Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Laser Bending of Silicon Sheet: Absorption Factor and Mechanisms

Laser bending of silicon sheet is a process to form three-dimensional microstructural silicon elements in an ambient environment. This study aims to investigate the process mechanism with the aid of both experimental and numerical analyses. To this end, a thin-film thermocouple was prepared to capture the temperature field within the heating zone of the laser beam. A new method was then developed to precisely determine the absorption factor by coupling numerical simulation of the laser bending results with the experimental results. It was found that each laser pulse causes a cycle of sharp temperature risedrop in a silicon sheet. When the temperature in the heating zone is low, the sheet deforms elastically. When it is beyond the brittle‐ductile transition temperature of silicon, however, plastic deformation in the sheet takes place and bending occurs. The bending angle becomes larger with increasing the number of laser beam scanning, once the temperature gradient in the scanning area is large enough. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4025579]
Flow analysis techniques for spatial and temporal measurement of nutrients in aquatic systems

Environmental Context.Eutrophication is a growing problem globally, and it has significant ecological and socio-economic consequences. Understanding the causes of eutrophication requires a knowledge of nutrient biogeochemistry in aquatic systems. Owing to the high spatial and temporal variability of nutrients in these systems, there is a need for autonomous in situ measurement techniques with rapid response and the ability to collect long-term data. Flow injection analysis is one technique that meets these demands. Abstract.Flow analysis offers a versatile and powerful approach to monitoring of the aquatic environment. The present review highlights the drivers for determining macro- and micro-nutrients in marine and fresh waters, and outlines the instrumental requirements for in situ instrumentation. The principles of flow analysis, specifically flow injection and derivative techniques, and the chemical bases for macro- and micro-nutrient detection are discussed, and key examples of suitable approaches are considered. The successful deployment of flow analysis nutrient monitoring systems for spatial and temporal measurements is illustrated by specific examples relating to surface transects, depth profiles and temporal deployments. Finally, the challenges and imperatives of research in this area are outlined.
Effect of Agronomic Techniques on Aroma Composition of White Grapevines: A Review

Climate change with rising temperatures and the unpredictability of rainy events during ripening leads to tough challenges for the winemakers in preserving the quality of white grape varieties. Grape quality is a complex concept that mainly refers to berry chemical composition, including secondary metabolites such as aroma compounds that in white berries play a key role in the identity of the wine. Terpenes, thiols, C13-norisoprenoids, methoxypyrazines, and nonterpenic alcohols are the most important aroma compounds in white grapes and several of them can be found as free volatiles or bound as glycoconjugate molecules. Agronomic practices in vineyards, such as biostimulant application, irrigation, defoliation, training systems, foliar fertilization, and bunch thinning, can have a positive effect on their concentration. This review aims to highlight the aromatic characteristics of the most utilized white grape cultivars and focus on agronomic techniques in the vineyard to enhance, implement, and intensify their aromatic characteristics. The purpose of this review paper is therefore to investigate the state of the art regarding the exaltation of aroma in white grapes in the scientific literature through sustainable agronomic techniques, but further future investigations are considered necessary given the uncertainty concerning some mechanisms of biosynthesis and their correlation with such agronomic practices.
High power density DC-DC converter with SiC MOSFETs for electric vehicles

This paper shows the performance evaluation and practical demonstration of a high-power bi-directional DC-DC converter with a power density of 20 kW/l, using 1200V/100A SiC MOSFET modules from CREE. The converter is based on a dual-interleaved topology with hard-switching operating at 75 kHz. To increase the power density, water-cooled magnetic components are used. The experimental results of a 60 kW converter show the potential to increase the operating frequencies up to 100 kHz and beyond in this application.
Planar Printed Shorted Monopole Antenna with Coupled Feed for LTE/WWAN Mobile Handset Applications

A shorted monopole antenna with coupled feed for LTE/WWAN mobile handset applications is described. The basic resonance of the shorted monopole combines with the resonance formed by the coupling between the coupling strip and the feeding pad to cover the LTE700, GSM850, and GSM900 bands. Both the feeding pad and the coupling strip operate with the shorting strip as a loop antenna. The resonance of the loop antenna and the harmonics of the shorted monopole combine to cover the GSM1800, GSM1900, UMTS, and LTE2300 bands. A stable and omnidirectional radiation pattern with reasonable gain has been observed over the operating bandwidth.
Guided‐wave characteristics of periodic microstrip lines with inductive loading: Slow‐wave and bandstop behaviors

