Electrical and Computer Engineering Commons^™

The Electrostatic Interaction Of Charged, Dust-Particle Pairs In Plasmas, M. E. Markes, P. F. Williams

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

We report the results of a study of the electrostatic interaction between negatively charged particles in a plasma. The goal of the study was to investigate the possibility of an attractive interaction which would make possible the formation of “molecules” of particles. For all approximations relating the positive ion density to the local electrostatic potential that we examined, we find that the interaction is repulsive for all particle separations.

Growth And Characterization Of Zno For The Front Contact Of Cu(In,Ga)Se2, Rita Bhatt

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

ZnO window layers for CIGS solar cells are grown with a DC sputtering technique instead of a conventional RF sputtering technique. Transparent window layers and buffer layers are sputtered from the Zn target in the presence of Oxygen. The window layer is doped with Aluminum in order to achieve high electrical conductivity and thermal stability. The effect of different sputtering parameters on the electrical and optical properties of the films is elaborately studied. Sets of annealing experiments are also performed. Combinations of different deposition parameters are examined to design the optimum fabrication conditions. We are able to deposit 85% transparent, …

Qualitative Modeling For Magnetization Curve, Pei-Hwa Huang, Yu-Shuo Chang

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

This paper studies the derivation of a qualitative description for the magnetization curve of saturable magnetic materials. From a set of numerical input-output data, a fuzzy model, which is a collection of fuzzy IF-THEN rules for describing the studied system, is first constructed for the magnetization curve. A procedure consisting of a fuzzy clustering method and a rule processing algorithm is then employed for processing the constructed fuzzy modeling rules to extract the qualitative properties of the curve. The proposed approach is objective in that it can yield the system qualitative features without domain experts’ knowledge. An example is demonstrated …

High-Quality P-N Junctions With Quaternary Alingan/Ingan Quantum Wells, A. Chitnis, A. Kumar, M. Shatalov, V. Adivarahan, A. Lunev, J. W. Yang, Grigory Simin, M. Asif Khan, R. Gaska, M. Shur

Faculty Publications

We report on quaternary AlInGaN/InGaN multiple quantum well(MQW)light emitting diode structures grown on sapphire substrates. The structures demonstrate high quality of the p–njunctions with quaternary MQW. At low forward bias (below 2 V), the temperature dependent of current–voltage characteristics are exponential with the ideality factor of 2.28, which is in a good agreement with the model of the injected carrier recombination in the space charge region. This ideality factor value is approximately three times lower than for conventional GaN/InGaN light emitting diodes(LEDs). The obtained data indicate the recombination in p–njunction space charge region to be responsible for a current transport …

Theory And Experiment Of High-Speed Cross-Gain Modulation In Semiconductor Lasers, Xiaomin Jin, T. Keating, Shun-Lien Chuang

Electrical Engineering

We present theory and experiment for the high-speed modulation response of a quantum-well (QW) laser in the presence of an external microwave modulated optical pump in the gain region. The model includes the effects of pump-induced stimulated recombination and cross-gain saturation. Expressions for the small-signal modulation response of the test laser under gain modulation are derived. We also present experimental results using a multiple-QW InGaAlAs Fabry-Perot (FP) laser at 1.552 μm as the test laser and an external pump by a 1.542 μm DFB laser. Comparison between electrical modulation and optical cross-gain modulation (XGM) of the test laser is also …

The Merchant Power Plant: The Future Of Power Generation, Hari Natarajan

IIMB Management Review

 In most countries, till recently, the electrical supply industry (ESI) was either state owned and operated or was heavily regulated. However, with the recognition in the late 70s that this leads to severe misallocation of labour, capital and natural resources, many countries looked to restructure their ESI to introduce competition and allow the entry of the private sector. A typical restructuring exercise involved unbundling of generation, a potentially competitive sector, from transmission and distribution, which are considered to be natural monopolies. An outcome of the restructuring was the evolution of a new entity.

