Designing circuits with partial scan

In this scan design methodology, only selected faults are targeted for detection. These faults are those not detected by the designer's functional vectors. The test generator decides exactly which flip-flops should be scanned using one of two methods. In the first method, all possible tests are generated for each target fault, and the set of tests requiring the fewest flip-flops is selected. In the second method, only one test is generated for each fault, and the use of flip-flops is avoided as much as possible during test generation. Examples of actual VLSI circuits show a savings of at least a 40% in full-scan overhead     

Network and device-level impacts: performance and reliability of active I/O storage systems

Distributed active storage architectures are designed to offload user-level processing to the peripheral from the host servers. In this paper, we report preliminary investigation on performance and fault recovery designs, as impacted by emerging storage interconnect protocols and state-of-the-art storage devices. Empirical results obtained using validated device-level and interconnect data demonstrate the significance of the said parameters on the overall system performance and reliability.     

Microarchitectures for Managing Chip Revenues under Process Variations

As transistor feature sizes continue to shrink intothe sub-90nm range and beyond, the effects of process variationson critical path delay and chip yields have amplified. A commonconcept to remedy the effects of variation is speed-binning, bywhich chips from a single batch are rated by a discrete range offrequencies and sold at different prices. In this paper, we discussstrategies to modify the number of chips in different bins andhence enhance the profits obtained from them. Particularly, wepropose a scheme that introduces a small Substitute Cacheassociated with each cache way to replicate the data elementsthat will be stored in the high latency lines. Assuming a fixedpricing model, this method increases the revenue by as much as13.8% without any impact on the performance of the chips.     

Motion control of a novel planar biped with nearly linear dynamics

In this paper, we propose the design of a planar biped for which the model is nearly linear, i.e., the inertia matrix is a constant and the gravity terms in the equations of motion are still nonlinear, but simplified. The legs are designed such that the inertia matrix is independent of the joint variables. As a result, the nonlinear terms in the centrifugal and Coriolis terms disappear. In this design, each leg has two links that are connected by a revolute joint at the knee. The two legs are connected to each other at the hip. The center of mass of each leg is located at the hip, using counterweights. We assume that the stance leg is locked at the knee during the support phase. For this system, dynamic model for complete walking, i.e., swing phase, knee lock, and foot impact are considered. Motion control for trajectory following of this design is studied using a nonlinear controller. The paper discusses the issue of tracking of desired trajectories during the full cycle motion.     

A unique method for reducing losses of bends in dielectric optical wave guide

The dielectric optical wave guide is finding growing attention at millimeter wave frequencies. However the dielectric optical waveguide radiates at bends and thus transmission loss increases. These radiations are in the outword direction of bends. This output radiation at output bends arises due to change in phase velocities of the propagating wave at the centre of the dielectric guide and the phase velocity at the outer surface of the dielectric guide. A unique methiod is suggested to avoid these radiation losses.Experimental results are also shown at microwave frequencies.     

Adhesion Mechanisms of Polyurethanes to Glass Surfaces. III. Investigation of Possible Physico-Chemical Interactions at the Interphase

Surface free energies of polyurethanes made from toluene diisocyanate and 1, 4 butanediol-based hard segments and caprolactone polyol-based soft segments were calculated using additive functions. Good agreement was found between the calculated values based on additive functions and the calculated values based on contact angle measurements. The phase-separated polyurethanes were found to have a higher polar surface free energy component (γ^P). This was linked to the preferential segregation of butanediol/butanediol-derived moieties to the polyurethane surfaces due to phase separation. The adhesion values of these polyurethanes to soda-lime glass were correlated with their respective γ^P values and a linear relationship was found. It was also shown that the adhesion values of the low γ^P polyurethanes improved substantially when the glass surfaces were coated with a thin layer of butanediol prior to the bonding. The modulus of the interphase region rich in butanediol was evaluated. Although a modulus increase was found at the interface, this increase was found to play a secondary role in the adhesion. The chemical interactions at the polyurethane/glass interphase were investigated by pre-treating the glass surfaces with methyl-trimethoxysilane and trimethylchlorosilane prior to adhesion testing. The adhesion data showed no significant difference between the uncoated and the silane-treated glass substrates. Based on this experimental evidence, the possibility of any covalent or ionic bonding at the polyurethane/glass interphase was assumed negligible. It was determined that the mechanism of adhesion between the polyurethanes and the glass surface could be through the formation of an interphase region in which hydrogen bonding between the butanediol-rich interphase region and the hydroxylated glass surface plays a key role.     

Variation of wave impedance of shielded suspended dielectric guide

A shielded suspended dielectric guide is a dielectric rectangular slab enclosed by regular metallic side walls from all the sides. This type of structure is used in dual mode phase shifter where the size of the normal rectangular wave guide is reduced at the ends, where a dielectric material is embeded in ferrite core. Hence impedance variation of a phase shifter at its transition may be easily calculated using shielded suspended dielectric guide which is a prime parameter for optimum efficiency of wave launching.     

High voltage 4H-SiC Schottky barrier diodes

Characteristics of 4H-SiC Schottky barrier diodes with breakdown voltages up to 1000 V are reported for the first time. The diodes showed excellent forward I-V characteristics, with a forward voltage drop of 1.06 V at an on-state current density of 100 A/cm². The specific on-resistance for these diodes was found to be low (2×10 ^-3 Ω-cm² at room temperature) and showed a T ^1.6 variation with temperature. Titanium Schottky barrier height was determined to be 0.99 eV independent of the temperature. The breakdown voltage of the diodes was found to decrease with temperature     

High power and low cross‐polarization microstrip patch array antenna at S‐band

This article reports the design and development of high power, low cross‐polarization, and high efficiency circularly polarized microstrip patch array antenna at S‐band, proposed for Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System payload. A novel feeding mechanism for truncated corner square patch based on square coaxial line for broadband impedance matching is discussed. Sequential rotation scheme for axial ratio improvement in an array is implemented. High power handling margins in critical regions of square coaxial line for multipaction breakdown is brought out. Measured 19 dB return loss bandwidth of array antenna is 15.6%. Axial ratio of 0.78 dB over global coverage is achieved in the desired frequency band of operation. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2012.