Guided‐wave characteristics of planar periodic microstrip lines with inductive loading are investigated by resorting to the unit‐length transmission parameters of an equivalent transmission line. By applying the SOC de‐embedding technique, the above two quantities are effectively extracted from the full‐wave MoM modeling of a microstrip line with finite periodic cells. Extensive results at first confirm the slow‐wave behavior such that both real parts of such two quantities rise up slowly and then rapidly with frequency. Further, they demonstrate, for the first time, the guided‐wave bandstop characteristic with non‐zero attenuation constant and imaginary characteristic impedance. Five‐cell periodic microstrip circuits are then designed and fabricated for theoretical and experimental verification. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 41: 77–79, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20052
Advanced photoresist technologies for microsystems

A growing interest in the development of high aspect ratio photoresists for micromachining microsystems (MST) products has resulted in the availability of a number of commercially available photoresist products. This paper describes in detail the applications of three such resists, namely EPON SU-8, Clariant AZ 4562 and the Shipley electroplated photoresist ED2100. Applications such as etch hard masks, micromoulds, severe topography coatings for metal interconnects and photoplastic mouldings are discussed, and novel examples are presented of where these resists are currently used in both telecomm and microfluidic markets. In particular, the versatility of the photoplastic negative resist EPON SU-8, which is used in a number of MST prototypes, is demonstrated. Future trends in resist technologies for MST are discussed.
Signal-To-Noise Ratio Simulations For Small, Guided-Wave Optical Networks

Given the crosstalk and loss of a single optical directional coupler, we predict the Signal-to-Noise Ratios (SNRs) of switches made from interconnected couplers. Of the seven 4x4 architectures simulated, three are strictly nonblocking, two are nonblocking in the wide sense, and two are rearrangeably nonblocking. The simulation models each coupler in an architecture, traces the signal and accumulates noise throughout the architecture, and gives the SNR at any output. For typical values of crosstalk per directional coupler, all of the 4x4 architectures compared here have good enough SNRs for non-cascaded use. The active splitter/active combiner and duobanyan switches have a large enough SNR to be cascaded without regeneration.
GaAs/polymer optical nanowires: fabrication and characterisation

The fabrication and propagation loss measurement of GaAs/polymer optical nanowires are reported. Their design consists of a 300×300 nm cross-section GaAs core buried into a polymer matrix bonded on a Si host substrate. The propagation loss at λ=1.55 µm is measured as about 5 dB/mm for both polarisations.
Measurement of dispersion and nonlinearity in multiamplifier systems

A lightwave component analyser is used to measure the frequency response of a 6300 km optically amplified testbed. The position of the nulls is shown to be very sensitive to the fibre parameters and the optical power level and agrees well with numerical predictions. Such measurements could be used to detect any changes occurring between factory tests and the installation of a long-haul optically amplified system
Pneumatic Soft Actuator for a Human-Friendly Actuation System

To drive a human-friendly mechanical system such as a human collaboration robo and a welfare machine, a soft actuator having a closer affinity with human is required. This paper describes the fundamental concept of a soft actuator and define its exibility by using a mechanical impedance. Next, the applications of McKibbentype rubber actuator to a rehabilitation robot and a power assist robot are discussed. Also two new types of pneumatic soft actuators being developed in our laboratory are introduced, which are a planar type actuator and a rotary type actuator. Using a pneumatic actuator made of rubber material is one of extremely effective approaches to realize a soft actuator. The study integrating both mechanism and control technology is necessary to build up a practical human-friendly actuation system.
Practical application of an Analytic Hierarchy Process for the improvement of the warranty management

Purpose – This paper will be focused in one of the stages included in a reference framework proposed for the improvement of the warranty management. Particularly, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is a multi‐criteria decision‐making method that will be depicted throughout this document and applied to a particular case study.Design/methodology/approach – Once the warranty program objectives and strategy are defined, the referred stage here considered will be the Criticality Analysis. Those decisions and actions taken from the warranty program will involve the possibility of a certain deviation from business objectives in terms of profit losses, redirection of resources, possible delays etc., or the use of assembly pieces as spares, among others.Findings – The application is required of a technique which helps systematically to decide which assets should have priority related to the management of the warranty program, in accordance of course with the existing program strategy.Practical implications – The.
Pantograph for tilting trains