Finite-Aperture Wire Grid Polarizers, Michael A. Jensen, Gregory P. Nordin

Faculty Publications

The transmission characteristics of wire grid polarizers fabricated in finite apertures are investigated by using a three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain formulation. Specifically, the optical transmissivity and extinction ratio are characterized for a wide variety of geometrical parameters including aperture size in both dimensions, conducting wire fill factor, and polarizer thickness. A dispersive material model is used to investigate the performance of polarizers fabricated by using realistic metals at infrared wavelengths. The results indicate that the aperture dimension significantly impacts the polarizer transmission behavior and that the extinction of the unwanted polarization is often limited by depolarizing scattering that is due to …

Direct Generation Of Optical Diffractive Elements In Perfluorocyclobutane (Pfcb) Polymers By Soft Lithography, Gregory P. Nordin, J. Ballato, P. C. Deguzman, S. Foulger, H. Shah, D. Smith

Faculty Publications

Optically diffractive line gratings with 0.58- m feature sizes have been generated in 100- m perfluorocyclobutane (PFCB) polymer films by direct micromolding using only a silicon master. Strong reflectivities from the green to red portions of the visible spectrum, depending on incident beam angle, were observed with 3 dB bandwidths of approximately 30 nm. This negative mold-free technique permits, for the first time to our knowledge, feature reproduction at submicrometer size scales, eliminates several steps from conventional soft lithographic methods, and marks itself as a practical means for rapidly generating planar photonic structures that operate spectrally in the visible and …

Effect Of Gate Leakage Current On Noise Properties Of Algan/Gan Field Effect Transistors, S. L. Rumyantsev, N. Pala, M. S. Shur, R. Gaska, M. E. Levinshtein, M. Asif Khan, Grigory Simin, X. Hu, J. Yang

Faculty Publications

The effect of the gate leakage current fluctuations on noiseproperties of AlGaN/GaN heterostructurefield effect transistors(HFETs) has been studied in conventional HFET structures and in AlGaN/GaN metal-oxide-semiconductorheterostructurefield effect transistors (MOS-HFETs). The comparison of the noiseproperties of conventional AlGaN/GaN HFETs and AlGaN/GaN MOS-HFETs fabricated on the same wafer, allowed us to estimate the contribution of the gate currentnoise to the HFET’s output noise. The effect of the gate current fluctuations on output noiseproperties of HFETs depends on the level of noise in the AlGaN/GaN HFETs. For the transistors with a relatively high magnitude of the Hooge parameter α∼10⁻³, even a …

Hybridization Of Dna By Sequential Immobilization Of Oligonucleotides At The Air-Water Interface, Murali Sastry, Vidya Ramakrishnan, Mrunalini Pattarkine, Anand Gole, K. N. Ganesh

Faculty Works

The hybridization of DNA by sequential electrostatic and hydrogen-bonding immobilization of single-stranded complementary oligonucleotides at the air-water interface with cationic Langmuir monolayers is demonstrated. The complexation of the single-stranded DNA molecules with octadecylamine (ODA) Langmuir monolayers was followed in time by monitoring the pressure-area isotherms. A large (and slow) expansion of the ODA monolayer was observed during each stage of complexation in the following sequence: primary single-stranded DNA followed by complementary single-stranded DNA followed by the intercalator, ethidium bromide. Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of the ODA-DNA complex were formed on different substrates and characterized using quartz-crystal microgravimetry (QCM), Fourier transform infrared …

Template Synthesis Of Nano-Structured Electrode Materials And Its Electrochemical Performance, Jian Zhao, Quan-Yong Gao, Yong Yang, Zu-Geng Lin

Journal of Electrochemistry

In this letter, various nano structured materials such as spinel LiMn₂O₄ nanotubes/nanowires and carbon nanotubes have been prepared by using porous alumina template. The prepared template and materials have been characterized by AFM and TEM techniques. It is shown that size of the nanotubes can be conveniently controlled by using template method. Some preliminary results of cyclic voltammetry about nano structured LiMn₂O₄ are also reported.

Electrochemical Hydrogen Storage Properties Of Carbon Nanotubes, Xue Qin, Xue-Ping Gao, Feng Wu, Hong Liu, Ying Lan, Hua-Tang Yuan, De-Ying Song, Pan-Wen Shen

Journal of Electrochemistry

The electrochemical properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) electrode have been investigated in this paper. The high discharge capacity of 200 mAh·g^-1 was measured for the CNTs Ni electrode at a discharge density of 200 mAh·g^-1 . CNTs-Ni electrode, the high electrochemical activity and the long cycle life were observed. The electrochemical mechanism of hydrogen adsorption and oxidation at the CNTs Ni electrode was studied by cyclic voltammertry method.

