Engineering Commons^™

Measurement Of Thermal Noise In Condenser Microphones In A Vacuum-Isolation Vessel, Kim Chi Thi Ngo

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The electrical noise generated by thermal agitation of the air molecules impinging upon the membrane of a condenser microphone and from its associated preamplifier has been studied analytically and experimentally over a wide bandwidth. These background noise levels constitute one of the most important specifications of a microphone for they determine the lowest sound pressure that can be detected. Therefore, a new method for measuring the thermal agitation noise within a bandwidth of 1-25600 Hz has been developed. The theoretical and experimental measurements of thermal agitation noise in a condenser microphone by enclosing the microphone in a vessel which is …

Optical And High Electric Field Effects In Bulk Gallium Arsenide Switches, Randy Roush

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

During the past few years, bulk, photoconductive switching has become recognized as a viable topic for future research on moderate and high power switches. The two-pulse, or BOSS, concept relies on an excitation laser pulse, and a separate de-excitation pulse in conjunction with silicon doped, copper compensated, GaAs to create a variable temporal electrical pulse width. The research contained in this document provides information concerning the feasibility of the BOSS concept, as the switch is scaled to larger sizes, and higher voltage and current. The major concern will be the high voltage and current effects. The absorption length for 1064 …

Ground Modification Systems (Stone Columns And Wick Drains In Jefferson County), Bobby W. Meade, David L. Allen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The purpose of this study was to document construction procedures, monitor field performance, and make recommendations as to the effectiveness and future use of stone column and wick drains for ground modification purposes. This project involved the use of wick drains to accelerate consolidation in bridge approach foundations and stone columns to improve foundation support for reinforced soil walls supporting bridge abutments.

This effort was executed by use of field inspections, photologs, and instrumentation to monitor field response. Instrumentation included earth pressure meters, multipoint settlement gages, slope inclinometers, settlement platforms, and piezometers. Wick drain performance was satisfactory. One reinforced soil …

Safety Belt Usage Before And After Enactment Of A Mandatory Usage Ordinance (Lexington-Fayette County, Kentucky), Kenneth R. Agent

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

No abstract provided.

The Modeling Of The Interactions Of Pellets With Magnetic Fusion Plasmas For Alpha Particle Diagnostics, Abdel-Ghafar Mahmood El-Cashlan

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

A model for the interactions of hydrogen and carbon pellets with thermonuclear fusion plasmas has been developed and solved to determine the charge-state spatial distributions in the ablation cloud surrounding the pellet. The ionization is treated in a self-consistent manner in the energy balance and the collisional radiative (CR) model is used to calculate the ionization levels. External plasma electron effects on ionization are included. The electron heat flux is modeled as a multigroup distribution. The channelling of the flow along the field line is treated phenomenologically by restricting the cross-sectional area of the flow. The predictions of the model …

Deep Level Characterization Studies In Gaas, Gordhan R. Barevadia

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The goal of this research was to investigate deep levels in different types of GaAs, a material for high power optically controlled bulk semiconductor switches. For low resistivity semiconductors, such as silicon doped GaAs material (p =0.054 Ω cm), deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) was used to characterize deep levels. Three deep levels (EL6, EL3, and EL2) have been detected in this material. For high resistivity semiconductors (p > 10⁴ Ω cm), difficulty of electrical carrier injection and of making a junction does not permit the use of DLTS technique. Therefore, an experimental set-up of the photo-induced current transient spectroscopy …

Implementation Of Parallel Sorting Algorithms On A Transputer Network, Venkatraman U. Calidas

Theses

Many sorting algorithms, such as the bubble sort and the binary tree selection sort, are n-squared algorithms and take O (n2) time to sort n values. These can be easily parallelized; the resulting sorts are called the odd-even transposition sort and the parallel tree selection sort, respectively. These have O(nlogn) time complexity. The quicksort is an O(nlogn) algorithm and it can parallelized to make it an O(logn) algorithm.

