Design and optimization of a 250nm SOI LDMOSFET

This work is aimed at optimising the static performance of a high voltage SOI LDMOSFET. Starting with a conventional LDMOSFET, 2D and 3D numerical simulation models, able to accurately match datasheet values, have been developed. Moving from the original device, several design techniques have been investigated with the target of improving the breakdown voltage and the ON-state resistance. The considered design techniques are based on the modification of the doping profile of the drift region and the Superjunction design technique. The paper shows that a single step doping within the drift region is the best design choice for the considered device and is found to give a 24% improvement in the breakdown voltage and a 17% reduction of the ON-state resistance. © 2011 IEEE.

Optimal design of Functionally Graded Materials using a procedural model and Particle Swarm Optimization

A new method for the optimal design of Functionally Graded Materials (FGM) is proposed in this paper. Instead of using the widely used explicit functional models, a feature tree based procedural model is proposed to represent generic material heterogeneities. A procedural model of this sort allows more than one explicit function to be incorporated to describe versatile material gradations and the material composition at a given location is no longer computed by simple evaluation of an analytic function, but obtained by execution of customizable procedures. This enables generic and diverse types of material variations to be represented, and most importantly, by a reasonably small number of design variables. The descriptive flexibility in the material heterogeneity formulation as well as the low dimensionality of the design vectors help facilitate the optimal design of functionally graded materials. Using the nature-inspired Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) method, functionally graded materials with generic distributions can be efficiently optimized. We demonstrate, for the first time, that a PSO based optimizer outperforms classical mathematical programming based methods, such as active set and trust region algorithms, in the optimal design of functionally graded materials. The underlying reason for this performance boost is also elucidated with the help of benchmarked examples. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The design of multi-element airfoils through multi-objective optimization techniques

This paper presents the development and the application of a multi-objective optimization framework for the design of two-dimensional multi-element high-lift airfoils. An innovative and efficient optimization algorithm, namely Multi-Objective Tabu Search (MOTS), has been selected as core of the framework. The flow-field around the multi-element configuration is simulated using the commercial computational fluid dynamics (cfd) suite Ansys cfx. Elements shape and deployment settings have been considered as design variables in the optimization of the Garteur A310 airfoil, as presented here. A validation and verification process of the cfd simulation for the Garteur airfoil is performed using available wind tunnel data. Two design examples are presented in this study: a single-point optimization aiming at concurrently increasing the lift and drag performance of the test case at a fixed angle of attack and a multi-point optimization. The latter aims at introducing operational robustness and off-design performance into the design process. Finally, the performance of the MOTS algorithm is assessed by comparison with the leading NSGA-II (Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm) optimization strategy. An equivalent framework developed by the authors within the industrial sponsor environment is used for the comparison. To eliminate cfd solver dependencies three optimum solutions from the Pareto optimal set have been cross-validated. As a result of this study MOTS has been demonstrated to be an efficient and effective algorithm for aerodynamic optimizations. Copyright © 2012 Tech Science Press.

Optimization of burnable poison design for Pu incineration in fully fertile free PWR core

The design challenges of the fertile-free based fuel (FFF) can be addressed by careful and elaborate use of burnable poisons (BP). Practical fully FFF core design for PWR reactor has been reported in the past [1]. However, the burnable poison option used in the design resulted in significant end of cycle reactivity penalty due to incomplete BP depletion. Consequently, excessive Pu loading were required to maintain the target fuel cycle length, which in turn decreased the Pu burning efficiency. A systematic evaluation of commercially available BP materials in all configurations currently used in PWRs is the main objective of this work. The BP materials considered are Boron, Gd, Er, and Hf. The BP geometries were based on Wet Annular Burnable Absorber (WABA), Integral Fuel Burnable Absorber (IFBA), and Homogeneous poison/fuel mixtures. Several most promising combinations of BP designs were selected for the full core 3D simulation. All major core performance parameters for the analyzed cases are very close to those of a standard PWR with conventional UO2 fuel including possibility of reactivity control, power peaking factors, and cycle length. The MTC of all FFF cores was found at the full power conditions at all times and very close to that of the UO2 core. The Doppler coefficient of the FFF cores is also negative but somewhat lower in magnitude compared to UO2 core. The soluble boron worth of the FFF cores was calculated to be lower than that of the UO2 core by about a factor of two, which still allows the core reactivity control with acceptable soluble boron concentrations. The main conclusion of this work is that judicial application of burnable poisons for fertile free fuel has a potential to produce a core design with performance characteristics close to those of the reference PWR core with conventional UO2 fuel.

Design and optimization of planar mesa termination for diamond Schottky barrier diodes

In this paper, we present planar mesa termination structure with high k dielectric Al2O3 for high-voltage diamond Schottky barrier diode. Analysis, design, and optimization are carried out by simulations using finite element technology computer-aided design (TCAD) Sentaurus Device software. The performances of planar mesa termination structure are compared to those of conventional field plate termination structure. It is found that optimum geometry of planar mesa terminated diode requires shorter metal plate extension (1/3 of the field plate terminated diode). Consequently, planar mesa terminated diode can be designed with bigger Schottky contact to increase its current carrying capability. Breakdown performance of field plate termination structure is limited at 1480 V due to peak electric field at the corner of Schottky contact (no oxide breakdown occurs). In contrast, peak electric field in planar mesa termination structure only occurs in the field oxide such that its breakdown performance is highly dependent on the oxide material. Due to Al2O3 breakdown, planar mesa termination structure suffers premature breakdown at 1440 V. Considering no oxide breakdown occurs, planar mesa termination structure can realize higher breakdown voltage of 1751 V. Therefore, to fully realize the potential of planar mesa terminated diode, it is important to choose suitable high k dielectric material with sufficient breakdown electric field for the field oxide. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Design of diesel smoke feedback control using a combination of PI control algorithm and performance optimization

A novel smoke sensor was used to realize smoke feedback control on a diesel engine. The controller design based on a combination of PI control algorithm and the engine performance optimization is described. Experimental results demonstrate how this control system behave to meet both of the speed and smoke requirements during engine transients.