Study on shop floor control system in semiconductor fabrication by self-organizing map-based intelligent multi-controller

To confirm semiconductor wafer fabrication (FAB) operating characteristics, the scheduling decisions of shop floor control systems (SFCS) must develop a multiple scheduling rules (MSRs) approach in FABs. However, if a classical machine learning approach is used, an SFCS in FABs knowledge base (KB) can be developed by using the appropriate MSR strategy (this method is called an intelligent multi-controller in this study) as obtained from training examples. A classical machine learning approach main disadvantage is that the classes (scheduling decision variables) to which training examples are assigned must be pre-defined. This process becomes an intolerably time-consuming task. In addition, although the best decision rule can be determined for each scheduling decision variable, the combination of all the decision rules may not simultaneously satisfy the global objective function. To address these issues, this study proposes an intelligent multi-controller that incorporates three main mechanisms: (1) a simulation-based training example generation mechanism, (2) a data preprocessing mechanism, and (3) a self-organizing map (SOM)-based MSRs selection mechanism. These mechanisms can overcome the long training time problem of the classical machine learning approach in the training examples generation phase. Under various production performance criteria over a long period, the proposed intelligent multi-controller approach yields better system performance than fixed decision scheduling rules for each of the decision variables at the start of each production interval.     

Infrared brazing of high-strength titanium alloys by Ti–15Cu–15Ni and Ti–15Cu–25Ni filler foils

Microstructures and fracture behaviors of infrared heated, vacuum brazed Ti–6Al–4V and Ti-15-3 alloys using two Ti–Cu–Ni braze fillers have been characterized to establish the effects of brazing process parameter and chemical composition on the strength of brazed joints. The brazed joint initially contains two prominent phases; a Ti alloy matrix alloyed with V, Cr, Ni, Cu and Al and a Cu–Ni-rich Ti phase. Brazing temperature and soak time control the amount of Cu–Ni-rich Ti phase in the brazed joints. The fracture mode changes from brittle cleavage to quasi-cleavage to ductile dimple as the amount of Cu–Ni-rich Ti phase is reduced in the brazed joint. Both brazing temperature and soak time are critical to eliminate the Cu–Ni-rich Ti phase for optimal shear strength and ductile fracture of brazed joints. A post-brazing annealing at lower temperature is also shown to be an effective way to homogenize the microstructure of brazed joint for improved joint strength.     

Direct focusing modifications of elliptical gaussian beam by non-circular apertures

Abstract

For focusing the elliptical Gaussian beam directly, the effects of a non-circular aperture on the focusing properties are studied. The focusing properties for different shapes of apertures, which include a circle, an ellipse and a rectangle, are calculated and compared. Moreover, for different elliptical Gaussian beams, an empirical aperture selection rule that can be used to circularize the focusing spot is proposed. The energy transmission ratios are also considered in this paper.     

Security management of mutually trusted domains through cooperation of defensive technologies

A number of defensive technologies have been proposed for the prevention of security threats. However, these defensive technologies are implemented independently without cooperation among various network domains. In this paper, different administrative networks are leagued to form a federative network environment called a trusted domain. From the perspective of a network manager, there is a need to integrate diverse technologies into an effective defensive system among mutually trusted domains. An imperative task for security management is to put in place a shared defensive mechanism, or protective shield, for multiple domains. A cooperative approach to provide such a shared defensive system is presented with integration of both intra‐domain and inter‐domain defensive mechanisms. The simulation results show that, through sharing the defensive information, the firewall system can successfully detect and filter the repeated intrusions. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Infrared brazing Ti-6Al-4V and SP-700 alloys using the Ti-20Zr-20Cu-20Ni braze alloy

Great efforts have been made in brazing high-strength α-β titanium alloys below their beta-phase transformation temperature in order to obtain optimized mechanical properties. The brazing temperature of the cold roll-bonded Ti-20Zr-20Cu-20Ni foil is roughly 70 °C lower than that of Ti-15Cu-15Ni filler metal. Moreover, the detrimental Cu-Ni and Cu-Ni-Zr rich Ti phases can be greatly reduced or eliminated by properly choosing the brazing thermal cycle. This research demonstrates the potential application of Ti-20Zr-20Cu-20Ni foil in brazing titanium alloys.     

The SIR-B Observations of Microwave Backscatter Dependence on Soil Moisture, Surface Roughness, and Vegetation Covers

An experiment was conducted from an L-band syntheticaperture perture radar aboard space shuttle Challenger in October 1984 to study the microwave backscatter dependence on soil moisture, surface roughness, and vegetation cover. The results based on the anlyses of an image obtained at 21° incidence angle show a positive correlation between scattering coefficient and soil moisture content, with a sensitivity comparable to that derived from the ground radar measurements [1]. The surface roughness strongly affects the microwave backscatter. A factor of 2 change in the standard deviation of surface roughness height gives a corresponding change of about 8 dB in the scattering coefficient. The microwave backscatter also depends on the vegetation types. Under the dry soil conditions, the scattering coefficient is observed to change from about -24 dB for an alfalfa or lettuce field to about -17 dB for a mature corn field. These results suggest that observations with a synthetic-aperture radar system of multiple frequencies ies and polarizations are required to unravel the effects of soil ture,oisre, surface roughness, and vegetation cover.     

Using phosphoric acid-impregnated activated carbon to improve the efficiency of chemical filters for the removal of airborne molecular contaminants (AMCs) in the make-up air unit (MAU) of a cleanroom

A coconut shell activated carbon precursor was modified by impregnation with phosphoric acid. The effects of the particle diameter of the impregnated activated carbons (IACs) on the thickness, pressure resistance, and face velocity of a chemical filter were investigated. Furthermore, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) adsorption experiments were carried out to determine the relationship between the removal efficiency and the chemical properties of the adsorbents. The effects of various parameters such as challenge gas concentration, saturated adsorption ratio, impregnation method and impregnant contents were investigated. The results showed that the effect of face velocity on pressure resistance is larger than that of the thickness, that 0.25 M phosphoric acid impregnation of activated carbon can raise VOC removal efficiency by 2–3% (toluene: from 95.8% to 98.1%, isopropanol: from 95.2 to 97.2%), and that the optimal impregnation time is around 1.5 h. A simple shaking impregnation method exhibited better performance than the ultrasonic method.     

A thermodynamic approach to the interaction between dislocation and crack and its applications

By using a thermodynamic approach, the image force of the dislocation due to the semiinfinite crack in an infinite medium has been completed. If the influence of all the other force can be neglected, the screw dislocation subjected to the crack will approach the crack surface along the direction of the resultant force. The stress intensity factors at the crack tip due to the dislocation dipole are also included. This can be applied to the phase transformation toughening in zirconia.