A novel InP/InGaAs TEBT for ultralow current operations

A novel InP/InGaAs tunneling emitter bipolar transistor (TEBT) is fabricated and demonstrated. The studied device exhibits a very small collector-emitter offset voltage of 40 mV and an extremely wide operation regime. The operation region is larger than 11 decades in magnitude of collector current (10/sup -12/ to 10/sup -1/A). A current gain of 3 is obtained even if the device is operated at an ultralow collector current of 3.9 /spl times/ 10/sup -12/A (1.56 /spl times/ 10/sup -7/A/cm/sup 2/). Furthermore, the common-emitter breakdown voltage of the studied device is higher than 2 V. Consequently, the studied device shows a promise for low supply voltage, and low-power consumption circuit applications.     

Catalytic oxidation of naphthalene using a Pt/Al2O3 catalyst

Polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are listed as carcinogenic and mutagenic priority pollutants, belonging to the environmental endocrine disrupters. Most PAHs in the environment stem from the atmospheric deposition and diesel emission. Consequently, the elimination of PAHs in the off-gases is one of the priority and emerging challenges. Catalytic oxidation has been widely used in the destruction of organic compounds due to its high efficiency (or conversion of reactants), its economic benefits and good applicability.

This study investigates the application of the catalytic oxidation using Pt/γ-Al₂O₃ catalysts to decompose PAHs and taking naphthalene (the simplest and least toxic PAH) as a target compound. It studies the relationships between conversion, operating parameters and relevant factors such as treatment temperatures, catalyst sizes and space velocities. Also, a related reaction kinetic expression is proposed to provide a simplified expression of the relevant kinetic parameters.

The results indicate that the Pt/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst used accelerates the reaction rate of the decomposition of naphthalene and decreases the reaction temperature. A high conversion (over 95%) can be achieved at a moderate reaction temperature of 480 K and space velocity below 35,000 h⁻¹. Non-catalytic (thermal) oxidation achieves the same conversion at a temperature beyond 1000 K. The results also indicate that Rideal–Eley mechanism and Arrhenius equation can be reasonably applied to describe the data by using the pseudo-first-order reaction kinetic equation with activation energy of 149.97 kJ/mol and frequency factor equal to 3.26 × 10¹⁷ s⁻¹.     

Ozonation of CI Reactive Black 5 using rotating packed bed and stirred tank reactor

This study investigates the ozonation of CI Reactive Black 5 (RB5) by using the rotating packed bed (RPB) and completely stirred tank reactor (CSTR) as ozone contactors. The RPB, which provides high gravitational force by adjusting the rotational speed, was employed as a novel ozone contactor. The same ozone dosage was separately introduced into either the RPB or the CSTR for the investigation, while the experimental solution was continuously circulated within the apparatus consisting of the RPB and CSTR. The decolorization and mineralization efficiencies of RB5 in the course of ozonation are compared for these two methods. Moreover, the dissolved and off‐gas ozone concentrations were simultaneously monitored for the further analysis. As a result, the ozone mass transfer rate per unit volume of the RPB was significantly higher because of its higher mass transfer coefficient and gas–liquid concentration driving force. Furthermore, ozonation kinetics was found to be independent of the gravitational magnitude of an ozone gas–liquid contactor. Therefore, the results suggest employing RPBs as ozone‐contacting devices with the advantage of volume reduction. The experimental results, which can be used for further modeling of the ozonation process in the RPB, also show the requirement of correct design for the RPB. Consequently, the present study is useful for the understanding of practical application of RPBs. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Barrier layer effect of tantalum on the electromigration in sputtered copper films on hydrogen silsesguioxane and SiO2

As IC devices scale down to the submicron level, the resistance-capacitance (RC) time delays are the limitation to circuit speed. A solution is to use low dielectric constant materials and low resistivity materials. In this work, the influence of underlying barrier Ta on the electromigration (EM) of Cu on hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) and SiO₂ substrates was investigated. The presence of a Ta barrier not only improves the adhesion between Cu and dielectrics, but also enhances the crystallinity of Cu film and improves the Cu electromigration resistance. The activation energy obtained suggests a grain boundary migration mechanism and the current exponent calculated indicates the Joule heating effect.     

