High-frequency components of leakage current as diagnostic tool to study aging of polymer insulators under salt fog

The results of using the high-frequency components of the leakage current to study aging of contaminated insulators under salt fog conditions. Experimental results demonstrate that the high-frequency components can be used effectively to study aging of polymer insulators in a salt fog test.     

Multi-valued static random access memory (SRAM) cell with single-electron and MOSFET hybrid circuit

A new multi-valued static random access memory (MVSRAM) cell with a hybrid circuit consisting of a single-electron (SE) and MOSFETs is proposed. The previously reported MVSRAM with an SE-MOSFET hybrid circuit needs two data lines, one bit line for write operations and one sense line for read operations, to improve the speed of the read-out operation, but the proposed cell has only one data line for read/write operations, resulting in a memory area that is much smaller than that of the previous cell, without any reduction of read-out speed.     

Shrink‐Wrapped Boundary Face Algorithm for Mesh Reconstruction from Unorganized Points

A new mesh reconstruction scheme for approximating a surface from a set of unorganized 3D points is proposed. The proposed method, called a shrink‐wrapped boundary face (SWBF) algorithm, produces the final surface by iteratively shrinking the initial mesh generated from the definition of the boundary faces. SWBF surmounts the genus‐0 spherical topology restriction of previous shrink‐wrapping‐based mesh generation techniques and can be applied to any type of surface topology. Furthermore, SWBF is significantly faster than a related algorithm of Jeong and others, as SWBF requires only a local nearest‐point‐search in the shrinking process. Our experiments show that SWBF is very robust and efficient for surface reconstruction from an unorganized point cloud.     

Theoretical and philosophical issues in psychoanalysis.

Discusses the question of whether philosophical issues have a significant place in contemporary psychoanalytic thought. Topics covered include how the psychoanalytic theoretic enterprise is best viewed, how the person is viewed as an actor in his own life story, and the nature-nurture controversy. The author believes that current psychoanalytic thought reflects the philosophical concerns of mankind through the ages. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Source-synchronization and timing vernier techniques for 1.2-GB/sSLDRAM interface

This paper describes a validation system for an SLDRAM interface. The SLDRAM system utilizes two techniques to achieve a high data-transfer rate with a conventional module mounting style. The first technique is a source-synchronization scheme. Since the chip that transmits data also supplies the data clock, the clock and data are completely synchronous. The second is the timing vernier technique. A wait time for output data is programmable in each SLDRAM. Therefore, the time at which data arrive at the controller from any SLDRAM can be set by the controller with a 200-ps step size. The validation chip is designed to emulate these operations. The chip is fabricated using a 0.35-μm CMOS process technology and packaged in a conventional 0.65-mm pitch thin small out-line package, mounted on a single-chip module, and put into an eight-module system. A stub series terminated logic (SSTL)-like interface is adopted for high-speed signals. From system-level measurements, the data eye width of 600 ps is obtained at a data rate of 600 Mbps. Errorless data transmission is observed in both read and write operations in a bit-error rate testing. The validation system has successfully demonstrated a data-transmission rate of 1.2 GB/s (600 Mbit/s/pin) using source-synchronization and timing vernier techniques at the supply voltage of 2.5 V     

Discrimination between natural and HPHT-treated type IIa diamonds using photoluminescence spectroscopy

We have performed low-temperature (8 K) photoluminescence (PL) measurements on 71 natural and 12 high-pressure-and-high-temperature (HPHT)-treated type IIa diamonds. The GR1, NV⁰, NV^?, H4, and H3 defect center PL signals are compared. Some distinct differences in the PL lineshape, intensity, and appearance of side-band PL signals are observed. Furthermore, we processed 6 of the natural diamond samples with the HPHT treatment to investigate the effect of the treatment on the PL spectrum. By systematically analyzing the differences in the PL spectra, we developed a scheme to discriminate natural and HPHT-treated diamonds with 99% validity.     

Electrospun PEDOT:PSS/PVP nanofibers as the chemiresistor in chemical vapour sensing

Herein, PEDOT:PSS/PVP nanofibers were produced by electrospinning. The presence of PEDOT:PSS in the nanofibers was confirmed by FT-Raman spectroscopy. The applied voltage-dependent diameter of PEDOT:PSS/PVP nanofibers was observed. Also, sensing behaviors of electrospun PEDOT:PSS/PVP nanofibers were explored by measuring its response upon cyclic exposure to organic vapours such as ethanol, methanol, THF, and acetone at room temperature. When PEDOT:PSS/PVP nanofibers were exposed to each solvent, the protic and aprotic solvents resulted in opposite electrical responses. These findings exhibit that electrospun PEDOT:PSS/PVP nanofibers are the promising candidate for the organic vapour sensing material.     

Preparation and Thermoelectric Properties of p-Type Yb-Filled Skutterudites

p-Type Yb _z Fe_4?x Co _x Sb₁₂ skutterudites were prepared by encapsulated melting and hot pressing, and the filling and doping (charge compensation) effects on the transport and thermoelectric properties were examined. The electrical conductivity of all specimens decreased slightly with increasing temperature, indicating that they were in a degenerate state due to high carrier concentrations of 10²⁰ cm^?3 to 10²¹ cm^?3. The Hall and Seebeck coefficients exhibited positive signs, indicating that the majority carriers are holes (p-type). The Seebeck coefficient increased with increasing temperature to maximum values of 100 μV/K to 150 μV/K at 823 K. The electrical and thermal conductivities were reduced by substitution of Co for Fe, which was responsible for the decreased carrier concentration. Overall, the Yb-filled Fe-rich skutterudites showed better thermoelectric performance than the Yb-filled Co-rich skutterudites.     

Alignment of Fluid Molecules in an EHD Contact

Dichroic infrared emission spectra have been obtained from an operating elastohydrodynamic contact under conditions showing unequivocally that the molecules of the fluid are aligned under shear flow in the bulk of the fluid and that the extent of the alignment is increased by the presence of an additive in a small concentration. This work applied particularly to polyphenyl ether and to 1,1,2-trichloroethane as the additive, but similar results have been obtained with polycyclohexyls and the same additive. The observation of two separate glass transition for the polycyclohexyl solution is an indication of the occurrence of a phase separation in the Hertzian inlet zone. A model has been developed to explain the effect of these phenomena and their relation to traction.