Novel auditory motivated subband temporal envelope based fundamental frequency estimation algorithm

We address the problem of estimating the fundamental frequency of voiced speech. We present a novel solution motivated by the importance of amplitude modulation in sound processing and speech perception. The new algorithm is based on a cumulative spectrum computed from the temporal envelope of various subbands. We provide theoretical analysis to derive the new pitch estimator based on the temporal envelope of the bandpass speech signal. We report extensive experimental performance for synthetic as well as natural vowels for both realworld noisy and noise-free data. Experimental results show that the new technique performs accurate pitch estimation and is robust to noise. We also show that the technique is superior to the autocorrelation technique for pitch estimation.

Measurement of Electron Spin Lifetime and Optical Orientation Efficiency in Germanium Using Electrical Detection of Radio Frequency Modulated Spin Polarization

We propose and demonstrate a technique for electrical detection of polarized spins in semiconductors in zero applied magnetic fields. Spin polarization is generated by optical injection using circularly polarized light which is modulated rapidly using an electro-optic cell. The modulated spin polarization generates a weak time-varying magnetic field which is detected by a sensitive radio-frequency coil. Using a calibrated pickup coil and amplification electronics, clear signals were obtained for bulk GaAs and Ge samples from which an optical spin orientation efficiency of 4.8% could be determined for Ge at 1342 nm excitation wavelength. In the presence of a small external magnetic field, the signal decayed according to the Hanle effect, from which a spin lifetime of 4.6 +/- 1.0 ns for electrons in bulk Ge at 127 K was extracted.

Anomalous temperature dependence of phonons and photoluminescence bands in pyrochlore Er(2)Ti(2)O(7): signatures of structural deformation at 130 K

We report a Raman study of single crystal pyrochlore Er(2)Ti(2)O(7) as a function of temperature from 12 to 300 K. In addition to the phonons, various photoluminescence (PL) lines of Er(3+) in the visible range are also observed. Our Raman data show an anomalous red-shift of two phonons (one at similar to 200 cm(-1) and another at similar to 520 cm(-1)) upon cooling from room temperature which is attributed to phonon-phonon anharmonic interactions. However, the phonons at similar to 310, 330, and 690 cm(-1) initially show a blue-shift upon cooling from room temperature down to about 130 K, followed by a red-shift, indicating a structural deformation at similar to 130 K. The intensities of the PL bands associated with the transitions between the various levels of the ground state manifold ((4)I(15/2)) and the (2)H(11/2) as well as (4)S(3/2) excited state manifolds of Er(3+) show a change at similar to 130 K. Moreover, the temperature dependence of the peak position of the two PL bands shows a change in their slope (d(omega)/d(T)) at similar to 130 K, thus further strengthening the proposal of a structural deformation. The temperature dependence of the peak positions of the PL bands has been analyzed using the theory of optical dephasing in crystals.

High sensitivity detection of radio-frequency modulated magnetic moment in semiconductors

An experimental setup has been realized to measure weak magnetic moments which can be modulated at radio frequencies (similar to 1-5 MHz). Using an optimized radio-frequency (RF) pickup coil and lock-in amplifier, an experimental sensitivity of 10(-15) Am(2) corresponding to 10(-18) emu has been demonstrated with a 1 s time constant. The detection limit at room temperature is 9.3 x 10(-16) Am(2)/root Hz limited by Johnson noise of the coil. The setup has been used to directly measure the magnetic moment due to a small number (similar to 7 x 10(8)) of spin polarized electrons generated by polarization modulated optical radiation in GaAs and Ge. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3654229]

Ultrasound modulated optical tomography: Young's modulus of the insonified region from measurement of natural frequency of vibration

We demonstrate a method to recover the Young's modulus (E) of a tissue-mimicking phantom from measurements of ultrasound modulated optical tomography (UMOT). The object is insonified by a dualbeam, confocal ultrasound transducer (US) oscillating at frequencies f(0) and f(0) + Delta f and the variation of modulation depth (M) in the autocorrelation of light traversed through the focal region of the US transducer against Delta f is measured. From the dominant peaks observed in the above variation, the natural frequencies of the insonified region associated with the vibration along the US transducer axis are deduced. A consequence of the above resonance is that the speckle fluctuation at the resonance frequency has a higher signal-to-noise to ratio (SNR). From these natural frequencies and the associated eigenspectrum of the oscillating object, Young's modulus (E) of the material in the focal region is recovered. The working of this method is confirmed by recovering E in the case of three tissue-mimicking phantoms of different elastic modulus values. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America

Temperature dependence of the energy gap and free carrier absorption in bulk InAs0.05Sb0.95 single crystals

Temperature dependence of the energy gap and free carrier absorption in a high-quality InAs0.05Sb0.95 single crystal was studied between 90 K and 430 K through the absorption spectra. At this alloy concentration, the room-temperature energy gap was measured to be 0.15 eV. Varshni- and the Bose–Einstein-type fit parameters were obtained from the measured temperature dependence of the energy gap, and the latter gave the zero-temperature gap to be 0.214 eV. It was found that although Weider’s empirical formula for the dependence of the energy gap on temperature and the alloy concentration agrees with the value of the gap at room temperature, it is inaccurate in describing its temperature dependence. From the free carrier absorption measurements, the phonon limited cross section of 7.35×10−16 cm2 at 15 μm was deduced at room temperature.

