Digital Commons Network^™

Design And Evaluation Of A Sub-1-Volt Read Flash Memory In A Standard 130 Nanometer Cmos Process, David Andrew Basford

Masters Theses

Nonvolatile memory design is a discipline that employs digital and analog circuit design techniques and requires knowledge of semiconductor physics and quantum mechanics. Methods for programming and erasing memory are discussed here, and simulation models are provided for Impact Hot Electron Injection (IHEI), Fowler-Nordheim (FN) tunneling, and direct tunneling. Extensive testing of analog memory cells was used to derive a set of equations that describe the oating-gate characteristics. Measurements of charge retention also revealed several leakage mechanisms, and methods for mitigating leakage are presented.

Fabrication of ash memory in a standard CMOS process presents significant design challenges. The absence of …

An Analog Cmos Particle Filter, Trevor Watson

Masters Theses

Particle filters are used in a variety of image processing and machine learning applications. Their main use in these applications is to gather information about a system of objects, by using partial or noisy observations collected from sensors. These observations are used to associate points of interest in the observations with objects and maintain this association through a series of observations.

In this paper I will investigate the performance of a particle filter implemented in 130nm analog CMOS hardware. The design goal of the particle filter is low-microwatt power consumption. Using analog hardware, rather than digital ASICs or CPUs I …

Analysis Of Nfirs Data For Sensitivity To Foreclosure And Other Select Features, Alexander Meadows Asbury

Masters Theses

Arson is a grave threat to life and property. In the United States, fire information is collected and disseminated through the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). Fire records obtained from NFIRS contain a full range of available information. This information includes the initial incident details in addition to investigative information regarding the cause of ignition and factors contributing to ignition. Combating the arson problem is accomplished in large part by understanding the motives and opportunities of those who commit arson. A common motive for arson is financial gain through insurance fraud. By connecting NFIRS data with mortgage and foreclosure …

Design Considerations For Paralleling Multiple Chips In Sic Power Modules, Fei Yang

Masters Theses

With the benefits of fast switching speed, low on-resistance and high thermal conductivity, silicon carbide (SiC) devices are being implemented in converter designs with high efficiency and high power density. Consequently, SiC power modules are needed. However, some of the preestablished package designs for silicon based power modules are not suitable to manifest the advantages of SiC devices. Therefore, this thesis aims at optimizing the package design to utilize the fast switching capability of SiC devices.

First, the power loop parasitic inductance induced by the package can lead to large voltage spikes with the fast switching SiC device. It can …

Autoplug: An Automated Metadata Service For Smart Outlets, Lurdh Pradeep Reddy Ambati

Masters Theses

Low-cost network-connected smart outlets are now available for monitoring, controlling, and scheduling the energy usage of electrical devices. As a result, such smart outlets are being integrated into automated home management systems, which remotely control them by analyzing and interpreting their data. However, to effectively interpret data and control devices, the system must know the type of device that is plugged into each smart outlet. Existing systems require users to manually input and maintain the outlet metadata that associates a device type with a smart outlet. Such manual operation is time-consuming and error-prone: users must initially inventory all outlet-to-device mappings, …

Energy Efficient Loop Unrolling For Low-Cost Fpgas, Naveen Kumar Dumpala

Masters Theses

Many embedded applications implement block ciphers and sorting and searching algorithms which use multiple loop iterations for computation. These applications often demand low power operation. The power consumption of designs varies with the implementation choices made by designers. The sequential implementation of loop operations consumes minimal area, but latency and clock power are high. Alternatively, loop unrolling causes high glitch power. In this work, we propose a low area overhead approach for unrolling loop iterations that exhibits reduced glitch power. A latch based glitch filter is introduced that reduces the propagation of glitches from one iteration to next. We explore …

Magneto-Electric Approximate Computational Framework For Bayesian Inference, Sourabh Kulkarni

Masters Theses

Probabilistic graphical models like Bayesian Networks (BNs) are powerful artificial-intelligence formalisms, with similarities to cognition and higher order reasoning in the human brain. These models have been, to great success, applied to several challenging real-world applications. Use of these formalisms to a greater set of applications is impeded by the limitations of the currently used software-based implementations. New emerging-technology based circuit paradigms which leverage physical equivalence, i.e., operating directly on probabilities vs. introducing layers of abstraction, promise orders of magnitude increase in performance and efficiency of BN implementations, enabling networks with millions of random variables. While majority of applications with …

Skynet: Memristor-Based 3d Ic For Artificial Neural Networks, Sachin Bhat

Masters Theses

Hardware implementations of artificial neural networks (ANNs) have become feasible due to the advent of persistent 2-terminal devices such as memristor, phase change memory, MTJs, etc. Hybrid memristor crossbar/CMOS systems have been studied extensively and demonstrated experimentally. In these circuits, memristors located at each cross point in a crossbar are, however, stacked on top of CMOS circuits using back end of line processing (BOEL), limiting scaling. Each neuron’s functionality is spread across layers of CMOS and memristor crossbar and thus cannot support the required connectivity to implement large-scale multi-layered ANNs.

