This book discusses physical design and mask synthesis of directed self-assembly lithography (DSAL). It covers the basic background of DSAL technology, physical design optimizations such as placement and redundant via insertion, and DSAL mask synthesis as well as its verification. Directed self-assembly lithography (DSAL) is a highly promising patterning solution in sub-7nm technology.

This book focuses on the microscopic understanding of the function of organic semiconductors. By tracing the link between their morphological structure and electronic properties across multiple scales, it represents an important advance in this direction. Organic semiconductors are materials at the interface between hard and soft matter: they combine structural variability, processibility and mechanical flexibility with the ability to efficiently transport charge and energy. This unique set of properties makes them a promising class of materials for electronic devices, including organic solar cells and light-emitting diodes. Understanding their function at the microscopic scale - the goal of this work - is a prerequisite for the rational design and optimization of the underlying materials. Based on new multiscale simulation protocols, the book studies the complex interplay between molecular architecture, supramolecular organization and electronic structure in order to reveal why some materials perform well - and why others do not. In particular, by examining the long-range effects that interrelate microscopic states and mesoscopic structure in these materials, the book provides qualitative and quantitative insights into e.g. the charge-generation process, which also serve as a basis for new optimization strategies.

This book demonstrates that solar energy, the most abundant and clean renewable energy, can be utilized to drive methane activation and conversion under mild conditions. The book reports that coupling solar energy and thermal energy can significantly enhance methane conversion at mild temperatures using plasmonic nanometal-based catalysts, with a substantial decrease in apparent activation energy of methane conversion. Furthermore, this book, for the first time, reports the direct photocatalytic methane oxidation into liquid oxygenates (methanol and formaldehyde) with only molecular oxygen in pure water at room temperature with high yield and selectivity over nanometals and semiconductors (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide). These findings are a big stride toward methane conversion and inspire researchers to develop strategies for efficient and selective conversion of methane to high-value-added chemicals under mild conditions.

This book highlights recent advances of optical spatial solitons in photorefractive materials ranging broadly from the coupling, modulation instability, effect of pyroelectricity, and the stability of photorefractive solitons, among other topics. Photorefractive solitons have been at the forefront of research because of their formation at low laser powers and unique saturable nonlinearity present in photorefractive materials which supports solitons in (2+1) D. There has been a spurt in research on photorefractive solitons recently, which has contributed to a greater understanding of the theoretical foundation of photorefractive solitons as also of their various interesting and practical applications. The book elucidates the diversity of photorefractive solitons and provides a good resource for students, researchers, and professionals in the area of nonlinear optics.

This book reports on the design, synthesis and characterization of new small molecule electron acceptors for polymer solar cells. Starting with a detailed introduction to the science behind polymer solar cells, the author then goes on to review the challenges and advances made in developing non-fullerene acceptors so far. In the main body of the book, the author describes the design principles and synthetic strategy for a new family of acceptors, including detailed synthetic procedures and molecular modeling data used to predict physical properties. An indepth characterization of the photovoltaic performance, with transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS), photo-induced charge extraction, and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) is also included, and the author uses this data to relate material properties and device performance. This book provides a useful overview for researchers beginning a project in this or related areas.

This is the proceedings of ARK 2018, the 16th International Symposium on Advances in Robot Kinematics, that was organized by the Group of Robotics, Automation and Biomechanics (GRAB) from the University of Bologna, Italy. ARK are international symposia of the highest level organized every two years since 1988. ARK provides a forum for researchers working in robot kinematics and stimulates new directions of research by forging links between robot kinematics and other areas.The main topics of the symposium of 2018 were: kinematic analysis of robots, robot modeling and simulation, kinematic design of robots, kinematics in robot control, theories and methods in kinematics, singularity analysis, kinematic problems in parallel robots, redundant robots, cable robots, over-constrained linkages, kinematics in biological systems, humanoid robots and humanoid subsystems.

This book highlights the evolution of, and novel challenges currently facing, nanomaterials science, nanoengineering, and nanotechnology, and their applications and development in the biological and biomedical fields. It details different nanoscale and nanostructured materials syntheses, processing, characterization, and applications, and considers improvements that can be made in nanostructured materials with their different biomedical applications. The book also briefly covers the state of the art of different nanomaterials design, synthesis, fabrication and their potential biomedical applications. It will be particularly useful for reading and research purposes, especially for science and engineering students, academics, and industrial researchers.

