The stochastic implicit Euler method - A stable coupling scheme for Monte Carlo burnup calculations

Existing Monte Carlo burnup codes use various schemes to solve the coupled criticality and burnup equations. Previous studies have shown that the coupling schemes of the existing Monte Carlo burnup codes can be numerically unstable. Here we develop the Stochastic Implicit Euler method - a stable and efficient new coupling scheme. The implicit solution is obtained by the stochastic approximation at each time step. Our test calculations demonstrate that the Stochastic Implicit Euler method can provide an accurate solution to problems where the methods in the existing Monte Carlo burnup codes fail. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification of the steering control behaviour of five test subjects following a randomly curving path in a driving simulator

The paper is concerned with the identification of theoretical preview steering controllers using data obtained from five test subjects in a fixed-base driving simulator. An understanding of human steering control behaviour is relevant to the design of autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicle controls. The driving task involved steering a linear vehicle along a randomly curving path. The theoretical steering controllers identified from the data were based on optimal linear preview control. A direct-identification method was used, and the steering controllers were identified so that the predicted steering angle matched as closely as possible the measured steering angle of the test subjects. It was found that identification of the driver's time delay and noise is necessary to avoid bias in identification of the controller parameters. Most subjects' steering behaviour was predicted well by a theoretical controller based on the lateral/yaw dynamics of the vehicle. There was some evidence that an inexperienced driver's steering action was better represented by a controller based on a simpler model of the vehicle dynamics, perhaps reflecting incomplete learning by the driver. Copyright © 2014 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

Material point method for coupled hydromechanical problems

This paper describes a new formulation of the material point method (MPM) for solving coupled hydromechanical problems of fluid-saturated soil subjected to large deformation. A soil-pore fluid coupled MPM algorithm based on Biot's mixture theory is proposed for solving hydromechanical interaction problems that include changes in water table location with time. The accuracy of the proposed method is examined by comparing the results of the simulation of a one-dimensional consolidation test with the corresponding analytical solution. A sensitivity analysis of the MPM parameters used in the proposed method is carried out for examining the effect of the number of particles per mesh and mesh size on solution accuracy. For demonstrating the capability of the proposed method, a physical model experiment of a large-scale levee failure by seepage is simulated. The behavior of the levee model with time-dependent changes in water table matches well to the experimental observations. The mechanisms of seepage-induced failure are discussed by examining the pore-water pressures, as well as the effective stresses computed from the simulations © 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.

Hole concentration test of p-type GaN by analyzing the spectral response of p-n(+) structure GaN ultraviolet photodetector

A new method to test the hole concentration of p-type GaN is proposed, which is carried out by analyzing the spectral response of p-n(+) structure GaN ultraviolet photodetector. It is shown that the spectral response of the photodetector changes considerably with reversed bias. It is found that the difference between photodetector's quantum efficiency at two wavelengths, i.e. 250 and 361 nm, varies remarkably with increasing reversed bias. According to the simulation calculation, the most characteristic change occurs at a reversed voltage under which the p-GaN layer starts to be completely depleted. Based on this effect the carrier concentration of p-GaN can be derived.

Role of Bi3+ ions for Er3+ ions efficient 1.54 mu m light emission in Er/Bi codoped SiO2 thin film prepared by sol-gel method

Er/Bi codoped SiO2 thin films were prepared by sol-gel method and spin-on technology with subsequent annealing process. The bismuth silicate crystal phase appeared at low annealing temperature while vanished as annealing temperature exceeded 1000 degrees C, characterized by X-ray diffraction, and Rutherford backscattering measurements well explained the structure change of the films, which was due to the decrease of bismuth concentration. Fine structures of the Er3+-related 1.54 mu m light emission (line width less than 7 nm) at room temperature was observed by photoluminescence (PL) measurement. The PL intensity at 1.54 gm reached maximum at 800 degrees C and decreased dramatically at 1000 degrees C. The PL dependent annealing temperature was studied and suggested a clear link with bismuth silicate phase. Excitation spectrum measurements further reveal the role of Bi3+ ions for Er3+ ions near infrared light emission. Through sol-gel method and thermal treatment, Bi3+ ions can provide a perfect environment for Er3+ ion light emission by forming Er-Bi-Si-O complex. Furthermore, energy transfer from Bi3+ ions to Er3+ ions is evidenced and found to be a more efficient way for Er3+ ions near infrared emission. This makes the Bi3+ ions doped material a promising application for future erbium-doped waveguide amplifier and infrared LED

Choice of calibration equations in calibrating microwave test fixtures

The error theory of linear equation system has been applied to the calibration procedure of microwave network analyser in this article. A new explanation for the choice of the linear calibration equations is proposed and a general principle for choosing calibration equations is presented. The method can also be used to predict the occurrence of the problem of frequency limitation at some periodic frequencies. This principle is employed to the thru-short-delay (TSD) method and the solution using the chosen equations gives the most accurate results. A good agreement between the theory and the experiment has been obtained.

Development of Swept Frequency Method for Measuring Frequency Response of Photodetectors Based on Harmonic Analysis

We develop a swept frequency method for measuring the frequency response of photodetectors; (PDs) based on harmonic analysis. In this technique, a lightwave from a laser source is modulated by a radio-frequency (RF) signal via a Mach-Zehnder LiNbO3 modulator, and detected by a PD under test. The measured second-order harmonic of the RF signal contains information of the frequency responses and nonlinearities of the RF source, modulator, and PD. The frequency response of the PD alone is obtained by deducting the known frequency responses and nonlinearities of the RF source and modulator. Compared with the conventional swept frequency method, the measurement frequency range can be doubled using the proposed method. Experiment results show a good agreement between the measured results and those obtained using other techniques.

