Electrical and Computer Engineering Commons^™

Information-Theoretic Criterion For The Performance Of Single-Photon Avalanche Photodiodes, David A. Ramirez, Majeed M. Hayat, Sergio N. Torres, Bahaa E.A. Saleh, Malvin Carl Teich

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

A channel-capacity metric is introduced for assessing the performance of single-photon avalanche photodiodes (SPADs) when used as detectors in laser communication systems. This metric is employed to theoretically optimize, with respect to the device structure and operating voltage, the performance of SPADs with simple InP or In/sub 0.52/Al/sub 0.48/As-InP heterojunction multiplication regions. As the multiplication-region width increases, an increase is predicted in both the peak and the full-width at half-maximum of the channel capacity curve versus the normalized excess voltage. Calculations also show the existence of an optimal In/sub 0.52/Al/sub 0.48/As-InP heterojunction multiplication region that maximizes the peak channel capacity …

Condition Monitoring Of Squirrel-Cage Induction Motors Fed By Pwm-Based Drives Using A Parameter Estimation Approach, Behrooz Mirafzal, F. Fateh, Chia-Chou Yeh, Richard J. Povinelli, Nabeel Demerdash

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Abstract:

A rotor condition monitoring technique is presented in this paper based on a parameter estimation approach. In this technique, the stator currents, voltages and motor speed are used as the input signals, where the outputs will be the rotor's inductance, resistance and consequently rotor time constant. This approach is verified by simulation of two different induction motor cases. These simulations are buttressed by experimental data obtained for a 2-hp induction motor in the case of healthy as well as one, three and five rotor bar breakages. In these tests, the induction motor was energized from a PWM-based drive, in …

Micro-Switches With Sputtered Au, Aupd, Au-On-Aupt, And Auptcu Alloy Electric Contacts, Ronald A. Coutu Jr., P. E. Kladitis, R. Cortez, R. E. Strawser, Robert L. Crane

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

This work is the first to report on a new analytic model for predicting micro-contact resistance and the design, fabrication, and testing of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) metal contact switches with sputtered bi-metallic (i.e. gold (Au)-on-Au-platinum (Pt), (Au-on-Au-(6%)Pt)), binary alloy (i.e. Au-palladium (Pd), (Au-(2%)Pd)), and tertiary alloy (i.e. Au-Pt-copper (Cu), (Au-(5%)Pt-(0.5%)Cu)) electric contacts. The micro-switches with bi-metallic and binary alloy contacts resulted in contact resistance between 1-2 /spl Omega/ and, when compared to micro-switches with sputtered Au electric contacts, exhibited a 3.3 and 2.6 times increase in switching lifetime, respectively. The tertiary alloy exhibited a 6.5 times increase in switch lifetime …

A Comparison Of Micro-Switch Analytic, Finite Element, And Experimental Results, Ronald A. Coutu Jr., P. E. Kladitis, Lavern A. Starman, J. R. Reid

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Electrostatically actuated, metal contact, micro-switches depend on having adequate contact force to achieve desired, low contact resistance. In this study, higher contact forces resulted from overdriving cantilever beam style switches, after pull-in or initial contact, until the beam collapsed onto the drive or actuation electrode. The difference between initial contact and beam collapse was defined as the useful contact force range. Micro-switch pull-in voltage, collapse voltage, and contact force predictions, modeled analytically and with the CoventorWare finite element software package, were compared to experimental results. Contact resistance was modeled analytically using Maxwellian spreading resistance theory. Contact resistance and contact …

Selecting Metal Alloy Electric Contact Materials For Mems Switches, Ronald A. Coutu Jr., Paul E. Kladitis, Kevin D. Leedy, Robert L. Crane

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

This paper presents a method for selecting metal alloys as the electric contact materials for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) metal contact switches. This procedure consists of reviewing macro-switch lessons learned, utilizing equilibrium binary alloy phase diagrams, obtaining thin film material properties and, based on a suitable model, predicting contact resistance performance. After determining a candidate alloy material, MEMS switches were designed, fabricated and tested to validate the alloy selection methodology. Minimum average contact resistance values of 1.17 and 1.87 Ω were measured for micro-switches with gold (Au) and gold–platinum (Au–(6.3%)Pt) alloy electric contacts, respectively. In addition, 'hot-switched' life cycle test results …

Time Series Classification Using Gaussian Mixture Models Of Reconstructed Phase Spaces, Richard J. Povinelli, Michael T. Johnson, Andrew C. Lindgren, Jinjin Ye