A transputer is a microprocessor which has serial links to transmit and receive data from other transputers. The above algorithms are implemented on a network of transputers and the link connections for …

Monolithic Induction-Sourced Ac-To-Dc Power Supply Design, Jianhua Chen

Theses

This thesis describes techniques with design nomographs for supplying power to CMOS and microelectromechanical implanted devices. These applications require voltages in the range of 5 to 50 volts. Different kinds of voltage multiplier circuits were used to achieve high voltage output. The AC-to-DC and DC-to-DC capacitive bootstrap voltage multipliers are designed and analyzed. The AC-to-DC and DC-to-DC inductive bootstrap voltage multiplier circuits are presented and the SPICE simulations are done with those circuits. Four different options of inductive link high voltage power supply are presented, analyzed and compared. The link parameters of two VLSI-compatible square-shaped coils are calculated in both …

Ligament Reconstruction : A Biomechanical Cadaveric Test Of Autogenous Repairs And The In Vivo Evaluation Of Synthetic Scaffold Materials, Anne Marie Daly

Theses

The knee joint is the largest and one of the most complex joints in the human body. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the major intra-articular ligaments responsible for controlling and guiding the knee through most of its range of motion and its rupture alters normal joint mechanics.

One objective of this thesis was to determine if two autogenous tissue ACL reconstruction methods were biomechanically equivalent. The first method using the central one-third of the patellar tendon has been used clinically since the early 1960s. The second method utilizes portions of both the semitendinosus and the iliotibial band. …

Characteristic Shape Recognition With Fuzzy Dustering, Kalpesh J. Patel

Theses

The problem of shape detection has been treated as one of clustering. A fuzzy-shell clustering(FSC) has been formulated as non linear least squares with fuzzy memberships as weights. An improved FSC algorithm has been proposed based on this formulation to partition the input feature vectors into hyper-spheres. To illustrate the usefulness of improved FSC we have provided numerous examples in 2-D space. The idea has been extended to fuzzy ellipsoidal-shell clustering (rESC). A FESC algorithm has been proposed to partition the input feature vectors into ellipsoidal patterns. To substantiate our claims regarding usefulness of this algorithm we have provided many …

Investigation Of Micromechanical Properties Of Tungsten Silicide Thin Films, Bharat Pathak

Theses

Micromechanics is a field which is maturing. Recent research interest in micromechanical structures has focussed on the fabrication of microactuators and microsensors. These microsensors and actuators can sense very small changes in the environment without disturbing the equilibrium of the environment. The refractory silicides are some of the compatible materials used to integrate the micromechanical structures and the interfacing electronic circuits on the same chip. As a result of this, the thermodynamic, electrical and mechanical properties of transition metal silicides should be given a closer look for micromechanical applications.

This thesis details the design and fabrication of tungsten silicide moveable …

Simulation And Analysis Of Priority Classes In Extended Token Based Local Area Networks, Bhavinkumar R. Pathak

Theses

Recently, Local Area Networks carrying multiple priority classes of messages have received considerable attention. The IEEE 802.5 token ring standard defines an optional priority scheme to handle different priority classes of messages. A simulation model of symmetric priority based networks, consisting of token ring networks interconnected by a bridge is considered. Messages are divided into two priority classes, namely, high priority traffic and low priority traffic. High priority traffic is guaranteed access on the channel, whereas low priority messages are served when the system determines that no high priority messages are currently waiting. The simulation results are used to evaluate …

Microcomputer-Based Visual Controller And Data Logger System, Xiao-Fang Qi

Theses

This thesis paper describes the firmware design, instead of the hardware logic design, makes the machine vision hardware system economical, intelligent and expandable. It shows the construction and testing of a novel remote low speed machine vision control system, which also has functions as data logger and is capable of auto control. The system has 9 analog input channels available, and more. It also has 4 digital output channels for controlling external devices. This work also implemented a way to transfer the grabbed image to a PC/XT. In the 256 graphics mode of the VGA, 64 B&W gray levels can …

A Self Testing Strategy For The Wafer Scale Hierarchical Memory Architecture, Maremanda V. R. Rao

Theses

Since the early 1960's, semiconductor chips have matured from single transistor devices to one million transistors per chip. The integration has been achieved by reducing transistor dimensions, and by increasing chip sizes. However, physical limits are being reached as submicrometre dimensions are approached. Fault tolerance has to be used to maintain the increase in the chip complexity. Yield improvement is only one of the many possible gains of fault tolerance. The dense integration of logic on a single chip also creates a huge test problem. in recent years a great deal of effort has gone into the development of yield …

The Interconnection Network Analysis Package, Nadeem Sabbar

Theses

This thesis focuses on the development of the Interconnection Network Analysis Package (INAP), and the use of INAP to analyze minimal permutation networks. The INAP code is written in C language using Turbo C compiler. Although the INAP has been used to analyze the subject networks it is not a dedicated system. It gives the user the freedom to create the permutation network from scratch (1-8 inputs and 1-7 stages), and then to process it for any number of stages.