The Electrochemical Performance Of The Spinel Limn2O4, Shi-Gang Lu, Yu-Cheng Sun, Ren-Min Liu, Wei-Hua Jin, Wen-Zhong Li, Cang Han

Journal of Electrochemistry

The cathode material spinel LiMn₂O₄ of lithium ion battery was synthesized by making use of solid state reaction at 750～850 ℃. The discharge capacity was 115～125 mAh·g^-1 . It was observed that the capacity loss increase at the elvated 55 ℃ temperature. A little excess Li content and the Co doped spined could improved the cycle capability of the cathode material. The dissolution of the spined in the electrolyte was measured. The treatment method was used to stabilize the LiMn₂O₄ structure. It was found that the spinel LiMn₂O₄, treated …

The Memory Effect Of Mh-Ni Battery, De-Ming Xie, Jian-Ming Wang, Jian-Qing Zhang, Chu-Nan Cao

Journal of Electrochemistry

The memory effect of MH-Ni battery was investigated. The depth of discharge, discharge rate and cycle number influence the memory effect greatly. A few completely full charge/discharge cycles could eliminate it. The existence of the memory effect had nothing to do with zinc element. During the course of life cycling at low DOD (degree of discharge), the smaller the discharge current was, the lower was the maximum charge voltage. In addition, discharge voltage and discharge capacity drop fast at the beginning, gradually leveled off at about a value. If the discharge current was increased, the discharge capacity was obviously less …

The Development Of Carbon Monoxide Tolerant Catalysts For Proton-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell, Zhong-Jun Hou, Hong-Mei Yu, Bao-Lian Yi, Ming Han

Journal of Electrochemistry

High over-potential of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) anode caused by carbon monnoxide poisoning when reformate or methanol is used as fuel is main obstacle to the high performance of PEMFCs. Using carbon monoxide tolerant catalysts is the most hopeful way to solve the CO problem. The CO poisoning problem is reviewed briefly in this paper, and the development of CO tolerant catalysts is introduced in details, including electrocatalysts activity, preparation method and mechanism of tolerance to CO.Mo and W can improve catalysts' CO tolerance. Multi-component catalysts are expected to be more tolerant to CO.

Effect Of High Concentration Lithium Bromide Solution On Electrochemical Behavior Of Low Alloy Steel At High Temperature, Jian-Wei Guo, Cheng-Hao Liang

Journal of Electrochemistry

By electrochemical measurements and weight loss experiments, the effect of MoO₄^2- on low alloy steel's electrochemical behaviors was investigated at high temperature in 55%LiBr+0.07 mol/L LiOH solution. The results showed that MoO₄^2-, as an anodic inhibitor, formed passive film rapidly and impeded both anodic and cathodic procedures. Moreover, Na₂MoO₄ prevented corrosion effectively in 55%LiBr+0.07 mol/L LiOH solution when its concentration is more than 200 mg/L. The pitting potential increased accompanying to the arising of Na₂MoO₄ concentration. Some elements of alloy strengthened resistance to corrosion, shch as chromium and nickel, …

Studies Of Adsorption And Oxidation Of Ethanol On Nm-Pt/Gc Electrode——I. Cyclic Voltammograms And In-Situ Ftir Spectroscopy In Alkaline Media, Guo-Lian Chen, Shi-Gang Sun, Sheng-Pei Chen, Zhi-You Zhou

Journal of Electrochemistry

The electro-oxidation of ethanol on nm-Pt/GC electrode in alkaline solutions containing 0.02 mol·L^-1 NaOH+0.1 mol·L^-1 CH₃CH₂OH was investigated by using cyclic voltammetry and in-situ FTIR spectroscopy. The experimental results demonstrated that the main product of ethanol oxidation is CH₃COO^-, only very small amount of CH ³CHO has been determined simultaneously. In contrast with the dual path reaction mechanism for the oxidation of ethanol in acid media, the oxidation of ethanol in alkaline media didn't pass through the dissociative adsorption, and no adsorbed species could be determined even using a …

Investigation Of A Complex Lithium Cobalt Nickel Oxide As Lithium Ion Battery Cathode Materials Prepared By A New Citrate Sol-Gel Method, Jing-Li Han, Qing-Guo Liu

Journal of Electrochemistry

The synthesis and electrochemical characteristics of lithium cobalt nickel oxide as cathode materials for rechargeable lithium batteries were investigated. It was clarified from these investigations that lithium cobalt nickel oxide has been produced from basic cobalt carbonate,basic nickel carbonate, lithium carbonate, and citrate. LiNi_0.8Co _0.2O₂ prepared under the stream of oxygen gas showed a higher cycling capacity of (～190 mAh·g^-1).