This work proposes a new fine-grained 3D integrated circuit technology …

Oracle Guided Incremental Sat Solving To Reverse Engineer Camouflaged Circuits, Xiangyu Zhang

Masters Theses

This study comprises two tasks. The first is to implement gate-level circuit camouflage techniques. The second is to implement the Oracle-guided incremental de-camouflage algorithm and apply it to the camouflaged designs.

The circuit camouflage algorithms are implemented in Python, and the Oracle- guided incremental de-camouflage algorithm is implemented in C++. During this study, I evaluate the Oracle-guided de-camouflage tool (Solver, in short) performance by de-obfuscating the ISCAS-85 combinational benchmarks, which are camouflaged by the camouflage algorithms. The results show that Solver is able to efficiently de-obfuscate the ISCAS-85 benchmarks regardless of camouflaging style, and is able to do so 10.5x …

Battery Energy Storage Emulation For Power System Applications, Jessica Danielle Boles

Masters Theses

The concept of energy storage for power systems has received increasingly more attention in recent decades, and the growing penetration of renewable energy sources has only escalated demand for it. Energy storage systems are excellent for balancing generation and load, for suppressing power fluctuations, and for providing other ancillary services to the grid. The Hardware Testbed (HTB) is a novel converter-based grid emulator created for studying the needs associated with high renewable penetration, but the system currently lacks a battery storage emulator. Thus, this work documents the development of a battery energy storage system (BESS) emulator for the HTB.

The …

Development Of A Novel Printed And Flexible Surface Enhanced Raman Specopy (Sers) Substrate For Detection Of Cocaine, Farah Mazin Aljanabi

Masters Theses

In this thesis, the author focuses on the design and fabrication of a novel surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate that could potentially be employed for the detection of illicit drugs. Raman spectroscopy based optical detection has been extensively employed as a qualitative and quantitative analytical method.

The author has worked on two research projects, which are both focused on the development of printed SERS substrate for the detection of cocaine. The first project is based on gravure printing of silver nanoparticle (AgNP) based ink on flexible and stretchable thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) substrate. The fabricated substrate dimensions are 1.5 × …

Voltage Controller For Simulating Transition Between Boost –Buck -Boost Converter, Aula Jameel Al-Kamil

Masters Theses

In the present work, a voltage tracking controller is developed for DC-DC Buck-Boost converter using software model. The software developed can track the voltage and the mode of operation (Buck or Boost), which depends on the value of the duty cycle ratio (D). The error between ��_{��������}(reference voltage) and output voltage is minimized by using step input as reference. The simulation results show that the designed software controller can successfully track the voltage with low error and with short settling time. The values for the Buck-Boost circuit components, the capacitor and the inductor, are tuned and selected so …

A Study On The Impact Of Instruction Set Architectures On Processor’S Performance, Ayaz Akram

Masters Theses

The recent advances in different instruction set architectures (ISAs) and the way those ISAs are implemented have revived the debate on the role of ISAs in overall performance of a processor. Many people in the computer architecture community believe that with current compiler and microarchitecture advances, the choice of ISA does not remain a decisive matter anymore. On the other hand, some researchers believe that this is not the case and they claim that ISAs can still play a significant role in the overall performance of a computer system. Novel heterogeneous architectures exploiting the diversity of different ISAs have been …

High-Current Integrated Battery Chargers For Mobile Applications, Gabriel Alejo Gabian

Masters Theses

Battery charging circuits for mobile applications, such as smart phones and tablets, require both small area and low losses. In addition, to reduce the charging time, high current is needed through the converter. In this work, exploration of the Buck, the 3-Level Buck and the Hybrid Buck converter is performed over the input voltage, the total FET area and the load current. An analytical loss model for each topology is constructed and constrated by experimental results. In addition, packaging and bond wire impact on on-chip losses is analyzed by 3D modeling. Finally, a comparison between the topologies is presented determining …

Design Of An Integrated Silicon Carbide Nonlinear-Carrier Pwm Controller For Boost Converter Applications, Richard Kyle Harris

Masters Theses

Power electronics consisting of a switch mode power supply with feedback control have a great number of applications, including many that require extreme environment capability, such as the aerospace and automotive industries.

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a common material in which power devices are created for use in switch mode power supplies, such as boost converters, giving those power supplies extremely high temperature capabilities. To truly realize the temperature capabilities of SiC in power supplies, an integrated SiC converter has been designed that is also high-temperature capable.