The INAP made the analysis of five input networks easy and efficient. The networks have been analyzed stage by stage. …

A Novel Schottky Barrier Mosfet For Vlsi Applications, Venkata S. Simhadri

Theses

Schottky barrier MOSFETs are expected to offer certain fabrication advantages, low series resistance and the feasibility to go into sub-micron technology without having short-channel effects. A p-channel MOSFET using Schottky contacts as source and drain is reviewed theoritically. The limitations of the device arising from the oxide offset between source/channel is studied with the help of one dimensional simulation SEDAN. The process sequence leads to an offset between source and channel. The performance of the SBMOSFETs with and without offset is estimated using two dimensional device simulation program PISCES-II for PtSi and IrSi as source and drain material. A novel …

Microengineered Thermal Conductivity Vacuum Pressure Sensor, Sanjay Talreja

Theses

This thesis details the first designs for microengineered vacuum pressure gauges based on silicon microelectronic technology. A monolithic polysilicon air-bridge structure (supported at both ends), within a Wheatstone bridge circuit, is used as a pressure sensor. The device utilizes the change of the thermal conductivity of a gas with ambient gas pressure. The doubly supported beam functions as a temperature sensitive resistor with a negative temperature coefficient of resistivity. Thermal change of resistance monitored as a measure of ambient pressure constitutes the basis of operation for this sensor. The sensor operates over the pressure ranging from 1 Torr to 10 …

Simulation And Analysis Of Integrated Lans For Hospital Environment, Naveen K. Verma

Theses

Hospitals generate a large number of data sets of different types and formats and it is required to integrate these data sets for their rapid and simultaneous communication in order for a better treatment of patients and to cut the escalating costs. A better approach to meet this requirement is to have a distributed system linked all together with a high capacity LAN using an efficient integration method.

This thesis begins by studying the characteristic feature and suitability of Queued Packet & Synchronous Exchange (QPSX) network architecture. The network models are simulated for QPSX, Ethernet and Token Bus networks for …

Reflection And Transmission Through Achiral-Chiral Interface, Jia-Feng Wang

Theses

Electromagnetic wave propagation through an achiral-chiral interface is analyzed via Maxwell's equations using the appropriate boundary conditions. Experimental data for reflected power from achiral-chiral interface was found to be in qualitative agreement with the analytical results. In addition, coupled mode equations for chiral cladding waveguides were derived and solved for weak coupling. The experimental results of chiral cladding waveguides show that an average of about 0.2° per cm in polarization rotation occurred. These waveguides were fabricated by using spin-coating deposition. The sense of the rotation was found to be independent of the handness of the cladding chirality, which was predicted …

Measurement Of Cluster Size By Retarding Potential And Time-Of- Flight Methods In An Ionized Cluster Beam Deposition System, Yung-Kuan Wang

Theses

The goal of this research was to study the mass distribution of ions generated in the Ionized Cluster Beam (ICB) deposition system. The ICB deposition method has been used to form high quality films of metals and other materials. It was postulated that the clusters consisting of hundreds and thousands of atoms produced by vapor expansion in the ICB source are responsible for the superior film properties. However, consistent experimental evidence concerning the cluster mass distribution, or even the existence of such clusters in the ICB apparatus, was lacking.

Two methods of cluster ion mass spectroscopy were used in this …

Modeling And Analysis Of Electrical Properties Of Polycrystalline Silicon Films, Yunsheng Wang

Theses

In recent years, investigations on polysilicon grain structures have shown that all polysilicon films by LPCVD which are most used in today's integrated circuits are columnar in structure. In this work, a square columnar grain structure has been considered to model electrical properties of polycrystalline silicon films instead of all previous one-dimensional grain structure models. By solving Poisson's equation with certain boundary conditions, we find that the barrier height at the corners of the grain is lower than that in the one-dimensional case. Assuming the trapping state energy level as constant, we also find that this level has a value …

Microengineered Silicon Beam Switch For Fiber Optics, Hsu-Nien Yang

Theses

A novel microelectromechanical actuator has been designed for moving an optical input fiber into alignment with one of three stationary output fibers. This switching device thus can connect an input optical port to one of 3 selected optical ports. The actuation force is created by a vertical-drive armature measuring 0.5x2.7 mm² mechanically tethered to the input optical fiber. A force of 2.33 mN is obtained from the linear acturator when the vertical stator armature gap is one micron and the applied three phase voltage is 140 Volts. The required force is a function of the input fiber length, e.g. …

