Verification of FM9801: An Out-of-Order Microprocessor Model with Speculative Execution, Exceptions, and Program-Modifying Capability

We have verified the FM9801, a microprocessor design whose features include speculative execution, out-of-order issue and completion of instructions using Tomasulo's algorithm, and precise exceptions and interrupts. As a correctness criterion, we used a commutative diagram that compares the result of the pipelined execution from a flushed state to another flushed state with that of the sequential execution. Like many pipelined microprocessors, the FM9801 may not operate correctly if the executed program modifies itself. We discuss the condition under which the processor is guaranteed to operate correctly. In order to show that the correctness criterion is satisfied, we introduce an intermediate abstraction that records the history of executed instructions. Using this abstraction, we define a number of invariant properties that must hold during the operation of the FM9801. We verify these invariant properties, and then derive the proof of the commutative diagram from them. The proof has been mechanically checked by the ACL2 theorem prover.     

Monolithically integrated optical displacement sensor based on triangulation and optical beam deflection

A monolithically integrated optical displacement sensor based on triangulation and optical beam deflection is reported. This sensor is simple and consists of only a laser diode, a polyimide waveguide, and a split detector (a pair of photodiodes) upon a GaAs substrate. The resultant prototype device is extremely small (750 mum x 800 mum). Experiments have shown that this sensor can measure the displacement of a mirror with resolution of better than 4 nm. Additionally, we have experimentally demonstrated both axial and lateral displacement measurements when we used a cylindrical micromirror (diameter, 125 mum) as a movable external object.     

A comparison of classification algorithms using Landsat-7 and Landsat-8 data for mapping lithology in Canada’s Arctic

To map Arctic lithology in central Victoria Island, Canada, the relative performance of advanced classifiers (Neural Network (NN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Random Forest (RF)) were compared to Maximum Likelihood Classifier (MLC) results using Landsat-7 and Landsat-8 imagery. A ten-repetition cross-validation classification approach was applied. Classification performance was evaluated visually and statistically using the global classification accuracy, producer’s and user’s accuracies for each individual lithological/spectral class, and cross-comparison agreement. The advanced classifiers outperformed MLC, especially when training data were not normally distributed. The Landsat-8 classification results were comparable to Landsat-7 using the advanced classifiers but differences were more pronounced when using MLC. Rescaling the Landsat-8 data from 16 bit to 8 bit substantially increased classification accuracy when MLC was applied but had little impact on results from the advanced classifiers.     

Mixed powder coating film using thermoplastic polyester and its alkaline resistance

To improve alkaline resistance, a newly mixed powder coating film using thermoplastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was investigated. Two kinds of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) and two kinds of polyamide (PA) were chosen as the secondary polymer. The melting temperatures (T _ms) of these materials were lower than that of primary PET polymer so the mixed powder coating was able to form a dual phase film through a fluidized bed coating process. Microscope and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) observations revealed that the dual phase structure was indeed successfully formed and there was a secondary layer over the entire surface area of the film. This mixed powder coating film significantly enhanced the alkaline resistance to an environment filled with NaOH solution at 40°C in which a secondary material would be effective in protecting the film. With regard to both alkaline resistance and film formability, PET/PVB was superior to the PET/PA mixture.     

Synthesis of novel organocobalt poly(arylene-vinylene)s containing (cyclobutadiene)cobalt moieties in the main chain

Summary Organocobalt poly(arylene-vinylene)s composed of 1,2- or 1,3- linkage at their cyclobutadiene moieties (3 and 4, respectively) were prepared by the Heck reaction of p-divinylbenzene with (cyclobutadiene)cobalt-containing monomers having two aryl bromide moieties (1 and 2, respectively). The number average molecular weights (M _n) of the obtained organocobalt poly(arylene-vinylene)s (3 and 4) were 4,100 and 4,000, respectively (GPC, on the basis of polystyrene). UV-vis spectra of 3 and 4 exhibited main π-π^* absorption peaks at 362 and 397 nm, respectively, which were ca. 60 nm bathochromically shifted from those of the corresponding monomeric units. Both polymers were found to show thermotropic liquid crystallinity in the range of room temperature to ca. 80 °C by employing differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and the optical measurement using crossed polarizers. Received: 2 July 1999/Accepted: 29 July 1999     

Wide Color Variation in SiNO Thin Films Dispersed with Precipitated TiN Nano Particles

Amorphous thin films of Ti_1?ySi_y(N,O) with y ≥ 0.38 were prepared by reactive sputter deposition in a nitrogen atmosphere. Thermal annealing of the films in an ammonia flow above 800°C yielded Si(N,O) amorphous thin films dispersed with precipitated TiN nanosized particles. The film color changed with Si content y and the annealing conditions, from carrot orange to cream yellow in the as‐deposited films due to their oxynitride nature, and from dark green to canary yellow and from iron blue to horizon blue at respective annealing temperatures of 800°C and 900°C due to metallic nature of the TiN nanosized particles precipitated in the annealing.     

Stress corrosion cracking of aged Al---4%Cu alloy in NaCl solution

Stress-corrosion lives and pitting potentials of Al---4%Cu alloys with various aging structures have been measured in de-aerated 1M NaCl under conditions of controlled potential. It was found that the alloys aged having the higher susceptibility to stress-corrosion cracking showed two pitting potentials corresponding to pitting at grain boundaries and grain bodies, respectively. The susceptibility to stress corrosion cracking of the alloys appeared above the pitting potentials for grain boundaries. The maximum susceptibility to stress-corrosion cracking was obtained when the alloy was aged to attain the largest difference in pitting potentials between grain boundaries and grain bodies.     

Synthesis and surface properties of novel fluoroalkyl end-capped amphiphilic fullerene cooligomers

New fluoroalkyl end-capped fullerene cooligomers were prepared by the reactions of fluoroalkanoyl peroxides with fullerene and comonomers such as acryloylmorpholine, N,N-dimethylacrylamide and acrylic acid. These fluorinated fullerene cooligomers were easily soluble in water and common organic solvents, and were able to reduce the surface tensions of both water and benzene, quite effectively. Additionally, these fullerene cooligomers were found to form a stable monomolecular film at the air-water interface, and the modified polystyrene surface treated with these cooligomers was shown to have a strong hydrophilicity with good oil repellency.     

A High-Speed Optical Data Highway for Industrial Control Systems

Recent application of distributed control systems to large-and medium-scale industrial plants requires effective and high-speed communication among the control devices each other to ensure high-performance operation.     

An extrapolative-interpolative prediction coding method for HDTVsignals

Techniques are introduced to solve two problems caused by the wide bandwidth of HDTV signals. One problem is that HDTV signals have more random noise than conventional TV signals, which causes coding efficiency degradation. The other is that very high sampling frequencies are required, which restricts the hardware implementation of the coding algorithm. To solve the first problem, it is proposed to use a spatio-temporal adaptive filter that can reduce random noise and improve coding efficiency. With regard to the second problem, an extrapolative and interpolative coding algorithm with adaptive intrafield/interframe prediction is presented. This algorithm eliminates the problem caused by the high sampling frequencies and provides efficient coding performance. A computer simulation is carried out to estimate the coding performance. Based on the simulation results, experimental coder hardware was implemented for 1125-line/60 Hz HDTV signals in order to evaluate real-time coding performance. The experimental results show that this coding method can provide good picture quality at around 90 or 135 Mb/s, and that HDTV digital transmission is very promising at the broadband ISDN H₄ rate