Pd/Ni Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Hydrogen Sensor Utilizing A Segregated Pd-Ti Adhesion Layer, Mark Wayne Jenkins

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

A novel technique has been developed that incorporates an adhesion layer into a hydrogen sensor that is based on a MOS structure. Previous structures containing no adhesion layer exhibited long-term drift and device failure due to delamination of the gate. While devices that did incorporate a normal adhesion layer lost all of their sensitivity. This is the first demonstration of combining virtues of an adhesion layer for a noble metal on insulator while retaining hydrogen sensitivity in a field effect sensor. The design issues related to utilizing Pd films for hydrogen sensors are presented. The recipes for fabricating the sensors …

Infrared Switching Electrochromic Devices Based On Tungsten Oxide, E. B. Franke, C. L. Trimble, J. S. Hale, Mathias Schubert, John A. Woollam

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Different types of electrochromic devices for thermal emittance modulation were developed in the spectral region from mid- to far-infrared (2–40 μm). In all devices polycrystalline and amorphous tungsten oxide have been used as electrochromic and ion storage layer, respectively. Two types of all-solid-state devices were designed, one with a metal grid for the top and bottom electrode deposited on a highly emissive glass substrate, and another with a top metal grid electrode and a highly reflecting bottom metal electrode layer. Tantalum oxide is used as an ion conductor in both device types. The third device type consists of a polymeric …

A Technique For Analyzing Radiation From Conformal Antennas Mounted On Arbitrarily-Shaped Conducting Bodies, Dean Arakaki, Douglas H. Werner, Raj Mittra

Electrical Engineering

This paper presents an efficient method to solve the problem of radiation from conformal aperture and microstrip antennas mounted on arbitrarily-shaped conducting bodies. The method, based on the surface equivalence and reciprocity principles, uses a combination of the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) and Method of Moments (MoM) techniques to substantially improve the computational efficiency of the radiation pattern calculation. When the geometry and location of the radiating element are modified, only a small portion of the overall analysis requires re-simulation. This leads to a significant improvement in computational efficiency over presently used techniques, and can substantially improve design efficiency …

Dielectric Function Of Amorphous Tantalum Oxide From The Far Infrared To The Deep Ultraviolet Spectral Region Measured By Spectroscopic Ellipsometry, Eva Franke, C. L. Trimble, M. J. Devries, John A. Woollam, Mathias Schubert, F. Frost

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Amorphous tantalum oxide thin films were deposited by reactive rf magnetron sputtering onto [001] silicon substrates. Growth temperature, oxygen partial pressure, and total gas pressure have been varied to obtain thin films with different densities. The thin films were analyzed by glancing angle-of-incidence x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and variable angle-of-incidence spectroscopic ellipsometry in the near infrared to vacuum ultraviolet spectral region for photon energies from E=1 to 8.5 eV, and in the infrared region from E=0.03 to 1 eV. We present the dielectric function of amorphous tantalum oxide obtained by line shape analysis of the experimental ellipsometric …

Detection Of Solid Pigment In Dermatoscopy Images Using Texture Analysis, Murali Anantha, William V. Stoecker, Randy Hays Moss

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Background/aims: Epiluminescence microscopy (ELM), also known as dermoscopy or dermatoscopy, is a non-invasive, in vivo technique, that permits visualization of features of pigmented melanocytic neoplasms that are not discernable by examination with the naked eye. ELM offers a completely new range of visual features. One such feature is the solid pigment, also called the blotchy pigment or dark structureless area. Our goal was to automatically detect this feature and determine whether its presence is useful in distinguishing benign from malignant pigmented lesions.

