Theoretical and practical investigation of the thermal generation in gate controlled diodes

The different components of thermal generation in a gate controlled diode are studied theoretically and experimentally. Expressions for the generation current in the space charge layer, the diffusion current from the quasi-neutral bulk and the surface generation current are derived for a gated-diode. The width of the generation zone within the space charge layer is calculated as a function of the energy level of the trap and the diode reverse voltage. This leads to a characteristic of the leakage current as a function of the space charge layer width. It is pointed out that the diffusion current can influence the leakage current and cannot be neglected in structures with a low dark current. In the second part the gate controlled diode is used to characterize the thermal generation in structures with a homogeneous and low dark current. A generation lifetime of 5.5 msec and a surface generation velocity at a depleted surface of 1.5 cm/sec is derived. The generation lifetime is found to be constant as a function of depth into the substrate. A considerable diffusion current is measured which is comparable to the generation current in the space charge layer.     

Neutronic feasibility design of a small long-life HTR

Small high temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTRs) have the advantages of transportability, modular construction and flexible site selection. This paper presents the neutronic feasibility design of a 20 MWth U-Battery, which is a long-life block-type HTR. Key design parameters and possible reactor core configurations of the U-Battery were investigated by SCALE 5.1. The design parameters analyzed include fuel enrichment, the packing fraction of TRISO particles, the radii of fuel compacts and kernels, and the thicknesses of top and bottom reflectors. Possible reactor core configurations investigated include five cylindrical, two annular and four scatter reactor cores for the U-Battery. The neutronic design shows that the 20 MWth U-Battery with a 10-year lifetime is feasible using less than 20% enriched uranium, while the negative values of the temperature coefficients of reactivity partly ensure the inherent safety of the U-Battery. The higher the fuel enrichment and the packing fraction of TRISO particles are, the lower the reactivity swing during 10 years will be. There is an optimum radius of fuel kernels for each value of the fuel compact design parameter (i.e., radius) and a specific fuel lifetime. Moreover, the radius of fuel kernels has a small influence on the infinite multiplication factor of a typical fuel block in the range of 0.2–0.25 mm, when the radius of fuel compacts is 0.6225 cm and the lifetime of the fuel block is 10 years. The comparison of the cylindrical reactor cores with the non-cylindrical ones shows that neutron under-moderation is a basic neutronic characteristic of the reactor core of the U-Battery. Increasing neutron moderation by replacing fuel blocks with graphite blocks and dispersing the graphite blocks in the reactor core are two effective ways to increase the fuel burnup and lifetime of the U-Battery. Water or steam ingress may induce positive reactivity ranging from 0 to 0.16 Δk/k, which further demonstrates that the U-Battery is under-moderated.     

Building the nodal nuclear data dependences in a many-dimensional state-variable space

We present new methods for building the polynomial-regression based nodal nuclear data models. The data models can reflect dependences on a large number of state variables, and they can consider various history effects. Suitable multivariate polynomials that approximate the nodal data dependences are identified efficiently in an iterative manner. The history effects are analysed using a new sampling scheme for lattice calculations where the traditional base burnup and branch calculations are replaced by a large number of diverse burnup histories. The total number of lattice calculations is controlled so that the data models are built to a required accuracy.     

Double cracking in brittle cylindrical specimens subjected to quenching

A series of quench tests on hollow cylindrical specimens made of the machinable ceramic, Pyrophyllite, has been performed. The specimens consistently fractured with two diametrically opposite longitudinal cracks. Finite element analysis indicates that the primary crack occurred at the stage when the strain energy of the cylinder reached its maximum during the thermal transient process, while the secondary crack was caused by stress waves generated following the primary crack. This is supported by experimental observation of the time of fracture and the crack morphology. The work reported here helps to shed light on the fracture criterion for brittle cylindrical components under transient thermal and dynamic loadings.     

Major hydrocarbons of the post-pharyngeal glands of mated queens of the red imported fire antSolenopsis invicta

Thin layer and column chromatographic analyses showed that hydrocarbons were the major lipoidal components of post-pharyngeal glands of mated queens of the red imported fire ant,Solenopsis invicta. Gas liquid chromatographic analyses on an OV-17 column showed four major hydrocarbons which have been identified and confirmed by synthesis and comparative mass spectral analyses as 13-methylheptacosane, 13,15-dimethylheptacosane, 3-methylheptacosane, and 3,9-dimethylheptacosane. When microgram quantitites of the natural alkanes on filter paper were placed in colonies of ants, the ants clustered on the paper about the sample and proceeded to masticate the paper in the area containing the alkanes.     

Die polymerisation der lactame VI. Die copolymerisation von 6-caprolactam und 8-capryllactam

The process of incorporating 6-caprolactam and 8-capryllactam into polymer chains was studied during the hydrolytic, cationic, and anionic copolymerization in the case of equimolar ratio of the above mentioned monomers. At the beginning of the hydrolytic copolymerization at temperatures between 200 and 260°C, 6-caprolactam was more rapidly incorporated into the chains. Decreasing temperature led to a decrease in the total rate of polymerization with increasing difference between rates of incorporating the two components. Contrary to this, at the initial stage of the cationic copolymerization, the incorporation of 8-capryllactam was faster by orders of magnitude than that of 6-caprolactam, the changes of the copolymer composition being independent of temperature. Under the conditions of interest, in the course of the anionic copolymerization the two monomers were characterized with the same rates of incorporation into the polymer chains. Different melting points of products separated at various stages of the copolymerization process corresponded to the above mentioned differences in rates of incorporating individual monomers into polymer chains when different reaction mechanisms were employed.     

Evaluation of Digitally Encoded Layer‐by‐layer Coated Microparticles as Cell Carriers

To obtain more biologically relevant data there is a growing interest in the use of living cells for assaying the biological activity of unknown chemical compounds. Density ‘multiplex’ cell‐based assays, where different cell types are mixed in one well and simultaneously investigated upon exposure to a certain compound are beginning to emerge. To be able to identify the cells they should be attached to microscopic carriers that are encoded. This paper investigates how digitally encoded microparticles can be loaded with cells while keeping the digital code in the microcarriers readable. It turns out that coating the surface of the encoded microcarriers with polyelectrolytes using the layer‐by‐layer (LbL) approach provides the microcarriers with a ‘highly functional’ surface. The polyelectrolyte layer allows the growth of the cells, allows the orientation of the cell loaded microcarriers in a magnetic field, and does not hamper the reading of the code. It has further been shown that the cells growing on the polyelectrolyte layer can become transduced by adenoviral particles hosted by the polyelectrolyte layer. It is concluded that the digitally encoded microparticles are promising materials for use in biomedical and pharmaceutical in‐vitro research where cells are used as tools.     

Effect of gate length in InAs/AlSb HEMTs biased for low power or high gain

The effect of gate-length variation on DC and RF performance of InAs/AlSb HEMTs, biased for low DC power consumption or high gain, is reported. Simultaneously fabricated devices, with gate lengths between 225 nm and 335 nm, have been compared. DC measurements revealed higher output conductance g_ds and slightly increased impact ionization with reduced gate length. When reducing the gate length from 335 nm to 225 nm, the DC power consumption was reduced by approximately 80% at an f_T of 120 GHz. Furthermore, a 225 nm gate-length HEMT biased for high gain exhibited an extrinsic f_T of 165 GHz and an extrinsic f_max of 115 GHz, at a DC power consumption of 100 mW/mm. When biased for low DC power consumption of 20 mW/mm the same HEMT exhibited an extrinsic f_T and f_max of 120 GHz and 110 GHz, respectively.