Dead-time compensation for a logarithmic display rate meter

DOEpatents

Larson, John A.; Krueger, Frederick P.

1988-09-20

An improved circuit is provided for application to a radiation survey meter that uses a detector that is subject to dead time. The circuit compensates for dead time over a wide range of count rates by producing a dead-time pulse for each detected event, a live-time pulse that spans the interval between dead-time pulses, and circuits that average the value of these pulses over time. The logarithm of each of these values is obtained and the logarithms are subtracted to provide a signal that is proportional to a count rate that is corrected for the effects of dead time. The circuit produces a meter indication and is also capable of producing an audible indication of detected events.

Dead-time compensation for a logarithmic display rate meter

DOEpatents

Larson, J.A.; Krueger, F.P.

1987-10-05

An improved circuit is provided for application to a radiation survey meter that uses a detector that is subject to dead time. The circuit compensates for dead time over a wide range of count rates by producing a dead-time pulse for each detected event, a live-time pulse that spans the interval between dead-time pulses, and circuits that average the value of these pulses over time. The logarithm of each of these values is obtained and the logarithms are subtracted to provide a signal that is proportional to a count rate that is corrected for the effects of dead time. The circuit produces a meter indication and is also capable of producing an audible indication of detected events. 5 figs.

AUTOMATIC COUNTER

DOEpatents

Robinson, H.P.

1960-06-01

An automatic counter of alpha particle tracks recorded by a sensitive emulsion of a photographic plate is described. The counter includes a source of mcdulated dark-field illumination for developing light flashes from the recorded particle tracks as the photographic plate is automatically scanned in narrow strips. Photoelectric means convert the light flashes to proportional current pulses for application to an electronic counting circuit. Photoelectric means are further provided for developing a phase reference signal from the photographic plate in such a manner that signals arising from particle tracks not parallel to the edge of the plate are out of phase with the reference signal. The counting circuit includes provision for rejecting the out-of-phase signals resulting from unoriented tracks as well as signals resulting from spurious marks on the plate such as scratches, dust or grain clumpings, etc. The output of the circuit is hence indicative only of the tracks that would be counted by a human operator.

PHASE DIFFERENTIAL INDICATING CIRCUIT

DOEpatents

Kirsten, F.A.

1962-01-01

An electronic circuit for totalizing the net phase difference between two alternating current signals is designed which responds to both increasing and decreasing phase changes. A phase comparator provldes an output pulse for each 360 deg of phase difference occurring, there being a negative pulse for phase shtft in one direction and a positive pulse for a phase shift in the opposite direction. A counting circuit utilizing glow discharge tubes receives the negative and positive pulses at a single input terminal and provides a running net total, pulses of one polarity dded and pulses of the opposite polarity being subtracted. The glow discharge tubes may be decaded to increase the total count capacity. (AEC)

A Cost-Effective Energy-Recovering Sustain Driving Circuit for ac Plasma Display Panels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Jae Kwang; Tae, Heung-Sik; Choi, Byungcho; Kim, Seok Gi

A new sustain driving circuit, featuring an energy-recovering function with simple structure and minimal component count, is proposed as a cost-effective solution for driving plasma display panels during the sustaining period. Compared with existing solutions, the proposed circuit reduces the number of semiconductor switches and reactive circuit components without compromising the circuit performance and gas-discharging characteristics. In addition, the proposed circuit utilizes the harness wire as an inductive circuit component, thereby further simplifying the circuit structure. The performance of the proposed circuit is confirmed with a 42-inch plasma display panel.

DIRECT COUPLED PROGRESSIVE STAGE PULSE COUNTER APPARATUS

DOEpatents

Kaufman, W.M.

1962-08-14

A progressive electrical pulse counter circuit was designed for the counting of a chain of input pulses of random width and/or frequency. The circuit employs an odd and even pulse input line alternately connected to a series of directly connected bistable counting stages. Each bistable stage has two d-c operative states which stage, when in its rnrtial state, prevents the next succeeding stage from changing its condition when the latter stage is pulsed. Since only altennate stages are pulsed for each incoming pulse, only one stage will change its state for each input pulse thereby providing prog essive stage by stage counting. (AEC)

Parallelizing quantum circuit synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Matteo, Olivia; Mosca, Michele

2016-03-01

Quantum circuit synthesis is the process in which an arbitrary unitary operation is decomposed into a sequence of gates from a universal set, typically one which a quantum computer can implement both efficiently and fault-tolerantly. As physical implementations of quantum computers improve, the need is growing for tools that can effectively synthesize components of the circuits and algorithms they will run. Existing algorithms for exact, multi-qubit circuit synthesis scale exponentially in the number of qubits and circuit depth, leaving synthesis intractable for circuits on more than a handful of qubits. Even modest improvements in circuit synthesis procedures may lead to significant advances, pushing forward the boundaries of not only the size of solvable circuit synthesis problems, but also in what can be realized physically as a result of having more efficient circuits. We present a method for quantum circuit synthesis using deterministic walks. Also termed pseudorandom walks, these are walks in which once a starting point is chosen, its path is completely determined. We apply our method to construct a parallel framework for circuit synthesis, and implement one such version performing optimal T-count synthesis over the Clifford+T gate set. We use our software to present examples where parallelization offers a significant speedup on the runtime, as well as directly confirm that the 4-qubit 1-bit full adder has optimal T-count 7 and T-depth 3.

Closed circuit TV system automatically guides welding arc

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephans, D. L.; Wall, W. A., Jr.

1968-01-01

Closed circuit television /CCTV/ system automatically guides a welding torch to position the welding arc accurately along weld seams. Digital counting and logic techniques incorporated in the control circuitry, ensure performance reliability.

47 CFR 36.156 - Interexchange Cable and Wire Facilities (C&WF)-Category 3-apportionment procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... cost per equivalent interexchange telephone circuit kilometer for all circuits in Category 3 is determined and applied to the equivalent interexchange telephone circuit kilometer counts of each of the... Interexchange Cable and Wire Facilities C&WF where feasible. All study areas shall apportion the non-directly...

47 CFR 36.156 - Interexchange Cable and Wire Facilities (C&WF)-Category 3-apportionment procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... cost per equivalent interexchange telephone circuit kilometer for all circuits in Category 3 is determined and applied to the equivalent interexchange telephone circuit kilometer counts of each of the... Interexchange Cable and Wire Facilities C&WF where feasible. All study areas shall apportion the non-directly...

47 CFR 36.156 - Interexchange Cable and Wire Facilities (C&WF)-Category 3-apportionment procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... cost per equivalent interexchange telephone circuit kilometer for all circuits in Category 3 is determined and applied to the equivalent interexchange telephone circuit kilometer counts of each of the... Interexchange Cable and Wire Facilities C&WF where feasible. All study areas shall apportion the non-directly...

47 CFR 36.156 - Interexchange Cable and Wire Facilities (C&WF)-Category 3-apportionment procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... cost per equivalent interexchange telephone circuit kilometer for all circuits in Category 3 is determined and applied to the equivalent interexchange telephone circuit kilometer counts of each of the... Interexchange Cable and Wire Facilities C&WF where feasible. All study areas shall apportion the non-directly...

Predilution versus postdilution during continuous venovenous hemofiltration: a comparison of circuit thrombogenesis.

PubMed

de Pont, Anne-Cornélie J M; Bouman, Catherine S C; Bakhtiari, Kamran; Schaap, Marianne C L; Nieuwland, Rienk; Sturk, Augueste; Hutten, Barbara A; de Jonge, Evert; Vroom, Margreeth B; Meijers, Joost C M; Büller, Harry R

2006-01-01

During continuous venovenous hemofiltration, predilution can prolong circuit survival time, but the underlying mechanism has not been elucidated. The aim of the present study was to compare predilution with postdilution, with respect to circuit thrombogenesis. Eight critically ill patients were treated with both predilutional and postdilutional continuous venovenous hemofiltration in a crossover fashion. A filtration flow of 60 ml/min was used in both modes. We chose blood flows of 140 and 200 ml/min during predilution and postdilution, respectively, to keep the total flow through the hemofilter constant. Extracorporeal circuit pressures were measured hourly, and samples of blood and ultrafiltrate were collected at five different time points. Thrombin-antithrombin complexes and prothrombin fragments F1 + 2 were measured by ELISA, and platelet activation was assessed by flow cytometry. No signs of thrombin generation or platelet activation were found during either mode. During postdilution, baseline platelet count and maximal prefilter pressure had a linear relation, whereas both parameters were inversely related with circuit survival time. In summary, predilution and postdilution did not differ with respect to extracorporeal circuit thrombogenesis. During postdilution, baseline platelet count and maximal prefilter pressure were inversely related with circuit survival time.

An integrated circuit floating point accumulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldsmith, T. C.

1977-01-01

Goddard Space Flight Center has developed a large scale integrated circuit (type 623) which can perform pulse counting, storage, floating point compression, and serial transmission, using a single monolithic device. Counts of 27 or 19 bits can be converted to transmitted values of 12 or 8 bits respectively. Use of the 623 has resulted in substantial savaings in weight, volume, and dollar resources on at least 11 scientific instruments to be flown on 4 NASA spacecraft. The design, construction, and application of the 623 are described.

Performance of In-Pixel Circuits for Photon Counting Arrays (PCAs) Based on Polycrystalline Silicon TFTs

PubMed Central

Liang, Albert K.; Koniczek, Martin; Antonuk, Larry E.; El-Mohri, Youcef; Zhao, Qihua; Street, Robert A.; Lu, Jeng Ping

2017-01-01

Photon counting arrays (PCAs), defined as pixelated imagers which measure the absorbed energy of x-ray photons individually and record this information digitally, are of increasing clinical interest. A number of PCA prototypes with a 1 mm pixel-to-pixel pitch have recently been fabricated with polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) — a thin-film technology capable of creating monolithic imagers of a size commensurate with human anatomy. In this study, analog and digital simulation frameworks were developed to provide insight into the influence of individual poly-Si transistors on pixel circuit performance — information that is not readily available through empirical means. The simulation frameworks were used to characterize the circuit designs employed in the prototypes. The analog framework, which determines the noise produced by individual transistors, was used to estimate energy resolution, as well as to identify which transistors contribute the most noise. The digital framework, which analyzes how well circuits function in the presence of significant variations in transistor properties, was used to estimate how fast a circuit can produce an output (referred to as output count rate). In addition, an algorithm was developed and used to estimate the minimum pixel pitch that could be achieved for the pixel circuits of the current prototypes. The simulation frameworks predict that the analog component of the PCA prototypes could have energy resolution as low as 8.9% FWHM at 70 keV; and the digital components should work well even in the presence of significant TFT variations, with the fastest component having output count rates as high as 3 MHz. Finally, based on conceivable improvements in the underlying fabrication process, the algorithm predicts that the 1 mm pitch of the current PCA prototypes could be reduced significantly, potentially to between ~240 and 290 μm. PMID:26878107

Performance of in-pixel circuits for photon counting arrays (PCAs) based on polycrystalline silicon TFTs.