Herein, the properties of SiC integrate circuit (IC) processes are discussed and nonlinear-carrier …

Modeling And Design Of A Low-Level Rf Control System For The Accumulator Ring At Spallation Neutron Source, Michael G. Trout

Masters Theses

Since its commissioning in 2006, Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has greatly contributed to the field of neutron science, but some critical systems are reaching end-of-life. This obsolescence must be addressed for the accelerator to continue providing world-class research capabilities. One such system needing redesign is the low-level RF (LLRF) control system for the proton accumulator ring. While this system has performed acceptably for over a decade, it is sparsely documented and robust operational models are unavailable. To ensure the new design meets or exceeds current performance metrics, we analyzed the existing LLRF control system and …

A Magnetic Resonance Compatible Knee Extension Ergometer, Youssef Jaber

Masters Theses

The product of this thesis aims to enable the study of the biochemical and physical dynamics of the lower limbs at high levels of muscle tension and fast contraction speeds. This is accomplished in part by a magnetic resonance (MR) compatible ergometer designed to apply a load as a torque of up to 420 Nm acting against knee extension at speeds as high as 4.7 rad/s. The system can also be adapted to apply the load as a force of up to 1200 N acting against full leg extension. The ergometer is designed to enable the use of magnetic resonance …

Z Deviation Based Demand Side Control To Reduce Fidvr, Derek Brittian Lusby

Masters Theses

Accurate load modeling is key to depicting realistic system behavior in power system simulations. In the past, the use of static load models resulted in overly optimistic results, which led to unforeseen outages and issues following faults. One common cause of these types of unforeseen issues is Fault Induced Delayed Voltage Recovery (FIDVR). FIDVR occurs due to the stalling of single-phase residential air conditioners (A/C), and causes the voltage recovery after a fault to be slow. Improvements in load models over time have resulted in the capability of modeling load dynamics, and therefore better FIDVR.

A composite load model based …

Nonlinear Model Reduction Based On Manifold Learning With Application To The Burgers' Equation, Christopher Joel Winstead

Masters Theses

Real-time applications of control require the ability to accurately and efficiently model the observed physical phenomenon in order to formulate control decisions. Complex flow interactions may require the modelling of millions of states making the problem computationally intractable. Model order reduction aims to reduce this computational burden while still retaining accuracy as compared to the full order model. Nonlinear dimension reduction methods such as Local Linear Embedding, Diffusion Maps, and Laplacian Eigenmaps are implemented on a series of solution snapshots of the one dimensional Burgers’ equation to generate a set of basis functions to be used in Galerkin projections.

The …

A Sub-Threshold Low-Power Integrated Bandpass Filter For Highly-Integrated Spectrum Analyzers, Benjamin David Roehrs

Masters Theses

Low-power analog filter banks provide frequency analysis with minimal space requirements, making them viable solutions for integrated remote audio- and vibration-sensing applications. In order to achieve a balance between the length of deployable service and system performance, a critical requirement of such remote sensor networks is low-power consumption, due to the constraints imposed by on-board battery cells.

In this work, the design and implementation of a sub-threshold complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated low-power tunable analog filter channel for Oak Ridge National Laboratory is presented. Project specifications required a tunable, high-order, monolithic bandpass filter channel with small chip area and low …

Effects Of Distance, Antenna, And Channel On An Ultra Wide Band Location System, And Quantifying Them To Increase Accuracy, Nicholas Alexander Cavopol

Masters Theses

Localization has been evolving rapidly over the last 20 years, especially in the wireless world. From the advent of GPS, as well as the personal smart phone, localization has become accessible to most of the developed world. From the ability to find ones’ smartphone using a computer, to being able to locate ones’ keys using radio frequencies, there are many ways that localization has entered our lives in the last few years, however most of these either do not have high accuracy, or are only accurate in an outside environment. For indoor tracking, new technologies have been developed to help …

A Practical Realization Of A Return Map Immune Lorenz Based Chaotic Stream Cipher In Circuitry, Daniel Robert Brown

Masters Theses

Some chaotic systems are advantageously capable of self-synchronizing with a like system through a single shared state. Using a plain text binary message, a single system parameter can be modulated to mask this message and transmit it securely through the single shared state. The most simple implementations of this encryption technique are, however, vulnerable to the return map attack. Using a time-scaling factor to further obfuscate the modulation process, a return map attack immunity is gained. We report on the progress towards a realization of this process in real-time analog circuitry using off-the-shelf components.

