Polycrystalline Silicon for Integrated Circuits and Displays, Second Edition presents much of the available knowledge about polysilicon. It represents an effort to interrelate the deposition, properties, and applications of polysilicon. By properly understanding the properties of polycrystalline silicon and their relation to the deposition conditions, polysilicon can be designed to ensure optimum device and integrated-circuit performance. Polycrystalline silicon has played an important role in integrated-circuit technology for two decades. It was first used in self-aligned, silicon-gate, MOS ICs to reduce capacitance and improve circuit speed. In addition to this dominant use, polysilicon is now also included in virtually all modern bipolar ICs, where it improves the basic physics of device operation. The compatibility of polycrystalline silicon with subsequent high-temperature processing allows its efficient integration into advanced IC processes. This compatibility also permits polysilicon to be used early in the fabrication process for trench isolation and dynamic random-access-memory (DRAM) storage capacitors. In addition to its integrated-circuit applications, polysilicon is becoming vital as the active layer in the channel of thin-film transistors in place of amorphous silicon. When polysilicon thin-film transistors are used in advanced active-matrix displays, the peripheral circuitry can be integrated into the same substrate as the pixel transistors. Recently, polysilicon has been used in the emerging field of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), especially for microsensors and microactuators. In these devices, the mechanical properties, especially the stress in the polysilicon film, are critical to successful device fabrication. Polycrystalline Silicon for Integrated Circuits and Displays, Second Edition is an invaluable reference for professionals and technicians working with polycrystalline silicon in the integrated circuit and display industries.

Macromolecular self-assembly - driven by weak, non-covalent, intermolecular forces - is a common principle of structure formation in natural and synthetic organic materials. The variability in material arrangement on the nanometre length scale makes this an ideal way of matching the structure-function demands of photonic and optoelectronic devices. However, suitable soft matter systems typically lack the appropriate photoactivity, conductivity or chemically stability. This thesis explores the implementation of soft matter design principles for inorganic thin film nanoarchitectures. Sacrificial block copolymers and colloids are employed as structure-directing agents for the co-assembly of solution-based inorganic materials, such as TiO_2 and SiO_2. Novel fabrication and characterization methods allow unprecedented control of material formation on the 10 - 500 nm length scale, allowing the design of material architectures with interesting photonic and optoelectronic properties.

This book presents comprehensive studies of charge density waves (CDW) in a high-Tc cuprate superconductor using x-ray scattering techniques under uniaxial pressure. Specifically, the work addresses inelastic x-ray scattering studies under uniaxial pressure performed on the underdoped cuprate YBa2Cu3O6.67(p=0.12, Tc=65K) with incoming photon energy in the resonant (E=931.3 eV, Cu-L3 edge) and non-resonant conditions (E=17.794 keV). This is a completely new approach to the investigation of charge density waves. It revealed new features of charge density waves in cuprates, whose properties had previously been inaccessible..

For the near future, the recent predictions and roadmaps of silicon semiconductor technology all agree that the number of transistors on a chip will keep growing exponentially according to Moore's Law, pushing technology towards the system-on-a-chip (SOC) era. However, we are increasingly experiencing a productivity gap where the chip complexity that can be handled by current design teams falls short of the possibilities offered by technological advances. Together with growing time-to-market pressures, this drives the need for innovative measures to increase design productivity by orders of magnitude. It is commonly agreed that the solutions for achieving such a leap in design productivity lie in a shift of the focus of the design process to higher levels of abstraction on the one hand and in the massive reuse of predesigned, complex system components (intellectual property, IP) on the other hand. In order to be successful, both concepts eventually require the adoption of new languages and methodologies for system design, backed-up by the availability of a corresponding set of system-level design automation tools. This book presents the SpecC system-level design language (SLDL) and the corresponding SpecC design methodology. The SpecC language is intended for specification and design of SOCs or embedded systems including software and hardware, whether using fixed platforms, integrating systems from different IPs, or synthesizing the system blocks from programming or hardware description languages. SpecC Specification Language and Methodology describes the SpecC methodology that leads designers from an executable specification to an RTL implementation through a well-defined sequence of steps. Each model is described and guidelines are given for generating these models from executable specifications. Finally, the SpecC methodology is demonstrated on an industrial-size example. The design community is now entering the system level of abstraction era and SpecC is the enabling element to achieve a paradigm shift in design culture needed for system/product design and manufacturing. SpecC Specification Language and Methodology will be of interest to researchers, designers, and managers dealing with system-level design, design flows and methodologies as well as students learning system specification, modeling and design.