PubMed

Liang, Albert K; Koniczek, Martin; Antonuk, Larry E; El-Mohri, Youcef; Zhao, Qihua; Street, Robert A; Lu, Jeng Ping

2016-03-07

Photon counting arrays (PCAs), defined as pixelated imagers which measure the absorbed energy of x-ray photons individually and record this information digitally, are of increasing clinical interest. A number of PCA prototypes with a 1 mm pixel-to-pixel pitch have recently been fabricated with polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si)-a thin-film technology capable of creating monolithic imagers of a size commensurate with human anatomy. In this study, analog and digital simulation frameworks were developed to provide insight into the influence of individual poly-Si transistors on pixel circuit performance-information that is not readily available through empirical means. The simulation frameworks were used to characterize the circuit designs employed in the prototypes. The analog framework, which determines the noise produced by individual transistors, was used to estimate energy resolution, as well as to identify which transistors contribute the most noise. The digital framework, which analyzes how well circuits function in the presence of significant variations in transistor properties, was used to estimate how fast a circuit can produce an output (referred to as output count rate). In addition, an algorithm was developed and used to estimate the minimum pixel pitch that could be achieved for the pixel circuits of the current prototypes. The simulation frameworks predict that the analog component of the PCA prototypes could have energy resolution as low as 8.9% full width at half maximum (FWHM) at 70 keV; and the digital components should work well even in the presence of significant thin-film transistor (TFT) variations, with the fastest component having output count rates as high as 3 MHz. Finally, based on conceivable improvements in the underlying fabrication process, the algorithm predicts that the 1 mm pitch of the current PCA prototypes could be reduced significantly, potentially to between ~240 and 290 μm.

Discrete Semiconductor Device Reliability

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-03-25

array or alphanumeric display. "--" indicates unknown diode count. Voc Open circuit voltage for photovoltaic modules . indicates unknown. Isc Short... circuit current for photovoltaic modules . "--" indicates unknown. Number Tested Quantity of parts under the described test or field conditions for that...information pertaining to electronic systems and parts used therein. The present scope includes integrated circuits , hybrids, discrete semiconductors

Hybrid ECG signal conditioner

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rinard, G. A.; Steffen, D. A.; Sturm, R. E.

1979-01-01

Circuit with high common-mode rejection has ability to filter and amplify accepted analog electrocardiogram (ECG) signals of varying amplitude, shape, and polarity. In addition, low power circuit develops standardized pulses that can be counted and averaged by heart/breath rate processor.

FPGA-based gating and logic for multichannel single photon counting

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pooser, Raphael C; Earl, Dennis Duncan; Evans, Philip G

2012-01-01

We present results characterizing multichannel InGaAs single photon detectors utilizing gated passive quenching circuits (GPQC), self-differencing techniques, and field programmable gate array (FPGA)-based logic for both diode gating and coincidence counting. Utilizing FPGAs for the diode gating frontend and the logic counting backend has the advantage of low cost compared to custom built logic circuits and current off-the-shelf detector technology. Further, FPGA logic counters have been shown to work well in quantum key distribution (QKD) test beds. Our setup combines multiple independent detector channels in a reconfigurable manner via an FPGA backend and post processing in order to perform coincidencemore » measurements between any two or more detector channels simultaneously. Using this method, states from a multi-photon polarization entangled source are detected and characterized via coincidence counting on the FPGA. Photons detection events are also processed by the quantum information toolkit for application testing (QITKAT)« less

A High Resolution Scale-of-four

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Fitch, V.

1949-08-25

A high resolution scale-of-four has been developed to be used in conjunction with the nuclear particle detection devices in applications where the counting rate is unusually high. Specifically, it is intended to precede the commercially available medium resolution scaling circuits and so decrease the resolving time of the counting system. The circuit will function reliably on continuously recurring pulses separated by less than 0.1 microseconds. It will resolve two pulses (occurring at a moderate repetition rate) which are spaced at 0.04 microseconds. A five-volt input signal is sufficient to actuate the device.

Design of Low-Complexity and High-Speed Coplanar Four-Bit Ripple Carry Adder in QCA Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balali, Moslem; Rezai, Abdalhossein

2018-07-01

Quantum-dot Cellular Automata (QCA) technology is a suitable technology to replace CMOS technology due to low-power consumption, high-speed and high-density devices. Full adder has an important role in the digital circuit design. This paper presents and evaluates a novel single-layer four-bit QCA Ripple Carry Adder (RCA) circuit. The developed four-bit QCA RCA circuit is based on novel QCA full adder circuit. The developed circuits are simulated using QCADesigner tool version 2.0.3. The simulation results show that the developed circuits have advantages in comparison with existing single-layer and multilayer circuits in terms of cell count, area occupation and circuit latency.

Design of Low-Complexity and High-Speed Coplanar Four-Bit Ripple Carry Adder in QCA Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balali, Moslem; Rezai, Abdalhossein

2018-03-01

Quantum-dot Cellular Automata (QCA) technology is a suitable technology to replace CMOS technology due to low-power consumption, high-speed and high-density devices. Full adder has an important role in the digital circuit design. This paper presents and evaluates a novel single-layer four-bit QCA Ripple Carry Adder (RCA) circuit. The developed four-bit QCA RCA circuit is based on novel QCA full adder circuit. The developed circuits are simulated using QCADesigner tool version 2.0.3. The simulation results show that the developed circuits have advantages in comparison with existing single-layer and multilayer circuits in terms of cell count, area occupation and circuit latency.

A New Statistics-Based Online Baseline Restorer for a High Count-Rate Fully Digital System.

PubMed

Li, Hongdi; Wang, Chao; Baghaei, Hossain; Zhang, Yuxuan; Ramirez, Rocio; Liu, Shitao; An, Shaohui; Wong, Wai-Hoi

2010-04-01

The goal of this work is to develop a novel, accurate, real-time digital baseline restorer using online statistical processing for a high count-rate digital system such as positron emission tomography (PET). In high count-rate nuclear instrumentation applications, analog signals are DC-coupled for better performance. However, the detectors, pre-amplifiers and other front-end electronics would cause a signal baseline drift in a DC-coupling system, which will degrade the performance of energy resolution and positioning accuracy. Event pileups normally exist in a high-count rate system and the baseline drift will create errors in the event pileup-correction. Hence, a baseline restorer (BLR) is required in a high count-rate system to remove the DC drift ahead of the pileup correction. Many methods have been reported for BLR from classic analog methods to digital filter solutions. However a single channel BLR with analog method can only work under 500 kcps count-rate, and normally an analog front-end application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC) is required for the application involved hundreds BLR such as a PET camera. We have developed a simple statistics-based online baseline restorer (SOBLR) for a high count-rate fully digital system. In this method, we acquire additional samples, excluding the real gamma pulses, from the existing free-running ADC in the digital system, and perform online statistical processing to generate a baseline value. This baseline value will be subtracted from the digitized waveform to retrieve its original pulse with zero-baseline drift. This method can self-track the baseline without a micro-controller involved. The circuit consists of two digital counter/timers, one comparator, one register and one subtraction unit. Simulation shows a single channel works at 30 Mcps count-rate with pileup condition. 336 baseline restorer circuits have been implemented into 12 field-programmable-gate-arrays (FPGA) for our new fully digital PET system.

Insertion side, body position and circuit life during continuous renal replacement therapy with femoral vein access.

PubMed

Kim, In Byung; Fealy, Nigel; Baldwin, Ian; Bellomo, Rinaldo

2011-01-01

Choice of insertion side and patient position during continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) with femoral vein vascular access may affect circuit life. We investigated if there is an association between choice of insertion side and body position and its changes and circuit life during CRRT with femoral vein access. We studied 50 patients receiving CRRT via femoral vein access with a sequential retrospective study in a tertiary intensive care unit. We defined two groups: patients with right or left femoral vein access. We then obtained information on age, gender, circuit life, total heparin dose, hemoglobin concentration and coagulation variables (platelet count, international normalized ratio, and activated partial thromboplastin time) and percentage of time each patient spent in the supine, left lying, right lying, and sitting position during treatment. We studied 341 circuits in 50 patients. Mean circuit life was 13.9 h. Of these circuits, 251 (73.6%) were treated with right femoral vein access. Mean circuit life in this group was significantly longer compared with left femoral vein access (15.0 ± 14.3 vs. 10.6 ± 7.4; p = 0.019). Percentage spent in a particular position during CRRT was not significantly different between two groups. On multivariable linear regression analysis, mean circuit life was significantly and positively correlated with right vascular access site (p = 0.03) and lower platelet count (p = 0.03), but not with patient position. Right-sided insertion but not time spent in a particular position significantly affects circuit life during CRRT with femoral vein access. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Superconducting analog-to-digital converter with a triple-junction reversible flip-flop bidirectional counter

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, G.S.

1993-07-13

A high-performance superconducting analog-to-digital converter is described, comprising: a bidirectional binary counter having n stages of triple-junction reversible flip-flops connected together in a cascade arrangement from the least significant bit (LSB) to the most significant bit (MSB) where n is the number of bits of the digital output, each triple-junction reversible flip-flop including first, second and third shunted Josephson tunnel junctions and a superconducting inductor connected in a bridge circuit, the Josephson junctions and the inductor forming upper and lower portions of the flip-flop, each reversible flip-flop being a bistable logic circuit in which the direction of the circulating currentmore » determines the state of the circuit; and means for applying an analog input current to the bidirectional counter; wherein the bidirectional counter algebraically counts incremental changes in the analog input current, increasing the binary count for positive incremental changes in the analog current and decreasing the binary count for negative incremental changes in the current, and wherein the counter does not require a gate bias, thus minimizing power dissipation.« less

Programmable Pulser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baumann, Eric; Merolla, Anthony

1988-01-01

User controls number of clock pulses to prevent burnout. New digital programmable pulser circuit in three formats; freely running, counted, and single pulse. Operates at frequencies up to 5 MHz, with no special consideration given to layout of components or to terminations. Pulser based on sequential circuit with four states and binary counter with appropriate decoding logic. Number of programmable pulses increased beyond 127 by addition of another counter and decoding logic. For very large pulse counts and/or very high frequencies, use synchronous counters to avoid errors caused by propagation delays. Invaluable tool for initial verification or diagnosis of digital or digitally controlled circuity.

Metals processing control by counting molten metal droplets

DOEpatents

Schlienger, Eric; Robertson, Joanna M.; Melgaard, David; Shelmidine, Gregory J.; Van Den Avyle, James A.

2000-01-01

Apparatus and method for controlling metals processing (e.g., ESR) by melting a metal ingot and counting molten metal droplets during melting. An approximate amount of metal in each droplet is determined, and a melt rate is computed therefrom. Impedance of the melting circuit is monitored, such as by calculating by root mean square a voltage and current of the circuit and dividing the calculated current into the calculated voltage. Analysis of the impedance signal is performed to look for a trace characteristic of formation of a molten metal droplet, such as by examining skew rate, curvature, or a higher moment.