Tilting trains are becoming more and more standard in the world and especially in Europe, where over 13 countries have tilting trains already in service or are within the introduction phase. Out of Europe, only three countries on three other continents use tilting trains. The pioneers in active tilting trains have been Fiat in Italy with the "Pendolino", running in service since 1988 and the Japanese JR Central with "Series 381" since 1973; the very first application however was the "Talgo" in Spain, a passive tilting system developed since 1943. Together with this penetration of tilting trains, the requirements raise and the market asks for more powerful, and more passenger friendly solutions. In this respect, the current collection with tilting EMUs becomes a critical task, as the customers marketing people do not accept anymore neither infringement of the passenger area nor any reduction of passenger seats due to the tilting system of the pantograph. From the technical side, the geometric conditions of the catenery, the gauge and the pantograph do not allow larger deflections due to the higher cant deficiencies. Therefore, the roll effect of the suspension must be compensated by a sophisticated design. This paper presents the first series solution of FIAT-SIG's pantograph tilting device, under type testing on the ICN pre-series train, and foreseen for Virgin's West Coast Main Line trains.
Features 3D scanning systems for rapid prototyping

Discusses the use of two commercially available non‐contact laser triangulation sensors. First, describes a standard dual view sensor called REVERSA and demonstrates the use of the scanner in the production of flatware tooling. Second, introduces a novel hand‐held scanner which is retro‐fitted to a portable CMM and describes two examples of its use in the automotive industry.
Integrated planar spatial power combiner

A simple low-loss integrated planar spatial power-combining architecture is proposed and studied in this paper. The power-combining structure is realized by transition between a simple oversized microstrip line and parallel multiport planar microstrip lines. The power combiner was simulated with parametric analysis and a working prototype at 25-31 GHz is designed and fabricated with four amplifier units. Measured results show a good agreement with simulated ones and a combining efficiency of 79.5% is achieved at 25 GHz.
ADVISORY SPEED SIGNS AND CURVE SIGNS AND THEIR EFFECT ON DRIVER EYE SCANNING AND DRIVING PERFORMANCE

The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of advisory speed signs used in conjunction with curve warning signs in Ohio. A total or 40 test drivers were used to drive an unfamiliar test route on a two-lane rural road that included two typical curves equipped with curve warning signs. Curve A was a left curve with a determined advisory speed of 40 mph and Curve C was a right curve with a determined advisory speed of 25 mph. The results of the test-driver study indicate that drivers, on the average, look about two times at a warning sign (fixation duration 0.5 to 0.6 sec). There are few consistent statistically significant differences in driver eye-scanning behavior and driver control behavior (velocity, lateral acceleration, gas pedal deflection, lane position, brake activation) between Run 1 and Run 2, between inexperienced and experienced drivers, between the presence and absence of advisory speed signs, and between day and night. The daytime velocities are in general somewhat higher than the nighttime velocities. It may be concluded that advisory speed signs are not more effective in causing drivers to reduce their speeds through curves than curve and turn signs alone. It appears that the bent black arrow in the yellow diamond of the curve or turn warning sign represents such a strong and primary visual stimulus that an advisory speed sign adds very little additional information for the driver. Therefore, it is recommended that advisory speed sign maintenance and especially new installations be given a low priority.
SEISMIC PROTECTION OF LIGHT SECONDARY SYSTEMS THROUGH DIFFERENT BASE ISOLATION SYSTEMS

The objective of the present work is to examine advantages and drawbacks of different types of isolation systems, when seismic isolation is used as a protection strategy against damage to internal equipment and contents. The starting point of the study is the big experimental program of table tests on reduced-scale R/C structural models, carried out within the MANSIDE (Memory Alloys for New Seismic Isolation DEvices) project. Seven identical l:3.3-scaled, 3-storey frames were tested, including two fixed-base models and four base-isolated models with different isolation systems, namely: (1) rubber isolators, (2) steel-hysteretic system and (3), re-centring SMA (Shape Memory Alloy) system. In this study the internal equipment is regarded as an elastic single degree of freedom, with 2% equivalent viscous damping. Therefore, the capability of fixed-base and base-isolated models with different isolation systems to protect light secondary systems is evaluated by comparing the floor response spectra obtained from the storey accelerations recorded during shaking table tests. Three different PGA's are considered, about 0.15g, 0.3g and 0.5g, respectively. All the shaking table tests are also simulated with an accurate numerical model, to validate and better understand the experimental results. It is found that each type of isolation system reduces considerably the seismic effects on internal equipments in wide frequency regions. However, tuning effects may arise in specific frequency ranges, corresponding to the first mode in structures equipped with quasi-elastic (rubber) isolation systems, and to higher modes in structures equipped with elasto-plastic (steel) and nonlinear re-centering (SMA) isolation systems.
Private‐property decision makers and the quality of urban design