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

A new signal classification approach is presented that is based upon modeling the dynamics of a system as they are captured in a reconstructed phase space. The modeling is done using full covariance Gaussian mixture models of time domain signatures, in contrast with current and previous work in signal classification that is typically focused on either linear systems analysis using frequency content or simple nonlinear machine learning models such as artificial neural networks. The proposed approach has strong theoretical foundations based on dynamical systems and topological theorems, resulting in a signal reconstruction, which is asymptotically guaranteed to be a complete …

Application Of Bi-State Magnetic Material To Automotive Offset-Coupled Ipm Starter/Alternator Machine, Ayman M. El-Refaie, Russell Manzke, Thomas M. Jahns

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

This paper investigates a new approach to designing high-speed interior permanent-magnet (IPM) synchronous machines using a bi-state soft magnetic material. The bi-state material can have its normally high magnetic permeability permanently reduced in localized regions to that of air by means of heat treatment. This new work significantly expands a previous investigation by considering offset-coupled IPM machines that make it possible to significantly increase the rotor speed while retaining all of the other specifications of the 6-kW starter/alternator application. Lumped-parameter models, Monte Carlo optimization, and both electromagnetic and structural finite-element analysis are used to develop new offset-coupled IPM machine designs …

Induction Machine Broken-Bar Fault Diagnosis Using The Rotor Magnetic Field Space-Vector Orientation, Behrooz Mirafzal, Nabeel Demerdash

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

A new technique based on rotor magnetic field space vector orientation is presented to diagnose broken-bar faults in induction machines operating at steady state. In this technique, stator currents and voltages are used as inputs to compute and subsequently observe the rotor magnetic field orientation, which has a more significant "swing-like" pendulous oscillation in case of broken-bar faults than in healthy operation. It will be shown here that the range of this "pendulous oscillation" is a function of the number of broken bars. Also in this technique, it was found that an inter-turn shorted stator-winding fault, which exhibits similar pendulous …

Optimal Calibration Of Pet Crystal Position Maps Using Gaussian Mixture Models, Kelly A. Stronger, Michael T. Johnson

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

A method is developed for estimating optimal PET gamma-ray detector crystal position maps, for arbitrary crystal configurations, based on a binomial distribution model for scintillation photon arrival. The approach is based on maximum likelihood estimation of Gaussian mixture model parameters using crystal position histogram data, with determination of the position map taken from the posterior probability boundaries between mixtures. This leads to minimum probability of error crystal identification under the assumed model.

Effect Of Stochastic Dead Space On Noise In Avalanche Photodiodes, Oh-Hyun Kwon, Majeed M. Hayat, Joe C. Campbell, Bahaa E.A. Saleh, Malvin Carl Teich

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

A stochastic dead-space model for impact ionization is developed and used to study the effect of the soft nature of the ionization capability of carriers on the excess noise factor of avalanche photodiodes. The proposed model is based on the rationale that the gradual, or soft, transition in the probability density function (PDF) for the distance from birth to impact ionization can be viewed as that resulting from uncertainty in the dead space itself. The resulting soft PDF, which is parameterized by a tunable softness parameter, is used to establish the limitations of the existing hard-threshold ionization models in ultrathin …

Optimized Breakdown Probabilities In Al/Sub 0.6/Ga/Sub 0.4/As-Gaas Heterojunction Avalanche Photodiodes, Oh-Hyun Kwon, Majeed M. Hayat, Joe C. Campbell, Bahaa E.A. Saleh, Malvin Carl Teich

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Recently, it has been shown that the noise characteristics of heterojunction Al/sub 0.6/Ga/sub 0.4/As-GaAs avalanche photodiodes (APDs) can be optimized by proper selection of the width of the Al/sub 0.6/Ga/sub 0.4/As layer. Similar trends have also been shown theoretically for the bandwidth characteristics. The resulting noise reduction and potential bandwidth enhancement have been attributed to the fact that the high bandgap Al/sub 0.6/Ga/sub 0.4/As layer serves to energize the injected electrons, thereby minimizing their first dead space in the GaAs layer. We show theoretically that the same optimized structures yield optimal breakdown-probability characteristics when the APD is operated in Geiger …

The Effect Of Pruning And Compression On Graphical Representations Of The Output Of A Speech Recognizer, Yang Liu, Mary P. Harper, Michael T. Johnson, Leah H. Jamieson

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Large vocabulary continuous speech recognition can benefit from an efficient data structure for representing a large number of acoustic hypotheses compactly. Word graphs or lattices have been chosen as such an efficient interface between acoustic recognition engines and subsequent language processing modules. This paper first investigates the effect of pruning during acoustic decoding on the quality of word lattices and shows that by combining different pruning options (at the model level and word level), we can obtain word lattices with comparable accuracy to the original lattices and a manageable size. In order to use the word lattices as the input …

