This book is designed to help athletes and individuals interested in high sports performance in their journey towards the perfection of human sports abilities and achievements. It has two main goals: accelerating the acquisition of motor skills and preparing and vigilantly reducing the recovery time after training and competition. The Diamond Sports Protocol (DSP) presents state-of-the-art techniques for current sport and health technologies, particularly neuromuscular electrical stimulation (Sports Wave), oxygen infusion (Oxy Sports), infrared (Sports Infrared Dome) and lactic acid cleaning (Turbo Sports). The book suggest DSP as an essential part of every future athlete's training, competition and health maintenance. The book is for everyone interested in superior sports performance, fast and effective rehabilitation from training and competition and sports injury prevention.

How can we obtain tools able to process and exchange information at the molecular scale? In order to do this, it is necessary to activate and detect single molecules under controlled conditions. This book focuses on the generation of biologically-inspired molecular devices. These devices are based on the developments of new photonic tools able to activate and stimulate single molecule machines. Additionally, new light sensitive molecules can be selectively activated by photonic tools. These technological innovations will provide a way to control activation of single light-sensitive molecules, allowing the investigation of molecular computation in a biological environment.

This book focuses on the experimental and theoretical aspects of the time-dependent breakdown of advanced dielectric films used in gigascale electronics. Coverage includes the most important failure mechanisms for thin low-k films, new and established experimental techniques, recent advances in the area of dielectric failure, and advanced simulations/models to resolve and predict dielectric breakdown, all of which are of considerable importance for engineers and scientists working on developing and integrating present and future chip architectures. The book is specifically designed to aid scientists in assessing the reliability and robustness of electronic systems employing low-k dielectric materials such as nano-porous films. Similarly, the models presented here will help to improve current methodologies for estimating the failure of gigascale electronics at device operating conditions from accelerated lab test conditions. Numerous graphs, tables, and illustrations are included to facilitate understanding of the topics. Readers will be able to understand dielectric breakdown in thin films along with the main failure modes and characterization techniques. In addition, they will gain expertise on conventional as well as new field acceleration test models for predicting long term dielectric degradation.

The influence of size effects on the properties of nanostructures is subject of this book. Size and interfacial effects in oxides, semiconductors, magnetic and superconducting nanostructures, from very simple to very complex, are considered. The most general meaning is assumed for size effects, including not only the influence of a reduced dimension/dimensionality, but also specific interfacial effects. Preparation and characterization tools are explained for various nanostructures. The specific applications are discussed with respect to size-related properties. A logic implication of type phenomenon-property-material-application is envisaged throughout this work.

This book presents a complete and updated overview of Flame Spray process, from its History to the Apparatus necessary for the synthesis of nanostructures. It addresses not only the materials produced by this technique, but also their properties, such as crystallinity and crystallite size, specific surface area, particle size and morphology. Also, the principles of nanoparticle formation are described. It is a useful read to all those interested in low cost synthesis of nanostructured powders and coatings.

The aim of this book is to explore the detectable properties of a material to the parameters of bond and non-bond involved and to clarify the interdependence of various properties. This book is composed of four parts; Part I deals with the formation and relaxation dynamics of bond and non-bond during chemisorptions with uncovering of the correlation among the chemical bond, energy band and surface potential barrier (3B) during reactions; Part II is focused on the relaxation of bonds between atoms with fewer neighbors than the ideal in bulk with unraveling of the bond order-length-strength (BOLS) correlation mechanism, which clarifies the nature difference between nanostructures and bulk of the same substance; Part III deals with the relaxation dynamics of bond under heating and compressing with revealing of rules on the temperature-resolved elastic and plastic properties of low-dimensional materials; Part IV is focused on the asymmetric relaxation dynamics of the hydrogen bond (O:H-O) and the anomalous behavior of water and ice under cooling, compressing and clustering. The target audience for this book includes scientists, engineers and practitioners in the area of surface science and nanoscience.

