling parameter estimation for multiple complex sinusoids

The problem of oversampling parameter estimation for noisy sinusoidal signals is addressed. We first extend the weighted least squares (WLS) approach to the complex sinusoids. Then the oversampling weighted least squares (OSWLS) estimator is proposed based on data decimation. Estimation performance of the OSWLS method is analyzed via theoretical and simulation studies. Results are also compared to those of the WLS and decimative unitary ESPRIT methods as well as Cramér-Rao lower bound.     

Multirate-based fast parallel algorithms for 2-D DHT-based real-valued discrete Gabor transform

Novel algorithms for the multirate and fast parallel implementation of the 2-D discrete Hartley transform (DHT)-based real-valued discrete Gabor transform (RDGT) and its inverse transform are presented in this paper. A 2-D multirate-based analysis convolver bank is designed for the 2-D RDGT, and a 2-D multirate-based synthesis convolver bank is designed for the 2-D inverse RDGT. The parallel channels in each of the two convolver banks have a unified structure and can apply the 2-D fast DHT algorithm to speed up their computations. The computational complexity of each parallel channel is low and is independent of the Gabor oversampling rate. All the 2-D RDGT coefficients of an image are computed in parallel during the analysis process and can be reconstructed in parallel during the synthesis process. The computational complexity and time of the proposed parallel algorithms are analyzed and compared with those of the existing fastest algorithms for 2-D discrete Gabor transforms. The results indicate that the proposed algorithms are the fastest, which make them attractive for real-time image processing.     

High-Efficiency Blue Emitting Phosphorescent OLEDs

In this paper, we will show our latest results on high-efficiency blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (PHOLEDs). Effects of triplet exciton confinement, exciton energy transfer and charge trapping, and charge balance on iridium(III)bis [(4,6-di-fluorophenyl)-pyridinato-N,C2'] picolinate (FIrpic)-based blue PHOLEDs will be presented. By optimizing the aforementioned device parameters, a high-efficiency blue PHOLED with 59 cd/A (48 lm/W at 100 cd/m²) was demonstrated.     

Intramolecular Donor–Acceptor Regioregular Poly(3‐hexylthiophene)s Presenting Octylphenanthrenyl‐Imidazole Moieties Exhibit Enhanced Charge Transfer for Heterojunction Solar Cell Applications

Intramolecular donor–acceptor structures prepared by covalently binding conjugated octylphenanthrenyl‐imidazole moieties onto the side chains of regioregular poly(3‐hexylthiophene)s exhibit lowered bandgaps and enhanced electron transfer compared to the parent polymer, e.g., conjugation of 90 mol% octylphenanthrenyl‐imidazole moieties onto poly(3‐hexylthiophene) chains reduces the optical bandgap from 1.91 to 1.80 eV, and the electron transfer probability is at least twice as high as that of pure poly(3‐hexylthiophene) when blended with [6,6]‐phenyl‐C₆₁‐butyric acid methyl ester. The lowered bandgap and the fast charge transfer both contribute to much higher external quantum efficiencies, thus much higher short‐circuit current densities for copolymers presenting octylphenanthrenyl‐imidazole moieties, relative to those of pure poly(3‐hexylthiophene)s. The short‐circuit current density of a device prepared from a copolymer presenting 90 mol% octylphenanthrenyl‐imidazole moieties is 13.7 mA · cm^?2 which is an increase of 65% compared to the 8.3 mA · cm^?2 observable for a device containing pure poly(3‐hexylthiophene). The maximum power conversion efficiency of this particular copolymer is 3.45% which suggest that such copolymers are promising polymeric photovoltaic materials.     

Extraction of interface states at emitter–base heterojunctions in AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructure bipolar transistors using sub-bandgap photonic excitation

Distribution of interface states at the emitter–base heterojunctions in heterostructure bipolar transistors (HBTs) is characterized by using current–voltage characteristics using sub-bandgap photonic excitation. Sub-bandgap photonic source with a photon energy E_ph which is less than the energy bandgap E_g (E_g,GaAs = 1.42, E_g,AlGaAs = 1.76 eV) of emitter, base, and collector of HBTs, is employed for exclusive excitation of carriers only from the interface states in the photo-responsive energy range at emitter–base heterointerface. The proposed method is applied to an Al_0.3Ga_0.7As/GaAs HBT (A_E = W_E × L_E = 250 × 100 μm²) with E_ph = 0.943 eV and P_opt = 3 mW. Extracted interface trap density D_it was observed to be D_it,max  4.2 × 10¹² eV⁻¹ cm⁻² at emitter–base heterointerface.     

Manipulation of morphology and structure of the top of GaAs nanowires grown by molecular-beam epitaxy

Self-catalyzed GaAs nanowires (NWs) are grown on Si (111) substrates by molecular-beam epitaxy. The effect of different closing sequences of the Ga and As cell shutters on the morphology and structural phase of GaAs NWs is investigated. For the sequences of closing the Ga and As cell shutters simultaneously or closing the As cell shutter 1 min after closing the Ga cell shutter, the NWs grow vertically to the substrate surface. In contrast, when the As cell shutter is closed first, maintaining the Ga flux is found to be critical for the following growth of GaAs NWs, which can change the growth direction from[111] to <111>. The evolution of the morphology and structural phase transition at the tips of these GaAs NWs confirm that the triple-phase-line shift mode is at work even for the growth with different cell shutter closing sequences. Our work will provide new insights for better understanding of the growth mechanism and realizing of the morphology and structure control of the GaAs NWs.     

Modeling and measurement of simultaneous switching noise coupling through signal via transition

The signal via is a heavily utilized interconnection structure in high-density System-on-Package (SoP) substrates and printed circuit boards (PCBs). Vias facilitate complicated routings in these multilayer structures. Significant simultaneous switching noise (SSN) coupling occurs through the signal via transition when the signal via suffers return current interruption caused by reference plane exchange. The coupled SSN decreases noise and timing margins of digital and analog circuits, resulting in reduction of achievable jitter performance, bit error ratio (BER), and system reliability. We introduce a modeling method to estimate SSN coupling based on a balanced transmission line matrix (TLM) method. The proposed modeling method is successfully verified by a series of time-domain and frequency-domain measurements of several via transition structures. First, it is clearly verified that SSN coupling causes considerable clock waveform distortion, increases jitter and noise, and reduces margins in pseudorandom bit sequence (PRBS) eye patterns. We also note that the major frequency spectrum component of the coupled noise is one of the plane pair resonance frequencies in the PCB power/ground pair. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the amount of SSN noise coupling is strongly dependent not only on the position of the signal via, but also on the layer configuration of the multilayer PCB. Finally, we have successfully proposed and confirmed a design methodology to minimize the SSN coupling based on an optimal via positioning approach.