A Scalable Low Power Issue Queue for Large Instruction Window Processors

Large instruction windows and issue queues are key to exploiting greater instruction level parallelism in out-of-order superscalar processors. However, the cycle time and energy consumption of conventional large monolithic issue queues are high. Previous efforts to reduce cycle time segment the issue queue and pipeline wakeup. Unfortunately, this results in significant IPC loss. Other proposals which address energy efficiency issues by avoiding only the unnecessary tag-comparisons do not reduce broadcasts. These schemes also increase the issue latency.To address both these issues comprehensively, we propose the Scalable Lowpower Issue Queue (SLIQ). SLIQ augments a pipelined issue queue with direct indexing to mitigate the problem of delayed wakeups while reducing the cycle time. Also, the SLIQ design naturally leads to significant energy savings by reducing both the number of tag broadcasts and comparisons required.A 2 segment SLIQ incurs an average IPC loss of 0.2% over the entire SPEC CPU2000 suite, while achieving a 25.2% reduction in issue latency when compared to a monolithic 128-entry issue queue for an 8-wide superscalar processor. An 8 segment SLIQ improves scalability by reducing the issue latency by 38.3% while incurring an IPC loss of only 2.3%. Further, the 8 segment SLIQ significantly reduces the energy consumption and energy-delay product by 48.3% and 67.4% respectively on average.

Compiler Assisted Leakage Energy Optimization for Clustered VLIW Architectures

Miniaturization of devices and the ensuing decrease in the threshold voltage has led to a substantial increase in the leakage component of the total processor energy consumption. Relatively simpler issue logic and the presence of a large number of function units in the VLIW and the clustered VLIW architectures attribute a large fraction of this leakage energy consumption in the functional units. However, functional units are not fully utilized in the VLIW architectures because of the inherent variations in the ILP of the programs. This underutilization is even more pronounced in the context of clustered VLIW architectures because of the contentions for the limited number of slow intercluster communication channels which lead to many short idle cycles.In the past, some architectural schemes have been proposed to obtain leakage energy bene .ts by aggressively exploiting the idleness of functional units. However, presence of many short idle cycles cause frequent transitions from the active mode to the sleep mode and vice-versa and adversely a ffects the energy benefits of a purely hardware based scheme. In this paper, we propose and evaluate a compiler instruction scheduling algorithm that assist such a hardware based scheme in the context of VLIW and clustered VLIW architectures. The proposed scheme exploits the scheduling slacks of instructions to orchestrate the functional unit mapping with the objective of reducing the number of transitions in functional units thereby keeping them off for a longer duration. The proposed compiler-assisted scheme obtains a further 12% reduction of energy consumption of functional units with negligible performance degradation over a hardware-only scheme for a VLIW architecture. The benefits are 15% and 17% in the context of a 2-clustered and a 4-clustered VLIW architecture respectively. Our test bed uses the Trimaran compiler infrastructure.

The phenomenon of notch in an NEMP simulator and its reduction

The effect of variation in the switching instant of the output switch of the pulser circuit used in energizing an NEMP simulator on the voltage fed to the simulator and hence the electric field within the working volume of the simulator has been studied. Depending upon the instant at which the output switch closes, the amplitude and the wave shape of the voltage that is fed to the illuminator varies. This wave shape of the output voltage from the pulser circuit determines the shape and characteristics of the electric field within the working volume of the simulator. To study the effect of variation in the switching instant on the vertical electric field within the working volume, the vertical electric field has been computed in time and frequency domains. For certain switching instants, the electric field shows a sharp reduction in its amplitude after the peak which is called the notch. The presence of notch results in the test object not getting illuminated with all the frequencies of interest. The notch has been successfully reduced by suitably modifying the pulser circuit.

New Insights into Selective Heterogeneous Nucleation of Metal Nanoparticles on Oxides by Microwave-Assisted Reduction: Rapid Synthesis of High-Activity Supported Catalysts

Microwave-based methods are widely employed to synthesize metal nanoparticles on various substrates. However, the detailed mechanism of formation of such hybrids has not been addressed. In this paper, we describe the thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of reduction of metal salts by ethylene glycol under microwave heating conditions. On the basis of this analysis, we identify the temperatures above which the reduction of the metal salt is thermodynamically favorable and temperatures above which the rates of homogeneous nucleation of the metal and the heterogeneous nucleation of the metal on supports are favored. We delineate different conditions which favor the heterogeneous nucleation of the metal on the supports over homogeneous nucleation in the solvent medium based on the dielectric loss parameters of the solvent and the support and the metal/solvent and metal/support interfacial energies. Contrary to current understanding, we show that metal particles can be selectively formed on the substrate even under situations where the temperature of the substrate Is lower than that of the surrounding medium. The catalytic activity of the Pt/CeO(2) and Pt/TiO(2) hybrids synthesized by this method for H(2) combustion reaction shows that complete conversion is achieved at temperatures as low as 100 degrees C with Pt-CeO(2) catalyst and at 50 degrees C with Pt-TiO(2) catalyst. Our method thus opens up possibilities for rational synthesis of high-activity supported catalysts using a fast microwave-based reduction method.