This book is the volume of the proceedings for the 17th Edition of ISER. The goal of ISER (International Symposium on Experimental Robotics) symposia is to provide a single-track forum on the current developments and new directions of experimental robotics. The series has traditionally attracted a wide readership of researchers and practitioners interested to the advances and innovations of robotics technology. The 54 contributions cover a wide range of topics in robotics and are organized in 9 chapters: aerial robots, design and prototyping, field robotics, human-robot interaction, machine learning, mapping and localization, multi-robots, perception, planning and control. Experimental validation of algorithms, concepts, or techniques is the common thread running through this large research collection. Chapter "A New Conversion Method to Evaluate the Hazard Potential of Collaborative Robots in Free Collisions" is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

This book highlights and investigates novel solid-state luminescent properties of crystals with stimuli-responsive behavior. Several novel molecular designs for controlling crystal structures with photo-physical properties are described, with a special focus on external stimuli-responsive properties. The major goal of the material design concept was to capitalize on the chirality of crystals with stimuli-responsive properties. To allow crystals' chirality to be controlled and modified by means of external stimulation, the axial chirality of biaryl moiety was employed and, interestingly, produced several novel mechano- and vapo-responsive luminescent properties based on crystal-to-crystal or single-crystal-to-single-crystal phase transitions. In addition, the book details how the molecular rotation of luminophores in the solid phase can be used to achieve corresponding thermal-responsive phosphorescence. The reports presented here illustrate how the author has succeeded in controlling structural factors in a bulk environment by using molecular design with linking to photo-physical properties. The content will be of great interest to researchers in the field, and to members of chemical and material science societies.

This thesis focuses on the design and synthesis of novel one-dimensional colloidal chalcogenide hetero-nanostructures for enhancing solar energy conversion applications. Semiconducting nanomaterials are particular attractive for energy conversion due to the quantum confinement effects dictating their unique optical and electronic properties. Steering the photo-induced charge-flow based on unique bandgap alignment in semiconductor heterojunctions is critical for photo-electric/chemical conversion. The author presents the controllable preparation strategies to synthesize 1D chalcogenide hetero-nanostructures with various fine structures, further been used as excellent template materials for preparing other novel and complex hybrid architectures through a series of chemical transformations. The heterogeneous growth mechanisms of novel hetero-nanostructures is studied for developing a facile and general method to prepare more novel heterostructures. The band gap structure simulations, detailed charge carrier behaviour and unique solar energy conversion properties of the prepared hybrid nanostructures are deeply investigated. This work would open a new door to rationally designing hybrid systems for photo-induced applications.

This book focuses on the topological fermion condensation quantum phase transition (FCQPT), a phenomenon that reveals the complex behavior of all strongly correlated Fermi systems, such as heavy fermion metals, quantum spin liquids, quasicrystals, and two-dimensional systems, considering these as a new state of matter. The book combines theoretical evaluations with arguments based on experimental grounds demonstrating that the entirety of very different strongly correlated Fermi systems demonstrates a universal behavior induced by FCQPT. In contrast to the conventional quantum phase transition, whose physics in the quantum critical region are dominated by thermal or quantum fluctuations and characterized by the absence of quasiparticles, the physics of a Fermi system near FCQPT are controlled by a system of quasiparticles resembling the Landau quasiparticles. The book discusses the modification of strongly correlated systems under the action of FCQPT, representing the "missing" instability, which paves the way for developing an entirely new approach to condensed matter theory; and presents this physics as a new method for studying many-body objects. Based on the authors' own theoretical investigations, as well as salient theoretical and experimental studies conducted by others, the book is well suited for both students and researchers in the field of condensed matter physics.

This volume reviews the state of the art of thin film diamond, a very promising new semiconductor that may one day rival silicon as the material of choice for electronics. Diamond has the following important characteristics; it is resistant to radiation damage, chemically inert and biocompatible and it will become "the material" for bio-electronics, in-vivo applications, radiation detectors and high-frequency devices.
Thin-Film Diamond is the first book to summarize state of the art of CVD diamond in depth. It covers the most recent results regarding growth and structural properties, doping and defect characterization, hydrogen in and on diamond as well as surface properties in general, applications of diamond in electrochemistry, as detectors, and in surface acoustic wave devices.
- Accessible by both experts and non-experts in the field of semi-conductors research and technology, each chapter is written in a tutorial format
- Helping engineers to manufacture devices with optimized electronic properties
- Truly international, this volume contains chapters written by recognized experts representing academic and industrial institutions from Europe, Japan and the US