The advent of microelectromechanic system (MEMS) technologies and nanotechnologies has resulted in a multitude of structures and devices with ultra compact dimensions and with vastly enhanced or even completely novel properties. In the field of photonics it resulted in the appearance of new paradigms, including photonic crystals that exhibit photonic bandgap and represent an optical analog of semiconductors and metamaterials that have subwavelength features and may have almost arbitrary values of effective refractive index, including those below zero. In addition to that, a whole new field of plasmonics appeared, dedicated to the manipulation with evanescent, surface-bound electromagnetic waves and offering an opportunity to merge nanoelectronics with all-optical circuitry. In the field of infrared technologies MEMS and nanotechnologies ensured the appearance of a new generation of silicon-based thermal detectors with properties vastly surpassing the conventional thermal devices. However, another family of infrared detectors, photonic devices based on narrow-bandgap semiconductors, has traditionally been superior to thermal detectors. Literature about their micro and nanophotonic enhancement has been scarce and scattered through journals. This book offers the first systematic approach to numerous different MEMS and nanotechnology-based methods available for the improvement of photonic infrared detectors and points out to a path towards uncooled operation with the performance of cryogenically cooled devices. It is shown that a vast area for enhancement does exists and that photonic devices can readily keep their leading position in infrared detection. The various methods and approaches described in the book are also directly applicable to different other types of photodetectors like solar cells, often with little or no modification.

The book is a collection of academic papers from a conference that focuses on significant issues, fundamental and applied research advances on a range of topics in the areas of textile engineering, apparel, fashion and design. Among others, the book will update the readers on recent research in technical and functional textiles; future trends and visions for textile, apparel and fashion; global business, marketing and management in textile and apparel; education and training in textile and apparel and design, fashion, footwear product and materials innovation.

MEMS and Nanotechnology, Volume 8: Proceedings of the 2014 Annual Conference on Experimental and Applied Mechanics, the eighth volume of eight from the Conference, brings together contributions to this important area of research and engineering. The collection presents early findings and case studies on a wide range of areas, including: Small-Scale Plasticity MEMS and Electronic Packaging Mechanics of Graphene Interfacial Mechanics Methods in Measuring Small-Scale Displacements Organic and Inorganic Nanowires AFM and Resonant-Based Methods Thin Films and Nano fibers

This book presents bond graph model-based fault detection with a focus on hybrid system models. The book addresses model design, simulation, control and model-based fault diagnosis of multidisciplinary engineering systems. The text beings with a brief survey of the state-of-the-art, then focuses on hybrid systems. The author then uses different bond graph approaches throughout the text and provides case studies.

This brief provides a comprehensive overview of contemporary research and materials technologies utilizing oriented-attachment nanocrystals (OA NCs) for the energy conversion devices. Starting with a historical introduction, the book presents basic theory with an emphasis on thermodynamic and kinetic models of the oriented-attachment nanocrystals growth. Further chapters review recent advances in the synthesis, characterization, and application of the oriented-attachment nanocrystals in fuel cells, batteries, supercapacitors, solar cells and photocatalysis. This book will appeal to researchers and scholars from a variety of disciplines including electrochemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, physics and mechanical engineering.

This book systematically describes the design options for micro systems as well as the equations needed for calculating the behavior of their basic elements. The fundamental equations needed to calculate the effects and forces that are important in micro systems are also provided. Readers do not require previous knowledge of fabrication processes. This second edition of the volume is a thoroughly revised and extended update. The target audience primarily comprises experts in the field of micro systems and the book is also suitable for graduate engineering students. For quick reference, equations are presented in tables that can be found in an index at the end of the book.