This book explains reliability techniques with examples from electronics design for the benefit of engineers. It presents the application of de-rating, FMEA, overstress analyses and reliability improvement tests for designing reliable electronic equipment. Adequate information is provided for designing computerized reliability database system to support the application of the techniques by designers. Pedantic terms and the associated mathematics of reliability engineering discipline are excluded for the benefit of comprehensiveness and practical applications. This book offers excellent support for electrical and electronics engineering students and professionals, bridging academic curriculum with industrial expectations.

This book provides an overview of the latest advances in applications of nanocomposites in wastewater treatment. This book is dedicated to recent developments in the application of polymer nanocomposites to wastewater treatment. Based on their morphology and tailored compositions, polymer nanocomposites provide powerful tools for environmental remediation via selective adsorption of contaminants in complex environmental matrices. The book reviews recent progress in this field, covering various nanocomposite fabrication routes and novel applications for pollutant sensing and detection. It includes discussion of different types of nanocomposites based on metal-organic frameworks and hydrogels, while also covering related topics such as nanocomposite membranes, photocatalysts, and bio-nanocomposites for pollution abatement. Ideal for researchers and engineers in the field, this collection of contributed chapters offers a timely review of current research in nanomaterials for cost-effective pollution control technologies.

The book covers the flux pinning mechanisms and properties and the electromagnetic phenomena caused by the flux pinning common for metallic, high-Tc and MgB2 superconductors. The condensation energy interaction known for normal precipitates or grain boundaries and the kinetic energy interaction proposed for artificial Nb pins in Nb-Ti, etc. are introduced for the pinning mechanism. Summation theories to derive the critical current density are discussed in detail. Irreversible magnetization and AC loss caused by the flux pinning are also discussed. The loss originally stems from the ohmic dissipation of normal electrons in the normal core driven by the electric field induced by the flux motion.

The readers will learn why the resultant loss is of hysteresis type in spite of such mechanism. The influence of the flux pinning on the vortex phase diagram in high Tc superconductors is discussed and the dependencies of the irreversibility field are also described on other quantities such as anisotropy of superconductor, specimen size and electric field strength. Recent developments of critical current properties in various high-Tc superconductors and MgB2 are introduced.

Other topics are: singularity in the case of transport current in a parallel magnetic field such as deviation from the Josephson relation, reversible flux motion inside pinning potentials which causes deviation from the critical state model prediction, the concept of the minimization of energy dissipation in the flux pinning phenomena which gives the basis for the critical state model, etc. Significant reduction in the AC loss in AC wires with very fine filaments originates from the reversible flux motion which is dominant in the two-dimensional pinning. The concept of minimum energy dissipation explains also the behavior of flux bundle size which determines the irreversibility line under the flux creep.

The new edition has been thoroughly updated, with new sections on the progress in enhancing the critical current density in high temperature superconductors by introduction of artificial pinning centers, the effect of packing density on the critical current density and irreversibility field in MgB2 and derivation of the force-balance equation from the minimization of the free energy including the pinning energy.

Fully-depleted SOI CMOS Circuits and Technology for Ultralow-Power Applications addresses the problem of reducing the supply voltage of conventional circuits for ultralow-power operation and explains power-efficient MTCMOS circuit design for FD-SOI devices at a supply voltage of 0.5 V. The topics include the minimum required knowledge of the fabrication of SOI substrates; FD-SOI devices and the latest developments in device and process technologies; and ultralow-voltage circuits, such as digital circuits, analog/RF circuits, and DC-DC converters. Each ultra-low-power technique related to devices and circuits is fully explained using figures to help understanding.

