High-performance MIM capacitor using ALD high-k HfO/sub 2/-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ laminate dielectrics

For the first time, we successfully fabricated and demonstrated high performance metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors with HfO/sub 2/-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ laminate dielectric using atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. Our data indicates that the laminate MIM capacitor can provide high capacitance density of 12.8 fF//spl mu/m/sup 2/ from 10 kHz up to 20 GHz, very low leakage current of 3.2 /spl times/ 10/sup -8/ A/cm/sup 2/ at 3.3 V, small linear voltage coefficient of capacitance of 240 ppm/V together with quadratic one of 1830 ppm/V/sup 2/, temperature coefficient of capacitance of 182 ppm//spl deg/C, and high breakdown field of /spl sim/6 MV/cm as well as promising reliability. As a result, the HfO/sub 2/-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ laminate is a very promising candidate for next generation MIM capacitor for radio frequency and mixed signal integrated circuit applications.     

具有阻力特性材料的σ_f－σ关系及一种新的阻力曲线测定方法

通过对相变增韧陶瓷及一种可切削玻璃－陶瓷动态疲劳（恒应力速率）试验中高应力速率区断裂应力下降现象的理论分析，发现这种现象与材料的阻力特性（Ｒ－ｃｕｒｖｅ）密切相关。确立的σ_ｆ－σ理论关系能够很好地描述整个应力速率区间内的动态疲劳试验结果。高应力速率区σ_ｆ－σ在双对数坐标下为负斜率直线，直线斜率为（ｍ为阻力曲线ＫＲ＝ｋ（△ａ）~ｍ的指数），断裂主要由材料阻力行为控制；低应力速率区，σ_ｆ－σ在双对数坐标下为正斜率直线，直线斜率为　（ｎ为应力腐蚀指数），断裂主要由材料应力腐蚀行为控制。建立了测定材料阻力特性的一种新方法，分别用这种方法及压痕／弯曲方法对一种可切削玻璃－陶瓷的阻力特性进行了实验测定，两种方法所得结果有很好的一致性。     

Solution of Helmholtz equation by Trefftz method

The application of the Trefftz method for calculating wave forces on offshore structures is presented. Indirect and direct formulations using complete and non-singular systems of Trefftz functions for the Helmholtz equation are posed in this paper. An effective technique using different interpolation functions for the velocity potential and wave force are suggested to improve the computational accuracy of the wave force. The numerical examples show that the present method is highly efficient and accurate.     

An experiment for showing some kind of artificial understanding

In this paper we design an experiment which can be depicted as a simple scenario, a very limited 'world'. In this world, there are an actor that can pursue a project and an observer that is keeping its eyes on the actor. We try to show in the experiment that the observer can to some degree understand the actor based on its knowledge and some metaphors, i.e. understand what the actor is doing and why. As the conclusion of this experiment, we try to show some features of 'understanding'. These are (1) that 'understanding' has to be based on some preliminary knowledge; (2) that 'understanding' is a process of incremental learning; (3) that, as for symbolic systems, some metaphors are necessary for mapping real entities into concepts in mind.     

Propagation of a quasi-shear horizontal acoustic wave in Z-Xlithium niobate plates [and conductivity sensor application]

It is found that an acoustic wave which is nearly polarized in the shear horizontal (SH) direction can propagate along the X axis of a Z-cut lithium niobate plate if the ratio h/λ, where h=plate thickness and λ=acoustic wavelength, is less than about 0.5. Attractive properties of this quasi-SH wave include: (1) phase velocity nearly constant for all values of h/λ; (2) ability to propagate in contact with a liquid medium; and (3) electromechanical coupling coefficient as high as 0.15. These properties make the wave attractive for use in a variety of sensor and signal processing applications. An example of sensor applications is illustrated by using the wave to measure conductivity of liquids (aqueous KCl solution). The frequency of a 12-MHz quasi-SH mode oscillator fabricated on a 0.48 wavelength thick Z-X lithium niobate plate is found to vary by more than 80 kHz for variation in KCI concentration from 0 to 0.15%     

Permeation of Zidovudine and Probenecid from Oily Bases Containing Alcohols Through Rat Skin

Permeation of zidovudine (3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine, AZT) and probenecid from oily bases containing an alcohol through rat skin was examined. Isopropyl myristate (IPM), as an oily vehicle, showed a penetration enhancing effect for AZT and probenecid. Ethanol, n-propanol, and n-butanol were used as additives in IPM and were examined for their own permeation and the enhancing effect on the permeation of AZT and probenecid. The skin permeation of AZT and probenecid from IPM was enhanced by addition of the alcohol in IPM. The degree of the enhancement was decreased with increasing lipophilicity of the alcohol used. me permeation rate of the drug from those systems was shown to be governed by penetration-enhancing effects of the oily base and alcohol, and the penetration of the alcohol itself through the skin.     

Catalytic dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene with carbon dioxide: promotional effect of antimony in supported vanadium–antimony oxide catalyst

Alumina-supported vanadium oxide, VO_x/Al₂O₃, and binary vanadium–antimony oxides, VSbO_x/Al₂O₃, have been tested in the ethylbenzene dehydrogenation with carbon dioxide and characterized by S_BET, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, hydrogen temperature-programmed reduction and CO₂ pulse methods. VSbO_x/Al₂O₃ exhibited enhanced catalytic activity and especially on-stream stability compared to VO_x/Al₂O₃ catalyst. Incorporation of antimony into VO_x/Al₂O₃ increased dispersion of active VO_x species, enhanced redox properties of the systems and formed a new mixed vanadium–antimony oxide phase in the most catalytically efficient V_0.43Sb_0.57O_x/Al₂O₃ system.     

TennisViewer: a browser for competition trees

A tennis novice watching a match for the first time might be surprised that the crowd erupts with cheers when a player wins one point, then barely applauds when he wins the next. The crowd is not necessarily fickle; some points are genuinely more important than others because a tennis match is hierarchically structured. One match consists of several sets. One set consists of several games. One game consists of several points. The match-winning point is the most important one. How can we make that importance visible? Our goal is to let a fan, a player, or a coach examine tennis data visually, extract the interesting parts, and jump from one item to another quickly and easily. The visualization tool should help parse the elements of a match. We developed an interactive system called TennisViewer to visualize the dynamic, tree-structured data representing a tennis match. It provides an interface for users to quickly explore tennis match information. The visualization tool reveals the overall structure of the match as well as the fine details in a single screen. It uses a 2D display of translucent layers, a design that contains elements of Tree-Maps and of the Visual Scheduler system, which was designed to help faculty and students identify mutually available (transparent) time slots when arranging group meetings. TennisViewer provides MagicLens filters to explore specialized views of the information and a time-varying display to animate all or part of a match     

Electrical characterization of porous BaTiO3 using impedance spectroscopy in humid condition

The humidity response characteristics of La doped BaTiO₃ with different sintered densities and room temperature electrical conductivities were investigated using complex impedance measurement. The samples with low density and high resistivity showed the large and nearly linear sensitivity to the change of humidity. The impedance spectra of samples, when exposed to high humidity, can exhibit microstructure-related features, even though they do not give rise to a noticeable characteristic change when exposed to low humidity. The observed impedance patterns were dependent upon the density, and hence the oxidation kinetics of BaTiO₃.