Effect of rolling temperature and reduction in thickness on microstructure and mechanical properties of ZM21 magnesium alloy and its subsequent annealing treatment

In this present paper, the effects of non-isothermal rolling temperature and reduction in thickness followed by annealing on microstructure and mechanical properties of ZM21 magnesium alloy were investigated. The alloy rolled at four different temperatures 250 degrees C, 300 degrees C, 350 degrees C and 400 degrees C with reductions of 25%, 50% and 75%. Non-isothermal rolling resulted in grain refinement, introduction of shear bands and twins in the matrix alloy. Partial to full recrystallization was observed when the rolling temperature was above recrystallization temperature. Rolling and subsequent annealing resulted in strain-free equiaxed grains and complete disappearance of shear bands and twins. Maximum ultimate strength (345 MPa) with good ductility (14%) observed in the sample rolled at 250 degrees C with 75% reduction in thickness followed by short annealing. Recrystallization during warm/hot rolling was sluggish, but post-roll treatment gives distinct views about dynamic and static recrystallization. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Physical chemistry of the reduction of calcium oxide with aluminium in vacuum

The physical chemistry of "aluminothermic" reduction of calcium oxide in vacuum is analyzed. Basic thermodynamic data required for the analysis have been generated by a variety of experiments. These include activity measurements in liquid AI-Ca alloys and determination of the Gibbs energies of formation of calcium aluminates. These data have been correlated with phase relations in the Ca-AI-0 system at 1373 K. The various stages of reduction, the end products and the corresponding equilibrium partial pressures of calcium have been established from thermodynamic considerations. In principle, the recovery of calcium can be improved by reducing the pressure in the reactor. However,, the cost of a high vacuum system and the enhanced time for reduction needed to achieve higher yields makes such a practice uneconomic. Aluminum contamination of calcium also increases at low pressures. The best compromise is to carry the reduction up to the stage where 3CaO-Al,O, is formed as the product. This corresponds to an equilibrium calcium partial pressure of 31.3 Pa at 1373 K and 91.6 Pa at 1460 K. Calcium can be extracted at this pressure using mechanical pumps in approximately 8 to 15 hr, depending on the size and the fill ratio of the retort and porosity of the charge briquettes.

Noise reduction with perforated three-duct muffler components

This paper describes the authors’ distributed parameter approach for derivation of closed-form expressions for the four-pole parameters of the perforated three-duct muffler components. In this method, three simultaneous second-order partial differential equations are first reduced to a set of six first-order ordinary differential equations. These equations are then uncoupled by means of a modal matrix. The resulting 6 × 6 matrix is reduced to the 2 × 2 transfer matrix using the relevant boundary conditions. This is combined with transfer matrices of other elements (upstream and downstream of this perforated element) to predict muffler performance like noise reduction, which is also measured. The correlation between experimental and theoretical values of noise reduction is shown to be satisfactory.

Large reduction of leakage current by graded-layer La doping in (Ba0.5, Sr0.5)TiO3 thin films

A large reduction in the leakage current behavior in (Ba, Sr)TiO3 (BST) thin films was observed by graded-layer donor doping. The graded doping was achieved by introducing La-doped BST layers in the grown BST films. The films showed a large decrease (about six orders of magnitude) in the leakage current in comparison to undoped films at an electric field of 100 kV/cm. The large decrease in leakage current was attributed to the formation of highly resistive layers, originating from compensating defect chemistry involved for La-doped films grown in oxidizing environment. Temperature-dependent leakage-current behavior was studied to investigate the conduction mechanism and explanations of the results were sought from Poole–Frenkel conduction mechanism.