This book provides a systematic presentation of the principles and practices behind the synthesis and functionalization of graphene and grapheme oxide (GO), as well as the fabrication techniques for transparent conductors from these materials. Transparent conductors are used in a wide variety of photoelectronic and photovoltaic devices, such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs), solar cells, optical communication devices, and solid-state lighting. Thin films made from indium tin oxide (ITO) have thus far been the dominant source of transparent conductors, and now account for 50% of indium consumption. However, the price of Indium has increased 1000% in the last 10 years. Graphene, a two-dimensional monolayer of sp2-bonded carbon atoms, has attracted significant interest because of its unique transport properties. Because of their high optical transmittance and electrical conductivity, thin film electrodes made from graphene nanosheets have been considered an ideal candidate to replace expensive ITO films. Graphene for Transparent Conductors offers a systematic presentation of the principles, theories and technical practices behind the structure-property relationship of the thin films, which are the key to the successful development of high-performance transparent conductors. At the same time, the unique perspectives provided in the applications of graphene and GO as transparent conductors will serve as a general guide to the design and fabrication of thin film materials for specific applications.

Designing complex integrated circuits relies heavily on mathematical methods and calls for suitable simulation and optimization tools. The current design approach involves simulations and optimizations in different physical domains (device, circuit, thermal, electromagnetic) and in a range of electrical engineering disciplines (logic, timing, power, crosstalk, signal integrity, system functionality). COMSON was a Marie Curie Research Training Network created to meet these new scientific and training challenges by (a) developing new descriptive models that take these mutual dependencies into account, (b) combining these models with existing circuit descriptions in new simulation strategies and (c) developing new optimization techniques that will accommodate new designs. The book presents the main project results in the fields of PDAE modeling and simulation, model order reduction techniques and optimization, based on merging the know-how of three major European semiconductor companies with the combined expertise of university groups specialized in developing suitable mathematical models, numerical schemes and e-learning facilities. In addition, a common Demonstrator Platform for testing mathematical methods and approaches was created to assess whether they are capable of addressing the industry's problems, and to educate young researchers by providing hands-on experience with state-of-the-art problems.

This book explains the operating principles of atomic force microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy. The aim of this book is to enable the reader to operate a scanning probe microscope successfully and understand the data obtained with the microscope. The chapters on the scanning probe techniques are complemented by the chapters on fundamentals and important technical aspects. This textbook is primarily aimed at graduate students from physics, materials science, chemistry, nanoscience and engineering, as well as researchers new to the field.

This volume is dedicated to Professor Okyay Kaynak to commemorate his life time impactful research and scholarly achievements and outstanding services to profession. The 21 invited chapters have been written by leading researchers who, in the past, have had association with Professor Kaynak as either his students and associates or colleagues and collaborators. The focal theme of the volume is the Sliding Modes covering a broad scope of topics from theoretical investigations to their significant applications from Control to Intelligent Mechatronics.

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.

Intelligent technical systems, which combine mechanical, electrical and software engineering with methods from control engineering and advanced mathematics, go far beyond the state of the art in mechatronics and open up fascinating perspectives. Among these systems are so-called self-optimizing systems, which are able to adapt their behavior autonomously and flexibly to changing operating conditions. The Collaborative Research Center 614 "Self-optimizing concepts and structures in mechanical engineering" pursued the long-term aim to enable others to develop dependable self-optimizing systems. Assuring their dependability poses new challenges. However, self-optimization also offers the possibility to adapt the system's behavior to improve dependability during operation.   The aim of this book is to provide methods and techniques to master the challenges and to exploit the possibilities given by self-optimization. The reader will be able to develop self-optimizing systems that fulfill and surpass today’s dependability requirements easily.   This book is directed to researchers and practitioners alike. It gives a brief introduction to the holistic development approach for self-optimizing mechatronic systems and the steps required to assure a dependable product design starting with the very early conceptual design phase. A guideline to select suitable methods for each step and the methods themselves are included. Each method is individually introduced, many examples and full references are given.

