Injection control of a long-pulse electron-beam pumped XeF (C→A) laser

An XeF (C→A) laser, pumped at a rate of 290 kW/cm³ with a 600-ns electron-beam pulse, has been operated as an injection-controlled oscillator. A stable cavity has been injected with radiation from a pulsed dye laser source. A significant reduction in laser turn-on time has been achieved, and the laser pulse duration has been extended to 500 ns (FWHM). As a consequence, the laser intrinsic efficiency and specific output energy have been increased by approximately 50%, to 1.8% and 3 J/L, respectively, which represent the best performance obtained thus far for any directly electrically excited XeF (C→A) laser. Also, by injecting a narrowband signal into the cavity, the XeF (C→A) laser linewidth has been reduced by more than two orders of magnitude, to less than 1.3 Å, the resolution of the spectrometer. The laser wavelength has been tuned from 478.6 to 486.8 nm, with less than a factor of two variation in output energy     

The publication and citation output of German Faculties of Economics and Social Sciences - a comparison of faculties and disciplines based upon SSCI data

Summary The purpose of this study is to quantify and compare the publication and citation output of the biggest faculties of economics and social sciences in Germany. Various publication and citation measures based upon Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) data are used to explore the comparative strengths and weaknesses of ten academic fields at the named faculties. To reflect the varying size of the fields and faculties, output measures as well as productivity measures are explicitly considered. From a bibliometric perspective empirical results demonstrate that various measures are necessary to adequately identify the comparative strengths and weaknesses of entire faculties and of selected disciplines within faculties.     

Direct bandwidth and polarization control of an XeF unstableresonator laser

Several approaches to directly controlling the bandwidth and polarization of an unstable resonator without the use of an injection source are discussed. The techniques are based on the control of oscillations within (and around) the resonator core through the use of small, subaperture optical elements (e.g. etalons, Brewster-angle plates, Glan-air prisms) mounted at select locations within the system. The experiments were performed on a 4-J, e-beam pumped, XeF ( B→X) laser operating at ambient temperature, with output predominantly at 353.2 nm. A spectral linewidth of less than 12 GHz (0.05 Å) and nearly perfect linear polarization were simultaneously achieved at high laser efficiency. Oscillation on a single, dominant transverse mode has been demonstrated. The increased cost and complexity of injection-controlled systems are avoided through the use of these direct, core-control approaches     

Bulk and surface degradation mode in 0.35μm technology gg-nMOS ESD protection devices

We study failure mechanisms in 0.35μm process grounded-gate nMOS electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection devices stressed by high current - ESD like - pulses. Stress evolution of leakage current and low frequency noise is correlated with the position of the ESD damage analyzed using optical beam induced current (OB1C) technique. While a kink-free-like IV characteristics and low noise magnitude are typical for a bulk damage at the drain-contact region, a kink-like IV shape and large random telegraph signal (RTS) noise accompanies surface damage under the gate oxide. The role of hot-carriers in the degradation of the Si/Si0₂ interface and gate oxide, and leakage current mechanism are discussed.     

Thermal and free carrier concentration mapping during ESD event in smart Power ESD protection devices using an improved laser interferometric technique

Spatial distribution of temperature and free-carrier concentration during high-current stress is studied in smart power electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection devices using a backside laser interferometric technique. The method is based on detecting changes in the refractive index of silicon due to thermo-optical and plasma-optical effects. We use a modified version of a heterodyne interferometer, where the reference beam is reflected from an external mirror outside the sample chip, which allows one to perform measurements without any restriction to the size of the scanning area. We have found two pronounced heat dissipating regions due to a vertical and a lateral current flow path in the device. In addition, two regions with increased current density due to carrier injection related to the two current paths have been found. These temperature and carrier concentration distributions found by the experiment agree very well with the results of 2D device simulation.     

Impact of Traffic Management on Black Carbon Emissions: a Microsimulation Study

This paper investigates the effectiveness of traffic management tools, including traffic signal control and en-route navigation provided by variable message signs (VMS), in reducing traffic congestion and associated emissions of CO₂, NO_x, and black carbon. The latter is among the most significant contributors of climate change, and is associated with many serious health problems. This study combines traffic microsimulation (S-Paramics) with emission modeling (AIRE) to simulate and predict the impacts of different traffic management measures on a number traffic and environmental Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) assessed at different spatial levels. Simulation results for a real road network located in West Glasgow suggest that these traffic management tools can bring a reduction in travel delay and BC emission respectively by up to 6 % and 3 % network wide. The improvement at local levels such as junctions or corridors can be more significant. However, our results also show that the potential benefits of such interventions are strongly dependent on a number of factors, including dynamic demand profile, VMS compliance rate, and fleet composition. Extensive discussion based on the simulation results as well as managerial insights are provided to support traffic network operation and control with environmental goals. The study described by this paper was conducted under the support of the FP7-funded CARBOTRAF project.     

Test circuits for fast and reliable assessment of CDM robustness of I/O stages

CDM hardening during the development of technology, devices, libraries and finally products differs significantly from the process well-established for HBM. This paper introduces a method on the basis of specialized CDM test structures including protection elements and sensitive monitor elements. These test structures mimic typical CDM-sensitive circuits found by physical failure analysis over the years. Manufactured in five different technologies, structures were assembled in both a regular package and a new package emulator. CDM stress tests, very-fast TLP tests, transient interferometric mapping, device simulation, and failure analysis lead to new insights in the complex interdependencies during CDM and underline the need of CDM-specific test structures.     

Single-mode operation of a long-pulse flashlamp pumped dye laser

We describe the achievement of single-mode operation of a flashlamp pumped long-pulse, ~700 ns dye laser, with output energy of about 350 mJ using a linear optical cavity with a “twisted mode” configuration. Measurements indicate that the laser frequency chirps by about 40 MHz over the entire pulse. Homodyne measurements indicate that the instantaneous bandwidth is close to the transform limit. This represents a significant advance in dye laser performance     

A 170 J electron beam pumped XeF(C→A) laser

A pulse output energy of 170 J has been achieved from an XeF(C→A) laser system, pumped by a pair of counterpropagating, three-meter-long electron beams. This represents a record for all types of pumping, for this excimer system. Energy was extracted from a volume of ~100 L, using a free-running stable oscillator. No evidence of laser oscillations on the competing XeF(B→X) transition was observed. Within the extraction volume the laser gas was pumped at a rate of 140 kW/cm³ (time average value), for a period of 1.7 μs. The optical cavity was folded, giving a gain length of 6 m. The optical pulse duration was 0.8 μs (full width at half maximum), and the observed flux buildup time of ~1 μs was consistent with modeling and a measurement of the net gain. The specific output energy was 1.7 J/L which is comparable to that achieved in previous, small scale experiments at somewhat higher pump rate. The results confirm the volumetric scalability of the electron beam pumped XeF(C→A) laser system to high output energy per pulse, and the feasibility of operating this system at a low electron beam pump rate which relaxes constraints on the design of the electron gun and pulse power subsystems in a high output energy device. Means for extending the laser pulse duration and increasing the output energy of the specific test device are discussed. An output energy of ~1000 J is projected for an optimized gas cell width, for full size resonator mirrors, and with injection