A new polysilicon CMOS self-aligned double-gate TFT technology

In this paper, a new polysilicon CMOS self-aligned double-gate thin-film transistor (SA-DG TFT) technology is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The self-alignment between the top- and bottom-gate is realized by a backlight exposure technique. The structure has an ultrathin channel region (300 /spl Aring/) and a thick source/drain region. Experimental results show that this technology provides excellent current saturation due to a combination of the effective reduction in the drain field and the full depletion of the ultrathin channel. Moreover, for n-channel devices, the SA-DG TFT has a 4.2 times higher on-current (V/sub gs/=20V) as compared to the conventional single-gate TFT. Whereas for the p-channel devices, the SADG TFT has a 3.6 times higher on-current (V/sub gs/=-20V) compared to the conventional single-gate device.     

Low-cost, high-efficiency quasi-planar array of waveguide-fed circularly polarized microstrip antennas

A low-cost quasiplanar Ku-band array of circularly polarized microstrip antennas benefiting from a low-loss waveguide feed network is demonstrated (patent pending). The 32 elements of the array which are arranged in a 2-by-16 configuration are subdivided into four two-by-four subarrays. To maintain feed losses and thus the overall noise temperature at a minimum, the subarrays are excited using a one-by-four corporate feed network of hollow metallic waveguides. This network is composed of E-plane components such as Tee-junctions and bends and is manufactured out of only two metallic pieces that accommodate the feed network in the form of milled grooves. Because of insensitivity of the exploited E-plane components to air gaps or slight misalignments, the pieces are secured together with only four screws without welding, braising, or conducting adhesives. Owing to a low-loss foam substrate, the array elements show high circular polarization gain of 9 dBic and wide relative bandwidth of 4%. To achieve circular polarization, use is made of circular patches with two nearly perpendicular perturbations. Using sequential rotation of the elements along with quadrature phase shifting, the axial ratio of the array is reduced to 1 dB over 4% of bandwidth. The measured circular polarization gain of the array amounts to 23 dBic with an aperture efficiency of 63% in the Ku-band of frequencies. The achieved efficiency, which is higher than the reported efficiency for comparable planar arrays with microstrip feed networks, can be credited to the low losses of only 0.2 dB in its waveguide corporate feed. The paper also presents measurement results for an arrangement of two inclined single arrays mounted in parallel. This configuration which has a measured circular polarization gain of 25.7 dBic with an axial ratio of 1 dB is desirable for mobile low-profile antenna systems.     

Prediction of thermal comfort in a building during a cold spell

The comfort diagrams and the so-called PMV-PPD values are already used today directly and indirectly in a wide field in technical practice, even at a standard level. This theory is known also in Hungary, and the PMV-PPD values have been used by us for the solution of a design problem. The task was to elaborate a calculation method, an index number suitable for the determination of the thermal confort effect in the case of occasional underheating of residential and communal buildings in winter.The results of this work are presented in this paper.     

Wavelength-switchable fiber laser using acoustic waves

We report a wavelength-switchable fiber ring laser that includes a Bragg grating-based acoustooptic superlattice modulator. Wavelength switching of the laser emission is achieved by controlling the peak reflectivity of the different reflection bands that appear on both sides of the Bragg wavelength when a longitudinal acoustic wave propagates along the grating.     

Photoconductive Terahertz antenna with radial symmetry

It has been demonstrated recently that it is possible to guide broadband Terahertz pulses utilising a novel coaxial waveguide. This technique is hindered by the difficulty in exciting the radially polarised fundamental mode of the waveguide. To optimise mode matching, a novel radially symmetric photoconductive Terahertz antenna is proposed. Using finite element method simulations and analytical calculations, it is shown that this antenna can generate the desired radial polarisation.     

Application of a multi-channel system for continuous monitoring and an early warning system.

A multi-channel continuous toxicity monitoring system developed in our laboratory, based on two-stage mini-bioreactors, was successfully implemented in the form of computer-based data acquisition. The multi-channel system consists of a series of a two-stage minibioreactor systems connected by a fiber optic probe to a luminometer, and uses genetically engineered bioluminescent bacteria for the detection of the potential toxicity from the soluble chemicals. This system can be stably and continuously operated due to the separation of the culture reactor from the test reactor and accomplish easy and long-term monitoring without system shut down by abrupt inflows of severe polluting chemicals. Four different recombinant bioluminescent bacteria were used in different channels so that the modes of the samples toxicities can be reasonably identified and evaluated based upon the response signature of each channel. The bioluminescent signatures were delivered from four channels by switching one at once, while the data is automatically logged to an IBM compatible computer. We also achieved the enhancement of the system through the manipulation of the dilution rate and the use of thermo-lux fusion strains. Finally, this system is now being implemented to a drinking water reservoir and river for remote sensing as an early warning system.     

Monitoring of human enteric viruses and coliform bacteria in waters after urban flood in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Floodwaters in Kampung Melayu village, Jakarta, Indonesia, as well as river water and consumable water (including groundwater and tap water) samples in flooded and non-flooded areas, were quantitatively analysed to assess occurrence of viruses and total coliforms and E. coli as bacterial indicators after flooding event. High numbers of enterovirus, hepatitis A virus, norovirus (G1, G2) and adenovirus were detected at high concentration in floodwaters and waters sampled from Ciliwung River which runs across metropolitan Jakarta and is used widely for agriculture and domestic purposes by poor residents. One out of three groundwater wells in the flooded area was contaminated with all viruses tested while no viruses were found in groundwater samples in non-flooded areas and tap water samples. The results revealed that human enteric viruses, especially hepatitis A virus and adenovirus, were prevalent in Jakarta, Indonesia. This study suggested that flooding posed a higher risk of viral infection to the people through contamination of drinking water sources or direct contact with floodwaters.     

Lessons learnt from 15 years of ICA in anaerobic digesters.

Anaerobic digestion plants are highly efficient wastewater treatment processes with inherent energy production. Despite these advantages, many industries are still reluctant to use them because of their instability confronted with changes in operating conditions. There is therefore great potential for application of instrumentation, control and automation (ICA) in the field of anaerobic digestion. This paper will discuss the requirements (in terms of on-line sensors needed, modelling efforts and mathematical complexity) but also the advantages and drawbacks of different control strategies that have been applied to AD high rate processes over the last 15 years.     

Boosting nitrification by membrane-attached biofilm.

Nitrification is a key step for reliable biological nitrogen removal. In order to enhance nitrification in the activated sludge (AS) process, membrane-attached biofilm (MAB) was incorporated in a conventional activated sludge tank. Simultaneous organic carbon removal and nitrification of the MAB incorporated activated sludge (AS + MAB) process was investigated with continuous wastewater treatment. The effluent TOC concentration of AS and the AS + MAB processes were about 6.3 mg/L and 7.9 mg/L, respectively. The TOC removal efficiency of both AS and AS + MAB were above 95% during the wastewater treatment, indicating excellent organic carbon removal performance in both processes. Little nitrification occurred in the AS process. On the contrary, successful nitrification was obtained with the AS + MAB process with nitrification efficiency of about 90%. The volumetric and surface nitrification rates were about 0.14 g/Ld and 6.5 g/m2d, respectively. The results clearly demonstrated that nitrification in the conventional AS process was boosted by MAB. Furthermore, the microfaunal population in the AS + MAB process was different from that in the AS process. The high concentration of rotifers in the AS + MAB process was expected to decrease the generation of excess sludge in the process.