Pulse Detecting Genetic Circuit – A New Design Approach

PubMed Central

Inniss, Mara; Iba, Hitoshi; Way, Jeffrey C.

2016-01-01

A robust cellular counter could enable synthetic biologists to design complex circuits with diverse behaviors. The existing synthetic-biological counters, responsive to the beginning of the pulse, are sensitive to the pulse duration. Here we present a pulse detecting circuit that responds only at the falling edge of a pulse–analogous to negative edge triggered electric circuits. As biological events do not follow precise timing, use of such a pulse detector would enable the design of robust asynchronous counters which can count the completion of events. This transcription-based pulse detecting circuit depends on the interaction of two co-expressed lambdoid phage-derived proteins: the first is unstable and inhibits the regulatory activity of the second, stable protein. At the end of the pulse the unstable inhibitor protein disappears from the cell and the second protein triggers the recording of the event completion. Using stochastic simulation we showed that the proposed design can detect the completion of the pulse irrespective to the pulse duration. In our simulation we also showed that fusing the pulse detector with a phage lambda memory element we can construct a counter which can be extended to count larger numbers. The proposed design principle is a new control mechanism for synthetic biology which can be integrated in different circuits for identifying the completion of an event. PMID:27907045

Pulse Detecting Genetic Circuit - A New Design Approach.

PubMed

Noman, Nasimul; Inniss, Mara; Iba, Hitoshi; Way, Jeffrey C

2016-01-01

A robust cellular counter could enable synthetic biologists to design complex circuits with diverse behaviors. The existing synthetic-biological counters, responsive to the beginning of the pulse, are sensitive to the pulse duration. Here we present a pulse detecting circuit that responds only at the falling edge of a pulse-analogous to negative edge triggered electric circuits. As biological events do not follow precise timing, use of such a pulse detector would enable the design of robust asynchronous counters which can count the completion of events. This transcription-based pulse detecting circuit depends on the interaction of two co-expressed lambdoid phage-derived proteins: the first is unstable and inhibits the regulatory activity of the second, stable protein. At the end of the pulse the unstable inhibitor protein disappears from the cell and the second protein triggers the recording of the event completion. Using stochastic simulation we showed that the proposed design can detect the completion of the pulse irrespective to the pulse duration. In our simulation we also showed that fusing the pulse detector with a phage lambda memory element we can construct a counter which can be extended to count larger numbers. The proposed design principle is a new control mechanism for synthetic biology which can be integrated in different circuits for identifying the completion of an event.

Radome Positioner for the RFSS (Radio Frequency Simulation System).

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-02-27

its associated circuits contained on the Motorola M68MM01A-I micro- module (See Drawing 64). This board contains the 6800 microprocessor. Ik bytes of...D 00 1~ 0 41 + C.) ) -44 208 g. Small encoder diameter achieved by using integrated circuit modules . h. Stainless steel case. U...to the 30 integrated circuits which actually comprise the heart of the-microcomputer. This dramatic reduction in parts count re- sults in a similar

Analog synthetic biology.

PubMed

Sarpeshkar, R

2014-03-28

We analyse the pros and cons of analog versus digital computation in living cells. Our analysis is based on fundamental laws of noise in gene and protein expression, which set limits on the energy, time, space, molecular count and part-count resources needed to compute at a given level of precision. We conclude that analog computation is significantly more efficient in its use of resources than deterministic digital computation even at relatively high levels of precision in the cell. Based on this analysis, we conclude that synthetic biology must use analog, collective analog, probabilistic and hybrid analog-digital computational approaches; otherwise, even relatively simple synthetic computations in cells such as addition will exceed energy and molecular-count budgets. We present schematics for efficiently representing analog DNA-protein computation in cells. Analog electronic flow in subthreshold transistors and analog molecular flux in chemical reactions obey Boltzmann exponential laws of thermodynamics and are described by astoundingly similar logarithmic electrochemical potentials. Therefore, cytomorphic circuits can help to map circuit designs between electronic and biochemical domains. We review recent work that uses positive-feedback linearization circuits to architect wide-dynamic-range logarithmic analog computation in Escherichia coli using three transcription factors, nearly two orders of magnitude more efficient in parts than prior digital implementations.

Analog synthetic biology

PubMed Central

Sarpeshkar, R.

2014-01-01

We analyse the pros and cons of analog versus digital computation in living cells. Our analysis is based on fundamental laws of noise in gene and protein expression, which set limits on the energy, time, space, molecular count and part-count resources needed to compute at a given level of precision. We conclude that analog computation is significantly more efficient in its use of resources than deterministic digital computation even at relatively high levels of precision in the cell. Based on this analysis, we conclude that synthetic biology must use analog, collective analog, probabilistic and hybrid analog–digital computational approaches; otherwise, even relatively simple synthetic computations in cells such as addition will exceed energy and molecular-count budgets. We present schematics for efficiently representing analog DNA–protein computation in cells. Analog electronic flow in subthreshold transistors and analog molecular flux in chemical reactions obey Boltzmann exponential laws of thermodynamics and are described by astoundingly similar logarithmic electrochemical potentials. Therefore, cytomorphic circuits can help to map circuit designs between electronic and biochemical domains. We review recent work that uses positive-feedback linearization circuits to architect wide-dynamic-range logarithmic analog computation in Escherichia coli using three transcription factors, nearly two orders of magnitude more efficient in parts than prior digital implementations. PMID:24567476

NON-BLOCKING STABILIZED FEED BACK AMPLIFIER

DOEpatents

Fairstein, E.

1960-03-01

A plural stuge nonblocking degenerative feed-back amplifier was designed particularly suitable for counting circuits because of the stability and linearity in operation, characterized by the fact that the inltial stage employs a cathode coupled input circuit fed from a cathode follower and the final stage has a tline constant greater than those of the other stages.

PARALYZER FOR PULSE HEIGHT DISTRIBUTION ANALYZER

DOEpatents

Fairstein, E.

1960-01-19

A paralyzer circuit is described for use with a pulseheight distribution analyzer to prevent the analyzer from counting overlapping pulses where they would serve to provide a false indication. The paralyzer circuit comprises a pair of cathode-coupled amplifiers for amplifying pulses of opposite polarity. Diodes are provided having their anodes coupled to the separate outputs of the amplifiers to produce only positive signals, and a trigger circuit is coupled to the diodes ior operation by input pulses of either polarity from the amplifiers. A delay network couples the output of the trigger circuit for delaying the pulses.

Passive hand movements disrupt adults' counting strategies.

PubMed

Imbo, Ineke; Vandierendonck, André; Fias, Wim

2011-01-01

In the present study, we experimentally tested the role of hand motor circuits in simple-arithmetic strategies. Educated adults solved simple additions (e.g., 8 + 3) or simple subtractions (e.g., 11 - 3) while they were required to retrieve the answer from long-term memory (e.g., knowing that 8 + 3 = 11), to transform the problem by making an intermediate step (e.g., 8 + 3 = 8 + 2 + 1 = 10 + 1 = 11) or to count one-by-one (e.g., 8 + 3 = 8…9…10…11). During the process of solving the arithmetic problems, the experimenter did or did not move the participants' hand on a four-point matrix. The results show that passive hand movements disrupted the counting strategy while leaving the other strategies unaffected. This pattern of results is in agreement with a procedural account, showing that the involvement of hand motor circuits in adults' mathematical abilities is reminiscent of finger counting during childhood.

The determination of the pulse pile-up reject (PUR) counting for X and gamma ray spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karabıdak, S. M.; Kaya, S.

2017-02-01

The collection the charged particles produced by the incident radiation on a detector requires a time interval. If this time interval is not sufficiently short compared with the peaking time of the amplifier, a loss in the recovered signal amplitude occurs. Another major constraint on the throughput of modern x or gamma-ray spectrometers is the time required for the subsequent the pulse processing by the electronics. Two above-mentioned limitations are cause of counting losses resulting from the dead time and the pile-up. The pulse pile-up is a common problem in x and gamma ray radiation detection systems. The pulses pile-up in spectroscopic analysis can cause significant errors. Therefore, inhibition of these pulses is a vital step. A way to reduce errors due to the pulse pile-up is a pile-up inspection circuitry (PUR). Such a circuit rejects some of the pulse pile-up. Therefore, this circuit leads to counting losses. Determination of these counting losses is an important problem. In this work, a new method is suggested for the determination of the pulse pile-up reject.

Mapping from multiple-control Toffoli circuits to linear nearest neighbor quantum circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Xueyun; Guan, Zhijin; Ding, Weiping

2018-07-01

In recent years, quantum computing research has been attracting more and more attention, but few studies on the limited interaction distance between quantum bits (qubit) are deeply carried out. This paper presents a mapping method for transforming multiple-control Toffoli (MCT) circuits into linear nearest neighbor (LNN) quantum circuits instead of traditional decomposition-based methods. In order to reduce the number of inserted SWAP gates, a novel type of gate with the optimal LNN quantum realization was constructed, namely NNTS gate. The MCT gate with multiple control bits could be better cascaded by the NNTS gates, in which the arrangement of the input lines was LNN arrangement of the MCT gate. Then, the communication overhead measurement model on inserted SWAP gate count from the original arrangement to the new arrangement was put forward, and we selected one of the LNN arrangements with the minimum SWAP gate count. Moreover, the LNN arrangement-based mapping algorithm was given, and it dealt with the MCT gates in turn and mapped each MCT gate into its LNN form by inserting the minimum number of SWAP gates. Finally, some simplification rules were used, which can further reduce the final quantum cost of the LNN quantum circuit. Experiments on some benchmark MCT circuits indicate that the direct mapping algorithm results in fewer additional SWAP gates in about 50%, while the average improvement rate in quantum cost is 16.95% compared to the decomposition-based method. In addition, it has been verified that the proposed method has greater superiority for reversible circuits cascaded by MCT gates with more control bits.

NbN A/D Conversion of IR Focal Plane Sensor Signal at 10 K

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eaton, L.; Durand, D.; Sandell, R.; Spargo, J.; Krabach, T.

1994-01-01

We are implementing a 12 bit SFQ counting ADC with parallel-to-serial readout using our established 10 K NbN capability. This circuit provides a key element of the analog signal processor (ASP) used in large infrared focal plane arrays. The circuit processes the signal data stream from a Si:As BIB detector array. A 10 mega samples per second (MSPS) pixel data stream flows from the chip at a 120 megabit bit rate in a format that is compatible with other superconductive time dependent processor (TDP) circuits being developed. We will discuss our planned ASP demonstration, the circuit design, and test results.

MULTI-ELECTRODE TUBE PULSE MEMORY CIRCUIT

DOEpatents

Gundlach, J.C.; Reeves, J.B.

