Investigation of electrical properties of a 120 cm PSC using an inner spark pulser

Characteristics of fast pulse propagation in a large planar spark counter (PSC) are simulated using a pulser located inside the spark gap. Besides the main mode of pulse propagation, three undesirable modes are observed. These latter strongly distort the shape of the pulse. Characteristics of these modes and methods to eliminate their effects are demonstrated. We present an electrical design for a 120 cm spark counter along with some of its electrical properties as revealed by measurements made with the inner spark pulser. In the present counter design the charge of a pulse is shared by several neighboring strips, enabling one to measure the transverse position of a spark to a high degree of accuracy.     

Crystal structure and physical properties of a magnetic molecular conductor (EDO-TTFVODS)2FeCl4

Crystal structure, and electrical conducting and magnetic properties of a radical cation salt of EDO-TTFVODS with magnetic FeCl₄^? ion, (EDO-TTFVODS)₂FeCl₄ (EDO-TTFVODS = ethylenedioxytetrathiafulvalenoquinone-1,3-diselenolemethide) are reported. In this salt, there are two independent donor molecules formed two different layers A and B, and the counter FeCl₄^? ions layer is sandwiched between two donor layers A and B along the b-axis. The donor molecules form the one-dimensional columns along the a-axis in both donor layers. This salt shows high conductivity at room temperature (σ_RT = 25 S cm^?1) and a metallic behavior down to ca. 80 K, where a metal–insulator transition however occurs. The magnetic susceptibility obeys a Curie–Weiss law (Curie constant C = 4.42 emu K mol^?1 and Weiss temperature Θ = ?1.5 K), without any magnetic ordering down to 1.8 K. This result suggests the weak antiferromagnetic interaction between the d spins of FeCl₄^? ions.     

Cooking up an interactive olfactory game display.

It's long been possible to give users outside an actual environment that environment's visual and auditory information and thus contribute to establishing presence. However, we've yet to establish much presence when users require olfactory information - such as in environments focused on foods, flowers, perfumes, or, in some cases, more offensive smells. Recently, several VR researchers have become interested in olfaction and olfactory displays that present smells in virtual environments (VEs). In this article, we describe our interactive olfactory display. One of our development goals is to confirm the assumption that users' interactions with the system increases presence. Thus, we used our interactive olfactory display to develop a cooking game in collaboration with electronic engineers and artists.     

1.3?m InGaAsP/InP distributed-feedback P-substrate partially inverted buried-heterostructure laser diode

A novel 1.3?m InGaAsP/lnP distributed-feedback buried-heterostructure laser diode on p-type InP substrate has been developed utilising a dopant diffusion technique. The laser has achieved a threshold current as low as 20 mA and high output power of 32 mW under CW and SLM operation.     

Characterization of interface stress at InGaPAs/GaAs by cr-related luminescence line in GaAs

The interface stress at InGaPAs/GaAs heterostructure has been investigated using the energy shift and splitting of the Cr-related zero-phonon photoluminescence line at 0.839 eV observed in GaAs. It has been found that the GaAs substrate suffers both compressive uniaxial stress and tensile hydrostatic pressure at the InGaPAs/GaAs heterointerface. These shifts and splittings of the 0.839 eV line have been systematically examined as a function of the lattice mismatch between InGaPAs and GaAs, and the thicknesses of the epitaxial-layer and substrate. The amount of the interface stress existing at InGaPAs/GaAs heterostructure has been estimated, based on uniaxial stress data for GaAs: Cr wafers.     

Characteristic Instabilities in HfAlO Metal–Insulator–Metal Capacitors Under Constant-Voltage Stress

Time-dependent characteristic changes of metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors with HfAlO dielectric prepared by atomic-layer deposition under constant-voltage stress (CVS) were studied. It was found that relative dielectric constant , dielectric loss , temperature coefficient of capacitance , and frequency coefficient of capacitance gradually increase during CVS testing, whereas the voltage dependence of capacitance weakens. It was also found that changes in -value, , and during CVS testing linearly depend on changes in . These three linear relationships are basically explained by a dielectric-response model proposed for a ldquoflat-lossrdquo dielectric. That is, the increases in -value, , and are attributed to the dielectric-loss increase caused by voltage stress. Stress-time dependence of the dielectric-loss increase is expressed very well by a power function. That is, the power exponent obtained by a curve fitting linearly increases with stress voltage and decreases with increasing aluminum concentration in the HfAlO dielectric. This result indicates that aluminum addition into the HfAlO dielectric can improve the characteristic stabilities of a MIM capacitor under voltage stress.     

Malignant hypertension in a patient with primary aldosteronism with elevated active renin concentration

A 40-year-old male, with a past history of hypertension but receiving no medical treatment, was referred. He manifested malignant hypertension (190/130 mmHg; Keith-Wagener III), renal dysfunction (serum creatinine, 3.8 mg/dl), and elevated plasma aldosterone (450 pg/ml) and active renin concentration (ARC, 104 pg/ml). His blood pressure was controlled with multiple antihypertensive agents and ARC thus decreased (4.3 pg/ml), but aldosterone remained elevated. Abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a right adrenal adenoma, and aldosterone-producing adenoma was confirmed by adrenal venous sampling. Primary aldosteronism very rarely develops to malignant hypertension, and even in that case ARC is suppressed. Therefore this is a rare case of primary aldosteronism complicated with malignant hypertension and high ARC.     

Novel Video Memory Reduces 45% of Bitline Power Using Majority Logic and Data-Bit Reordering

We propose a low-power two-port SRAM for real-time video processing that exploits statistical similarity in images. To minimize the discharge power on a read bitline, a majority-logic circuit decides if input data should be inverted in a write cycle, so that ldquo1rdquos are in the majority. In addition, for further power reduction, write-in data are reordered into digit groups from the most significant bit group to the least significant bit group. The measurement result of a 68-kbit video memory in a 90-nm process demonstrates that a 45% power saving is achieved on the read bitline. The speed and area overheads are 4% and 7%, respectively.     

On-Site Fabrication of Crystalline Cerium Oxide Films and Patterns by Ink-Jet Deposition Method at Moderate Temperatures

Crystalline CeO₂ films and patterns have been successfully fabricated in a "single-step process" at moderate temperature. In this process, the combination of the ink-jet technique and depositing the precursor on a hot substrate (≤300°C) gave crystalline CeO₂ without further heat treatment. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the phase formed was crystallized ceria with nanosized (<10 nm) crystallites. The film thickness was several hundred nanometers and the pattern width was about 150 μm. Scanning electron microscopy analysis showed that the films and patterns were free of cracks and adhered to the substrate. This is the first report about the direct patterning of crystalline CeO₂ without postfiring or posttreatments like masking, etching, etc.