This book introduces readers to electric circuits with variable loads and voltage regulators. It defines invariant relationships for numerous parameters, and proves the concepts characterizing these circuits. Moreover, the book presents the fundamentals of electric circuits and develops circuit theorems, while also familiarizing readers with generalized equivalent circuits and using projective geometry to interpret changes in operating regime parameters. It provides useful expressions for normalized regime parameters and changes in them, as well as convenient formulas for calculating currents. This updated and extended third edition features new chapters on the use of invariant properties in two-port circuits, invariant energy characteristics for limited single-valued two-port circuits, and on testing projective coordinates. Given its novel geometrical approach to real electrical circuits, the book offers a valuable guide for engineers, researchers, and graduate students who are interested in basic electric circuit theory and the regulation and monitoring of power supply systems.

This wide-ranging presentation of applied superconductivity, from fundamentals and materials right up to the details of many applications, is an essential reference for physicists and engineers in academic research as well as in industry. Readers looking for a comprehensive overview on basic effects related to superconductivity and superconducting materials will expand their knowledge and understanding of both low and high Tc superconductors with respect to their application. Technology, preparation and characterization are covered for bulk, single crystals, thins fi lms as well as electronic devices, wires and tapes. The main benefit of this work lies in its broad coverage of significant applications in magnets, power engineering, electronics, sensors and quantum metrology. The reader will find information on superconducting magnets for diverse applications like particle physics, fusion research, medicine, and biomagnetism as well as materials processing. SQUIDs and their usage in medicine or geophysics are thoroughly covered, as are superconducting radiation and particle detectors, aspects on superconductor digital electronics, leading readers to quantum computing and new devices.

This book draws on the main themes covered during the International Workshop on Molecular Architectonics which took place in Shiretoko, Japan from August 3 to 6, 2015. The concepts and results explored in this book relate to the term "molecular architectonics" which stands for electronic, optical and information-processing functions being orchestrated by molecular assemblies. This area is defined as the third stage of single-molecule electronics and builds on stage one, where measurements were performed on single-molecule layered films, and stage two, the resulting quantitative analyses. In this work, experts come together to write about the most important aspects of molecular architectonics. This interdisciplinary, visionary and unique book is of interest to scientists working on electronic materials, surface science and information processing sciences using noise and fluctuation.

Starting from a broad overview of heat transport based on the Boltzmann Transport Equation, this book presents a comprehensive analysis of heat transport in bulk and nanomaterials based on a kinetic-collective model (KCM). This has become key to understanding the field of thermal transport in semiconductors, and represents an important stride. The book describes how heat transport becomes hydrodynamic at the nanoscale, propagating very much like a viscous fluid and manifesting vorticity and friction-like behavior. It introduces a generalization of Fourier's law including a hydrodynamic term based on collective behavior in the phonon ensemble. This approach makes it possible to describe in a unifying way recent experiments that had to resort to unphysical assumptions in order to uphold the validity of Fourier's law, demonstrating that hydrodynamic heat transport is a pervasive type of behavior in semiconductors at reduced scales.

This book focuses on conceptual frameworks that are helpful in understanding the basics of electronics - what the feedback system is, the principle of an oscillator, the operational working of an amplifier, and other relevant topics. It also provides an overview of the technologies supporting electronic systems, like OP-AMP, transistor, filter, ICs, and diodes. It consists of seven chapters, written in an easy and understandable language, and featuring relevant block diagrams, circuit diagrams, valuable and interesting solved examples, and important test questions. Further, the book includes up-to-date illustrations, exercises, and numerous worked examples to illustrate the theory and to demonstrate their use in practical designs.

This book discusses some research results for CMOS-compatible silicon-based optical devices and interconnections. With accurate simulation and experimental demonstration, it provides insights on silicon-based modulation, advanced multiplexing, polarization and efficient coupling controlling technologies, which are widely used in silicon photonics. Researchers, scientists, engineers and especially students in the field of silicon photonics can benefit from the book. This book provides valuable knowledge, useful methods and practical design that can be considered in emerging silicon-based optical interconnections and communications. And it also give some guidance to student how to organize and complete an good dissertation.

