Can frequency diversity provide performance gains for WSNs at 2.4GHz for the fire hydrant to above ground channel

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) which utilise IEEE 802.15.4 technology offer the potential for low cost deployment and maintenance compared with conventional wired sensor networks, enabling effective and efficient condition monitoring of aged civil engineering infrastructure. We will address wireless propagation for a below to above ground scenario where one of the wireless nodes is located in a below ground fire hydrant chamber to permit monitoring of the local water distribution network. Frequency Diversity (FD) is one method that can be used to combat the damaging effects of multipath fading and so improve the reliability of radio links. However, no quantitative investigation concerning the potential performance gains from the use of FD at 2.4GHz is available for the outlined scenario. In this paper, we try to answer this question by performing accurate propagation measurements using modified and calibrated off-the-shelf 802.15.4 based sensor nodes. These measurement results are also compared with those obtained from simulations that employ our Modified 2D Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) approach. ©2009 IEEE.

Flow-induced vibrations of long circular cylinders modeled by coupled nonlinear oscillators

The dynamics of long slender cylinders undergoing vortex-induced vibrations (VIV) is studied in this work. Long slender cylinders such as risers or tension legs are widely used in the field of ocean engineering. When the sea current flows past a cylinder, it will be excited due to vortex shedding. A three-dimensional time domain model is formulated to describe the response of the cylinder, in which the in-line (IL) and cross-flow (CF) deflections are coupled. The wake dynamics, including in-line and cross-flow vibrations, is represented using a pair of non-linear oscillators distributed along the cylinder. The wake oscillators are coupled to the dynamics of the long cylinder with the acceleration coupling term. A non-linear fluid force model is accounted for to reflect the relative motion of cylinder to current. The model is validated against the published data from a tank experiment with the free span riser. The comparisons show that some aspects due to VIV of long flexible cylinders can be reproduced by the proposed model, such as vibrating frequency, dominant mode number, occurrence and transition of the standing or traveling waves. In the case study, the simulations show that the IL curvature is not smaller than CF curvature, which indicates that both IL and CF vibrations are important for the structural fatigue damage.

Trapped ion magnetic resonance: concepts and designs

A novel spectroscopy of trapped ions is proposed which will bring single-ion detection sensitivity to the observation of magnetic resonance spectra. The approaches developed here are aimed at resolving one of the fundamental problems of molecular spectroscopy, the apparent incompatibility in existing techniques between high information content (and therefore good species discrimination) and high sensitivity. Methods for studying both electron spin resonance (ESR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) are designed. They assume established methods for trapping ions in high magnetic field and observing the trapping frequencies with high resolution (<1 Hz) and sensitivity (single ion) by electrical means. The introduction of a magnetic bottle field gradient couples the spin and spatial motions together and leads to a small spin-dependent force on the ion, which has been exploited by Dehmelt to observe directly the perturbation of the ground-state electron's axial frequency by its spin magnetic moment.

A series of fundamental innovations is described m order to extend magnetic resonance to the higher masses of molecular ions (100 amu = 2x 10^5 electron masses) and smaller magnetic moments (nuclear moments = 10^(-3) of the electron moment). First, it is demonstrated how time-domain trapping frequency observations before and after magnetic resonance can be used to make cooling of the particle to its ground state unnecessary. Second, adiabatic cycling of the magnetic bottle off between detection periods is shown to be practical and to allow high-resolution magnetic resonance to be encoded pointwise as the presence or absence of trapping frequency shifts. Third, methods of inducing spindependent work on the ion orbits with magnetic field gradients and Larmor frequency irradiation are proposed which greatly amplify the attainable shifts in trapping frequency.

The dissertation explores the basic concepts behind ion trapping, adopting a variety of classical, semiclassical, numerical, and quantum mechanical approaches to derive spin-dependent effects, design experimental sequences, and corroborate results from one approach with those from another. The first proposal presented builds on Dehmelt's experiment by combining a "before and after" detection sequence with novel signal processing to reveal ESR spectra. A more powerful technique for ESR is then designed which uses axially synchronized spin transitions to perform spin-dependent work in the presence of a magnetic bottle, which also converts axial amplitude changes into cyclotron frequency shifts. A third use of the magnetic bottle is to selectively trap ions with small initial kinetic energy. A dechirping algorithm corrects for undesired frequency shifts associated with damping by the measurement process.

The most general approach presented is spin-locked internally resonant ion cyclotron excitation, a true continuous Stern-Gerlach effect. A magnetic field gradient modulated at both the Larmor and cyclotron frequencies is devised which leads to cyclotron acceleration proportional to the transverse magnetic moment of a coherent state of the particle and radiation field. A preferred method of using this to observe NMR as an axial frequency shift is described in detail. In the course of this derivation, a new quantum mechanical description of ion cyclotron resonance is presented which is easily combined with spin degrees of freedom to provide a full description of the proposals.