A new method based on the construction of hypothetical symmetrical networks for fixture calibration in network analyzers

At least three known standards are normally required for the full two-port test fixture calibration in vector network analyzers (VNA). In this paper, a calibration procedure using only one standard, based on establishing two hypothetical symmetrical fixtures using triple-through method, is shown. The results using the calibrating method to subtract the influence of fixtures are in accord with the directly measured data of the device-under-test (DUT) without the fixtures very well, which shows that the proposed method is very simple and accurate.

Frequency limitation in the calibration of microwave test fixtures

The problem of frequency limitation arising from the calibration of asymmetric and symmetric test fixtures has been investigated. For asymmetric test fixtures, a new algorithm based on the thru-short-match (TSM) method is outlined. It is found that the conventional TSM method does not have any inherent frequency limitation, but using the same procedure with an unknown match may lead to the said problem. This limitation can be avoided by using a different algorithm. The various calibration methods for symmetric test fixtures using known standards are also discussed and the origin of the frequency limitation is identified. Several ways in avoiding the problem are proposed. There is good agreement between the theories and experimental data.

Two-port calibration of test fixtures with different test ports

The open-short-load (OSL) method is very simple and widely used for one-port test fixture calibration. In this paper, this method is extended, for the first time, to the two-port calibration of test fixtures with different test ports. The problem of phase uncertainty arising in this application has been solved. The comparison between our results and those obtained with the SOLT method shows that the method established is accurate for practical applications. (C) 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

New algorithms of the TSM and TOM methods for calibrating microwave test fixtures

Based on the conventional through-short-match (TSM) method, an improved TSM method has been proposed in this Letter. This method gives an analytical solution and has almost all the advantages of conventional TSM methods. For example, it has no phase uncertainty and no bandwidth limitation. The experimental results show that the accuracy can be significantly improved with this method. The proposed theory can be applied to the through-open-match (TOM) method. (C) 2002 Wiley Periodicals. Inc.

Phase uncertainty in calibrating microwave test fixtures

The problem of phase uncertainty arising in calibration of the test fixtures is investigated in this paper, It is shown that the problem exists no matter what kinds of calibration standards are used. It is also found that there is no need to determine the individual S-parameters of the test fixtures. In order to eliminate the problem of phase uncertainty, three different precise (known) reflection standards or one known reflection standard plus one known transmission standard should be used to calibrate symmetrical test fixtures. For the asymmetrical cases, three known standards, including at least one transmission standard, should be used. The thru-open-match (TOM) and thru-short-match (TSM) techniques are the simplest methods, and they have no bandwidth limitation. When the standards are imprecise (unknown), it is recommended to use any suitable technique, such as the thru-reflect-line, line-reflect-line, thru-short-delay, thru-open-delay,line-reflect-match, line-reflect-reflect-match, or multiline methods, to accurately determine the values of the required calibration terms and, in addition, to use the TOM or TSM method with the same imprecise standards to resolve the phase uncertainty.

Correlation of calibration equations for test fixtures

This paper begins from the thru-short-open (TSO) and thru-line-match (TLM) methods to investigate the correlation of the calibration equations of these two methods, The relations among the measurements with the corresponding standards are obtained. It is found that the line standard with zero length can be used instead of ideal open and short, in case that two test fixtures are symmetrical. For asymmetrical fixtures, the measurements with the standards line, open and short are related at certain frequencies, and the matched load can be replaced by the line standards. The relations established are used to test short and match standards and analyze the freqPuency limits of the TSO method, Good agreement between theory and experiment is obtained, It is found that the TSO method becomes very poor when the insertion phase of the thru standard is near n pi/4, and this method has a lower frequency limit. The TLM method is found unsuitable for calibrating asymmetrical fixtures.

Small-signal and large-signal performance test of high-speed optoelectronics devices

This paper presents measurement methods for determining the reflection coefficients and frequency responses of semiconductor laser diodes, photodiodes, and EA modulator chips. A novel method for determining the intrinsic frequency responses of laser diodes is also proposed, and applications of the developed measurement methods are discussed. We demonstrate the compensation of bonding wire on the capacitances of both the submount and the laser diode, and present a method for estimating the potential modulation bandwidth of TO packaging technique. Initial study on removing the effects of test fixture on large-signal performances of optoelectronic devices at high data rate is also given.

A New Discrimination Method of Maize Seed Varieties Based on Near-Infrared Spectroscopy

A new discrimination method for the maize seed varieties based on the near-infrared spectroscopy was proposed. The reflectance spectra of maize seeds were obtained by a FT-NIR spectrometer (12 000-4 000 cm(-1)). The original spectra data were preprocessed by first derivative method. Then the principal component analysis (PCA) was used to compress the spectra data. The principal components with the cumulate reliabilities more than 80% were used to build the discrimination models. The model was established by Psi-3 neuron based on biomimetic pattern recognition (BPR). Especially, the parameter of the covering index was proposed to assist to discriminating the variety of a seed sample. The authors tested the discrimination capability of the model through four groups of experiments. There were 10, 18, 26 and 34 varieties training the discrimination models in these experiments, respectively. Additionally, another seven maize varieties and nine wheat varieties were used to test the capability of the models to reject the varieties not participating in training the models. Each group of the experiment was repeated three times by selecting different training samples at random. The correct classification rates of the models in the four-group experiments were above 91. 8%. The correct rejection rates for the varieties not participating in training the models all attained above 95%. Furthermore, the performance of the discrimination models did not change obviously when using the different training samples. The results showed that this discrimination method can not only effectively recognize the maize seed varieties, but also reject the varieties not participating in training the model. It may be practical in the discrimination of maize seed varieties.