A Hammerstein-based dynamic model for hysteresis phenomenon

The Hammerstein configuration, which includes a nonlinear static block followed by a linear dynamic block, is applied to model the rate-dependent and temperature-dependent hysteresis phenomenon. The nonlinear static block is realized by a modified Preisach model, which includes both the irreversible and reversible components of magnetization. The linear dynamic block is realized by a low-pass filter, which takes into account the rate-dependent effects of hysteresis. Temperature dependencies are incorporated into the model by fitting the model parameters as piecewise-linear functions of temperature. A procedure is described for the extraction of a single set of model parameters over the frequency, amplitude, and temperature ranges of interest. The theory is verified experimentally     

Modeling statistical dopant fluctuations in MOS transistors

The impact of statistical dopant fluctuations on the threshold voltage V_T and device performance of silicon MOSFET's is investigated by means of analytical and numerical modeling. A new analytical model describing dopant fluctuations in the active device area enables the derivation of the standard deviation, σV_T , of the threshold voltage distribution for arbitrary channel doping profiles. Using the MINIMOS device simulator to extend the analytical approach, it is found that σV_T, can be properly derived from two-dimensional (2-D) or three-dimensional (3-D) simulations using a relatively coarse simulation grid. Evaluating the threshold voltage shift arising from dopant fluctuations, on the other hand, calls for full 3-D simulations with a numerical grid that is sufficiently refined to represent the discrete nature of the dopant distribution. The average V_T-shift is found to be positive for long, narrow devices, and negative for short, wide devices. The fast 2-D MINIMOS modeling of dopant fluctuations enables an extensive statistical analysis of the intrinsic spreading in a large set of compact model parameters for state-of-the-art CMOS technology. It is predicted that V_T-variations due to dopant fluctuations become unacceptably large in CMOS generations of 0.18 μm and beyond when the present scaling scenarios are pursued. Parameter variations can be drastically reduced by using alternative device designs with ground-plane channel profiles     

On asymptotic approximation of a solution of a boundary-value problem for a nonlinear nonautonomous equation

On the basis of periodic Ateb functions, in the resonance and nonresonance cases, we construct the asymptotic approximation of one-frequency solutions of a boundary-value problem for a nonlinear nonautonomous equation.     

Near Shannon limit performance of low density parity check codes

The authors report the empirical performance of Gallager's low density parity check codes on Gaussian channels. They show that performance substantially better than that of standard convolutional and concatenated codes can be achieved; indeed the performance is almost as close to the Shannon limit as that of turbo codes     

A new erasing method for a single-voltage long-endurance flashmemory

A new method to erase a standard (double-poly, stacked-gate NOR-type) flash cell is proposed. The method, still using the tunneling mechanism to extract electrons from the floating gate, is based on the concept of keeping the electric field constant during the whole erasing operation. The new method has two main advantages with respect to the conventional one: (1) it does not depend on the supply voltage variation and (2) it allows a better reliability in terms of endurance-induced stress. Results have shown that flash device performances are greatly improved in terms of stability and endurance reliability up to one million cycles     

Ultralow-voltage boron-doped diamond field emitter vacuum diode

A boron-doped diamond field emitter diode with ultralow turn-on voltage and high emission current is reported. The diamond field emitter diode structure with a built-in cap was fabricated using molds and electrostatic bonding techniques. The emission current versus anode voltage of the capped diamond emitter diode with boron doping, sp² content, and vacuum thermal electric (VTE) treatment shows a very low turn-on voltage of 2 V. A high emission current of 1 μA at an anode voltage of less than 10 V can be obtained from a single diamond tip. The turn-on voltage is significantly lower than comparable silicon field emitters     

Structural properties and electrical behaviour of thin silicon oxynitride layers

Thin SiO₂ and SiO_xN_y layers were grown on silicon using Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) in either O₂ or N₂O ambient. Subsequent annealing or nitridation was performed in order to improve the electrical stability. The composition of the films, in particular the incorporation of nitrogen and hydrogen, has been studied. We obtained the distribution of states at the Si/insulator interface through the evaluation of CV measurements and investigated the charge trapping in the layers analysing the voltage–time behaviour during Fowler–Nordheim constant current injection. Furthermore, assuming a trap assisted tunneling mechanism, the influence of near interface trap states on the current voltage characteristic was used to derive an effective insulator state distribution.     

An efficient method of FIR filtering based on impulse responserounding

A new method of implementing efficient FIR filters is presented. It involves approximation of an equiripple FIR by a rounding operation and application of the derived impulse response by a simple recursive equation. The technique is extremely efficient for lowpass, highpass, bandpass, and bandstop filters with sharp transitions and low edge frequencies     

Method for preventing delay ambiguity

A detection error mechanism termed delay ambiguity is identified as one of the main causes of the irreducible bit error rate observed for data detection over fast fading communication channels. A periodic sequence of phase rotations applied to the phase shift keyed (PSK) transmit data symbols is proposed to prevent this type of detection error