A theoretical study on different cluster configurations of the 9Be nucleus by using a simple cluster model

In this study,a comprehensive investigation on different cluster configurations of the ~9Be nucleus is performed with a simple cluster approach.With this goal,the elastic scattering angular distributions of ~9Be by ~(27)A1,~(28)Si,~(64)Zn,~(144)Sm,~(208)Pb,and ~(209)Bi target nuclei are reanalyzed for α + α + n,d + ~7Li,~3H + ~6Li,~3He + ~6He and n + ~8Be cluster configurations of the ~9Be projectile within the framework of the optical model.The theoretical results are compared with each other as well as the experimental data.The results provide an opportunity for a test of different cluster configurations in explaining the elastic scattering of~9Be nucleus.     

Novel thermal barrier coatings that are resistant to high-temperature attack by glassy deposits

Airborne sand particles that deposit on thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) in gas-turbine engines melt and form calcium–magnesium–aluminosilicate (CMAS) glass, which attacks the TBCs. A new approach for mitigating CMAS attack on TBCs is presented, where up to 20 mol.% Al₂O₃ and 5 mol.% TiO₂ in the form of a solid solution is incorporated into Y₂O₃-stabilized ZrO₂ (YSZ) TBCs. The fabrication of such TBCs with engineered chemistries is made possible by the solution-precursor plasma spray (SPPS) process, which is uniquely suited for depositing coatings of metastable ceramics with extended solid-solubilities. Here, the TBC serves as a reservoir of Al and Ti solutes, which are incorporated into the molten CMAS glass that is in contact with the TBC. This results in the crystallization of the CMAS glass and the attendant arrest of the penetrating CMAS front. This approach could also be used to mitigate attack by other types of foreign deposits (salt, ash, and contaminants) on TBCs.     

PressBase : a presentation synchronization database for distributed multimedia systems

Multimedia presentations are the basic objects of multimedia databases. Since a multimedia presentation is not an instant display of a query result, the control knowledge (or synchronization requirements) has to be incorporated into the database and necessary precautions have to be taken for a lengthy presentation. Active databases provide a mechanism for incorporation of control knowledge by using event-condition-action (ECA) rules. In this paper, we describe how multimedia synchronization can be handled within a database using ECA rules. We present a prototype presentation synchronization database, named as PressBase, for distributed multimedia systems. We have adopted one of the synchronization models, SynchRuler, and then incorporated into a relational database system.     

PLUS: a probe-loss utilization streaming mechanism for distributed multimedia presentation systems

We present a new flow and congestion control scheme, PLUS (Probe-Loss Utilization Streaming protocol), for distributed multimedia presentation systems. This scheme utilizes probing of the network situation and an effective adjustment mechanism to data loss to support multimedia presentations. The proposed scheme is also designed to scale with increasing number of PLUS-based streaming traffic and to live in harmony with TCP-based traffic. The novelty of the PLUS protocol is that it utilizes the knowledge of its future bottleneck bandwidth in probing the current network situation. This can be achieved by a priori knowledge of the multimedia data before a presentation is requested by a client. Compression schemes like MPEG introduce dependencies on media units. I frames are needed to successfully decode P and B frames, and P frames are needed to decode B frames. A loss of an I or P frame automatically eliminates dependent media units. Our probing scheme increases the successful transmission of critical I and P packets without the overhead of error-correction-schemes. Probing is done using B-frame packets. The advantage is that we use data packets as probe packets. With the PLUS protocol we address the need to avoid congestion rather than react to it. Experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach in utilizing network resources and decreasing loss ratios.     

Determination of the Dill parameters of thick positive resist for use in modeling applications

The determination of Dill parameters of thick resist is very important to improve simulation models of resist exposure and real world processes. A new extraction technique of Dill parameters based on spectroscopic ellipsometry in combination with an advanced resist exposure model is proposed for thick resist analysis. The complex refractive index of the resist is related to the relative concentration of the photoactive compound in the resist in order to describe the vertical distribution of the refractive index and the extinction coefficient. Moreover, Dill parameters are extracted by directly fitting the bleaching curves to the measured ellipsometry data. The new approach was investigated experimentally by spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements on AZ5214E resist with two moderate layer thickness values in order to verify the accuracy of the new method. Dill parameters were extracted by using this new technique and by applying resist samples subjected to different exposure doses. Possible reasons for the variation of Dill parameters depending on resist thickness are explained. Furthermore, advantages, limitations and potential improvements of the model are discussed. Finally, the impact of Dill parameter variation on image formation in the resist is demonstrated by applying the spectroscopic ellipsometer analysis results as input parameters to the lithography simulator Dr.LiTHO.     

Primary User Emulation Detection Algorithm Based on Distributed Sensor Networks

In this paper, we propose a novel primary user emulation (PUE) detection approach which employs a distributed sensor network, where each sensor node operates as an independent PUE detector. Distributed nodes collaborate in order to obtain the final detection results for the whole network. A voting algorithm is used to improve the performance of energy detection, while the classification is conducted by the nearest node in order to improve the efficiency of the detector. As a result of voting, if a potential primary user exists, then the features of the unknown user is compared with entries from the database in order to obtain a solid detection match. An artificial neural network (ANN) is used for the classification of an unknown user. To assess the accuracy of the detection result, we implement a reliability check at the output of ANN. The proposed algorithm is validated via computer simulations as well as by experimental hardware implementations using the Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP) software-defined radio (SDR) platform. The experiment results show that the distributed network detector detects the PUE 180–200%, depending on the number of primary users, faster than single node detector.     

The impact of data aggregation on the performance of wireless sensor networks

With the increasing need for different energy saving mechanisms in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), data aggregation techniques for reducing the number of data transmissions by eliminating redundant information have been studied as a significant research problem. These studies have shown that data aggregation in WSNs may produce various trade‐offs among some network related performance metrics such as energy, latency, accuracy, fault‐tolerance and security. In this paper, we investigate the impact of data aggregation on these networking metrics by surveying the existing data aggregation protocols in WSNs. Our aim is twofold: First, providing a comprehensive summary and comparison of the existing data aggregation techniques with respect to different networking metrics. Second, pointing out both the possible future research issues and the need for collaboration between data management and networking research communities working on data aggregation in WSNs. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A fast hybrid field-circuit simulator for transient analysis of microwave circuits

A plane-wave-time-domain accelerated time-domain integral-equation solver is coupled to a SPICE-like transient circuit simulator to analyze electromagnetic platform-circuit interactions. The hybrid field-circuit simulator simultaneously solves surface-wire-volume time-domain integral equations that model electromagnetic interactions with the platform and modified nodal analysis equations that govern the behavior of the potentially nonlinear lumped circuits. A shielded nonlinear microwave amplifier is analyzed using the proposed scheme, and its immunity to electromagnetic interference is assessed.