Dielectric and dc electrical studies of antiferroelectric lead zirconate thin films

Antiferroelectric lead zirconate thin films were deposited using KrF (248 nm) excimer laser ablation technique. Utilization of antiferroelectric materials is proposed in high charge storage capacitors and microelectromechanical (MEMs) devices. The antiferroelectric nature of lead zirconate thin films was confirmed by the presence of double hysteresis behavior in polarization versus applied field response. By controlling the processing parameters, two types of microstructures evolved, namely columnar (or in-situ) and multi-grained (or ex-situ) in PZ thin films. The dielectric and electrical properties of the lead zirconate thin films were studied with respect to the processing parameters. Analysis on charge transport mechanism, using space charge limited conduction phenomenon, showed the presence of both shallow and deep trap sites in the PZ thin films. The estimated shallow trap energies were 0.448 and 0.491 eV for in-situ and ex-situ films, with respective concentrations of approximate to 7.9 x 10(18)/cc and approximate to 2.97 x 10(18)/cc. The deep trap energies with concentrations were 1.83 eV with 1.4 x 10(16)/cc for ex-situ and 1.76 eV with 3.8 x 10(16)/cc for in-situ PZ thin films, respectively. These activation energies were found to be consistent with the analysis from Arrhenius plots of de current densities. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.

Dielectric response in pulsed laser ablated (Ba,Sr)TiO3 thin films

The dielectric response of pulsed laser ablated barium strontium titanate thin films were studied as a function of frequency and ambient temperature (from room temperature to 320 degrees C) by employing impedance spectroscopy. Combined modulus and impedance spectroscopic plots were used to study the response of the film, which in general may contain the grain, grain boundary, and the electrode/film interface as capacitive elements. The spectroscopic plots revealed that the major response was due to the grains, while contributions from the grain boundary or the electrode/film interface was negligible. Further observation from the complex impedance plot showed data points lying on a single semicircle, implying the response originated from a single capacitive element corresponding to the bulk grains. Conductivity plots against frequency at different temperatures suggested a response obeying the 'universal power law'. The value of the activation energies computed from the Arrhenius plots of both ac and dc conductivities with 1000/T were 0.97 and 1.04 eV, respectively. This was found to be in excellent agreement with published literature, and was attributed to the motion of oxygen vacancies within the bulk. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(00)02801-2].

Grid interfacing of a photovoltaic system using a chain cell converter

With the rapid development of photovoltaic system installations and increased number of grid connected power systems, it has become imperative to develop an efficient grid interfacing instrumentation suitable for photovoltaic systems ensuring maximum power transfer. The losses in the power converter play an important role in the overall efficiency of a PV system. Chain cell converter is considered to be efficient as compared to PWM converters due to lower switching losses, modularized circuit layout, reduced voltage rating of the converter switches, reduced EMI. The structure of separate dc sources in chain cell converter is well suited for photovoltaic systems as there will b several separate PV modules in the PV array which can act as an individual dc source. In this work, a single phase multilevel chain cell converter is used to interface the photovoltaic array to a single phase grid at a frequency of 50Hz. Control algorithms are developed for efficient interfacing of the PV system with grid and isolating the PV system from grid under faulty conditions. Digital signal processor TMS320F 2812 is used to implement the control algorithms developed and for the generation of other control signals.

DTC Technique for Induction Machine based Integrated Starter-Generator of an Automobile

This paper mainly concentrates on the application of the direct torque control (DTC) technique for the induction machine based integrated startergenerator (ISG) for automobile applications. It also discusses in brief about the higher DC bus voltage requirements in the automobiles i.e. present 14V system vs. 42V system to meet the power requirements, modes of operation of ISG, electric machine and the drive selection for the ISG,description of DTC technique, simulation and experimental results, and implementation.

Microstructure related influence on the electrical properties of pulsed laser ablated (Ba, Sr)TiO3 thin films

The microstructural dependence of electrical properties of (Ba, Sr)TiO3(BST) thin films were studied from the viewpoint of dc and ac electrical properties. The films were grown using a pulsed laser deposition technique in a temperature range of 300 to 600 degrees C, inducing changes in grain size, structure, and morphology. Consequently, two different types of films were realized, of which type I, was polycrystalline, multigrained, while type II was [100] oriented possessing a densely packed fibrous microstructure. Leakage current measurements were done at elevated temperatures to provide evidence of the conduction mechanism present in these films. The results revealed a contribution from both electronic and ionic conduction. In the case of type I films, two trapping levels were identified with energies around 0.5 and 2.73 eV, which possibly originate from oxygen vacancies V-O and Ti3+ centers, respectively. These levels act as shallow and deep traps and are reflected in the current-voltage characteristics of the BST thin films. The activation energy associated with oxygen vacancy motion in this case was obtained as 1.28 eV. On the contrary, type II films showed no evidence of deep trap energy levels, while the identified activation energy associated with shallow traps was obtained as 0.38 eV. The activation energy obtained for oxygen vacancy motion in type II films was around 1.02 eV. The dc measurement results were further elucidated through ac impedance analysis, which revealed a grain boundary dominated response in type I in comparison to type II films where grain response is highlighted. A comparison of the mean relaxation time of the two films revealed three orders of magnitude higher relaxation time in the case of type I films. Due to smaller grain size in type I films the grains were considered to be completely depleted giving rise to only grain boundary response for the bulk of the film. The activation energy obtained from conductivity plots agree very well with that of dc measurements giving values 1.3 and 1.07 eV for type I and type II films, respectively. Since oxygen vacancy transport have been identified as the origin of resistance degradation in BST thin films, type I films with their higher value of activation energy for oxygen ion mobility explains the improvement in breakdown characteristics under constant high dc field stress. The role of microstructure in controlling the rate of degradation is found useful in this instance to enhance the film properties under high electric field stresses. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(00)00418-7].

