Globally optimal transmitter placement for indoor wireless communication systems

A global optimization technique is applied to solve the optimal transmitter placement problem for indoor wireless systems. An efficient pattern search algorithm - DIviding RECTangles (DIRECT) of Jones et al.- has been connected to a parallel three-dimensional radio propagation ray tracing modeler running on a 200-node Beowulf cluster of Linux workstations. Surrogate functions for a parallel wideband code-division multiple-access (WCDMA) simulator were used to estimate the system performance for the global optimization algorithm. Power coverage and bit-error rate are considered as two different criteria for optimizing locations of a specified number of transmitters across the feasible region of the design space. This paper briefly describes the underlying radio propagation and WCDMA simulations and focuses on the design issues of the optimization loop.     

Diversity improvement estimation from rain Radar databases using maximum likelihood estimation

This research examines route diversity as a fade mitigation technique in the presence of rain, for terrestrial microwave links. The improvement in availability due to diversity depends upon the complex spatio-temporal properties of rainfall. To produce a general model to predict the advantage due to route diversity it is necessary to be able to predict the correlation of rain attenuation on arbitrary pairs of microwave links. This is achieved by examination of a database of radar derived rain rate fields. Given a representative sample of rain field images, the joint rain attenuation statistics of arbitrary configurations of terrestrial links can be estimated. Existing rain field databases often yield very small numbers of high joint attenuation events. Consequently, estimates of the probability of joint high attenuation events derived from ratios of the number of occurrences can be highly inaccurate. This paper assumes that pairs of terrestrial microwave links have joint rain attenuation distributions that are bi-lognormally distributed. Four of the five distribution parameters can be estimated from ITU-R models. A maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) method is used to estimate the fifth parameter, i.e., the covariance or correlation. The predicted diversity statistics vary smoothly and yield plausible extrapolations into low probability situations.     

Information systems leadership

Information system (IS) leadership is a critical area for many organizations because of their increasing dependence on ISs both for operational stability and for enablement of process innovation and business strategy. IS Leadership is distinctive from leadership in general because the Chief Information Officer (CIO) is expected to combine IS technical skills with an in-depth understanding of the organization across all functions from operational to strategic. Thus, unique leadership challenges arise due to the technology/business interface. The breadth of the IS Leadership role implies that IS Leadership research needs to cover a wide range of topics concerning the role and characteristics of the CIO, the CIO's interface with the top management team, and the CIO's organizational impact. This essay discusses the distinctive aspects of IS Leadership, identifies the dominant themes in prior IS Leadership research,and introduces five papers on IS Leadership in this issue.     

Electrical characterization of poly(amide-imide) for application in organic field effect devices

The admittance spectra and current–voltage (I–V) characteristics are reported of metal–insulator–metal (MIM) and metal–insulator–semiconductor (MIS) capacitors employing cross-linked poly(amide–imide) (c-PAI) as the insulator and poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) as the active semiconductor. The capacitance of the MIM devices are constant in the frequency range from 10 Hz to 100 kHz, with tan δ values as low as 7 × 10⁻³ over most of the range. Except at the lowest voltages, the I–V characteristics are well-described by the Schottky equation for thermal emission of electrons from the electrodes into the insulator. The admittance spectra of the MIS devices displayed a classic Maxwell–Wagner frequency response from which the transverse bulk hole mobility was estimated to be ∼2 × 10⁻⁵ cm² V⁻¹s⁻¹ or ∼5 × 10⁻⁸ cm² V⁻¹s⁻¹ depending on whether or not the surface of the insulator had been treated with hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) prior to deposition of the P3HT. From the maximum loss observed in admittance-voltage plots, the interface trap density was estimated to be ∼5 × 10¹⁰ cm⁻² eV⁻¹ or ∼9 × 10¹⁰ cm⁻² eV⁻¹ again depending whether or not the insulator was treated with HMDS. We conclude, therefore, that HMDS plays a useful role in promoting order in the P3HT film as well as reducing the density of interface trap states. Although interposing the P3HT layer between the insulator and the gold electrode degrades the insulating properties of the c-PAI, nevertheless, they remain sufficiently good for use in organic electronic devices.     

Saturation intensity and time response of InGaAs-InGaP MQW opticalmodulators

We report modulation saturation and time response measurements on InGaAs-InGaP MQW modulators. The measurements yield a saturation intensity of (3.7±0.1) kW/cm² for a 0-10 V swing and switching times between 10 and 90 ns, depending on the bias voltage and incident light intensity. The observed dependence indicates that field screening due to carrier build-up is the dominant physical mechanism determining both the speed and the saturation intensity. This conclusion is supported by results of theoretical calculations     

The isolation and nucleation of misfit dislocations in strained epitaxial layers grown on patterned,ion-damaged GaAs