Dioxomolybdenum reagents in organic synthesis: utility of redox capability to design reduction and oxidation

The usefulness of dioxomolybdenum reagents in oxo-transfer reactions have been reviewed. The redox ability of dioxomolybdenum reagent has been utilized in designing several synthetic methods, which are useful in organic synthesis. Several reactions such as oxidation of alcohols, sulfides, amines, azides olefins etc are accomplished by using dioxomolybdenum reagents. Similarly, it is also demonstrated that dioxomolybdenum complex is useful in performing reduction of aldehydes, ketones, esters, azides etc. A fine tuning of reaction conditions provides suitable conditions to perform either oxidation or reduction by using catalytic amount of reagents. The oxidation reactions are further simplified by employing the polymer supported molybdenum reagents.

Growth and consumption rates of the phase layers during interdiffusion in a diffusion couple with finite end member

The relations for the growth and consumption rates of a layer with finite thickness as an end member and the product phases in the interdiffusion zone are developed. We have used two different methodologies, the diffusion based and the physico-chemical approach to develop the same relations. We have shown that the diffusion based approach is rather straightforward; however, the physico-chemical approach is much more versatile than the other method. It was found that the position of the marker plane becomes vague in the second stage of the interdiffusion process in pure A thin layer/B couple, where two phases grow simultaneously.

Hypersonic wave drag reduction in re-entry capsules using concentrated energy deposition

Experiments are carried out in a shock tunnel at a nominal Mach number of 5.75 in order to study the effect of concentrated energy deposition on the drag force experienced by a 120° blunt cone. Electrical energy was deposited along the stagnation streamline of the model using a high voltage DC discharge circuit (1.5 – 3.5KW) and the drag force was measured by a single component accelerometer balance. Numerical simulations were also carried complimenting the experiments. These simulations showed a substantial drag reduction (20% ~ 65%) whereas the experiments show no appreciable reduction in drag

Performance evaluation of nonthermal plasma reactors for NO oxidation in diesel engine exhaust gas treatment

The discharge plasma-chemical hybrid process for NO/sub x/ removal from the due gas emissions is an extremely effective and economical approach in comparison with the conventional selective catalytic reduction system. In this paper we bring out a relative comparison of several discharge plasma reactors from the point of NO removal efficiency. The reactors were either energized by AC or by repetitive pulses. Ferroelectric pellets were used to study the effect of pellet assisted discharges on gas cleaning. Diesel engine exhaust, at different loads, is used to approximately simulate the due gas composition. Investigations were carried out at room temperature with respect to the variation of reaction products against the discharge power. Main emphasis is laid on the oxidation of NO to NO/sub 2/, without reducing NOx concentration (i.e., minimum reaction byproducts), with least power consumption. The produced NO/sub 2/ will be totally converted to N/sub 2/ and Na/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ using Na/sub 2/SO/sub 3/. The AC packed bed reactor and pelletless pulsed corona reactor showed better performance, with minimum reaction products for a given power, when the NO concentration was low (/spl sim/100 ppm). At high engine loads (NO>300 ppm) there was not much decrease in NO/sub x/ reduction and more or less all the reactors performed equally. The paper discusses these observations in detail.

Iron(III) Chloride-Catalysed Aerobic Reduction of Olefins using Aqueous Hydrazine at Ambient Temperature

A chemoselective reduction of olefins and acetylenes is demonstrated by employing catalytic amounts of ferric chloride hexahydrate (FeCl3 center dot 6H(2)O) and aqueous hydrazine (NH2NH2 center dot H2O) as hydrogen source at room temperature. The reduction is chemoselective and tolerates a variety of reducible functional groups. Unlike other metal-catalysed reduction methods, the present method employs a minimum amount of aqueous hydrazine (1.5-2 equiv.). Also, the scope of this method is demonstrated in the synthesis of ibuprofen in aqueous medium.

Dilithium phthalocyanine as a catalyst for oxygen reduction in non-aqueous Li-O-2 cells

The electrochemical performance of Li-O-2 cells depends mainly on the kinetics of the cathode reaction, namely, oxygen reduction reaction in non-aqueous electrolytes. The catalyst plays an important role on the kinetics of the reaction. In the present work, dilithium phthalocyanine is used as the catalyst in the cathode of Li-O-2 cells. Dual-layer O-2 electrodes are fabricated employing a high surface area microporous carbon with Ni gauge current collector present between the two layers. Discharge capacity of Li-O-2 cell measured at 0.2 mA.cm(-2) is about 30 mAh.cm(-2). Phthalocyanine ring is considered to interact with O-2 producing Li2Pc+delta - O-2(-delta) as a reaction intermediate, which facilitates the electron-transfer reaction.