Noise minimization in RC-active filters using generalized impedance converters

A procedure has been given for minimizing the total output noise of a Generalized Impedance Converter (GIC), subject to constraints dictated by signal handling capability of the Operational Amplifiers and ease of microcircuit fabrication. The noise reduction is achieved only by the adjustment of RC elements of the GIC, and the total output noise after optimization in the example cited is close to the theoretical lower limit. The output noise of a higher-order filter can be reduced by RC-optimizing the individual GIC's of the active realization. Experimental results on a 20–24 kHz channel bank band-pass filter demonstrate the effectiveness of the above procedure.

Study Of The Hvdc-Torsional Interactions Through Digital Dynamic Simulation

This paper presents the detailed dynamic digital simulation for the study of phenomenon of torsional interaction between HVDC-Turbine generator shaft, dynamics using the novel converter model presented in [ 1 ] The system model includes detailed representation of the synchronous generator and the shaft dynamics, the ac and dc network transients. The results of a case study indicate the various factors that influence the torsional interaction.

Recent Advances and Industrial Applications of Multilevel Converters

Multilevel converters have been under research and development for more than three decades and have found successful industrial application. However, this is still a technology under development, and many new contributions and new commercial topologies have been reported in the last few years. The aim of this paper is to group and review these recent contributions, in order to establish the current state of the art and trends of the technology, to provide readers with a comprehensive and insightful review of where multilevel converter technology stands and is heading. This paper first presents a brief overview of well-established multilevel converters strongly oriented to their current state in industrial applications to then center the discussion on the new converters that have made their way into the industry. In addition, new promising topologies are discussed. Recent advances made in modulation and control of multilevel converters are also addressed. A great part of this paper is devoted to show nontraditional applications powered by multilevel converters and how multilevel converters are becoming an enabling technology in many industrial sectors. Finally, some future trends and challenges in the further development of this technology are discussed to motivate future contributions that address open problems and explore new possibilities.

Equivalent circuit parameters of the film-covered magnesium/electrolyte interface in Mg/MnO2 dry cells from transient and ac impedance measurements

The electrochemical properties of the film-covered anode/solution interface in the magnesium/ manganese dioxide dry cell have been evaluated. The most plausible electrical equivalent circuit description of the Mg/solution interface with the passive film intact, has been identified. These results are based on the analysis of ac impedance and voltage transient measurements made on the dry cell under conditions which cause no damage to the protective passive film on the anode. The study demonstrates the complementary character of impedance and transient measurements when widely different frequency ranges are sampled in each type of investigation. The values and temperature dependence of the anode-film resistance, film capacitance, double-layer capacitance and charge-transfer resistance of the film-covered magnesium/solution interface have been determined. The magnitude of these values and its implications in understanding the important performance aspects of the magnesium/manganese dioxide dry cell are discussed. The study may be extended, in principle, to Li, Al and Ca batteries.

Equivalent circuit parameters of the film-covered magnesium/electrolyte interface in Mg/MnO2 dry cells from transient and ac impedance measurements

The electrochemical properties of the film-covered anode/solution interface in the magnesium/ manganese dioxide dry cell have been evaluated. The most plausible electrical equivalent circuit description of the Mg/solution interface with the passive film intact, has been identified. These results are based on the analysis of ac impedance and voltage transient measurements made on the dry cell under conditions which cause no damage to the protective passive film on the anode. The study demonstrates the complementary character of impedance and transient measurements when widely different frequency ranges are sampled in each type of investigation. The values and temperature dependence of the anode-film resistance, film capacitance, double-layer capacitance and charge-transfer resistance of the film-covered magnesium/solution interface have been determined. The magnitude of these values and its implications in understanding the important performance aspects of the magnesium/manganese dioxide dry cell are discussed. The study may be extended, in principle, to Li, Al and Ca batteries.

On the elimination of DC in reconstructed wavefronts from in-line holograms

New experimental results to demonstrate that the annoying DC in the reconstructed wavefronts from in-line holograms could be successfully eliminated are presented in this paper. The complete elimination of DC has been achieved by making proper use of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The results for an in-line hololens and an in-line Fourier transform hologram are discussed.