Practical, technical, and experimental issues surrounding the feasibility of the proposals are addressed throughout the dissertation. Numerical ion trajectory simulations and analytical models are used to predict the effectiveness of the new designs as well as their sensitivity and resolution. These checks on the methods proposed provide convincing evidence of their promise in extending the wealth of magnetic resonance information to the study of collisionless ions via single-ion spectroscopy.

Injection Locked Clocking and Transmitter Equalization Techniques for Chip to Chip Interconnects

Semiconductor technology scaling has enabled drastic growth in the computational capacity of integrated circuits (ICs). This constant growth drives an increasing demand for high bandwidth communication between ICs. Electrical channel bandwidth has not been able to keep up with this demand, making I/O link design more challenging. Interconnects which employ optical channels have negligible frequency dependent loss and provide a potential solution to this I/O bandwidth problem. Apart from the type of channel, efficient high-speed communication also relies on generation and distribution of multi-phase, high-speed, and high-quality clock signals. In the multi-gigahertz frequency range, conventional clocking techniques have encountered several design challenges in terms of power consumption, skew and jitter. Injection-locking is a promising technique to address these design challenges for gigahertz clocking. However, its small locking range has been a major contributor in preventing its ubiquitous acceptance.

In the first part of this dissertation we describe a wideband injection locking scheme in an LC oscillator. Phase locked loop (PLL) and injection locking elements are combined symbiotically to achieve wide locking range while retaining the simplicity of the latter. This method does not require a phase frequency detector or a loop filter to achieve phase lock. A mathematical analysis of the system is presented and the expression for new locking range is derived. A locking range of 13.4 GHz–17.2 GHz (25%) and an average jitter tracking bandwidth of up to 400 MHz are measured in a high-Q LC oscillator. This architecture is used to generate quadrature phases from a single clock without any frequency division. It also provides high frequency jitter filtering while retaining the low frequency correlated jitter essential for forwarded clock receivers.

To improve the locking range of an injection locked ring oscillator; QLL (Quadrature locked loop) is introduced. The inherent dynamics of injection locked quadrature ring oscillator are used to improve its locking range from 5% (7-7.4GHz) to 90% (4-11GHz). The QLL is used to generate accurate clock phases for a four channel optical receiver using a forwarded clock at quarter-rate. The QLL drives an injection locked oscillator (ILO) at each channel without any repeaters for local quadrature clock generation. Each local ILO has deskew capability for phase alignment. The optical-receiver uses the inherent frequency to voltage conversion provided by the QLL to dynamically body bias its devices. A wide locking range of the QLL helps to achieve a reliable data-rate of 16-32Gb/s and adaptive body biasing aids in maintaining an ultra-low power consumption of 153pJ/bit.

From the optical receiver we move on to discussing a non-linear equalization technique for a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) based optical transmitter, to enable low-power, high-speed optical transmission. A non-linear time domain optical model of the VCSEL is built and evaluated for accuracy. The modelling shows that, while conventional FIR-based pre-emphasis works well for LTI electrical channels, it is not optimum for the non-linear optical frequency response of the VCSEL. Based on the simulations of the model an optimum equalization methodology is derived. The equalization technique is used to achieve a data-rate of 20Gb/s with power efficiency of 0.77pJ/bit.

Polarization-dependent Talbot effect

The term "polarization-dependent Talbot effect" means that the Talbot self-imaging intensity of a high-density grating is different for TE and TM polarization modes. Numerical simulations with the finite-difference time-domain method show that the polarization dependence of the Talbot images is obvious for gratings with period d between 2 lambda and 3 lambda. Such a polarization-dependent difference for TE and TM polarization of, a high-density grating of 630 lines/mm (corresponding to d/lambda = 2.5) is verified through experiments with the scanning near-field optical microscopy technique, in which a He-Ne laser is used as its polarization is changed from the TE mode to the TM mode. The polarization-dependent Talbot effect should help us to understand more clearly the diffraction behavior of a high-density grating in nano-optics and contribute to wide application of the Talbot effect. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.