This unique book covers the fundamental principle of electron diffraction, basic instrumentation of RHEED, definitions of textures in thin films and nanostructures, mechanisms and control of texture formation, and examples of RHEED transmission mode measurements of texture and texture evolution of thin films and nanostructures. Also presented is a new application of RHEED in the transmission mode called RHEED pole figure technique that can be used to monitor the texture evolution in thin film growth and nanostructures and is not limited to single crystal epitaxial film growth. Details of the construction of RHEED pole figures and the interpretation of observed pole figures are presented. Materials covered include metals, semiconductors, and thin insulators. This book also: Presents a new application of RHEED in the transmission mode Introduces a variety of textures from metals, semiconductors, compound semiconductors, and their characteristics in RHEED pole figures Provides examples of RHEED measurements of texture and texture evolution, construction of RHEED pole figures, and interpretation of observed pole figures RHEED Transmission Mode and Pole Figures: Thin Film and Nanostructure Texture Analysis is ideal for researchers in materials science and engineering and nanotechnology.

Over the past decades, fault diagnosis (FDI) and fault tolerant control strategies (FTC) have been proposed based on different techniques for linear and nonlinear systems. Indeed a considerable attention is deployed in order to cope with diverse damages resulting in faults occurrence.

For modeling the transport of carriers in nanoscale devices, a Green-function formalism is the most accurate approach. Due to the complexity of the formalism, one should have a deep understanding of the underlying principles and use smart approximations and numerical methods for solving the kinetic equations at a reasonable computational time. In this book the required concepts from quantum and statistical mechanics and numerical methods for calculating Green functions are presented. The Green function is studied in detail for systems both under equilibrium and under nonequilibrium conditions. Because the formalism enables rigorous modeling of different scattering mechanisms in terms of self-energies, but an exact evaluation of self-energies for realistic systems is not possible, their approximation and inclusion in the quantum kinetic equations of the Green functions are elaborated. All the elements of the kinetic equations, which are the device Hamiltonian, contact self-energies and scattering self-energies, are examined and efficient methods for their evaluation are explained. Finally, the application of these methods to study novel electronic devices such as nanotubes, graphene, Si-nanowires and low-dimensional thermoelectric devices and photodetectors are discussed.

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.

ZnO has been the central theme of research in the past decade due to its various applications in band gap engineering, and textile and biomedical industries. In nanostructured form, it offers ample opportunities to realize tunable optical and optoelectronic properties and it was also termed as a potential material to realize room temperature ferromagnetism. This book presents 17 high-quality contributory chapters on ZnO related systems written by experts in this field. These chapters will help researchers to understand and explore the varied physical properties to envisage device applications of ZnO in thin film, heterostructure and nanostructure forms.

This book provides a unified treatment of Flip-Flop design and selection in nanometer CMOS VLSI systems. The design aspects related to the energy-delay tradeoff in Flip-Flops are discussed, including their energy-optimal selection according to the targeted application, and the detailed circuit design in nanometer CMOS VLSI systems. Design strategies are derived in a coherent framework that includes explicitly nanometer effects, including leakage, layout parasitics and process/voltage/temperature variations, as main advances over the existing body of work in the field. The related design tradeoffs are explored in a wide range of applications and the related energy-performance targets. A wide range of existing and recently proposed Flip-Flop topologies are discussed. Theoretical foundations are provided to set the stage for the derivation of design guidelines, and emphasis is given on practical aspects and consequences of the presented results. Analytical models and derivations are introduced when needed to gain an insight into the inter-dependence of design parameters under practical constraints. This book serves as a valuable reference for practicing engineers working in the VLSI design area, and as text book for senior undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students (already familiar with digital circuits and timing).

This book provides a new direction in the field of nano-optics and nanophotonics from information and computing-related sciences and technology. Entitled by "Information Physics and Computing in NanosScale Photonics and Materials", IPCN in short, the book aims to bring together recent progresses in the intersection of nano-scale photonics, information, and enabling technologies. The topic will include (1) an overview of information physics in nanophotonics, (2) DNA self-assembled nanophotonic systems, (3) Functional molecular sensing, (4) Smart fold computing, an architecture for nanophotonics, (5) semiconductor nanowire and its photonic applications, (6) single photoelectron manipulation in imaging sensors, (6) hierarchical nanophotonic systems, (8) photonic neuromorphic computing, and (9) SAT solver and decision making based on nanophotonics.