Automatic Classification Of African Elephant (Loxodonta Africana) Follicular And Luteal Rumbles, Michael T. Johnson, Patrick J. Clemins

Dr. Dolittle Project: A Framework for Classification and Understanding of Animal Vocalizations

Recent research in African elephant vocalizations has shown that there is evidence for acoustic differences in the rumbles of females based on the phase of their estrous cycle (1). One reason for these differences might be to attract a male for reproductive purposes. Since rumbles have a fundamental frequency near 10Hz, they attenuate slowly and can be heard over a distance of several kilometers. This research exploits differences in the rumbles to create an automatic classification system that can determine whether a female rumble was made during the luteal or follicular phase of the ovulatory cycle. This system could be …

Diagnostics Of Eccentricities And Bar/End-Ring Connector Breakages In Polyphase Induction Motors Through A Combination Of Time-Series Data Mining And Time-Stepping Coupled Fe-State Space Techniques, John F. Bangura, Richard J. Povinelli, Nabeel Demerdash, Ronald H. Brown

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

This paper develops the foundations of a technique for detection and categorization of dynamic/static eccentricities and bar/end-ring connector breakages in squirrel-cage induction motors that is not based on the traditional Fourier transform frequency-domain spectral analysis concepts. Hence, this approach can distinguish between the "fault signatures" of each of the following faults: eccentricities, broken bars, and broken end-ring connectors in such induction motors. Furthermore, the techniques presented here can extensively and economically predict and characterize faults from the induction machine adjustable-speed drive design data without the need to have had actual fault data from field experience. This is done through the …

Application Of Speech Recognition To African Elephant (Loxodonta Africana) Vocalizations, Patrick J. Clemins, Michael T. Johnson

Dr. Dolittle Project: A Framework for Classification and Understanding of Animal Vocalizations

This paper presents a novel application of speech processing research, classification of African elephant vocalizations. Speaker identification and call classification experiments are performed on data collected from captive African elephants in a naturalistic environment. The features used for classification are 12 mel-frequency cepstral coefficients plus log energy computed using a shifted filter bank to emphasize the infrasound range of the frequency spectrum used by African elephants. Initial classification accuracies of 83.8% for call classification and 88.1% for speaker identification were obtained. The long-term goal of this research is to develop a universal analysis framework and robust feature set for animal …

A New Temporal Pattern Identification Method For Characterization And Prediction Of Complex Time Series Events, Richard J. Povinelli, Xin Feng

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

A new method for analyzing time series data is introduced in this paper. Inspired by data mining, the new method employs time-delayed embedding and identifies temporal patterns in the resulting phase spaces. An optimization method is applied to search the phase spaces for optimal heterogeneous temporal pattern clusters that reveal hidden temporal patterns, which are characteristic and predictive of time series events. The fundamental concepts and framework of the method are explained in detail. The method is then applied to the characterization and prediction, with a high degree of accuracy, of the release of metal droplets from a welder. The …

Scene-Based Nonuniformity Correction For Focal Plane Arrays By The Method Of The Inverse Covariance Form, Sergio N. Torres, Jorge E. Pezoa, Majeed M. Hayat

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

What is to our knowledge a new scene-based algorithm for nonuniformity correction in infrared focal-plane array sensors has been developed. The technique is based on the inverse covariance form of the Kalman filter (KF), which has been reported previously and used in estimating the gain and bias of each detector in the array from scene data. The gain and the bias of each detector in the focal-plane array are assumed constant within a given sequence of frames, corresponding to a certain time and operational conditions, but they are allowed to randomly drift from one sequence to another following a discrete-time …

Kalman Filtering For Adaptive Nonuniformity Correction In Infrared Focal-Plane Arrays, Sergio N. Torres, Majeed M. Hayat

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

A novel statistical approach is undertaken for the adaptive estimation of the gain and bias nonuniformity in infrared focal-plane array sensors from scene data. The gain and the bias of each detector are regarded as random state variables modeled by a discrete-time Gauss–Markov process. The proposed Gauss–Markov framework provides a mechanism for capturing the slow and random drift in the fixed-pattern noise as the operational conditions of the sensor vary in time. With a temporal stochastic model for each detector’s gain and bias at hand, a Kalman filter is derived that uses scene data, comprising the detector’s readout values sampled …