Nonlinear phenomena in thermoacoustics: A comparison between single-mode and multi-mode methods

Nonlinear analysis of thermoacoustic instability is essential for prediction of frequencies and amplitudes of limit cycles. In frequency domain analyses, a quasi-linear transfer function between acoustic velocity and heat release rate perturbations, called the flame describing function (FDF), is obtained from a flame model or experiments. The FDF is a function of the frequency and amplitude of velocity perturbations but only contains the heat release response at the forcing frequency. While the gain and phase of the FDF provide insight into the nonlinear dynamics of the system, the accuracy of its predictions remains to be verified for different types of nonlinearity. In time domain analyses, the governing equations of the fully coupled problem are solved to find the time evolution of the system. One method is to discretize the governing equations using a suitable basis, such as the natural acoustic modes of the system. The number of modes used in the discretization alters the accuracy of the solution. In our previous work we have shown that predictions using the FDF are almost exactly the same as those obtained from the time-domain using only one mode for the discretization. We call this the single-mode method. In this paper we compare results from the single-mode and multi-mode methods, applied to a thermoacoustic system of a premixed flame in a tube. For some cases, the results differ greatly in both amplitude as well as frequency content. This study shows that the contribution from higher and subharmonics to the nonlinear dynamics can be significant and must be considered for an accurate and comprehensive analysis of thermoacoustic systems. Hence multi-mode simulations are necessary, and the single-mode method or the FDF may be insufficient to capture some of the complex nonlinear behaviour in fhermoacoustics.

Mode Simulation for Midinfrared Microsquare Resonators With Sloped Sidewalls and Confined Metals

EQUILATERAL-TRIANGLE; MU-M; LASERS; MICROLASERS; MICRODISK Abstract: Mode characteristics for midinfrared microsquare resonators with sloped sidewalls and confined metal layers are investigated by finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) techniques. For a microsquare with a side length of 10 mu m, the mode quality (Q)-factors of 8329, 4772, and 2053 are obtained for TM5,7 mode at wavelength 7.1 mu m by three-dimensional FDTD simulations, as the tilting angles of the side walls are 90 degrees, 88 degrees, and 86 degrees, respectively. Furthermore, microsquare resonators laterally surrounded by SiO2 and metal layers are investigated by the two-dimensional FDTD technique for the metal layers of Au, Ti-Au, Ag-Au, and Ti-Ag-Au, respectively.

Ultrafast carrier dynamics in undoped and p-doped InAs/GaAs quantum dots characterized by pump-probe reflection measurements

We investigate the dependence of the differential reflection on the structure parameters of quantum dot (QD) heterostructures in pump-probe reflection measurements by both numerical simulations based on the finite-difference time-domain technique and theoretical calculations based on the theory of dielectric films. It is revealed that the value and sign of the differential reflection strongly depend on the thickness of the cap layer and the QD layer. In addition, a comparison between the carrier dynamics in undoped and p-doped InAs/GaAs QDs is carried out by pump-probe reflection measurements. The carrier capture time from the GaAs barrier into the InAs wetting layer and that from the InAs wetting layer into the InAs QDs are extracted by appropriately fitting differential reflection spectra. Moreover, the dependence of the carrier dynamics on the injected carrier density is identified. A detailed analysis of the carrier dynamics in the undoped and p-doped QDs based on the differential reflection spectra is presented, and its difference with that derived from the time-resolved photoluminescence is discussed. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.

Resonant cavity based compact efficient antireflection structures for photonic crystals

We propose an effective admittance ( EA) method to design antireflection structures for two-dimensional photonic crystals (PCs). We demonstrate that a compact and efficient antireflection structure, which is difficult to obtain by the conventional admittance matching method, can be readily designed by the EA method. The antireflection structure consists of an air slot resonant cavity that is constructed only with the materials that constitute the PC. Compared with a bare PC, the reflection from a PC with an antireflection structure is reduced by two orders of magnitude over a wide bandwidth. To confirm the presented EA method, finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations are performed, and the results from the FDTD and the EA method are in good agreement.

InGaAsP-InP Square Microlasers With a Vertex Output Waveguide

InGaAsP-InP square microlasers with a vertex output waveguide are fabricated by planar processes, and the etched sidewalls of the lasers are confined by insulating layer SiO2 and p-electrode TiAu metals. For a square microlaser with a side length of 30 mu m and a 2-mu m-wide output waveguide, a continuous-wave threshold current is 26 mA at room temperature and output power is 0.72 mW at 86 mA. The mode interval of 21 and 7.4 nm is observed for the microlasers with the side length of 10 and 30 mu m, respectively. Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations indicate that the lasing modes have incident angles of about 45 degrees at the boundaries of the resonator. In addition, square resonators surrounded by air, SiO2-Ti-Au, and SiO2-Au are compared by FDTD simulations.

Potential light source for photonic integrated circuits based on the equilateral triangle resonator

The semiconductor microlasers based on the equilateral triangle resonator (ETR) can be fabricated from the edge-emitting laser wafer by dry-etching technique, and the directional emission can be obtained by connecting an output waveguide to one of the vertices of the ETR. We investigate the mode characteristics, especially the mode quality factor, for the ETR with imperfect vertices, which is inevitable in the real technique process. The numerical simulations show that the confined modes can still have a high quality factor in the ETR with imperfect vertices. We can expect that the microlasers is a suitable light source for photonic integrated circuits.