1958-05-20

Control circuits are described for pulse memory devices for scalers and the like, and more particularly to a driving or energizing circuit for a polycathode gaseous discharge tube having an elongated anode and a successive series of cathodes spaced opposite the anode along its length. The circuit is so arranged as to utilize an arc discharge between the anode and a cathode to count a series of pulses. Upon application of an input pulse the discharge is made to occur between the anode and the next successive cathode, and an output pulse is produced when a particular subsequent cathode is reached. The circuit means for transfering the discharge by altering the anode potential and potential of the cathodes and interconnecting the cathodes constitutes the novel aspects of the invention. A low response time and reduced number of circuit components are the practical advantages of the described circuit.

Measurement of luminescence decays: High performance at low cost

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sulkes, Mark; Sulkes, Zoe

2011-11-01

The availability of inexpensive ultra bright LEDs spanning the visible and near-ultraviolet combined with the availability of inexpensive electronics equipment makes it possible to construct a high performance luminescence lifetime apparatus (˜5 ns instrumental response or better) at low cost. A central need for time domain measurement systems is the ability to obtain short (˜1 ns or less) excitation light pulses from the LEDs. It is possible to build the necessary LED driver using a simple avalanche transistor circuit. We describe first a circuit to test for small signal NPN transistors that can avalanche. We then describe a final optimized avalanche mode circuit that we developed on a prototyping board by measuring driven light pulse duration as a function of the circuit on the board and passive component values. We demonstrate that the combination of the LED pulser and a 1P28 photomultiplier tube used in decay waveform acquisition has a time response that allows for detection and lifetime determination of luminescence decays down to ˜5 ns. The time response and data quality afforded with the same components in time-correlated single photon counting are even better. For time-correlated single photon counting an even simpler NAND-gate based LED driver circuit is also applicable. We also demonstrate the possible utility of a simple frequency domain method for luminescence lifetime determinations.

On-line tritium production monitor

DOEpatents

Mihalczo, John T.

1993-01-01

A scintillation optical fiber system for the on-line monitoring of nuclear reactions in an event-by-event manner is described. In the measurement of tritium production one or more optical fibers are coated with enriched .sup.6 Li and connected to standard scintillation counter circuitry. A neutron generated .sup.6 Li(n )T reaction occurs in the coated surface of .sup.6 Li-coated fiber to produce energetic alpha and triton particles one of which enters the optical fiber and scintillates light through the fiber to the counting circuit. The coated optical fibers can be provided with position sensitivity by placing a mirror at the free end of the fibers or by using pulse counting circuits at both ends of the fibers.

On-line tritium production monitor

DOEpatents

Mihalczo, J.T.

1993-11-23

A scintillation optical fiber system for the on-line monitoring of nuclear reactions in an event-by-event manner is described. In the measurement of tritium production one or more optical fibers are coated with enriched {sup 6}Li and connected to standard scintillation counter circuitry. A neutron generated {sup 6}Li(n)T reaction occurs in the coated surface of {sup 6}Li-coated fiber to produce energetic alpha and triton particles one of which enters the optical fiber and scintillates light through the fiber to the counting circuit. The coated optical fibers can be provided with position sensitivity by placing a mirror at the free end of the fibers or by using pulse counting circuits at both ends of the fibers. 5 figures.

Programmable logic devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobs, J. L.

1993-04-01

Erasable programmable logic devices (EPLD's) were investigated to determine their advantages and/or disadvantages in Test Equipment Engineering applications. It was found that EPLD's performed as well as or better than identical circuits using standard transistor transistor logic (TTL). The chip count in these circuits was reduced, saving printed circuit board space and shortening fabrication and prove-in time. Troubleshooting circuits of EPLD's was also easier with 10 to 100 times fewer wires needed. The reduced number of integrated circuits (IC's) contributed to faster system speeds and an overall lower power consumption. In some cases changes to the circuit became software changes using EPLD's instead of hardware changes for standard logic. Using EPLD's was fairly easy; however, as with any new technology, a learning curve must be overcome before EPLD's can be used efficiently. The many benefits of EPLD's outweighed this initial inconvenience.

An in vitro method for comparing biocompatibility of materials for extracorporeal circulation.

PubMed

Peek, Giles J; Scott, Richard; Killer, Hilliary M; Firmin, Richard K

2002-03-01

We measured the response of fresh heparinized human blood to recirculation through circuits made of LVA (Portex Industries, Hythe, Kent, UK), SRT (Rehau UK, Langley, Slough, UK) and Tygon S-65-HL (Norton Performance Plastics, Corby, Northants, UK), as control. Circuit construction: 1/2 in. tubing, heat exchanger (Dideco D-720P), Stockert roller pump, just underoccluded, Cincinnati Sub Zero heater, circuit volume of 500 ml. Flow 3.45 l/min, 37 degrees C. at 10 min, 1, 2, 4 and 6 h. n=5 in each group; 2/5 SRT experiments were stopped at 45 and 60 min due to overpressurization. Baseline activated clotting time (ACT) of 300 s, increasing in all groups as fibrinogen fell to zero with SRT and LVA. Minimum fibrinogen was 1 g/l for Tygon. Absolute thrombocytopenia occurred (SRT and LVA 60 min and Tygon 240 min). International normalized ratio (INR) in both the SRT and LVA circuits increased, but mean increase for Tygon (0.56) was smaller than the other two materials. Plasma free haemoglobin increased in all three materials; the increase was greater in the LVA circuits compared to the control. C5b9 levels increased equally in all groups. Lactoferrin levels rose equally in all groups to a maximum at 150 min. The neutrophil counts fell, mirroring the lactoferrin. The total white cell counts also fell in all groups; in the LVA circuits, the fall was significantly lower than in the control. Rapid disappearance of platelets and fibrinogen from the blood in the SRT and LVA circuits excludes them both from extracorporeal use. Paradoxically, SRT caused the least complement activation of the three materials. This method can be used to compare biocompatibility.

Analog Microcontroller Model for an Energy Harvesting Round Counter

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-01

densities representing the duration of ≥ for all scaled piezo ................................7 1 INTRODUCTION An accurate count...limited surface area available for mounting piezos on the gun system. Figure 1. Equivalent circuit model for a piezoelectric transducer...circuit model for the linear I-V relationships is parallel combination of six stages, each of which is comprised of a series combination of a resistor , DC

Microemboli in our bypass circuits: a contemporary audit.

PubMed

Willcox, Timothy W; Mitchell, Simon J

2009-12-01

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) may introduce microemboli into the patient's arterial circulation. These may arise from the CPB circuit. Most relevant studies have been performed in vitro; there are relatively few clinical studies. We used the Emboli Detection and Classification quantifier (EDAC) (Luna Innovations, Roanoke, VA) in a prospective clinical audit of emboli in a contemporary CPB circuit. Following ethics approval, standard clinical CPB circuits in patients undergoing CPB were instrumented with three EDAC system probes placed on the venous line, outlet of the hard-shell venous reservoir (HSVR), and distal to the arterial line filter. This was synchronized with the perfusion data management system and emboli number and volume were recorded at 30-second intervals. Recorded observations and combined data from both the EDAC and data management system were analyzed. We report data from the first 12 patients (24.5 hours of CPB) of a larger series currently being performed. The mean total emboli count per minute was significantly greater downstream of the HSVR than in the venous line and significantly less downstream of the arterial line filter than either of the above. The total count downstream of both the HSVR and the arterial line filter was greater when the vent pump was on vs. off. Despite the significant increase in emboli count downstream of the reservoir during vent operation there was a significant reduction in the total volume of emboli in this position compared with the venous line. This was further reduced by the arterial line filter. Nevertheless, the total embolic volume was greater downstream of the HSVR and the arterial filter with the vent on vs. off. The two overwhelming sources of emboli emanating from our CPB circuit were the use of the left ventricular vent and air entrained from the venous line. Such audit enables refinement of CPB management and potential component redesign which may make CPB safer and improve patient outcome.

Dynamic Testing and Automatic Repair of Reconfigurable Wiring Harnesses

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-11-27

Switch An M ×N grid of switches configured to provide a M -input, N -output routing network. Permutation Network A permutation network performs an...wiring reduces the effective advantage of their reduced switch count, particularly when considering that regular grids (crossbar switches being a...are connected to. The outline circuit shown in Fig. 20 shows how a suitable ‘discovery probe’ might be implemented. The circuit shows a UART

Digital coincidence counting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buckman, S. M.; Ius, D.

1996-02-01

This paper reports on the development of a digital coincidence-counting system which comprises a custom-built data acquisition card and associated PC software. The system has been designed to digitise the pulse-trains from two radiation detectors at a rate of 20 MSamples/s with 12-bit resolution. Through hardware compression of the data, the system can continuously record both individual pulse-shapes and the time intervals between pulses. Software-based circuits are used to process the stored pulse trains. These circuits are constructed simply by linking together icons representing various components such as coincidence mixers, time delays, single-channel analysers, deadtimes and scalers. This system enables a pair of pulse trains to be processed repeatedly using any number of different methods. Some preliminary results are presented in order to demonstrate the versatility and efficiency of this new method.

High resolution time interval meter

DOEpatents

Martin, A.D.

1986-05-09

Method and apparatus are provided for measuring the time interval between two events to a higher resolution than reliability available from conventional circuits and component. An internal clock pulse is provided at a frequency compatible with conventional component operating frequencies for reliable operation. Lumped constant delay circuits are provided for generating outputs at delay intervals corresponding to the desired high resolution. An initiation START pulse is input to generate first high resolution data. A termination STOP pulse is input to generate second high resolution data. Internal counters count at the low frequency internal clock pulse rate between the START and STOP pulses. The first and second high resolution data are logically combined to directly provide high resolution data to one counter and correct the count in the low resolution counter to obtain a high resolution time interval measurement.

High-performance integrated pick-up circuit for SPAD arrays in time-correlated single photon counting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acconcia, Giulia; Cominelli, Alessandro; Peronio, Pietro; Rech, Ivan; Ghioni, Massimo

2017-05-01

The analysis of optical signals by means of Single Photon Avalanche Diodes (SPADs) has been subject to a widespread interest in recent years. The development of multichannel high-performance Time Correlated Single Photon Counting (TCSPC) acquisition systems has undergone a fast trend. Concerning the detector performance, best in class results have been obtained resorting to custom technologies leading also to a strong dependence of the detector timing jitter from the threshold used to determine the onset of the photogenerated current flow. In this scenario, the avalanche current pick-up circuit plays a key role in determining the timing performance of the TCSPC acquisition system, especially with a large array of SPAD detectors because of electrical crosstalk issues. We developed a new current pick-up circuit based on a transimpedance amplifier structure able to extract the timing information from a 50-μm-diameter custom technology SPAD with a state-of-art timing jitter as low as 32ps and suitable to be exploited with SPAD arrays. In this paper we discuss the key features of this structure and we present a new version of the pick-up circuit that also provides quenching capabilities in order to minimize the number of interconnections required, an aspect that becomes more and more crucial in densely integrated systems.