Abstract This paper is based on a research study funded by the UK Department of the Environment and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors which examined the involvement of developers, investors and occupiers in urban design. The findings draw on the results of five case studies, six expert panels and a literature review. The paper examines, from the perspective of private‐property decision makers: the role and importance of urban design considerations; the benefits of giving explicit attention to urban design considerations; the factors which constrain the promotion of good urban design; and the incentives and other measures which might encourage increased attention and contribution to urban design quality. The paper argues that a better understanding of the relationship between urban design, the development process and the property industry is a prerequisite to achieving lasting improvements in the quality of the urban environment.
Compensation of DC-link oscillation in single-phase to single-phase VSC/CSC and power density comparison

This work proposes a technique to reduce the low frequency DC-link energy oscillation due to the pulsating single-phase energy flow in a single-phase to single-phase Voltage Source Converter (VSC) and Current Source Converter (CSC) which operate connected to the grid. That pulsating energy is the major responsible for increasing the size of the passive components and power losses in the converter. The pulsation reduction is achieved by incorporating two auxiliar active switches and one passive energy storage element to the rectifier and inverter side. Additionally, this paper presents the comparison of these converters regarding efficiency and power density. Details control strategy is presented. Simulation and experimental results are provided to validate the theoretical approach.
A Simplified Process of PMN-PZT Energy Harvester Based on Flammable Materials

With the increasing demand of auxiliary power unit in portable electronic devices, the concept of renewable energy harvesting near human surrounding environmental circumstance arouses an interest. As the field of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) has advanced, a clear need for the integration of materials other than silicon and its compounds into micromachined transducers has emerged. Piezoelectric materials are high energy density materials that scale very favorably upon miniaturization and that has led to an ever-growing interest in piezoelectric films for MEMS applications. However, conventional powder processing and machining cannot meet the requirement of such fine ceramic structure. Advanced technologies such as those using lasers and soft PDMS modeling method have been available for micro-patterning of ceramics but are not viable for large-scale production. It is difficult and time-consuming to pattern fine scale ceramics. In this paper, we fabricated simple process of MEMS based energy harvester by employing the flammable materials with PMN-PZT micro-pillar structure. The optimum aspect ratio of thickness/length for the ceramic pillar dielectric properties and micro-structure will be discussed.
Recognizing license plate character based on simplified PCNN

In LPR system, character recognition subsystem is heavily affected by image quality. To resolve this problem and improve recognition rate, a new algorithm is proposed, in which pulse coupled neural network (PCNN) is applied into the recognition of license plate character. PCNN model is simplified to improve computation efficiency, and then is utilized to extract three features from dimension-normalized binary result of input character image. Based on these features, weighted voting is performed and final estimation of input character is made. The experiment results show that compared with common algorithms based on BP network, the new algorithm based on simplified PCNN model has higher total recognition rate and stronger robustness, and is more convenient and flexible.
The Road to the Model T: Culture, Road Conditions, and Innovation at the Dawn of the American Motor Age

In 1920, a single vehicle dominated the American market for automobiles: Ford's famous Model T. Plain, powerful, and utilitarian, its success peaked in 1923 when Model Ts accounted for almost 55 percent of American automobile production.1 Introduced in 1908 at $850, by 1923 the efficiencies of mass production had allowed Ford to cut the price of the Model T touring car to just $298, enabling automobile ownership in the United States to move steadily down the income ladder. Few could have foreseen this result twenty years earlier, however. Then, the first American motor vehicles, owned almost exclusively by wealthy elites, represented a dizzying variety of designs that inspired spirited debate over such basic technological questions as the best type of engine to use, where to locate it in the vehicle, and how best to design the vehicle's body. In recent years, scholars have generated a host of fresh insights into the shifting contours of the early auto industry, both before and after the advent of the Model T. Much of this work has been inspired by the observation that social context actively shapes definitions of technological merit and thus the success and failure of different technologies. Why did the internal combustion engine triumph over steam and electric alternatives?
Modelling the centroid and charge density in double-gate MOSFETs including quantum effects

An analytical model for double-gate metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistors considering quantum effects is presented in this article. The variational method is used to solve the Schrodinger–Poisson's equation. The simple and accurate mathematical expressions for centroid and inversion charge density are obtained. It is seen that the minimum energy of the sub-bands and the inversion charge density decreases as the silicon thickness of the device increases. The analytical results obtained from the proposed model are compared and agreed well with a device simulation tool named SCHRED.