This book provides a basic understanding of spectroscopic ellipsometry, with a focus on characterization methods of a broad range of solar cell materials/devices, from traditional solar cell materials (Si, CuInGaSe2, and CdTe) to more advanced emerging materials (Cu2ZnSnSe4, organics, and hybrid perovskites), fulfilling a critical need in the photovoltaic community. The book describes optical constants of a variety of semiconductor light absorbers, transparent conductive oxides and metals that are vital for the interpretation of solar cell characteristics and device simulations. It is divided into four parts: fundamental principles of ellipsometry; characterization of solar cell materials/structures; ellipsometry applications including optical simulations of solar cell devices and online monitoring of film processing; and the optical constants of solar cell component layers.

Richard Munden demonstrates how to create and use simulation models for verifying ASIC and FPGA designs and board-level designs that use off-the-shelf digital components. Based on the VHDL/VITAL standard, these models include timing constraints and propagation delays that are required for accurate verification of today s digital designs.
ASIC and FPGA Verification: A Guide to Component Modeling expertly illustrates how ASICs and FPGAs can be verified in the larger context of a board or a system. It is a valuable resource for any designer who simulates multi-chip digital designs.
*Provides numerous models and a clearly defined methodology for performing board-level simulation.
*Covers the details of modeling for verification of both logic and timing.
*First book to collect and teach techniques for using VHDL to model "off-the-shelf" or "IP" digital components for use in FPGA and board-level design verification.

This thesis describes novel devices for the secure identification of objects or electronic systems. The identification relies on the the atomic-scale uniqueness of semiconductor devices by measuring a macroscopic quantum property of the system in question. Traditionally, objects and electronic systems have been securely identified by measuring specific characteristics: common examples include passwords, fingerprints used to identify a person or an electronic device, and holograms that can tag a given object to prove its authenticity. Unfortunately, modern technologies also make it possible to circumvent these everyday techniques. Variations in quantum properties are amplified by the existence of atomic-scale imperfections. As such, these devices are the hardest possible systems to clone. They also use the least resources and provide robust security. Hence they have tremendous potential significance as a means of reliably telling the good guys from the bad.

The study of Silicone Germanium strained layers has broad implications for material scientists and engineers, in particular those working on the design and modelling of semi-conductor devices.
Since the publication of the original volume in 1994, there has been a steady flow of new ideas, new understanding, new Silicon-Germanium (SiGe) structures and new devices with enhanced performance. Written for both students and senior researchers, the 2nd edition of Silicon-Germanium Strained Layers and Heterostructures provides an essential up-date of this important topic, describing in particular the recent developments in technology and modelling.
* Fully-revised and updated 2nd edition incorporating important recent breakthroughs and a complete literature review
* The extensive bibliography of over 400 papers provides a comprehensive and coherent overview of the subject
* Appropriate for students and senior researchers

This book is the fifth volume in the successful book series Robot Operating System: The Complete Reference. The objective of the book is to provide the reader with comprehensive coverage on the Robot Operating System (ROS), which is currently considered to be the primary development framework for robotics applications, and the latest trends and contributing systems. The content is divided into six parts. Pat I presents for the first time the emerging ROS 2.0 framework, while Part II focuses on multi-robot systems, namely on SLAM and Swarm coordination. Part III provides two chapters on autonomous systems, namely self-driving cars and unmanned aerial systems. In turn, Part IV addresses the contributions of simulation frameworks for ROS. In Part V, two chapters explore robotic manipulators and legged robots. Finally, Part VI presents emerging topics in monocular SLAM and a chapter on fault tolerance systems for ROS. Given its scope, the book will offer a valuable companion for ROS users and developers, helping them deepen their knowledge of ROS capabilities and features.

This comprehensive guide to fan-out wafer-level packaging (FOWLP) technology compares FOWLP with flip chip and fan-in wafer-level packaging. It presents the current knowledge on these key enabling technologies for FOWLP, and discusses several packaging technologies for future trends. The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) employed their InFO (integrated fan-out) technology in A10, the application processor for Apple's iPhone, in 2016, generating great excitement about FOWLP technology throughout the semiconductor packaging community. For many practicing engineers and managers, as well as scientists and researchers, essential details of FOWLP - such as the temporary bonding and de-bonding of the carrier on a reconstituted wafer/panel, epoxy molding compound (EMC) dispensing, compression molding, Cu revealing, RDL fabrication, solder ball mounting, etc. - are not well understood. Intended to help readers learn the basics of problem-solving methods and understand the trade-offs inherent in making system-level decisions quickly, this book serves as a valuable reference guide for all those faced with the challenging problems created by the ever-increasing interest in FOWLP, helps to remove roadblocks, and accelerates the design, materials, process, and manufacturing development of key enabling technologies for FOWLP.