Integrated circuit authentication using photon-limited x-ray microscopy.

PubMed

Markman, Adam; Javidi, Bahram

2016-07-15

A counterfeit integrated circuit (IC) may contain subtle changes to its circuit configuration. These changes may be observed when imaged using an x-ray; however, the energy from the x-ray can potentially damage the IC. We have investigated a technique to authenticate ICs under photon-limited x-ray imaging. We modeled an x-ray image with lower energy by generating a photon-limited image from a real x-ray image using a weighted photon-counting method. We performed feature extraction on the image using the speeded-up robust features (SURF) algorithm. We then authenticated the IC by comparing the SURF features to a database of SURF features from authentic and counterfeit ICs. Our experimental results with real and counterfeit ICs using an x-ray microscope demonstrate that we can correctly authenticate an IC image captured using orders of magnitude lower energy x-rays. To the best of our knowledge, this Letter is the first one on using a photon-counting x-ray imaging model and relevant algorithms to authenticate ICs to prevent potential damage.

Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes for microarray systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phelan, Don; Jackson, Carl; Redfern, R. Michael; Morrison, Alan P.; Mathewson, Alan

2002-06-01

New Geiger Mode Avalanche Photodiodes (GM-APD) have been designed and characterized specifically for use in microarray systems. Critical parameters such as excess reverse bias voltage, hold-off time and optimum operating temperature have been experimentally determined for these photon-counting devices. The photon detection probability, dark count rate and afterpulsing probability have been measured under different operating conditions. An active- quench circuit (AQC) is presented for operating these GM- APDs. This circuit is relatively simple, robust and has such benefits as reducing average power dissipation and afterpulsing. Arrays of these GM-APDs have already been designed and together with AQCs open up the possibility of having a solid-state microarray detector that enables parallel analysis on a single chip. Another advantage of these GM-APDs over current technology is their low voltage CMOS compatibility which could allow for the fabrication of an AQC on the same device. Small are detectors have already been employed in the time-resolved detection of fluorescence from labeled proteins. It is envisaged that operating these new GM-APDs with this active-quench circuit will have numerous applications for the detection of fluorescence in microarray systems.

Active quench and reset integrated circuit with novel hold-off time control logic for Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes.

PubMed

Deng, Shijie; Morrison, Alan P

2012-09-15

This Letter presents an active quench-and-reset circuit for Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes (GM-APDs). The integrated circuit was fabricated using a conventional 0.35 μm complementary metal oxide semiconductor process. Experimental results show that the circuit is capable of linearly setting the hold-off time from several nanoseconds to microseconds with a resolution of 6.5 ns. This allows the selection of the optimal afterpulse-free hold-off time for the GM-APD via external digital inputs or additional signal processing circuitry. Moreover, this circuit resets the APD automatically following the end of the hold-off period, thus simplifying the control for the end user. Results also show that a minimum dead time of 28.4 ns is achieved, demonstrating a saturated photon-counting rate of 35.2 Mcounts/s.

Fast collimated neutron flux measurement using stilbene scintillator and flashy analog-to-digital converter in JT-60U

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishikawa, M.; Itoga, T.; Okuji, T.; Nakhostin, M.; Shinohara, K.; Hayashi, T.; Sukegawa, A.; Baba, M.; Nishitani, T.

2006-10-01

A line-integrated neutron emission profile is routinely measured using the radial neutron collimator system in JT-60U tokamak. Stilbene neuron detectors (SNDs), which combine a stilbene organic crystal scintillation detector (SD) with an analog neutron-gamma pulse shape discrimination (PSD) circuit, have been used to measure collimated neutron flux. Although the SND has many advantages as a neutron detector, the maximum count rate is limited up to ˜1×105counts/s due to the analog PSD circuit. To overcome this issue, a digital signal processing system (DSPS) using a flash analog-to-digital converter (Acqiris DC252, 8GHz, 10bits) has been developed at Cyclotron and Radioisotope Center in Tohoku University. In this system anode signals from photomultiplier of the SD are directory stored and digitized. Then, the PSD between neutrons and gamma rays is performed using software. The DSPS has been installed in the vertical neutron collimator system in JT-60U and applied to deuterium experiments. It is confirmed that the PSD is sufficiently performed and collimated neutron flux is successfully measured with count rate up to ˜5×105counts/s without the effect of pileup of detected pulses. The performance of the DSPS as a neutron detector, which supersedes the SND, is demonstrated.

Influence of electrolytes in the QCM response: discrimination and quantification of the interference to correct microgravimetric data.

PubMed

Encarnação, João M; Stallinga, Peter; Ferreira, Guilherme N M

2007-02-15

In this work we demonstrate that the presence of electrolytes in solution generates desorption-like transients when the resonance frequency is measured. Using impedance spectroscopy analysis and Butterworth-Van Dyke (BVD) equivalent electrical circuit modeling we demonstrate that non-Kanazawa responses are obtained in the presence of electrolytes mainly due to the formation of a diffuse electric double layer (DDL) at the sensor surface, which also causes a capacitor like signal. We extend the BVD equivalent circuit by including additional parallel capacitances in order to account for such capacitor like signal. Interfering signals from electrolytes and DDL perturbations were this way discriminated. We further quantified as 8.0+/-0.5 Hz pF-1 the influence of electrolytes to the sensor resonance frequency and we used this factor to correct the data obtained by frequency counting measurements. The applicability of this approach is demonstrated by the detection of oligonucleotide sequences. After applying the corrective factor to the frequency counting data, the mass contribution to the sensor signal yields identical values when estimated by impedance analysis and frequency counting.

Stability of the Baseline Holder in Readout Circuits For Radiation Detectors

PubMed Central

Chen, Y.; Cui, Y.; O’Connor, P.; Seo, Y.; Camarda, G. S.; Hossain, A.; Roy, U.; Yang, G.; James, R. B.

2016-01-01

Baseline holder (BLH) circuits are used widely to stabilize the analog output of application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) for high-count-rate applications. The careful design of BLH circuits is vital to the overall stability of the analog-signal-processing chain in ASICs. Recently, we observed self-triggered fluctuations in an ASIC in which the shaping circuits have a BLH circuit in the feedback loop. In fact, further investigations showed that methods of enhancing small-signal stabilities cause an even worse situation. To resolve this problem, we used large-signal analyses to study the circuit’s stability. We found that a relatively small gain for the error amplifier and a small current in the non-linear stage of the BLH are required to enhance stability in large-signal analysis, which will compromise the properties of the BLH. These findings were verified by SPICE simulations. In this paper, we present our detailed analysis of the BLH circuits, and propose an improved version of them that have only minimal self-triggered fluctuations. We summarize the design considerations both for the stability and the properties of the BLH circuits. PMID:27182081

Portable multiplicity counter

DOEpatents

Newell, Matthew R [Los Alamos, NM; Jones, David Carl [Los Alamos, NM

2009-09-01

A portable multiplicity counter has signal input circuitry, processing circuitry and a user/computer interface disposed in a housing. The processing circuitry, which can comprise a microcontroller integrated circuit operably coupled to shift register circuitry implemented in a field programmable gate array, is configured to be operable via the user/computer interface to count input signal pluses receivable at said signal input circuitry and record time correlations thereof in a total counting mode, coincidence counting mode and/or a multiplicity counting mode. The user/computer interface can be for example an LCD display/keypad and/or a USB interface. The counter can include a battery pack for powering the counter and low/high voltage power supplies for biasing external detectors so that the counter can be configured as a hand-held device for counting neutron events.

HgCdTe APD-based linear-mode photon counting components and ladar receivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jack, Michael; Wehner, Justin; Edwards, John; Chapman, George; Hall, Donald N. B.; Jacobson, Shane M.

2011-05-01

Linear mode photon counting (LMPC) provides significant advantages in comparison with Geiger Mode (GM) Photon Counting including absence of after-pulsing, nanosecond pulse to pulse temporal resolution and robust operation in the present of high density obscurants or variable reflectivity objects. For this reason Raytheon has developed and previously reported on unique linear mode photon counting components and modules based on combining advanced APDs and advanced high gain circuits. By using HgCdTe APDs we enable Poisson number preserving photon counting. A metric of photon counting technology is dark count rate and detection probability. In this paper we report on a performance breakthrough resulting from improvement in design, process and readout operation enabling >10x reduction in dark counts rate to ~10,000 cps and >104x reduction in surface dark current enabling long 10 ms integration times. Our analysis of key dark current contributors suggest that substantial further reduction in DCR to ~ 1/sec or less can be achieved by optimizing wavelength, operating voltage and temperature.

Development of confocal laser microscope system for examination of microscopic characteristics of radiophotoluminescence glass dosemeters.

PubMed

Maki, Daisuke; Ishii, Tetsuya; Sato, Fuminobu; Kato, Yushi; Yamamoto, Takayoshi; Iida, Toshiyuki

2011-03-01

A confocal laser microscope system was developed for the measurement of radiophotoluminescence (RPL) photons emitted from a minute alpha-ray-irradiated area in an RPL glass dosemeter. The system was composed mainly of an inverted-type microscope, an ultraviolet laser, an XY movable stage and photon-counting circuits. The photon-counting circuits were effective in the reduction of the background noise level in the measurement of RPL photons. The performance of this microscope system was examined by the observation of standard RPL glass samples irradiated using (241)Am alpha rays. The spatial resolution of this system was ∼ 3 μm, and with regard to the sensitivity of this system, a hit of more than four to five alpha rays in unit area produced enough amount of RPL photons to construct the image.

A readout system for X-ray powder crystallography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loukas, D.; Haralabidis, N.; Pavlidis, A.; Karvelas, E.; Psycharis ^a, K. Misiakos, V.; Mousa, J.; Dre, Ch.

2000-06-01

A system for capturing and processing data, from radiation detectors, in the field of X-ray crystallography has been developed. The system includes a custom-made mixed analog-digital 16-channel VLSI circuit in 50 μm pitch. Each channel comprises a charge amplifier, a shaper, a comparator and a 21-bit counter. The circuit can be scaled in a daisy chain configuration. Data acquisition is performed with a custom made PCI card while the control software is developed with Visual C++ under the MS Windows NT environment. Performance of a fully operational system, in terms of electronic noise, statistical variations and data capture speed is presented. The noise level permits counting of X-rays down to 8 keV while the counting capability is in excess of 200 kHz. The system is intended for X-ray crystallography with silicon detectors.

A novel nanoscaled Schottky barrier based transmission gate and its digital circuit applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Sunil; Loan, Sajad A.; Alamoud, Abdulrahman M.

