Integrating AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor with Si: A comparative study of integration schemes

AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor stacks deposited on a single growth platform are used to compare the most common transition, AlN to GaN, schemes used for integrating GaN with Si. The efficiency of these transitions based on linearly graded, step graded, interlayer, and superlattice schemes on dislocation density reduction, stress management, surface roughness, and eventually mobility of the 2D-gas are evaluated. In a 500 nm GaN probe layer deposited, all of these transitions result in total transmission electron microscopy measured dislocations densities of 1 to 3 x 10(9)/cm(2) and <1 nm surface roughness. The 2-D electron gas channels formed at an AlGaN-1 nm AlN/GaN interface deposited on this GaN probe layer all have mobilities of 1600-1900 cm(2)/V s at a carrier concentration of 0.7-0.9 x 10(13)/cm(2). Compressive stress and changes in composition in GaN rich regions of the AlN-GaN transition are the most effective at reducing dislocation density. Amongst all the transitions studied the step graded transition is the one that helps to implement this feature of GaN integration in the simplest and most consistent manner. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.

Ab Initio MD Simulations of the Bronsted Acidity of Glutathione in Aqueous Solutions: Predicting pK(a) Shifts of the Cysteine Residue

The tripeptide glutathione (GSH) is one of the most abundant peptides and the major repository for nonprotein sulfur in both animal and plant cells. It plays a critical role in intracellular oxidative stress management by the reversible formation of glutathione disulfide with the thiol-disulfide pair acting as a redox buffer. The state of charge of the ionizable groups of GSH can influence the redox couple, and hence the pK(a) value of the cysteine residue of GSH is critical to its functioning. Here we report ab initio Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations of glutathione solvated by 200 water molecules, all of which are considered in the simulation. We show that the free-energy landscape for the protonation-deprotonation reaction of the cysteine residue of GSH computed using metadynamics sampling provides shift in the dissociation constant values as compared with the isolated accurate estimates of the pK(a) and correctly predicts the cysteine amino acid.

Stress-strain response of plastic waste mixed soil

Recycling plastic waste from water bottles has become one of the major challenges worldwide. The present study provides an approach for the use plastic waste as reinforcement material in soil. The experimental results in the form of stress-strain-pore water pressure response are presented. Based on experimental test results, it is observed that the strength of soil is improved and compressibility reduced significantly with addition of a small percentage of plastic waste to the soil. The use of the improvement in strength and compressibility response due to inclusion of plastic waste can be advantageously used in bearing capacity improvement and settlement reduction in the design of shallow foundations. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Urban water supply and management

Population growth and rapid urbanization lead to considerable stress on already depleting water resources. A great challenge for water authorities of urban cities is to supply adequate and reliable safe water to all consumers. In most of the developing countries water scarcity and high demands have led the water authorities to resort to intermittent supplies. Surface and groundwater are the major sources of supply in urban cities. The direct consequences of intermittent supplies and poor sanitation practices are several incidences of water borne diseases posing public health risk. In order to minimize the supply-demand gap and to assure good quality of water, new techniques or models can be helpful to manage the water distribution systems (WDS) in a better way. In the present paper, a review is carried out on the existing urban water supply management methodologies with a way forward for the proper management of the water supply systems.

Maximum likelihood analysis of multi-stress accelerated life test data of series systems with competing log-normal causes of failure

This article presents frequentist inference of accelerated life test data of series systems with independent log-normal component lifetimes. The means of the component log-lifetimes are assumed to depend on the stress variables through a linear stress translation function that can accommodate the standard stress translation functions in the literature. An expectation-maximization algorithm is developed to obtain the maximum likelihood estimates of model parameters. The maximum likelihood estimates are then further refined by bootstrap, which is also used to infer about the component and system reliability metrics at usage stresses. The developed methodology is illustrated by analyzing a real as well as a simulated dataset. A simulation study is also carried out to judge the effectiveness of the bootstrap. It is found that in this model, application of bootstrap results in significant improvement over the simple maximum likelihood estimates.

Regional hydrological impacts of climate change: implications for water management in India

Climate change is most likely to introduce an additional stress to already stressed water systems in developing countries. Climate change is inherently linked with the hydrological cycle and is expected to cause significant alterations in regional water resources systems necessitating measures for adaptation and mitigation. Increasing temperatures, for example, are likely to change precipitation patterns resulting in alterations of regional water availability, evapotranspirative water demand of crops and vegetation, extremes of floods and droughts, and water quality. A comprehensive assessment of regional hydrological impacts of climate change is thus necessary. Global climate model simulations provide future projections of the climate system taking into consideration changes in external forcings, such as atmospheric carbon-dioxide and aerosols, especially those resulting from anthropogenic emissions. However, such simulations are typically run at a coarse scale, and are not equipped to reproduce regional hydrological processes. This paper summarizes recent research on the assessment of climate change impacts on regional hydrology, addressing the scale and physical processes mismatch issues. Particular attention is given to changes in water availability, irrigation demands and water quality. This paper also includes description of the methodologies developed to address uncertainties in the projections resulting from incomplete knowledge about future evolution of the human-induced emissions and from using multiple climate models. Approaches for investigating possible causes of historically observed changes in regional hydrological variables are also discussed. Illustrations of all the above-mentioned methods are provided for Indian regions with a view to specifically aiding water management in India.

Curvature Management in Buffer Layer for Device Quality GaN Growth on Si (111)

An efficient buffer layer scheme has been designed to address the issue of curvature management during metalorganic chemical vapour deposition growth of GaN on Si (111) substrate. This is necessary to prevent cracking of the grown layer during post-growth cooling down from growth temperature to room temperature and to achieve an allowable bow (<40 m) in the wafer for carrying out lithographic processes. To meet both these ends simultaneously, the stress evolution in the buffer layers was observed carefully. The reduction in precursor flow during the buffer layer growth provided better control over curvature evolution in the growing buffer layers. This has enabled the growth of a suitable high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) stack on 2'' Si (111) substrate of 300 m thickness with a bow as low as 11.4 m, having a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) of mobility, carrier concentration, and sheet resistance values 1510 cm(2)/V-s, 0.96 x 10(13)/cm(2), and 444 /, respectively. Another variation of similar technique resulted in a bow of 23.4 m with 2DEG mobility, carrier concentration, and sheet resistance values 1960 cm(2)/V-s, 0.98 x 10(13)/cm(2), and 325 /, respectively.