Time-frequency analysis of human motion during rhythmic exercises

Biomechanical signals due to human movements during exercise are represented in time-frequency domain using Wigner Distribution Function (WDF). Analysis based on WDF reveals instantaneous spectral and power changes during a rhythmic exercise. Investigations were carried out on 11 healthy subjects who performed 5 cycles of sun salutation, with a body-mounted Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) as a motion sensor. Variance of Instantaneous Frequency (I.F) and Instantaneous Power (I.P) for performance analysis of the subject is estimated using one-way ANOVA model. Results reveal that joint Time-Frequency analysis of biomechanical signals during motion facilitates a better understanding of grace and consistency during rhythmic exercise.

Low loss and frequency (1 kHz–1 MHz) independent dielectric characteristics of 3BaO–3TiO2–B2O3 glasses

X-ray powder diffraction along with differential thermal analysis carried out on the as-quenched samples in the 3BaO–3TiO2–B2O3 system confirmed their amorphous and glassy nature, respectively. The dielectric constants in the 1 kHz–1 MHz frequency range were measured as a function of temperature (323–748 K). The dielectric constant and loss were found to be frequency independent in the 323–473 K temperature range. The temperature coefficient of dielectric constant was estimated using Havinga’s formula and found to be 16 ppm K−1. The electrical relaxation was rationalized using the electric modulus formalism. The dielectric constant and loss were 17±0.5 and 0.005±0.001, respectively at 323 K in the 1 kHz–1 MHz frequency range which may be of considerable interest to capacitor industry.

Dielectric properties of (110) oriented PbZrO3 and La-modified PbZrO3 thin films grown by sol-gel process on Pt(111)/Ti/SiO2/Si substrate

Highly (110) preferred orientated antiferroelectric PbZrO3 (PZ) and La-modified PZ thin films have been fabricated on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates using sol-gel process. Dielectric properties, electric field induced ferroelectric polarization, and the temperature dependence of the dielectric response have been explored as a function of composition. The Tc has been observed to decrease by ∼ 17 °C per 1 mol % of La doping. Double hysteresis loops were seen with zero remnant polarization and with coercive fields in between 176 and 193 kV/cm at 80 °C for antiferroelectric to ferroelectric phase transformation. These slim loops have been explained by the high orientation of the films along the polar direction of the antiparallel dipoles of a tetragonal primitive cell and by the strong electrostatic interaction between La ions and oxygen ions in an ABO3 perovskite unit cell. High quality films exhibited very low loss factor less than 0.015 at room temperature and pure PZ; 1 and 2 mol % La doped PZs have shown the room temperature dielectric constant of 135, 219, and 142 at the frequency of 10 kHz. The passive layer effects in these films have been explained by Curie constants and Curie temperatures. The ac conductivity and the corresponding Arrhenius plots have been shown and explained in terms of doping effect and electrode resistance.

Structure and temperature dependence of conductivity of Ag2.5Se‐Se composite

Rapid solidification of Ag‐53 at. % Se alloy resulted in the formation of a composite mixture of Ag2.5Se and Se. The microstructure consists of spherical Se grains of 2–20 μm size, randomly distributed in a matrix of Ag2.5 Se. The Se grains were found to be layered hexagonal while the Ag2.5 Se had an orthorhombic crystal structure. The unit cell size of this phase, however, was twice that reported for the equilibrium orthorhombic Ag2 Se compound. The conductivity σ variation with temperature in the range 80–320 K was found to be similar to that observed in degenerate semiconductors. The σ decreased from 295 Ω−1 cm−1 at room temperature to a saturation value of 70 Ω−1 cm−1 for temperatures <80 K. The results are discussed in terms of percolation conduction in the Ag2.5 Se phase.

Developments in solid-state under-frequency relays

Simpler circuits for frequency-sensitive relays responding to change and rate of change of system frequency have been developed employing phase-locked loops. A new relay responding to time intergral of the fall in system frequency has also been developed and its performance has been compared with those responding to change and rate of change of system frequency. The relays have been tested and calibrated with the help of a specially designed calibration kit.