2017-04-01

In this work we propose and simulate a compact nanoscaled transmission gate (TG) employing a single Schottky barrier based transistor in the transmission path and a single transistor based Sajad-Sunil-Schottky (SSS) device as an inverter. Therefore, just two transistors are employed to realize a complete transmission gate which normally consumes four transistors in the conventional technology. The transistors used to realize the transmission path and the SSS inverter in the proposed TG are the double gate Schottky barrier devices, employing stacks of two metal silicides, platinum silicide (PtSi) and erbium silicide (ErSi). It has been observed that the realization of the TG gate by the proposed technology has resulted into a compact structure, with reduced component count, junctions, interconnections and regions in comparison to the conventional technology. The further focus of this work is on the application part of the proposed technology. So for the first time, the proposed technology has been used to realize various combinational circuits, like a two input AND gate, a 2:1 multiplexer and a two input XOR circuits. It has been observed that the transistor count has got reduced by half in a TG, two input AND gate, 2:1 multiplexer and in a two input XOR gate. Therefore, a significant reduction in transistor count and area requirement can be achieved by using the proposed technology. The proposed technology can be also used to perform the compact realization of other combinational and sequential circuitry in future.

PCACE- PERSONAL COMPUTER AIDED CABLING ENGINEERING

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Billitti, J. W.

1994-01-01

A computerized interactive harness engineering program has been developed to provide an inexpensive, interactive system which is designed for learning and using an engineering approach to interconnection systems. PCACE is basically a database system that stores information as files of individual connectors and handles wiring information in circuit groups stored as records. This directly emulates the typical manual engineering methods of data handling, thus making the user interface to the program very natural. Data files can be created, viewed, manipulated, or printed in real time. The printed ouput is in a form ready for use by fabrication and engineering personnel. PCACE also contains a wide variety of error-checking routines including connector contact checks during hardcopy generation. The user may edit existing harness data files or create new files. In creating a new file, the user is given the opportunity to insert all the connector and harness boiler plate data which would be part of a normal connector wiring diagram. This data includes the following: 1) connector reference designator, 2) connector part number, 3) backshell part number, 4) cable reference designator, 5) cable part number, 6) drawing revision, 7) relevant notes, 8) standard wire gauge, and 9) maximum circuit count. Any item except the maximum circuit count may be left blank, and any item may be changed at a later time. Once a file is created and organized, the user is directed to the main menu and has access to the file boiler plate, the circuit wiring records, and the wiring records index list. The organization of a file is such that record zero contains the connector/cable boiler plate, and all other records contain circuit wiring data. Each wiring record will handle a circuit with as many as nine wires in the interface. The record stores the circuit name and wire count and the following data for each wire: 1) wire identifier, 2) contact, 3) splice, 4) wire gauge if different from standard, 5) wire/group type, 6) wire destination, and 7) note number. The PCACE record structure allows for a wide variety of wiring forms using splices and shields, yet retains sufficient structure to maintain ease of use. PCACE is written in TURBO Pascal 3.0 and has been implemented on IBM PC, XT, and AT systems under DOS 3.1 with a memory of 512K of 8 bit bytes, two floppy disk drives, an RGB monitor, and a printer with ASCII control characters. PCACE was originally developed in 1983, and the IBM version was released in 1986.

Accurate time delay technology in simulated test for high precision laser range finder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zhibin; Xiao, Wenjian; Wang, Weiming; Xue, Mingxi

2015-10-01

With the continuous development of technology, the ranging accuracy of pulsed laser range finder (LRF) is higher and higher, so the maintenance demand of LRF is also rising. According to the dominant ideology of "time analog spatial distance" in simulated test for pulsed range finder, the key of distance simulation precision lies in the adjustable time delay. By analyzing and comparing the advantages and disadvantages of fiber and circuit delay, a method was proposed to improve the accuracy of the circuit delay without increasing the count frequency of the circuit. A high precision controllable delay circuit was designed by combining the internal delay circuit and external delay circuit which could compensate the delay error in real time. And then the circuit delay accuracy could be increased. The accuracy of the novel circuit delay methods proposed in this paper was actually measured by a high sampling rate oscilloscope actual measurement. The measurement result shows that the accuracy of the distance simulated by the circuit delay is increased from +/- 0.75m up to +/- 0.15m. The accuracy of the simulated distance is greatly improved in simulated test for high precision pulsed range finder.

Fast frequency divider circuit using combinational logic

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Helinski, Ryan

The various technologies presented herein relate to performing on-chip frequency division of an operating frequency of a ring oscillator (RO). Per the various embodiments herein, a conflict between RO size versus operational frequency can be addressed by dividing the output frequency of the RO to a frequency that can be measured on-chip. A frequency divider circuit (comprising NOR gates and latches, for example) can be utilized in conjunction with the RO on the chip. In an embodiment, the frequency divider circuit can include a pair of latches coupled to the RO to facilitate dividing the oscillating frequency of the ROmore » by 2. In another embodiment, the frequency divider circuit can include four latches (operating in pairs) coupled to the RO to facilitate dividing the oscillating frequency of the RO by 4. A plurality of ROs can be MUXed to the plurality of ROs by a single oscillation-counting circuit.« less

Is ultraviolet radiation on haemodialysis RO water beneficial?

PubMed

Stragier, A

2005-01-01

The quality of dialysis fluids has become increasingly important in the treatment of HD patients. Purified water represents over 95% of its volume. Bacterial and endotoxin content of Reverse Osmosis (RO) water is usually kept under control by bacterial filters, inserted in the distribution departure loop, and by monthly disinfection of the distribution circuit; the simpler the circuit, the better. This paper reports 12 years experience during which Ultraviolet Irradiation (UV) has replaced bacterial filters. To keep the bacterial growth under control in a complex RO water circuit (including a tank and multiple loops) a simple UV lamp was inserted in the departure line. It proved sufficient to keep bacterial count within AAMI norms. Failure of the UV lamp was associated with a rise of up to 500 cfu/ml in the last (fourth week) before routine disinfection. Normal levels were again obtained after replacement of the UV lamp. Six years later, a second UV lamp was added on the return loop. Bacterial counts and endotoxin levels in RO water promptly fell to <1 cfu/ml and <0.125 EU, till today. It is concluded that UV lamps should be favoured over bacterial filters in systems that are not disinfected daily, such as the RO water circuit. The principle of UV irradiation is explained and its advantage over bacterial filters is discussed. Future possible applications of UV are presented.

Plasma Free Hemoglobin Generation Using the EOS PMP™ Oxygenator and the CentriMag® Blood Pump.

PubMed

Hodge, Ashley B; Deitemyer, Matthew A; Duffy, Victoria L; Tumin, Dmitry; Garbin, Dorothy A; Nicol, Kathleen K; Hayes, Don; Cismowski, Mary J; Yates, Andrew R

2018-06-01

Hemolysis is a known consequence of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) resulting from shear force within the different components of the extracorporeal circuit. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the EOS PMP ™ oxygenator for generation of plasma free hemoglobin (PfHg) over 24 hours at nominal operating range flow rates. The EOS ECMO ™ (LivaNova, Inc.; formerly Sorin, Arvada, CO) is equipped with a plasma tight polymethylpentene (PMP) hollow fiber oxygenator. We hypothesized that PfHg generation would be elevated in circuits with higher flow rates, because of the significant pressure drop across the oxygenator according to manufacturer provided flow charts. Generated PfHg concentrations were compared with PfHg concentrations from blood not exposed to an ECMO circuit. The secondary aim was to evaluate circuit flow-rate-induced changes in platelet count and platelet function over 24 hours. Circuits contained a CentriMag ® (St. Jude Medical, St. Paul, MN) blood pump and an EOS ECMO PMP ™ oxygenator. Circuits in triplicate were run continuously for 24 hours at three flow rates [1, 3, and 5 liters per minute {LPM}]. PfHg was analyzed at baseline, 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours. Platelet count and function were measured at baseline and 24 hours. Concentrations of PfHg at baseline for circuits operating at 1, 3, and 5 LPM were 24.4 ± 4.0, 38.4 ± 28.6, and 26.7 ± 6.9 mg/dL, respectively. PfHg concentrations after 24 hours were statistically compared for the three flow rates using analysis of variance; PfHg concentrations at 1 LPM (181.4 ± 29.1 mg/dL), 3 LPM (145.9 ± 8.7 mg/dL), and 5 LPM (100.1 ± 111.3 mg/dL) circuits. The F -test was not statistically significant ( p = .632), indicating that PfHg generation at 24 hours was similar among the three flow rates. Excessive hemolysis using PfHg levels in the EOS PMP ™ membrane oxygenator was not observed.

Development of Fast Measurement System of Neutron Emission Profile Using a Digital Signal Processing Technique in JT-60U

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ishikawa, M.; Shinohara, K.; Itoga, T.

2008-03-12

Neutron emission profiles are routinely measured in JT-60U Tokamak. Stinbene neuron detectors (SNDs), which combine a Stilbene organic crystal scintillation detector (Stilbene detector) with an analog neutron-gamma pulse shape discrimination (PSD) circuit, have been used to measure neutron flux efficiently. Although the SND has many advantages as a neutron detector, the maximum count rate is limited up to {approx}1x 10{sup 5} counts/s due to the dead time of the analog PSD circuit. To overcome this issue, a digital signal processing (DSP) system using a Flash-ADC has been developed. In this system, anode signals from the photomultiplier of the Stilbene detectormore » are fed to the Flash ADC and digitized. Then, the PSD between neutrons and gamma-rays are performed using software. The photomultiplier tube is also modified to suppress and correct gain fluctuation of the photomultiplier. The DSP system has been installed in the center channel of the vertical neutron collimator system in JT-60U and applied to measurements of neutron flux in JT-60U experiments. Neutron flux are successfully measured with count rate up to {approx}1x 10{sup 6} counts/s without the effect of pile up of detected pulses. The performance of the DSP system as a neutron detector is demonstrated.« less

Continuous-variable gate decomposition for the Bose-Hubbard model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalajdzievski, Timjan; Weedbrook, Christian; Rebentrost, Patrick

2018-06-01

In this work, we decompose the time evolution of the Bose-Hubbard model into a sequence of logic gates that can be implemented on a continuous-variable photonic quantum computer. We examine the structure of the circuit that represents this time evolution for one-dimensional and two-dimensional lattices. The elementary gates needed for the implementation are counted as a function of lattice size. We also include the contribution of the leading dipole interaction term which may be added to the Hamiltonian and its corresponding circuit.

Spectral X-Ray Diffraction using a 6 Megapixel Photon Counting Array Detector.

PubMed

Muir, Ryan D; Pogranichniy, Nicholas R; Muir, J Lewis; Sullivan, Shane Z; Battaile, Kevin P; Mulichak, Anne M; Toth, Scott J; Keefe, Lisa J; Simpson, Garth J

2015-03-12

Pixel-array array detectors allow single-photon counting to be performed on a massively parallel scale, with several million counting circuits and detectors in the array. Because the number of photoelectrons produced at the detector surface depends on the photon energy, these detectors offer the possibility of spectral imaging. In this work, a statistical model of the instrument response is used to calibrate the detector on a per-pixel basis. In turn, the calibrated sensor was used to perform separation of dual-energy diffraction measurements into two monochromatic images. Targeting applications include multi-wavelength diffraction to aid in protein structure determination and X-ray diffraction imaging.