Solar Module Condition Monitoring Using Thermal Imaging, Ammar W. Hashim

Masters Theses

Solar energy industry has been exponentially increasing over the past decades with solar panels sales recording significant growth mainly due to the fact that solar energy is a renewable clean source of energy. Similar to other systems, condition monitoring is essential to maintain high efficiency specially that these systems are still not scoring more than 46% efficiency and also to ensure a safe system and prevent electric and fire risks that may occur. In this work, we introduce a system using infrared thermography along with selected image processing techniques to effectively and non-destructively test and detect these defects. Hot spots …

Indoor Navigation For The Blind And Visually Impaired: Validation And Training Methodology Using Virtual Reality, Sili Wang

Masters Theses

In this thesis we propose a navigation instruction validation tool and an user training tool for PERCEPT system.

The validation tool evaluates the navigation instructions using a virtual reality environment by ensuring that each path in the virtual environment can be traversed by following the navigation instructions. This validation tool will serve as a first automatic validation of navigation instructions prior to testing them with blind and visually impaired users.

The user-training tool enables the blind user to explore and get familiar with the real environment by using the virtual environment generated in the Unity3d based game. The user interacts …

Kasi: A Ka-Band And S-Band Cross-Track Interferometer, Gerard Ruiz Carregal

Masters Theses

A dual-frequency system is needed to better understand natural processes that constitute the environment and seasonal cycles of the Earth. A system working at two different wavelengths acquiring data simultaneously will give a valuable dataset since the conditions on the ground will be exactly the same. Hence, elements such as wind, soil moisture or any other changes on the ground will not interfere in the mea- surements. This thesis explains how an S-band radar was built and tested. Moreover, the experiments done with a Ka-band radar used as a scatterometer are explained as well as the data processing and analysis. …

Explorations Into Machine Learning Techniques For Precipitation Nowcasting, Aditya Nagarajan

Masters Theses

Recent advances in cloud-based big-data technologies now makes data driven solutions feasible for increasing numbers of scientific computing applications. One such data driven solution approach is machine learning where patterns in large data sets are brought to the surface by finding complex mathematical relationships within the data. Nowcasting or short-term prediction of rainfall in a given region is an important problem in meteorology. In this thesis we explore the nowcasting problem through a data driven approach by formulating it as a machine learning problem.

State-of-the-art nowcasting systems today are based on numerical models which describe the physical processes leading to …

Time Domain Sar Processing With Gpus For Airborne Platforms, Dustin Lagoy

Masters Theses

A time-domain backprojection processor for airborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has been developed at the University of Massachusetts’ Microwave Remote Sensing Lab (MIRSL). The aim of this work is to produce a SAR processor capable of addressing the motion compensation issues faced by frequency-domain processing algorithms, in order to create well focused SAR imagery suitable for interferometry. The time-domain backprojection algorithm inherently compensates for non-linear platform motion, dependent on the availability of accurate measurements of the motion. The implementation must manage the relatively high computational burden of the backprojection algorithm, which is done using modern graphics processing units (GPUs), programmed …

The Impact Of Quantum Size Effects On Thermoelectric Performance In Semiconductor Nanostructures, Adithya Kommini

Masters Theses

An increasing need for effective thermal sensors, together with dwindling energy resources, have created renewed interests in thermoelectric (TE), or solid-state, energy conversion and refrigeration using semiconductor-based nanostructures. Effective control of electron and phonon transport due to confinement, interface, and quantum effects has made nanostructures a good way to achieve more efficient thermoelectric energy conversion. This thesis studies the two well-known approaches: confinement and energy filtering, and implements improvements to achieve higher thermoelectric performance. The effect of confinement is evaluated using a 2D material with a gate and utilizing the features in the density of states. In addition to that, …

Effective Denial Of Service Attack On Congestion Aware Adaptive Network On Chip, Vijaya Deepak Kadirvel

Masters Theses

Network-On-Chip (NoC) architecture forms the new design framework in extending single processor to multiprocessor SoC. Similar to other SoCs and systems, NoCs are also susceptible to Denial of Service (DoS) attacks which degrade the performance by limiting the availability of resources to the processing cores. The stability of NoC is maintained by employing hardware monitors to detect illegal/abnormal activity or by congestion aware arbitration to obfuscate and balance the network load. Typical DoS attack model selects a random target resource and injects multiple flooding flits to reduce its functionality. The random DoS attack will not be practically effective on congestion …

Application Of Millimeter-Wave Differential Probe For Crack Detection On Riveted Structures, Kuang Ping Ying

Masters Theses

"This thesis proposes the use of a W-band wideband differential probe for crack detection on riveted structures, such as aircraft fuselage lap joints. Detection of crack at its early stage (surface-breaking) is particularly important to prevent the development of a fatigue crack. This probe utilizing millimeter-wave frequencies serves as a viable candidate on detecting surface-breaking cracks, as it can be employed in measurements in a non-contact fashion, while allowing for high spatial-resolution images and the abilities to penetrate through dielectric materials (paint), making it attractive for detecting small cracks. In previous works, a V-band differential probe has shown promise for …