Breakdown Probabilities For Thin Heterostructure Avalanche Photodiodes, Majeed M. Hayat, Ünal Sako ̆Glu, Oh-Hyun Kwon, Shuling Wang, Joe C. Campbell, Bahaa E.A. Saleh, Malvin Carl Teich

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The recurrence theory for the breakdown probability in avalanche photodiodes (APDs) is generalized to heterostructure APDs that may have multiple multiplication layers. The generalization addresses layer-boundary effects such as the initial energy of injected carriers as well as the layer-dependent profile of the dead space in the multiplication region. Reducing the width of the multiplication layer serves to both downshift and sharpen the breakdown probability curve as a function of the applied reverse-bias voltage. In structures where the injected carriers have an initial energy that is comparable to the ionization threshold energy, the transition from linear mode to Geiger-mode is …

Optimal Excess Noise Reduction In Thin Heterojunction Al0.6Ga0.4As-Gaas Avalanche Photodiodes, Oh-Hyun Kwon, Majeed M. Hayat, Shuling Wang, Joe C. Campbell, Archie L. Holmes, Yi Pan, Bahaa E.A. Saleh, Malvin Carl Teich

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

It has been recently found that the initial-energy effect, which is associated with the finite initial energy of carriers entering the multiplication region of an avalanche photodiode (APD), can be tailored to reduce the excess noise well beyond the previously known limits for thin APDs. However, the control of the initial energy of injected carriers can be difficult in practice for an APD with a single multiplication layer. In this paper, the dead-space multiplication recurrence theory is used to show that the low noise characteristics associated with the initial-energy effect can be achieved by utilizing a two-layer multiplication region. As …

Scene-Based Nonuniformity Correction For Focal Plane Arrays By The Method Of The Inverse Covariance Form, Sergio N. Torres, Jorge E. Pezoa, Majeed M. Hayat

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

What is to our knowledge a new scene-based algorithm for nonuniformity correction in infrared focal-plane array sensors has been developed. The technique is based on the inverse covariance form of the Kalman filter (KF), which has been reported previously and used in estimating the gain and bias of each detector in the array from scene data. The gain and the bias of each detector in the focal-plane array are assumed constant within a given sequence of frames, corresponding to a certain time and operational conditions, but they are allowed to randomly drift from one sequence to another following a discrete-time …

Diagnostics Of Bar And End-Ring Connector Breakage Faults In Polyphase Induction Motors Through A Novel Dual Track Of Time-Series Data Mining And Time-Stepping Coupled Fe-State Space Modeling, Richard J. Povinelli, John F. Bangura, Nabeel Demerdash, Ronald H. Brown

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

This paper develops the fundamental foundations of a technique for detection of faults in induction motors that is not based on the traditional Fourier transform frequency domain approach. The technique can extensively and economically characterize and predict faults from the induction machine adjustable speed drive design data. This is done through the development of dual-track proof-of-principle studies of fault simulation and identification. These studies are performed using our proven Time Stepping Coupled Finite Element-State Space method to generate fault case data. Then, the fault cases are classified by their inherent characteristics, so-called “signatures” or “fingerprints.” These fault signatures are extracted …

Boundary Effects On Multiplication Noise In Thin Heterostructure Avalanche Photodiodes: Theory And Experiment [Al/Sub 0.6/Ga/Sub 0.4/As/Gaas], Majeed M. Hayat, Oh-Hyun Kwon, Shuling Wang, Joe C. Campbell, Bahaa E.A. Saleh, Malvin Carl Teich

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The history-dependent recurrence theory for multiplication noise in avalanche photodiodes (APDs), developed by Hayat et al., is generalized to include inter-layer boundary effects in heterostructure APDs with multilayer multiplication regions. These boundary effects include the initial energy of injected carriers as well as bandgap-transition effects within a multilayer multiplication region. It is shown that the excess noise factor can be significantly reduced if the avalanche process is initiated with an energetic carrier, in which case the initial energy serves to reduce the initial dead space associated with the injected carrier. An excess noise factor reduction up to 40% below the …

An Algebraic Algorithm For Nonuniformity Correction In Focal-Plane Arrays, Bradley M. Ratliff, Majeed M. Hayat, Russell C. Hardie

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

A scene-based algorithm is developed to compensate for bias nonuniformity in focal-plane arrays. Nonuniformity can be extremely problematic, especially for mid- to far-infrared imaging systems. The technique is based on use of estimates of interframe subpixel shifts in an image sequence, in conjunction with a linear-interpolation model for the motion, to extract information on the bias nonuniformity algebraically. The performance of the proposed algorithm is analyzed by using real infrared and simulated data. One advantage of this technique is its simplicity; it requires relatively few frames to generate an effective correction matrix, thereby permitting the execution of frequent on-the-fly nonuniformity …