Dielectric Properties of Epoxy-Al2O3 Nanocomposite System for Packaging Applications

In recent times, there has been an ever-growing need for polymer-based multifunctional materials for electronic packaging applications. In this direction, epoxy-Al2O3 nanocomposites at low filler loadings can provide an excellent material option, especially from the point of view of their dielectric properties. This paper reports the dielectric characteristics for such a system, results of which are observed to be interesting, unique, and advantageous as compared to traditionally used microcomposite systems. Nanocomposites are found to display lower values of permittivity/tan delta over a wide frequency range as compared to that of unfilled epoxy. This surprising observation has been attributed to the interaction between the epoxy chains and the nanoparticles, and in this paper this phenomenon is analyzed using a dual layer interface model reported for polymer nanocomposites. As for the other dielectric properties associated with the nanocomposites, the nano-filler loading seems to have a significant effect. The dc resistivity and ac dielectric strength of the nanocomposites were observed to be lower than that of the unfilled epoxy system at the investigated filler loadings, whereas the electrical discharge resistant properties showed a significant enhancement. Further analysis of the results obtained in this paper shows that the morphology of the interface region and its characteristics decide the observed interesting dielectric behaviors.

Estimation Of Charge Transport Parameters And Equivalent Circuit For Poly Alkyl Thiophene Field-Effect Transistors

The small signal ac response is measured across the source-drain terminals of organic field-effect transistors (OFET) under dc bias to obtain the equivalent circuit parameters of poly(2,5-bis(3-tetradecylthiophen-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene) (PBTTT) and poly(3-hexyl thiophene) (P3HT) based devices. The numerically simulated response based on these parameters is in good agreement with the experimental data for PBTTT-FET except at low frequencies, while the P3HT-FET data show significant deviations. This indicates that the interface with the metal electrode is rather complex for the latter, involving additional circuit elements arising from contact impedance or charge injection processes. Such an investigation can help in identifying the operational bottlenecks and to improve the performance of OFETs.

A critical re-examination and a revised phase diagram of La1-xSrxCoO3

We report the results of a comprehensive study on dc magnetization, ac susceptibility, and the magnetotransport properties of the La1-xSrxCoO3(0 <= x <= 0.5) system. At higher Sr doping (x >= 0.18), the system exhibits Brillouin-like field cooled magnetization (M-FC). However, for x < 0.18, the system exhibits a kink in the M-FC, a peak at the intermediate field in the thermoremnant magnetization and a non-saturating tendency in the M-H plot that all point towards the characteristic of spin glass behavior. More interestingly, dc magnetization studies for x < 0.18 do not suggest the existence of ferromagnetic correlation that can give rise to an irreversible line in the spin glass regime. The ac susceptibility study for x > 0.2 exhibits apparently no frequency dependent peak shift around the ferromagnetic transition region. However, a feeble signature of glassiness is verified by studying the frequency dependent shoulder position in chi `' (T) and the memory effect below the Curie temperature. But, for x < 0.18, the ac susceptibility study exhibits a considerable frequency dependent peak shift, time dependent memory effect, and the characteristic spin relaxation time scale tau(0) similar to 10(-13) s. The reciprocal susceptibility versus temperature plot adheres to Curie-Weiss behavior and does not provide any signature of preformed ferromagnetic clusters well above the Curie temperature. The magnetotransport study reveals a cross over from metallic to semiconducting-like behavior for x <= 0.18. On the semiconducting side, the system exhibits a large value of magnetoresistance (upto 75%) towards low temperature and it is strongly connected to the spin dependent part of the random potential distribution in the spin glass phase. Based on the above observations, we have reconstructed a new magnetic phase diagram and characterized each phase with associated properties.

Synthesis and electrical properties of the (PVA)(0.7)(Kl)(0.3)center dot xH(2)SO(4) (0 <= x <= 5) polymer electrolytes and their performance in a primary Zn/MnO2 battery

Solid acid polymer electrolytes (SAPE) were synthesised using polyvinyl alcohol, potassium iodide and sulphuric acid in different molar ratios by solution cast technique. The temperature dependent nature of electrical conductivity and the impedance of the polymer electrolytes were determined along with the associated activation energy. The electrical conductivity at room temperature was found to be strongly depended on the amorphous nature of the polymers and H2SO4 concentration. The ac (100 Hz to 10 MHz) and dc conductivities of the polymer electrolytes with different H2SO4 concentrations were analyzed. A maximum dc conductivity of 1.05 x 10(-3) S cm(-1) has been achieved at ambient temperature for electrolytes containing 5 M H2SO4. The frequency and temperature dependent dielectric and electrical modulus properties of the SAPE were studied. The charge transport in the present polymer electrolyte was obtained using Wagner's polarization technique, which demonstrated the charge transport to be mainly due to ions. Using these solid acid polymer electrolytes novel Zn/SAPE/MnO2 solid state batteries were fabricated and their discharge capacity was calculated. An open circuit voltage of 1.758V was obtained for 5 M H2SO4 based Zn/SAPE/MnO2 battery. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.