Neural Net Classification Of States In Finite State Vector Quantization, Zhigang Zhang

Theses

In this thesis, a new image coding technique based on Neural Network Finite State Vector Quantization(NNFSVQ) is presented. The new design takes advantage of the high interblock spatial correlation of pixels in typical grey-level images, in addition to intrablock correlation already exploited by vector quantization (VQ). Although many FSVQ require large memory space for the storage of the numerous state codebooks, the memory space requirement of NNFSVQ can be reduced by a very large factor (about 10²-10³) to manageable size without impairing image quality. Simulation experiments have shown that by using NNFSVQ the bit rate can …

Optimization Of Bandwidth Allocation In Atm Nets Through Simulated Annealing, Chien-Long Hou

Theses

Optimization of Bandwidth Allocation in ATM network is considered in this thesis. We address the problem of determining optimal bandwidth allocation in such BISDN's that adopt ATM as their basic switching. technique by using Simulated Annealing. Computer simulation shows that this optimal policy leads to the configuration which yields the minimum average packet delay.

An Optically Powered Cmos On-Chip Power Supply, Jaeyong Jeong

Theses

This thesis presents an optically powered CMOS on-chip power supply for CMOS IC applications. There exists a need for specialized chips that are located remotely and are powered by light supplied through fiber-optic cabling. An optically powered CMOS on-chip power supply circuit described in this thesis is composed of three subcircuits; light to voltage converter circuit, clock pulse generator circuit, and voltage multiplier circuit. Each subcircuit has been analyzed and designed, and simmulated using SPICE 2G.5/6 with 3pm CMOS SPICE parameters from the MOSIS. The circuits layout has been done using MAGIC according to the MOSIS scalable CMOS design rules. …

A Transputer Based Distributed Graphics Display, Ramana V. Kattula

Theses

The design of a transputer based graphics display is discussed. The problems associated with the single processor graphics systems are described. A solution based on multiple transputers is proposed. The transputer based graphics display described is a general purpose graphics system which can achieve any required compute performance and drawing performance without using special hardware. The display resolution and color depth can be enhanced as per the user requirements with little or no change in hardware.

Edge Matching Of Aerial Scenery Using Fourier Descriptors, Ananth Kittappa

Theses

In this report an integrated method of classifying aerial images as related to photo stereo grammetry is discussed. In this method, an investigation of Fourier descriptors as features for the edge matching approach is carried out. The efficient calculation of the Fourier Descriptors is made possible by applying the polygonal approximation method to the original edges. In order for the features to be invariant to rotation, scaling and starting point shift, a normalization technique is adopted. Initially the Fourier Descriptors are tested for synthesized test datasets and it was proved that the variances of the Normalized Fourier Descriptors was a …

Landmark-Based Shape Recognition By A Modified Hopfield Neural Network, Kuowei Li

Theses

In this thesis, we introduce a new thethod to achieve partial shape recognition by means of a modified Hopfield neural network. To recognize partially visible object, we represent each object by a set of "landmarks." The landmarks of an object are points of interest relative to the object that have important shape attributes. Given a scene consisting of partially occluded objects, a model object in the scene is hypothesized by matching the landmarks of the model with those in the scene. A measure of similarity between two landmarks, one from a model and the other from the scene, is needed …

A Quantization Noise Feedback Technique In Pyramid Image Coding, Zhili Lin

Theses

In communication, we frequently encounter the problem about the trans-mission rate and quantization noise. That is, small quantization noise or high fidelity definitely increases transmission rate, or large quantization noise or low fidelity might require low transmission rate. In our research, we developed a quantization noise feedback technique, with which quantization noise can be reduced greatly at a given transmission rate. We applied this technique in pyramid image coding environment. An error analysis in frequency domain was carried out. Error estimation for pyramid image coding with and without quantization noise feedback was made. Finally, plenty of computer simulation confirms our …

Landmark-Based Partial Shape Recognition By A Two-Stage Bam Neural Network, Xianjun Liu

Theses

In this thesis, we develop a Bitfirectional Associative Memory (BAM) based neural network to achieve partial shape recognition. To recognize objects which are partially occluded, we represent each object by a set of landmarks. The landmarks of an object are points of interest relative to the object that have important shape attributes. To achieve recognition, feature values (landmark values) of each model object are trained and stored in the network. Each memory cell is trained to store landmark values of a model object for all possible positions. Given a scene which may consist of several objects, landmarks in the scene …