Single-Threaded vs. Multithreaded: Where Should We Focus?

Today, with the increasing popularity of multicore processors, one approach to optimizing the processor's performance is to reduce the execution times of individual applications running on each core by designing and implementing more powerful cores. Another approach, which is the polar opposite of the first, optimizes the processor's performance by running a larger number of applications on a correspondingly larger number of cores, albeit simpler ones. The difference between these two approaches is that the former focuses on reducing the latency of individual applications or threads (it optimizes the processor's single-threaded performance), whereas the latter focuses on reducing the latency of the applications' threads taken as a group (it optimizes the processor's multithreaded performance). The panel, from the 2007 Workshop on Computer Architecture Research Directions, discusses the relevant issues.     

Broadband dual-polarized patch antennas fed by capacitively coupledfeed and slot-coupled feed

Designs of broadband dual-polarized patch antennas fed by promising feed structures of a capacitively coupled feed and a slot-coupled feed (antenna A), two capacitively coupled feeds of a 180° phase shift and a slot-coupled feed (antenna B), and two capacitively coupled feeds of a 180° phase shift and two slot-coupled feeds (antenna C) are proposed and experimentally studied. The first two feed designs are for the excitation of a single-element broadband patch antenna, while the last design is for a two-element broadband patch antenna. These proposed patch antennas have a thick air substrate, and the 10 dB return-loss impedance bandwidths obtained for the two polarizations are all greater than 13%. High isolation (<-30 dB for antenna A, <-32 dB for antenna B, <-35 dB for antenna C) between the two feeding ports for the entire impedance bandwidth of the proposed antennas can be obtained. Also, improved cross-polarization levels (>20 dB) in both E and H plane patterns for the two polarizations of antennas B and C are achieved     

InGaN/GaN MQW p–n junction photodetectors

InGaN/GaN multiquantum well (MQW) p–n junction photodetectors with semi-transparent Ni/Au electrodes were fabricated and characterized. It was found that the fabricated InGaN/GaN MQW p–n junction photodetectors exhibit a 20 V breakdown voltage and a 3.5 V forward 20 mA turn on voltage. It was also found that the photocurrent to dark current contrast ratio is higher than 10⁵ when a 0.4 V reverse bias was applied to the InGaN/GaN MQW p–n junction photodetectors. Furthermore, it was found that the maximum responsivity was 1.28 and 1.76 A/W with a 0.1 and 3 V applied reverse bias, respectively.     

Metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors with InAlGaP capping and buffer layers

To improve the Schottky contact performance and carrier confinement of GaAs metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors (MSM-PDs), we employed the wide bandgap material, In/sub 0.5/(Al/sub 0.66/Ga/sub 0.34/)/sub 0.5/P, for the capping and buffer layers. We directly evaluated the Schottky contact parameters on the MSM-PD structure. The reverse characteristics of the Schottky contacts were examined by taking into account the Schottky barrier height depended on the electric field in the depletion region, and hence on the applied bias. The ideality factor and Schottky barrier height of Ti-Pt-Au contacts to In/sub 0.5/(Al/sub 0.66/Ga/sub 0.34/)/sub 0.5/P are 1.02 and 1.05 eV, respectively. Extremely low dark currents of 70 and 620 pA were obtained for these MSM-PDs when they were operated at a reverse bias of -10 V at room temperature and at 70/spl deg/C, respectively.     

Fabrication and properties of PLZT ceramics from spray-dried aqueous solution

PLZT ceramics with the composition of 9/62/38 (La/Zr/Ti) were fabricated from spraydried aqueous solution. Complete crystallization of the spray-dried powder is achieved after 1 hr calcination at 650‡ C as compared to 800‡ C, 1 hr for conventional mixedoxide method. Sintering environment plays an important role in the densification of PLZT ceramics. Densities of the atmosphere sintered samples are much higher than those of normal sintered ones. PLZT ceramics derived from spray-dried powders have properties comparable to those derived from sol-gel ones. The spray-dried method presents a less expensive and more effective approach in the synthesis of PLZT ceramics.