Maximum-Likelihood Image Estimation Using Photon-Correlated Beams, Majeed M. Hayat, Muhammad Sajjad Abdullah, Adel Joobeur, Bahaa E.A. Saleh

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

A theory is presented addressing the fundamental limits of image estimation in a setup that uses two photon-correlated beams. These beams have the property that their photon arrivals, as a point process, are ideally synchronized in time and space. The true image represents the spatial distribution of the optical transmittance (or reflectance) of an object. In this setup, one beam is used to probe the image while the other is used as a reference providing additional information on the actual number of photons impinging on the object. This additional information is exploited to reduce the effect of quantum noise associated …

Gain-Bandwidth Characteristics Of Thin Avalanche Photodiodes, Majeed M. Hayat, Oh-Hyun Kwon, Yi Pan, Paul P. Sotirelis, Joe C. Campbell, Bahaa E.A. Saleh, Malvin Carl Teich

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The frequency-response characteristics of avalanche photodiodes (APDs) with thin multiplication layers are investigated by means of a recurrence technique that incorporates the history dependence of ionization coefficients. In addition, to characterize the autocorrelation function of the impulse response, new recurrence equations are derived and solved using a parallel computer. The mean frequency response and the gain-bandwidth product are computed and a simple model for the dependence of the gain-bandwidth product on the multiplication-layer width is set forth for GaAs, InP, Al/sub 0.2/Ga/sub 0.8/As, and In/sub 0.52/Al/sub 0.48/As APDs. It is shown that the dead-space effect leads to a reduction (up …

Projection-Based Image Registration In The Presence Of Fixed-Pattern Noise, Ernest Armstrong, Stephen C. Cain, Majeed M. Hayat

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

A computationally efficient method for image registration is investigated that can achieve an improved performance over the traditional two-dimensional (2-D) cross-correlation-based techniques in the presence of both fixed-pattern and temporal noise. The method relies on transforming each image in the sequence of frames into two vector projections formed by accumulating pixel values along the rows and columns of the image. The vector projections corresponding to successive frames are in turn used to estimate the individual horizontal and vertical components of the shift by means of a one-dimensional (1-D) cross-correlation-based estimator. While gradient-based shift estimation techniques are computationally efficient, they often …

Locating Target At High Speed Using Image Decimation Decomposition Processing, Zikuan Chen, Mohammad Rezaul Karim, Majeed M. Hayat

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

We develop a decimation-decomposition processing technique that consists of judiciously selecting certain decimation-decomposed components of an image and then performing inter-component processing. For a (k_x,k_y)-decimation decomposition, there may be up to k_xk_y decimation-decomposed components. The minimal surviving and maximal non-surviving lengths associated with inter-component processing algorithm allows for clutter suppression. By removing detection redundancies, one can locate the target at high speed. A “where-then-what” model is proposed for target tracking and recognition. It locates the target by-image decimation-decomposition processing first and then recognizes the target in question using a suitable image recognition technique.

Impact-Ionization And Noise Characteristics Of Thin Iii-V Avalanche Photodiodes, Mohammad A. Saleh, Majeed M. Hayat, Paul P. Sotirelis, Archie L. Holmes, Joe C. Campbell, Bahaa E.A. Saleh, Malvin Carl Teich

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

It is, by now, well known that McIntyre's localized carrier-multiplication theory cannot explain the suppression of excess noise factor observed in avalanche photodiodes (APDs) that make use of thin multiplication regions. We demonstrate that a carrier multiplication model that incorporates the effects of dead space, as developed earlier by Hayat et al. provides excellent agreement with the impact-ionization and noise characteristics of thin InP, In/sub 0.52/Al/sub 0.48/As, GaAs, and Al/sub 0.2/Ga/sub 0.8/As APDs, with multiplication regions of different widths. We outline a general technique that facilitates the calculation of ionization coefficients for carriers that have traveled a distance exceeding the …

Breakdown Voltage In Thin Iii-V Avalanche Photodiodes, Mohammad A. Saleh

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

1. The dead-space multiplication theory of Hayat et al. [Journal of Lightwave Technology 10, 1415 (1992)], in conjunction with the multiplication-width-independent ionization-coefficient model developed by Saleh et al. [IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 47, 625 (2000)], are shown to accurately predict breakdown voltages for thin avalanche photodiodes of GaAs, InP, In_0:52Al_0:48As, and Al_0:2Ga_0:8As, over a broad range of device widths. The breakdown voltage is determined from the analytical expression for the impulse-response-function decay rate.