The Workshop on Physics and Application of Non-crystalline Semiconductors in Optoelectronics was held from 15 to 17 October 1996 in Chisinau. republic of Moldova and was devoted to the problems of non-crystalline semiconducting materials. The reports covered two mjlin topics: theoretical basis of physics of non -crystalline materials and experimental results. In the framework of these major topics there were treated many subjects. concerning the physics of non-crystalline semiconductors and their specific application: -optical properties of non-crystalline semiconductors; -doping of glassy semiconductors and photoinduced effects in chalcogenide glasses and their application for practical purposes; -methods for investigation of the structure in non-crystalline semiconductors -new glassy materials for IR trasmittance and optoelectronics. Reports and communications were presented on various aspects of the theory. new physical principles. studies of the atomic structure. search and development of optoelectronics devices. Special attention was paid to the actual subject of photoinduced transformations and its applications. Experimental investigations covered a rather wide spectrum of materials and physical phenomena. As a novel item it is worth to mention the study of nonlinear optical effects in amorphous semiconducting films. The third order optical non linearities. fast photoinduced optical absorption and refraction. acusto-optic effects recently discovered in non-crystalline semiconductors could potentially be utilised for optical signal processing. The important problems of photoinduced structural transformations and related phenomena. which are very attractive and actual both from the scientific and practical points of view. received much attention in discussions at the conference."

This thesis makes significant advances towards an understanding of superconductivity in the cuprate family of unconventional, high-temperature superconductors. Even though the high-temperature superconductors were discovered over 35 years ago, there is not yet a general consensus on an acceptable theory of superconductivity in these materials. One of the early proposals suggested that collective magnetic excitations of the conduction electrons could lead them to form pairs, which in turn condense to form the superconducting state at a critical temperature Tc. Quantitative calculations of Tc using experimental data were, however, not available to verify the applicability of this magnetic mechanism. In this thesis, the author constructed an angle-resolved photoemission apparatus that could provide sufficiently accurate data of the electronic excitation spectra of samples in the normal state, data which was furthermore unusually devoid of any surface contamination. The author also applied the Bethe-Salpeter method to his uncommonly pristine and precise normal state data, and was able to predict the approximate superconducting transition temperatures of different samples. This rare combination of experiment with sophisticated theoretical calculations leads to the conclusion that antiferromagnetic correlations are a viable candidate for the pairing interaction in the cuprate superconductors.

This book focuses on chemical reactions and processing under extreme conditions-how materials react with highly concentrated active species and/or in a very confined high-temperature and high-pressure volume. Those ultimate reaction environments created by a focused laser beam, discharges, ion bombardments, or microwaves provide characteristic nano- and submicron-sized products and functional nanostructures. The book explores the chemistry and processing of metals and non-metals as well as molecules that are strongly dependent on the energy deposition processes and character of the materials. Descriptions of a wide range of topics are given from the perspective of a variety of research methodologies, material preparations, and applications. The reader is led to consider and review how a high-energy source interacts with materials, and what the key factors are that determine the quality and quantity of nanoproducts and nano-processing.

In fabrication of FeRAMs, various academic and technological backgrounds are necessary, which include ferroelectric materials, thin film formation, device physics, circuit design, and so on. This book covers from fundamentals to applications of ferroelectric random access memories (FeRAMs). The book consists of 5 parts: (1) ferroelectric thin films, (2) deposition and characterization methods, (3) fabrication process and circuit design, (4) advanced-type memories, and (5) applications and future prospects; each part is further divided into several chapters. Because of the wide range of topics discussed, each chapter in this book was written by one of the best authors knowing the specific topic very well. Thus, this is a good introductory book on FeRAM for graduate students and newcomers to this field; it also helps specialists to understand FeRAMs more deeply.

In this thesis, the pseudogap and the precursor superconducting state, which are of great importance in clarifying the superconductivity mechanism in high-temperature cuprate superconductors, are investigated with a c-axis optical study in YBa2(Cu1-xZnx)3Oy. Testing was performed over a wide energy range with smaller temperature intervals for several Zn-substituted samples, as well as for several carrier-doping levels. A spectral weight (SW) analysis, in which the pseudogap behavior can be separated from the superconducting condensate with the SW transfer to the high-energy region, revealed that the pseudogap is not the precursor of the superconductivity (carriers moving to the high-energy region with pseudogap opening never contribute to the superconducting condensation). Moreover, the high-energy transfer continues even below Tc for the Zn-substituted samples (in which we weaken the superconductivity), which gives evidence to the coexistence of the pseudogap and the superconducting gap below Tc. On the other hand, the analysis of optical conductivity revealed that a precursor state to superconductivity can be defined at temperatures much higher than Tc. The superconducting carrier density (ns) was calculated for each temperature (above and below Tc) and the results confirmed the existence of ns at temperatures above Tc. The observed real superconducting condensate (ns) above Tc puts a serious constraint on the theory for high- Tc superconductivity. A theory based on an inhomogeneous superconducting state, in which a microscopically phase-separated state in a doped Mott insulator can be observed, is the most plausible candidate. This theory can explain the existence of ns and the observed temperature range for the precursor superconducting state. The results obtained show that the pseudogap coexists with superconductivity below Tc and is not the precursor of superconductivity. On the other hand, it is also possible to define a precursor superconducting state that is different than the pseudogap. The temperature range and the observed superconducting condensate in this state can be explained with the help of the inhomogeneous superconducting state.