Spectral x-ray diffraction using a 6 megapixel photon counting array detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muir, Ryan D.; Pogranichniy, Nicholas R.; Muir, J. Lewis; Sullivan, Shane Z.; Battaile, Kevin P.; Mulichak, Anne M.; Toth, Scott J.; Keefe, Lisa J.; Simpson, Garth J.

2015-03-01

Pixel-array array detectors allow single-photon counting to be performed on a massively parallel scale, with several million counting circuits and detectors in the array. Because the number of photoelectrons produced at the detector surface depends on the photon energy, these detectors offer the possibility of spectral imaging. In this work, a statistical model of the instrument response is used to calibrate the detector on a per-pixel basis. In turn, the calibrated sensor was used to perform separation of dual-energy diffraction measurements into two monochromatic images. Targeting applications include multi-wavelength diffraction to aid in protein structure determination and X-ray diffraction imaging.

Design on the x-ray oral digital image display card

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Liping; Gu, Guohua; Chen, Qian

2009-10-01

According to the main characteristics of X-ray imaging, the X-ray display card is successfully designed and debugged using the basic principle of correlated double sampling (CDS) and combined with embedded computer technology. CCD sensor drive circuit and the corresponding procedures have been designed. Filtering and sampling hold circuit have been designed. The data exchange with PC104 bus has been implemented. Using complex programmable logic device as a device to provide gating and timing logic, the functions which counting, reading CPU control instructions, corresponding exposure and controlling sample-and-hold have been completed. According to the image effect and noise analysis, the circuit components have been adjusted. And high-quality images have been obtained.

GaAs VLSI technology and circuit elements for DSP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikkelson, James M.

1990-10-01

Recent progress in digital GaAs circuit performance and complexity is presented to demonstrate the current capabilities of GaAs components. High density GaAs process technology and circuit design techniques are described and critical issues for achieving favorable complexity speed power and cost tradeoffs are reviewed. Some DSP building blocks are described to provide examples of what types of DSP systems could be implemented with present GaAs technology. DIGITAL GaAs CIRCUIT CAPABILITIES In the past few years the capabilities of digital GaAs circuits have dramatically increased to the VLSI level. Major gains in circuit complexity and power-delay products have been achieved by the use of silicon-like process technologies and simple circuit topologies. The very high speed and low power consumption of digital GaAs VLSI circuits have made GaAs a desirable alternative to high performance silicon in hardware intensive high speed system applications. An example of the performance and integration complexity available with GaAs VLSI circuits is the 64x64 crosspoint switch shown in figure 1. This switch which is the most complex GaAs circuit currently available is designed on a 30 gate GaAs gate array. It operates at 200 MHz and dissipates only 8 watts of power. The reasons for increasing the level of integration of GaAs circuits are similar to the reasons for the continued increase of silicon circuit complexity. The market factors driving GaAs VLSI are system design methodology system cost power and reliability. System designers are hesitant or unwilling to go backwards to previous design techniques and lower levels of integration. A more highly integrated system in a lower performance technology can often approach the performance of a system in a higher performance technology at a lower level of integration. Higher levels of integration also lower the system component count which reduces the system cost size and power consumption while improving the system reliability. For large gate count circuits the power per gate must be minimized to prevent reliability and cooling problems. The technical factors which favor increasing GaAs circuit complexity are primarily related to reducing the speed and power penalties incurred when crossing chip boundaries. Because the internal GaAs chip logic levels are not compatible with standard silicon I/O levels input receivers and output drivers are needed to convert levels. These I/O circuits add significant delay to logic paths consume large amounts of power and use an appreciable portion of the die area. The effects of these I/O penalties can be reduced by increasing the ratio of core logic to I/O on a chip. DSP operations which have a large number of logic stages between the input and the output are ideal candidates to take advantage of the performance of GaAs digital circuits. Figure 2 is a schematic representation of the I/O penalties encountered when converting from ECL levels to GaAs

Utilizing Dynamically Coupled Cores to Form a Resilient Chip Multiprocessor

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-01

requires a significant deviation from previous work. For instance, we find that using the relaxed input replication model from Reunion incurs a...Circuit Width Delay Count CRC-16 16 6.65 754 CRC- SDLC -16 16 6.10 888 CRC-32 16 7.28 2260 CRC-32 32 8.60 4240 Table 1. FO4 delay and transistor count for...the operation of our proposed system is the same in all other respects. 4.4 Compatibility Across Memory Consis- tency Models The memory consistency

Design of a front-end integrated circuit for 3D acoustic imaging using 2D CMUT arrays.

PubMed

Ciçek, Ihsan; Bozkurt, Ayhan; Karaman, Mustafa

2005-12-01

Integration of front-end electronics with 2D capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) arrays has been a challenging issue due to the small element size and large channel count. We present design and verification of a front-end drive-readout integrated circuit for 3D ultrasonic imaging using 2D CMUT arrays. The circuit cell dedicated to a single CMUT array element consists of a high-voltage pulser and a low-noise readout amplifier. To analyze the circuit cell together with the CMUT element, we developed an electrical CMUT model with parameters derived through finite element analysis, and performed both the pre- and postlayout verification. An experimental chip consisting of 4 X 4 array of the designed circuit cells, each cell occupying a 200 X 200 microm2 area, was formed for the initial test studies and scheduled for fabrication in 0.8 microm, 50 V CMOS technology. The designed circuit is suitable for integration with CMUT arrays through flip-chip bonding and the CMUT-on-CMOS process.

A prospective randomized trial comparing the clinical effectiveness and biocompatibility of heparin-coated circuits and PMEA-coated circuits in pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass.

PubMed

Itoh, Hideshi; Ichiba, Shingo; Ujike, Yoshihito; Douguchi, Takuma; Kasahara, Shingo; Arai, Sadahiko; Sano, Shunji

2016-04-01

We compared the clinical effectiveness and biocompatibility of poly-2-methoxyethyl acrylate (PMEA)-coated and heparin-coated cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuits in a prospective pediatric trial. Infants randomly received heparin-coated (n=7) or PMEA-coated (n=7) circuits in elective pediatric cardiac surgery with CPB for ventricular septum defects. Clinical and hematologic variables, respiratory indices and hemodynamic changes were analyzed perioperatively. Demographic and clinical variables were similar in both groups. Leukocyte counts were significantly lower 5 minutes after CPB in the PMEA group than the heparin group. Hemodynamic data showed that PMEA caused hypotension within 5 minutes of CPB. The respiratory index was significantly higher immediately after CPB and 1 hour after transfer to the intensive care unit (ICU) in the PMEA group, as were levels of C-reactive protein 24 hours after transfer to the ICU. Our study shows that PMEA-coated circuits, unlike heparin-coated circuits, cause transient leukopenia during pediatric CPB and, perhaps, systemic inflammatory respiratory syndrome after pediatric CPB. © The Author(s) 2015.

Signal processing method of the diameter measurement system based on CCD parallel light projection method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Qing; Zhu, Sijia; Yan, Han; Wu, Wenqian

2008-03-01

Parallel light projection method for the diameter measurement is to project the workpiece to be measured on the photosensitive units of CCD, but the original signal output from CCD cannot be directly used for counting or measurement. The weak signal with high-frequency noise should be filtered and amplified firstly. This paper introduces RC low-pass filter and multiple feed-back second-order low-pass filter with infinite gain. Additionally there is always dispersion on the light band and the output signal has a transition between the irradiant area and the shadow, because of the instability of the light source intensity and the imperfection of the light system adjustment. To obtain exactly the shadow size related to the workpiece diameter, binary-value processing is necessary to achieve a square wave. Comparison method and differential method can be adopted for binary-value processing. There are two ways to decide the threshold value when using voltage comparator: the fixed level method and the floated level method. The latter has a high accuracy. Deferential method is to output two spike pulses with opposite pole by the rising edge and the failing edge of the video signal related to the differential circuit firstly, then the rising edge of the signal output from the differential circuit is acquired by half-wave rectifying circuit. After traveling through the zero passing comparator and the maintain- resistance edge trigger, the square wave which indicates the measured size is acquired at last. And then it is used for filling through standard pulses and for counting through the counter. Data acquisition and information processing is accomplished by the computer and the control software. This paper will introduce in detail the design and analysis of the filter circuit, binary-value processing circuit and the interface circuit towards the computer.

The microbiological and sustainability effects of washing anaesthesia breathing circuits less frequently.

PubMed

McGain, F; Algie, C M; O'Toole, J; Lim, T F; Mohebbi, M; Story, D A; Leder, K

2014-04-01

In the presence of single-use airway filters, we quantified anaesthetic circuit aerobic microbial contamination rates when changed every 24 h, 48 h and 7 days. Microbiological samples were taken from the interior of 305 anaesthetic breathing circuits over a 15-month period (3197 operations). There was no significant difference in the proportion of contaminated circuits when changed every 24 h (57/105 (54%, 95% CI 45-64%)) compared with 48 h (43/100 (43%, 95% CI 33-53%, p = 0.12)) and up to 7 days (46/100 (46%, 95% CI 36-56%, p = 0.26)). Median bacterial counts were not increased at 48 h or 7 days provided circuits were routinely emptied of condensate. Annual savings for one hospital (six operating theatres) were $AU 5219 (£3079, €3654, $US 4846) and a 57% decrease in anaesthesia circuit steriliser loads associated with a yearly saving of 2760 kWh of electricity and 48 000 l of water. Our findings suggest that extended circuit use from 24 h up to 7 days does not significantly increase bacterial contamination, and is associated with labour, energy, water and financial savings. © 2014 The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland.

HIGH VOLTAGE GENERATOR

DOEpatents

Zito, G.V.

1959-04-21

This patent relates to high voltage supply circuits adapted for providing operating voltages for GeigerMueller counter tubes, and is especially directed to an arrangement for maintaining uniform voltage under changing conditions of operation. In the usual power supply arrangement for counter tubes the counter voltage is taken from across the power supply output capacitor. If the count rate exceeds the current delivering capaciiy of the capacitor, the capacitor voltage will drop, decreasing the counter voltage. The present invention provides a multivibrator which has its output voltage controlled by a signal proportional to the counting rate. As the counting rate increases beyond the current delivering capacity of the capacitor, the rectified voltage output from the multivibrator is increased to maintain uniform counter voltage.

An algorithmic approach to solving polynomial equations associated with quantum circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerdt, V. P.; Zinin, M. V.

2009-12-01

In this paper we present two algorithms for reducing systems of multivariate polynomial equations over the finite field F 2 to the canonical triangular form called lexicographical Gröbner basis. This triangular form is the most appropriate for finding solutions of the system. On the other hand, the system of polynomials over F 2 whose variables also take values in F 2 (Boolean polynomials) completely describes the unitary matrix generated by a quantum circuit. In particular, the matrix itself can be computed by counting the number of solutions (roots) of the associated polynomial system. Thereby, efficient construction of the lexicographical Gröbner bases over F 2 associated with quantum circuits gives a method for computing their circuit matrices that is alternative to the direct numerical method based on linear algebra. We compare our implementation of both algorithms with some other software packages available for computing Gröbner bases over F 2.