As shown previously, the misfit dislocation density of strained epitaxial III–V layers can be significantly reduced by isolating sections (via patterned etching) of a GaAs substrate before epitaxial growth. A disadvantage of this technique is that the wafer surface is no longer planar, which can complicate subsequent device fabrication. As an alternative, we have investigated growth of 350 nm of In_0.5Ga{0.95}As by molecular beam epitaxy at two temperatures on substrates which were patterned and selectively damaged by Xe ion implantation (300 keV, 10¹⁵ cm²). Selectively etched substrates were prepared as reference samples as well. The propagation of the misfit dislocations was stopped by the ion-implanted regions of the low growth temperature (400° C) material, but the damaged portions also acted as copious nucleation sources. The resulting dislocation structure was highly anisotropic, with dislocation lines occurring in virtually only one direction. At the higher growth temperature (500° C) the defect density fell, but the ion damaged sections no longer blocked dislocation glide. Images from cathodoluminescence and transmission electron microscopy show thatthe low growth temperature material has a dislocation density of 70,000 cm^-1 in the 110 direction and less than 10,000 cm^-1 in the 110 direction. Ion channeling and x-ray diffraction show that strain is relieved in only one direction. The strain relief is consistent with the relief derived from TEM dislocation counts and Burgers vector determination. However, even this high dislocation count is not sufficient to reach the expected equilibrium strain. Reasons for the anisotropy are discussed.     

用于平板显示制造中的真空设备——BOC Edwards特有的模块组合系统

在过去的10年内,平板显示业(FPD)迅猛发展,以满足对高品质的显示设备,如显示器,电视机,手机和掌上电脑(PDA)等的需求。显示行业研究机构的最新统计表明:显示器的销售由2003年的440亿美元增至2006年的730亿美元,预计2009年将达到900亿美元。而产能的扩张更令人惊讶:以每年42%的增长率,从2005年的39000m2玻璃到2009年预计的121000m2。为了使平板显示器能更普遍地使用,降低生产成本是关键。FPD行业已经通过增加玻璃尺寸非常成功地降低了每块面板的成本。这个增长比率每年都在递增,从2000年的0.35m(23代)到2006年的4.4m(27代),6年内翻了10番…     

Computer modelling and analysis of the photodegradation effect in a-Si:H p-i-n solar cell

Using a previous model, which was developed to describe the light-induced creation of the defect density in the a-Si:H gap states, we present in this work a numerical modelling of the photodegradation effect in the a-Si:H p-i-n solar cell under continuous illumination. We first considered the simple case of a monochromatic light beam with a wavelength λ between 530-540 nm non uniformly absorbed, then the global standard solar spectrum (AM 1.5) illumination is taken into account. The photodegradation is analysed on the basis of the resulting changes in the free carrier's densities, recombination rate, band structure, electrical potential and field, space charge, and current densities. Changes in the cell's external parameters: the open circuit voltage V_oc, the short circuit current density J_sc, the fill factor FF and the maximum power density P_max are also presented.     

Solution Processing Route to Multifunctional Titania Thin Films: Highly Conductive and Photcatalytically Active Nb:TiO2

This paper reports the synthesis of highly conductive niobium doped titanium dioxide (Nb:TiO₂) films from the decomposition of Ti(OEt)₄ with dopant quantities of Nb(OEt)₅ by aerosol‐assisted chemical vapor deposition (AACVD). Doping Nb into the Ti sites results in n‐type conductivity, as determined by Hall effect measurements. The doped films display significantly improved electrical properties compared to pristine TiO₂ films. For 5 at.% Nb in the films, the charge carrier concentration was 2 × 10²¹ cm^?3 with a mobility of 2 cm² V^–1 s^–1 . The corresponding sheet resistance is as low as 6.5 Ω sq^–1 making the films suitable candidates for transparent conducting oxide (TCO) materials. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the lowest reported sheet resistance for Nb:TiO₂ films synthesized by vapour deposition. The doped films are also blue in colour, with the intensity dependent on the Nb concentration in the films. A combination of synchrotron, laboratory and theoretical techniques confirmed niobium doping into the anatase TiO₂ lattice. Computational methods also confirmed experimental results of both delocalized (Ti⁴⁺) and localized polaronic states (Ti³⁺) states. Additionally, the doped films also functioned as photocatalysts. Thus, Nb:TiO₂ combines four functional properties (photocatalysis, electrical conductivity, optical transparency and blue colouration) within the same layer, making it a promising alternative to conventional TCO materials.     

Photon-assisted capacitance–voltage study of organic metal–insulator–semiconductor capacitors

The results are reported of a detailed investigation into the photoinduced changes that occur in the capacitance–voltage (C–V) response of an organic metal–insulator–semiconductor (MIS) capacitor based on the organic semiconductor poly(3-hexylthiophene), P3HT. During the forward voltage sweep, the device is driven into deep depletion but stabilizes at a voltage-independent minimum capacitance, C_min, whose value depends on photon energy, light intensity and voltage ramp rate. On reversing the voltage sweep, strong hysteresis is observed owing to a positive shift in the flatband voltage, V_FB, of the device. A theoretical quasi-static model is developed in which it is assumed that electrons photogenerated in the semiconductor depletion region escape geminate recombination following the Onsager model. These electrons then drift to the P3HT/insulator interface where they become deeply trapped thus effecting a positive shift in V_FB. By choosing appropriate values for the only disposable parameter in the model, an excellent fit is obtained to the experimental C_min, from which we extract values for the zero-field quantum yield of photoelectrons in P3HT that are of similar magnitude, 10^?5 to 10^?3, to those previously deduced for π-conjugated polymers from photoconduction measurements. From the observed hysteresis we deduce that the interfacial electron trap density probably exceeds 10¹⁶ m^?2. Evidence is presented suggesting that the ratio of free to trapped electrons at the interface depends on the insulator used for fabricating the device.