This book reflects the current status of theoretical and experimental research of graphene based nanostructures, in particular quantum dots, at a level accessible to young researchers, graduate students, experimentalists and theorists. It presents the current state of research of graphene quantum dots, a single or few monolayer thick islands of graphene. It introduces the reader to the electronic and optical properties of graphite, intercalated graphite and graphene, including Dirac fermions, Berry's phase associated with sublattices and valley degeneracy, covers single particle properties of graphene quantum dots, electron-electron interaction, magnetic properties and optical properties of gated graphene nanostructures. The electronic, optical and magnetic properties of the graphene quantum dots as a function of size, shape, type of edge and carrier density are considered. Special attention is paid to the understanding of edges and the emergence of edge states for zigzag edges. Atomistic tight binding and effective mass approaches to single particle calculations are performed. Furthermore, the theoretical and numerical treatment of electron-electron interactions at the mean-field, HF, DFT and configuration-interaction level is described in detail.

This book is primarily designed to serve as a textbook for undergraduate students of electrical, electronics, and computer engineering, but can also be used for primer courses across other disciplines of engineering and related sciences. The first edition of this book was published in 2015. The book has been completely revised and a chapter on PSPICE has also been included. The book covers all the fundamentals aspects of electronics engineering, from electronic materials to devices, and then to basic electronic circuits. The topics covered are the basics of electronics, semiconductor diodes, bipolar junction transistors, field-effect transistors, operational amplifiers, switching theory and logic design, electronic instruments, and Pspice. The book is written in a simple narrative style that makes it easy to understand for the first year students. It includes a lot of illustrative diagrams and examples, to enable students to practice. Each chapter contains a summary followed by questions asked during the University examinations to enable students to practice before the final examination. The contents of this book will be useful also for students and enthusiasts interested in learning about basic electronics without the benefit of formal coursework.

This book deals with the application of giant magneto-resistance (GMR) effects to electronic devices. It will appeal to engineers and graduate students in the fields of electronic devices and materials. The main subjects are magnetic sensors with high resolution and magnetic read heads with high sensitivity, required for hard-disk drives with recording densities of several gigabytes. Another important subject is novel magnetic random-access memories (MRAM) with non-volatile non-destructive and radiation-resistant characteristics. Other topics include future GMR devices based on bipolar spin transistors, spin field-effect transistors (FETs) and double-tunnel junctions.

This book presents a comprehensive treatise on the advances in the use of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for sustainable crop production and describes the latest photomorphogenesis research findings. It introduces readers to the fundamentals and design features of LEDs applicable for plant growth and development and illustrates their advantages over the traditional lighting systems, including cost analyses. Further, it discusses a wide range of applications covering diverse areas of plant sciences relevant to controlled environment agriculture and in vitro plant morphogenesis. The chapters have been written by a team of pioneering international experts, who have made significant contributions to this emerging interdisciplinary field. The book will serve a valuable resource for graduate students, instructors, and researchers in the fields of horticulture, agricultural biotechnology, cell and developmental biology, and precision agriculture. It will also serve well professionals engaged in greenhouse and vertical farming.

For the efficient utilization of energy resources and the minimization of environmental damage, thermoelectric materials can play an important role by converting waste heat into electricity directly. Nanostructured thermoelectric materials have received much attention recently due to the potential for enhanced properties associated with size effects and quantum confinement. "Nanoscale Thermoelectrics" describes the theory underlying these phenomena, as well as various thermoelectric materials and nanostructures such as carbon nanotubes, SiGe nanowires, and graphene nanoribbons. Chapters written by leading scientists throughout the world are intended to create a fundamental bridge between thermoelectrics and nanotechnology, and to stimulate readers' interest in developing new types of thermoelectric materials and devices for power generation and other applications. "Nanoscale Thermoelectrics" is both a comprehensive introduction to the field and a guide to further research, and can be recommended for Physics, Electrical Engineering, and Materials Science departments.

