Laser-Driven Proton Beams: Acceleration Mechanism, Beam Optimization, and Radiographic Applications

This paper reviews recent experimental activity in the area of optimization, control, and application of laser accelerated proton beams, carried out at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and the Laboratoire pour l’Utilisation des Lasers Intenses 100 TW facility in France. In particular, experiments have investigated the role of the scale length at the rear of the plasma in reducing target-normal-sheath-acceleration acceleration efficiency. Results match with recent theoretical predictions and provide information in view of the feasibility of proton fast-ignition applications. Experiments aiming to control the divergence of the proton beams have investigated the use of a laser-triggered microlens, which employs laser-driven transient electric fields in cylindrical geometry, enabling to focus the emitted
protons and select monochromatic beam lets out of the broad spectrum beam. This approach could be advantageous in view
of a variety of applications. The use of laser-driven protons as a particle probe for transient field detection has been developed and
applied to a number of experimental conditions. Recent work in this area has focused on the detection of large-scale self-generated magnetic fields in laser-produced plasmas and the investigation of fields associated to the propagation of relativistic electron both on the surface and in the bulk of targets irradiated by high-power laser pulses.

Performance projections and design optimization of planar double gate SOI MOSFETs for logic technology applications

In this paper, by investigating the influence of source/drain extension region engineering (also known as gate-source/drain underlap) in nanoscale planar double gate (DG) SOI MOSFETs, we offer new insights into the design of future nanoscale gate-underlap DG devices to achieve ITRS projections for high performance (HP), low standby power (LSTP) and low operating power (LOP) logic technologies. The impact of high-kappa gate dielectric, silicon film thickness, together with parameters associated with the lateral source/drain doping profile, is investigated in detail. The results show that spacer width along with lateral straggle can not only effectively control short-channel effects, thus presenting low off-current in a gate underlap device, but can also be optimized to achieve lower intrinsic delay and higher on-off current ratio (I-on/I-off). Based on the investigation of on-current (I-on), off-current (I-off), I-on/I-off, intrinsic delay (tau), energy delay product and static power dissipation, we present design guidelines to select key device parameters to achieve ITRS projections. Using nominal gate lengths for different technologies, as recommended from ITRS specification, optimally designed gate-underlap DG MOSFETs with a spacer-to-straggle (s/sigma) ratio of 2.3 for HP/LOP and 3.2 for LSTP logic technologies will meet ITRS projection. However, a relatively narrow range of lateral straggle lying between 7 to 8 nm is recommended. A sensitivity analysis of intrinsic delay, on-current and off-current to important parameters allows a comparative analysis of the various design options and shows that gate workfunction appears to be the most crucial parameter in the design of DG devices for all three technologies. The impact of back gate misalignment on I-on, I-off and tau is also investigated for optimized underlap devices.

Design and optimization of FinFETs for ultra-low-voltage analog applications

In this paper, we analyze the enormous potential of engineering source/drain extension (SDE) regions in FinFETs for ultra-low-voltage (ULV) analog applications. SDE region design can simultaneously improve two key analog figures of merit (FOM)-intrinsic de gain (A(vo)) and cutoff frequency (f(T)) for 60 and 30 nm FinFETs operated at low drive current (J(ds) = 5 mu A/mu m). The improved Avo and fT are nearly twice compared to those of devices with abrupt SDE regions. The influence of the SDE region profile and its impact on analog FOM is extensively analyzed. Results show that SDE region optimization provides an additional degree of freedom apart from device parameters (fin width and aspect ratio) to design future nanoscale analog devices. The results are analyzed in terms of spacer-to-straggle ratio a new design parameter for SDE engineered devices. This paper provides new opportunities for realizing future ULV/low-power analog design with FinFETs.

Surrogate-Based Optimization Using Multifidelity Models with Variable Parameterization and Corrected Space Mapping

Surrogate-based-optimization methods provide a means to achieve high-fidelity design optimization at reduced computational cost by using a high-fidelity model in combination with lower-fidelity models that are less expensive to evaluate. This paper presents a provably convergent trust-region model-management methodology for variableparameterization design models: that is, models for which the design parameters are defined over different spaces. Corrected space mapping is introduced as a method to map between the variable-parameterization design spaces. It is then used with a sequential-quadratic-programming-like trust-region method for two aerospace-related design optimization problems. Results for a wing design problem and a flapping-flight problem show that the method outperforms direct optimization in the high-fidelity space. On the wing design problem, the new method achieves 76% savings in high-fidelity function calls. On a bat-flight design problem, it achieves approximately 45% time savings, although it converges to a different local minimum than did the benchmark.

Optimization of an open-ended microwave oven for microelectronics packaging

A physically open, but electrically shielded, microwave open oven can be produced by virtue of the evanescent fields in a waveguide below cutoff. The below cutoff heating chamber is fed by a transverse magnetic resonance established in a dielectric-filled section of the waveguide exploiting continuity of normal electric flux. In order to optimize the fields and the performance of the oven, a thin layer of a dielectric material with higher permittivity is inserted at the interface. Analysis and synthesis of an optimized open oven predicts field enhancement in the heating chamber up to 9.4 dB. Results from experimental testing on two fabricated prototypes are in agreement with the simulated predictions, and demonstrate an up to tenfold improvement in the heating performance. The open-ended oven allows for simultaneous precision alignment, testing, and efficient curing of microelectronic devices, significantly increasing productivity gains.