Novel level-identifying circuit for flash multilevel memories

This paper presents a high-speed, small-area circuit specifically designed to identify the levels in the read out operation of a flash multilevel memory. The circuit is based on the analog computation of the Euclidean distance between the current read out from a memory cell and the reference currents that represent the different logic levels. An experimental version of the circuit has been integrated in a standard double-metal 0.7-μm CMOS process with a die area of only 140×100 μm². Operating under a 5-V power supply, this circuit identifies the read-out current of a memory cell, and associates it with the appropriate logic level in 9 ns     

High-performance automatic target recognition through data-specificVLSI

Under the Mojave configurable computing project, we have developed a system for achieving high performance on an automatic target recognition (ATR) application through the use of configurable computing technology. The ATR system studied here involves real-time image acquisition from a synthetic aperture radar (SAR). SAR images exhibit statistical properties which can be used to improve system performance. In this paper, the Mojave configurable computing system uses field programmable gate arrays (FPGA's) to implement highly specialized circuits while retaining the flexibility of programmable components. A controller sequences through a set of specialized circuits in response to real-time events. Computer-aided design (CAD) tools have been developed to support the automatic generation of these specialized circuits. The resulting configurable computing system achieves a significant performance advantage over the existing solution, which is based on application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) technology     

Impact of crosstalk in an arrayed-waveguide multiplexer onN×N optical interconnection

The impact of crosstalk in an arrayed-waveguide N×N wavelength multiplexer is investigated precisely in relation to its application to wavelength-routing N×N all optical networks. In such systems multiple crosstalk light which has the same wavelength as the signal results in signal-crosstalk beat noise. We confirm that the noise is Gaussian and obtain the relation between crosstalk and power penalty. It is shown that the crosstalk must be less than -38 dB for a 16×16 system to keep the power penalty below 1 dB at a bit error rate of 10^-9     

Modeling ion implantation of HgCdTe

Ion implantation of boron is used to create n on p photodiodes in vacancy-doped mercury cadmium telluride (MC.T). The junction is formed by Hg interstitials from the implant damage region diffusing into the MC.T and annihilating Hg vacancies. The resultant doping profile is n⁺/n^-/p, where the n⁺ region is near the surface and roughly coincides with the implant damage, the n^- region is where Hg vacancies have been annihilated revealing a residual grown-in donor, and the p region remains doped by Hg vacancy double acceptors. We have recently developed a new process modeling tool for simulating junction formation in MC.T by ion implantation. The interstitial source in the damage region is represented by stored interstitials whose distribution depends on the implant dose. These interstitials are released into the bulk at a constant, user defined rate. Once released, they diffuse away from the damage region and annihilate any Hg vacancies they encounter. In this paper, we present results of simulations using this tool and show how it can be used to quantitatively analyze the effects of variations in processing conditions, including implant dose, annealing temperature, and doping background.     

An easy-to-use mismatch model for the MOS transistor

In this paper, a physics-based mismatch model is presented. It is demonstrated on a 0.18-/spl mu/m technology that a simple mismatch model can still be used to characterize deep-submicron technologies. The accuracy of the model is examined and found to be within 20% in the strong inversion region. Bulk bias dependence is modeled in a physical way. To extract the mismatch parameters, a weighted fit is introduced. It is shown that the width and length dependence of the mismatch parameters is given by the Pelgrom model.     

Fabrication of 1.55 μm VCSELs on Si using metallic bonding

Using AuGeNiCr multilayered metals as the wafer bonding medium, long-wavelength GaInAsP/InP vertical cavity surface emitting lasers employing Al-oxide/Si as the upper and lower distributed Bragg reflectors were fabricated on Si substrate with the bonding interface formed outside the vertical cavity surface emitting laser cavity. Laser emission at 1.545 μm was measured under pulsed operations near room temperature. The low-temperature metallic bonding process demonstrates a great potential in device fabrication     

Asymmetric dilation of multiwavelength cross-connect switches forlow-crosstalk WDM optical networks

We predict that, for wavelength division multiplexing optical-network applications, an asymmetrically dilated configuration of a 2×2 cross-connect is significantly better in terms of overall crosstalk when the levels of the bar-port crosstalk and the cross-port crosstalk are significantly different from each other, as is the case with optical-frequency filters which utilize grating-assisted coupling. As a verification, we present a simulation study with 2×2 polarization-diversified acousto-optic tunable filters. We present a recursive method to extend the principle of asymmetric dilation to larger-size cross-connect switches, and make a recommendation for an asymmetrically dilated 4×4 cross-connect configuration     

Application of neural networks and machine learning in networkdesign

Communication network design is becoming increasingly complex, involving making networks more usable, affordable, and reliable. To help with this, we have proposed an expert network designer (END) for configuring, modeling, simulating, and evaluating large structured computer networks, employing artificial intelligence, knowledge representation, and network simulation tools. We present a neural network/knowledge acquisition machine-learning approach to improve the END's efficiency in solving the network design problem and to extend its scope to acquire new networking technologies, learn new network design techniques, and update the specifications of existing technologies     

Densification involved in the UV-based photosensitivity of silicaglasses and optical fibers

A comprehensive survey of photosensitivity in silica glasses and optical fiber is reviewed. Recent work on understanding the mechanisms contributing to germanium or aluminum doped fiber photosensitivity is discussed within the framework of photoelastic densification models