Methods: Here, a texture-based algorithm is developed for the detection of solid pigment. The factors d and a …

Voltage Stability Analysis: V-Q Power Flow Simulation Versus Dynamic Simulation, Badrul H. Chowdhury, C. W. Taylor

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Several analysis methods are available for long-term voltage stability. The V-Q curve power flow method is widely used by Western Systems Coordinating Council utilities, and has some advantages. Long-term dynamic simulation with proper modeling, however, is clearly the most accurate simulation method. The authors compare the two methods for wintertime voltage stability problems in the Portland, Oregon, USA, load area. Results from the V-Q method can be misleading. The same is true of other power flow program based analysis employing conventional modeling. Results from these power flow methods may be pessimistic, causing overdesign or overly conservative operation.

Nonlinear Parameter Estimation Of Excitation Systems, Rajeev Bhaskar, Mariesa Crow, Eric Ludwig, Kelvin T. Erickson, Kirit S. Shah

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper details the nonlinear parameter estimation process of an IEEE AC1A type exciter using time-domain system identification techniques. This paper discusses nonlinear parameter estimation techniques, systematic and random noise mitigation strategies, and system validation. This study establishes a strong basis for excitation system parameter estimation.

System Level Microwave Design: Radar-Based Laboratory Projects, Michael A. Jensen, David V. Arnold, Donald E. Crockett

Faculty Publications

Two laboratory projects-a Doppler radar and a synthetic aperture radar (SAR)-designed to augment traditional electromagnetics education are proposed. The projects introduce students to component and system level design and expose them to modern computer-aided design (CAD) tools, microstrip and surface mount fabrication technologies, and industry standard test equipment and procedures. Additionally, because the projects result in a working radar system, students gain new enthusiasm for the electromagnetics discipline and directly see its relevance in the engineering field. Implementation of these laboratories within the curriculum have proven to be highly motivational and educational and have even contributed to increased enrolments in …

Thickness Analysis Of Silicon Membranes For Stencil Masks, E. Sossna, R. Kassing, I. W. Rangelow, C. M. Herzinger, T. E. Tiwald, John A. Woollam, Th. Wagner

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Stencil masks are key to charged particle projection lithography, in particular for ion projection lithography. To fulfill pattern printing requirements in the sub-70 nm regime, excellent thickness uniformity and thermal emissivity control are critical parameters for high quality stencil mask fabrication. We propose and demonstrate a technique based on infrared variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (IR-VASE) to measure these parameters with adequate accuracy and precision. The refractive index of the Si membrane was evaluated using a Sellmeier dispersion model combined with a Drude model. Because of its spectral range from 2 to 33 μm, the IR-VASE method is sensitive to the …

High Performance Micropane Electron Beam Window, Roger A. Dougal, Shengyi Liu

Faculty Publications

A silicon disk etched so that it contains a multitude of microscopic and thin window panes (micropanes) can potentially transmit a larger average electron beam current density and absorb a smaller fraction of the beam energy than a common metal foil window. The enhanced performance is achieved by a combination of decreased power loss due to the extremely small window thickness (~1 μm), and increased conductive cooling due to the small diameter (~50 μm) of the micropanes and the large cross section of the honeycomb structure that supports the micropanes. Beam current densities up to 34 A/cm2 are permitted within …

Multi-Wavelength Polarization Scrambling Device, James R. Stimple, Dennis J. Derickson, Eugene Rudkevich

Electrical Engineering

A polarization scrambling device randomly varies the polarization states of multiple applied optical signals. The scrambling device includes a polarization scrambler coupled to a wavelength-dependent polarization randomizer having cascaded birefringent elements in which the axes of polarization of the cascaded elements are rotationally offset. The scrambling device causes random variations in the relative and the absolute polarization states of the applied optical signals. The birefringence, lengths, and number of cascaded birefringent elements are chosen to assure that the polarization states of optical signals at the different wavelengths are sufficiently randomized, even when the applied optical signals are closely spaced in …

Enabling Mobile Agents Communication, Mohammad Samarah, Philip K. Chan

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications

In this paper, we investigate the need for well-suited remote communication architectures to address communication issues in mobile agent environments. We study the implication of mobility for agent architectures – specifically, ways in which the architecture may facilitate agent communication. We present an architecture for inter-agent communication suitable for remote messaging, agent monitoring, agent tracing, and agent debugging for mobile agent environments. The architecture allows for the dynamic adaptation of communication components. It provides for a seamless and continuous active communication during the agent migration process. We have implemented an agent framework simulator that conforms to all these requirements. The …