Digital Systems Design and Prototyping: Using Field Programmable Logic and Hardware Description Languages, Second Edition covers the subject of digital systems design using two important technologies: Field Programmable Logic Devices (FPLDs) and Hardware Description Languages (HDLs). These two technologies are combined to aid in the design, prototyping, and implementation of a whole range of digital systems from very simple ones replacing traditional glue logic to very complex ones customized as the applications require. Three HDLs are presented: VHDL and Verilog, the widely used standard languages, and the proprietary Altera HDL (AHDL). The chapters on these languages serve as tutorials and comparisons are made that show the strengths and weaknesses of each language. A large number of examples are used in the description of each language providing insight for the design and implementation of FPLDs. The CD-ROM included with the book contains the Altera MAX+PLUS II development environment which is ready to compile and simulate all examples. With the addition of the Altera UP-1 prototyping board, all examples can be tested and verified in a real FPLD. Digital Systems Design and Prototyping: Using Field Programmable Logic and Hardware Description Languages, Second Edition is designed as an advanced level textbook as well as a reference for the professional engineer.

This book is a comprehensive SiP design guide book. It is divided into three parts: concept and technology, design and simulation, project and case, for a total of 30 chapters. In Part one, the author proposes some new original concepts and thoughts, such as Function Density Law,Si(3)P and 4D integration. Part one also covers the latest technology of SiP and Advanced Packaging. Part two covers the latest SiP and Advanced Packaging design and simulation technologies, such as wire bonding, multi-step cavity, chip stacking, 2.5D TSV, 3D TSV, RDL, Fan- In, Fan-Out, Flip Chip, Embedded Passive, Embedded Chip, RF design, Rigid-Flex design, 4D SiP design, Multi-layout project and Team design, as well as SI, PI, thermal simulation, electrical verification and physical verification. Based on a real design case, part three introduces the design, simulation and implementation methods of different types of SiP, which has a -important reference significance for the research and development of SiP projects. This book comprehensively and deeply expounds the latest development, design ideas and design methods of contemporary SiP technology from three aspects: concept and technology, design and simulation, project and case. Through the detailed introduction of new concepts, design methods, actual projects and cases, this book describes the whole process of SiP products from the beginning of conception to the final realization and makes readers benefit from it.

As the characteristic dimensions of electronic devices continue to shrink, the ability to characterize their electronic properties at the nanometer scale has come to be of outstanding importance. In this sense, Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) is becoming an indispensable tool, playing a key role in nanoscience and nanotechnology. SPM is opening new opportunities to measure semiconductor electronic properties with unprecedented spatial resolution. SPM is being successfully applied for nanoscale characterization of ferroelectric thin films. In the area of functional molecular materials it is being used as a probe to contact molecular structures in order to characterize their electrical properties, as a manipulator to assemble nanoparticles and nanotubes into simple devices, and as a tool to pattern molecular nanostructures. This book provides in-depth information on new and emerging applications of SPM to the field of materials science, namely in the areas of characterisation, device application and nanofabrication of functional materials. Starting with the general properties of functional materials the authors present an updated overview of the fundamentals of Scanning Probe Techniques and the application of SPM techniques to the characterization of specified functional materials such as piezoelectric and ferroelectric and to the fabrication of some nano electronic devices. Its uniqueness is in the combination of the fundamental nanoscale research with the progress in fabrication of realistic nanodevices. By bringing together the contribution of leading researchers from the materials science and SPM communities, relevant information is conveyed that allows researchers to learn more about the actual developments in SPM applied to functional materials. This book will contribute to the continuous education and development in the field of nanotechnology.

This book describes a unique combination of quantum chemical methods for calculating the basic physical properties of luminescent materials, or phosphors. These solid inorganic materials containing an optically active dopant are key players in several major fields of societal interest, including energy-efficient lighting, solar cells, and medical imaging. The novel ab initio methods described in this book are especially designed to target the crowded and complex electronic excited states of lanthanide activators in inorganic solids. The book is well suited to both new and experienced researchers alike and appeals to a broad range of theoretical and experimental backgrounds. The material presented enables an adept understanding of elaborate calculations, which, in tandem with experiments, give essential insight into difficult luminescence problems and quandaries, thus fully preparing the reader for an educated search for new functional luminescent materials