Partial scan design and test sequence generation based on reduced scan shift method

This paper presents a partial scan algorithm, calledPARES (PartialscanAlgorithm based onREduced Scan shift), for designing partial scan circuits. PARES is based on the reduced scan shift that has been previously proposed for generating short test sequences for full scan circuits. In the reduced scan shift method, one determines proch FFs must be controlled and observed for each test vector. According to the results of similar analysis, PARES selects these FFs that must be controlled or observed for a large number of test vectors, as scanned FFs. Short test sequences are generated by reducing scan shift operations using a static test compaction method. To minimize the loss of fault coverage, the order of test vectors is so determined that the unscanned FFs are in the state required by the next test vector. If there are any faults undetected yet by a test sequence derived from the test vectors, then PARES uses a sequential circuit test generator to detect the faults. Experimental results for ISCAS'89 benchmark circuits are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of PARES.     

Removal of Interlayer Water of two Ti3C2Tx MXenes as a Versatile Tool for Controlling the Fermi-Level Pinning-Free Schottky Diodes with Nb:SrTiO3

Striving for the sixth-generation communication technology discovery, semiconductors beyond Si with wider bandgaps as well as non-conventional metals are actively being sought to achieve high speeds whilst maintaining devices miniaturization. 2D materials may provide the potential for downsizing, but their functional advantage over existing counterparts still longs to be discovered. Along that path, surface-adsorbed or bulk-intercalated water molecules remaining after wet-chemical synthesis of 2D materials are generally seen as obstacles to high-performance achievement. Herein, the control of such water within the interlayers of solution-processed metallic 2D titanium carbide (MXene) by vacuum annealing duration is demonstrated. Moreover, the impact of water removal on work function (WF) and functional terminations is unveiled for the first time. Furthermore, the usefulness of such water for controlling a novel Schottky diode in contact with an n-type oxide semiconductor, niobium-doped strontium titanate (Nb:SrTiO₃) is observed. The advantage of MXene compared to conventional gold as facile processing, WF tunability, and lower turn-on voltage in the Schottky anode application is highlighted. This fundamental study shows the way for a novel Schottky diode preparation in atmospheric conditions and provides implications for further research directions aiming at commercialization.     

Improving the photovoltaic performance of co‐evaporated Cu2ZnSnS4 thin‐film solar cells by incorporation of sodium from NaF layers

We have investigated the influence of sodium (Na) on the properties of co‐evaporated Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (CZTS) layer microstructures and solar cells. The photovoltaic performance and diode properties were improved by incorporating Na from NaF layers into the CZTS layers, while Na had a negligible effect on the microstructural properties of the layer. The best cell fabricated by using an optimal CZTS layer (Cu/(Zn + Sn) = 0.70, Zn/Sn = 1.8) yielded an active area efficiency of 5.23%. The analysis of device properties suggests that charge‐carrier recombination at CZTS/CdS interface is suppressed by intentional Na incorporation from NaF layers. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cross-layer selective routing for cost and delay minimization in IEEE 802.11ac wireless mesh network

Wireless Networks - A Wireless Internet-access Mesh NETwork (WIMNET) provides scalable and reliable internet access through the deployment of multiple access points (APs) and gateways (GWs). In...     

Relation between encoder and syndrome former variables and symbol reliability estimation using a syndrome trellis

We derive a linear correspondence between the variables of an encoder and those of a corresponding syndrome former. Using the derived correspondence, we show that the log-likelihood ratio of an information bit conditioned on a received sequence can be equally calculated using the syndrome trellis. It is shown that the proposed method also applies to recursive systematic convolutional codes which are typical constituent codes for turbo codes. Moreover, we show that soft-in syndrome decoding considering a priori probabilities of information bits is possible in the same way as for Viterbi decoding based on the code trellis. Hence, the proposed method can be applied to iterative decoding such as turbo decoding. We also show that the proposed method is effective for high-rate codes by making use of trellis modification.     

Photoluminescence Analysis of Iron Contamination Effect in Multicrystalline Silicon Wafers for Solar Cells

We investigated the effect of Fe contamination on the electronic properties of dislocation clusters in relation to oxygen precipitation in multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si). Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and mapping were performed at room and liquid-He temperatures on mc-Si wafers before and after Fe contamination. PL spectra consisted of the band-edge emission, the 0.78-eV emission associated with oxygen precipitates, and the dislocation-related D-lines. The Fe contamination increased the electrically active dislocation clusters. Part of these clusters acted as preferential oxygen precipitation sites, and their electronic properties were not further influenced by the Fe contamination.     

Strain selection and scale-up fermentation for FR901379 acylase production by Streptomyces sp. no. 6907

Micafungin (FK463) is a widely used treatment for life-threatening, deep-seated fungal infections. It is an echinocandin-like lipopeptide derived from the chemical modification of deacylated FR901379, a type of lipopeptide antibiotic produced by Coleophoma empetri F-11899. The palmitoyl moiety of FR901379 is deacylated by FR901379 acylase produced by Streptomyces sp. no. 6907. In this study, our goal was to generate an improved strain of Streptomyces sp. no. 6907 capable of hyperproducing the FR901379-acylase enzyme. To accomplish this goal, modified strains of Streptomyces sp. no. 6907 were generated using UV-irradiation mutagenesis, and strain selection was performed using an agar-plate screening method to efficiently select an acylase-hyperproducing strain. Three marker indices were shown to correlate with elevated acylase production: decreased candidacidal activity of FR901379, decreased proteolytic activity on skim milk, and phenotypic characteristics. Cloning and subsequent sequencing of the acylase gene from the hyperproducing mutant revealed no mutations in either the acylase structural gene or the 5'-flanking region required for gene expression. The growth medium was also modified to maximize acylase production. We successfully increased acylase activity approximately 65-fold, compared with the original growth conditions (wild strain cultured in the original unmodified medium). To minimize formation of excess foam during the fermentation process, we optimized the parameters of agitation speed, as calculated from the discharge flow rate. Using our improved strain and the optimized medium and growth conditions, we have developed an improved and highly reproducible method for stable large-scale production of FR901379-acylase.     

Investigation of pesticide residues in foods distributed in Kitakyushu City

We investigated 160 kinds of pesticide residues in 715 samples of 116 kinds of foods distributed in Kitakyushu city. Sixty kinds of pesticides were detected in 55 kinds of foods (204 samples) in the range of 0.002-22 mg/kg. Five kinds of pesticides in 7 samples violated the residue standards and the indication of "unused". The detection ratios of unregulated pesticide in domestic and imported foods were 27.8 and 33.0%, respectively. Iprodione, dicofol, diethofencarb, procymidone and chlorfenapyr (for domestic food) and total bromine, benomyl, chlorpyrifos, dicofol, fenvalerate, cypermethrin and dimethoate (for imported food) showed relatively high detection ratios. Chinese cabbage, garland chrysanthemum, tomatoes and green teas (domestic) and broccoli, bananas, grapefruit, lemons, oranges, frozen edamame and frozen kidney beans (imported) showed high relative pesticide detection ratios. Residual pesticides were detected with relatively high frequency in imported fruits, imported frozen foods and imported processed foods.