Flat Surface Plasmon Polariton Bands in Bragg Grating Waveguide for Slow Light

The formations of the surface plasmonpolariton (SPP) bands in metal/air/metal (MAM) sub-wavelength plasmonic grating waveguide (PGW) are proposed. The band gaps originating from the highly localized resonances inside the grooves can be simply estimated from the round trip phase condition. Due to the overlap of the localized SPPs between the neighboring grooves, a Bloch mode forms in the bandgap and can be engineered to build a very flat dispersion for slow light. A chirped PGW with groove depth varying is also demonstrated to trap light, which is validated by finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations with both continuous and pulse excitations.

APPLICATION OF THE KHOKHLOV-ZABOLOTSKAYA-KUZNETSOV EQUATION TO MODELING HIGH-INTENSITY FOCUSED ULTRASOUND BEAMS

High-intensity focused ultrasound is a form of therapeutic ultrasound which uses high amplitude acoustic waves to heat and ablate tissue. HIFU employs acoustic amplitudes that are high enough that nonlinear propagation effects are important in the evolution of the sound field. A common model for HIFU beams is the Khokhlov-Zabolotskaya-Kuznetsov (KZK) equation which accounts for nonlinearity, diffraction, and absorption. The KZK equation models diffraction using the parabolic or paraxial approximation. Many HIFU sources have an aperture diameter similar to the focal length and the paraxial approximation may not be appropriate. Here, results obtained using the “Texas code,” a time-domain numerical solution to the KZK equation, were used to assess when the KZK equation can be employed. In a linear water case comparison with the O’Neil solution, the KZK equation accurately predicts the pressure field in the focal region. The KZK equation was also compared to simulations of the exact fluid dynamics equations (no paraxial approximation). The exact equations were solved using the Fourier-Continuation (FC) method to approximate derivatives in the equations. Results have been obtained for a focused HIFU source in tissue. For a low focusing gain transducer (focal length 50λ and radius 10λ), the KZK and FC models showed excellent agreement, however, as the source radius was increased to 30λ, discrepancies started to appear. Modeling was extended to the case of tissue with the appropriate power law using a relaxation model. The relaxation model resulted in a higher peak pressure and a shift in the location of the peak pressure, highlighting the importance of employing the correct attenuation model. Simulations from the code that were compared to experimental data in water showed good agreement through the focal plane.

Nonlinear Acoustics in Underwater and Biomedical Applications: Array Performance Degradation and Time Reversal Invariance

This dissertation describes a model for acoustic propagation in inhomogeneous flu- ids, and explores the focusing by arrays onto targets under various conditions. The work explores the use of arrays, in particular the time reversal array, for underwater and biomedical applications. Aspects of propagation and phasing which can lead to reduced focusing effectiveness are described. An acoustic wave equation was derived for the propagation of finite-amplitude waves in lossy time-varying inhomogeneous fluid media. The equation was solved numerically in both Cartesian and cylindrical geometries using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. It was found that time reversal arrays are sensitive to several debilitating factors. Focusing ability was determined to be adequate in the presence of temporal jitter in the time reversed signal only up to about one-sixth of a period. Thermoviscous absorption also had a debilitating effect on focal pressure for both linear and nonlinear propagation. It was also found that nonlinearity leads to degradation of focal pressure through amplification of the received signal at the array, and enhanced absorption in the shocked waveforms. This dissertation also examined the heating effects of focused ultrasound in a tissue-like medium. The application considered is therapeutic heating for hyperther- mia. The acoustic model and a thermal model for tissue were coupled to solve for transient and steady temperature profiles in tissue-like media. The Pennes bioheat equation was solved using the FDTD method to calculate the temperature fields in tissue-like media from focused acoustic sources. It was found that the temperature-dependence of the medium's background prop- erties can play an important role in the temperature predictions. Finite-amplitude effects contributed excess heat when source conditions were provided for nonlinear ef- fects to manifest themselves. The effect of medium heterogeneity was also found to be important in redistributing the acoustic and temperature fields, creating regions with hotter and colder temperatures than the mean by local scattering and lensing action. These temperature excursions from the mean were found to increase monotonically with increasing contrast in the medium's properties.

Time-dependent transport through molecular junctions.

We investigate transport properties of molecular junctions under two types of bias--a short time pulse or an ac bias--by combining a solution for Green's functions in the time domain with electronic structure information coming from ab initio density functional calculations. We find that the short time response depends on lead structure, bias voltage, and barrier heights both at the molecule-lead contacts and within molecules. Under a low frequency ac bias, the electron flow either tracks or leads the bias signal (resistive or capacitive response) depending on whether the junction is perfectly conducting or not. For high frequency, the current lags the bias signal due to the kinetic inductance. The transition frequency is an intrinsic property of the junctions.