Large-scale, high-density (up to 512 channels) recording of local circuits in behaving animals

PubMed Central

Berényi, Antal; Somogyvári, Zoltán; Nagy, Anett J.; Roux, Lisa; Long, John D.; Fujisawa, Shigeyoshi; Stark, Eran; Leonardo, Anthony; Harris, Timothy D.

2013-01-01

Monitoring representative fractions of neurons from multiple brain circuits in behaving animals is necessary for understanding neuronal computation. Here, we describe a system that allows high-channel-count recordings from a small volume of neuronal tissue using a lightweight signal multiplexing headstage that permits free behavior of small rodents. The system integrates multishank, high-density recording silicon probes, ultraflexible interconnects, and a miniaturized microdrive. These improvements allowed for simultaneous recordings of local field potentials and unit activity from hundreds of sites without confining free movements of the animal. The advantages of large-scale recordings are illustrated by determining the electroanatomic boundaries of layers and regions in the hippocampus and neocortex and constructing a circuit diagram of functional connections among neurons in real anatomic space. These methods will allow the investigation of circuit operations and behavior-dependent interregional interactions for testing hypotheses of neural networks and brain function. PMID:24353300

Solving search problems by strongly simulating quantum circuits

PubMed Central

Johnson, T. H.; Biamonte, J. D.; Clark, S. R.; Jaksch, D.

2013-01-01

Simulating quantum circuits using classical computers lets us analyse the inner workings of quantum algorithms. The most complete type of simulation, strong simulation, is believed to be generally inefficient. Nevertheless, several efficient strong simulation techniques are known for restricted families of quantum circuits and we develop an additional technique in this article. Further, we show that strong simulation algorithms perform another fundamental task: solving search problems. Efficient strong simulation techniques allow solutions to a class of search problems to be counted and found efficiently. This enhances the utility of strong simulation methods, known or yet to be discovered, and extends the class of search problems known to be efficiently simulable. Relating strong simulation to search problems also bounds the computational power of efficiently strongly simulable circuits; if they could solve all problems in P this would imply that all problems in NP and #P could be solved in polynomial time. PMID:23390585

Wire-Wrap Chatter Detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fisch, G. Z.; Borden, T. J.

1982-01-01

Monitoring circuit responds to changes in resistance as little as 0.1 ohm. Has been used to detect defective wire-wrap connections during thermal and vibration tests. Defect is indicated to operator by light-emitting diode and by increase in count on a two-digit display.

Heart-rate pulse-shift detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, M.

1974-01-01

Detector circuit accurately separates and counts phase-shift pulses over wide range of basic pulse-rate frequency, and also provides reasonable representation of full repetitive EKG waveform. Single telemeter implanted in small animal monitors not only body temperature but also animal movement and heart rate.

The AN69 ST haemodialysis membrane under conditions of two different extracorporeal circuit rinse protocols a comparison of thrombogenicity parameters.

PubMed

Richtrova, Pavlina; Opatrny, Karel; Vit, Ladislav; Sefrna, Frantisek; Perlik, Radek

2007-10-01

Thrombogenicity is an important parameter of haemodialysis (HD) membrane biocompatibility. The surface of the polyacrylonitrile AN69 ST membrane is coated with a polyethylenimine. This modification allows heparin adsorption. The binding of heparin to the membrane surface occurs during priming of the extracorporeal circuit (ECC) by rinsing it with saline and heparin. Our aims were to assess and compare the thrombogenicity of the AN69 ST membrane under conditions of two extracorporeal circuit (ECC) rinse protocols-with and without unfractionated heparin (UFH). In a prospective, crossover and randomized study, we examined 10 patients during HD after ECC preparation with either rinse protocols. Prior to HD and at 15, 60 and 240 min, we determined plasma levels of the thrombin-antithrombin complexes (TAT), platelet factor 4 (PF4), heparin concentration (antiXa) and thrombocyte count. Systemic anticoagulation was performed using UFH. During HD after ECC rinse without UFH, there was a significantly earlier and more marked increase in TAT compared with UFH-containing rinse (P <0.05). Using Spearman coefficient, we demonstrated a significant correlation between TAT and antiXa at 60 min (r = -0.534) and 240 min (r = -0.538). A comparison of the TAT/antiXa ratios between rinses at 60 min revealed a significantly higher increase in TAT following UFH-free rinse (P <0.05). There was no difference in PF4 between the rinses. Platelet count did not change significantly during HD using either rinse protocol. Based on plasma TAT levels, ECC priming with an UFH-containing solution reduces the thrombogenicity of the AN69 ST membrane. There is no significant difference between both types of priming concerning PF4 and thrombocyte count.

Efficient high-performance ultrasound beamforming using oversampling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freeman, Steven R.; Quick, Marshall K.; Morin, Marc A.; Anderson, R. C.; Desilets, Charles S.; Linnenbrink, Thomas E.; O'Donnell, Matthew

1998-05-01

High-performance and efficient beamforming circuitry is very important in large channel count clinical ultrasound systems. Current state-of-the-art digital systems using multi-bit analog to digital converters (A/Ds) have matured to provide exquisite image quality with moderate levels of integration. A simplified oversampling beamforming architecture has been proposed that may a low integration of delta-sigma A/Ds onto the same chip as digital delay and processing circuitry to form a monolithic ultrasound beamformer. Such a beamformer may enable low-power handheld scanners for high-end systems with very large channel count arrays. This paper presents an oversampling beamformer architecture that generates high-quality images using very simple; digitization, delay, and summing circuits. Additional performance may be obtained with this oversampled system for narrow bandwidth excitations by mixing the RF signal down in frequency to a range where the electronic signal to nose ratio of the delta-sigma A/D is optimized. An oversampled transmit beamformer uses the same delay circuits as receive and eliminates the need for separate transmit function generators.

Global Electric Circuit Implications of Total Current Measurements over Electrified Clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mach, Douglas M.; Blakeslee, Richard J.; Bateman, Monte G.

2009-01-01

We determined total conduction (Wilson) currents and flash rates for 850 overflights of electrified clouds spanning regions including the Southeastern United States, the Western Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, Central America and adjacent oceans, Central Brazil, and the South Pacific. The overflights include storms over land and ocean, with and without lightning, and with positive and negative Wilson currents. We combined these individual storm overflight statistics with global diurnal lightning variation data from the Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) and Optical Transient Detector (OTD) to estimate the thunderstorm and electrified shower cloud contributions to the diurnal variation in the global electric circuit. The contributions to the global electric circuit from lightning producing clouds are estimated by taking the mean current per flash derived from the overflight data for land and ocean overflights and combining it with the global lightning rates (for land and ocean) and their diurnal variation derived from the LIS/OTD data. We estimate the contribution of non-lightning producing electrified clouds by assuming several different diurnal variations and total non-electrified storm counts to produce estimates of the total storm currents (lightning and non-lightning producing storms). The storm counts and diurnal variations are constrained so that the resultant total current diurnal variation equals the diurnal variation in the fair weather electric field (+/-15%). These assumptions, combined with the airborne and satellite data, suggest that the total mean current in the global electric circuit ranges from 2.0 to 2.7 kA, which is greater than estimates made by others using other methods.

500-MHz x-ray counting with a Si-APD and a fast-pulse processing system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kishimoto, Shunji; Taniguchi, Takashi; Tanaka, Manobu

2010-06-23

We introduce a counting system of up to 500 MHz for synchrotron x-ray high-rate measurements. A silicon avalanche photodiode detector was used in the counting system. The fast-pulse circuit of the amplifier was designed with hybrid ICs to prepare an ASIC system for a large-scale pixel array detector in near future. The fast amplifier consists of two cascading emitter-followers using 10-GHz band transistors. A count-rate of 3.25x10{sup 8} s{sup -1} was then achieved using the system for 8-keV x-rays. However, a baseline shift by adopting AC-coupling in the amplifier disturbed us to observe the maximum count of 4.49x10{sup 8} s{supmore » -1}, determined by electron-bunch filling into a ring accelerator. We also report that an amplifier with a baseline restorer was tested in order to keep the baseline level to be 0 V even at high input rates.« less

OBIST methodology incorporating modified sensitivity of pulses for active analogue filter components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khade, R. H.; Chaudhari, D. S.

2018-03-01

In this paper, oscillation-based built-in self-test method is used to diagnose catastrophic and parametric faults in integrated circuits. Sallen-Key low pass filter and high pass filter circuits with different gains are used to investigate defects. Variation in seven parameters of operational amplifier (OP-AMP) like gain, input impedance, output impedance, slew rate, input bias current, input offset current, input offset voltage and catastrophic as well as parametric defects in components outside OP-AMP are introduced in the circuit and simulation results are analysed. Oscillator output signal is converted to pulses which are used to generate a signature of the circuit. The signature and pulse count changes with the type of fault present in the circuit under test (CUT). The change in oscillation frequency is observed for fault detection. Designer has flexibility to predefine tolerance band of cut-off frequency and range of pulses for which circuit should be accepted. The fault coverage depends upon the required tolerance band of the CUT. We propose a modification of sensitivity of parameter (pulses) to avoid test escape and enhance yield. Result shows that the method provides 100% fault coverage for catastrophic faults.

Radiation-hardened MRAM-based LUT for non-volatile FPGA soft error mitigation with multi-node upset tolerance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zand, Ramtin; DeMara, Ronald F.

2017-12-01

In this paper, we have developed a radiation-hardened non-volatile lookup table (LUT) circuit utilizing spin Hall effect (SHE)-magnetic random access memory (MRAM) devices. The design is motivated by modeling the effect of radiation particles striking hybrid complementary metal oxide semiconductor/spin based circuits, and the resistive behavior of SHE-MRAM devices via established and precise physics equations. The models developed are leveraged in the SPICE circuit simulator to verify the functionality of the proposed design. The proposed hardening technique is based on using feedback transistors, as well as increasing the radiation capacity of the sensitive nodes. Simulation results show that our proposed LUT circuit can achieve multiple node upset (MNU) tolerance with more than 38% and 60% power-delay product improvement as well as 26% and 50% reduction in device count compared to the previous energy-efficient radiation-hardened LUT designs. Finally, we have performed a process variation analysis showing that the MNU immunity of our proposed circuit is realized at the cost of increased susceptibility to transistor and MRAM variations compared to an unprotected LUT design.

Waveguide integrated low noise NbTiN nanowire single-photon detectors with milli-Hz dark count rate

PubMed Central

Schuck, Carsten; Pernice, Wolfram H. P.; Tang, Hong X.

2013-01-01

Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors are an ideal match for integrated quantum photonic circuits due to their high detection efficiency for telecom wavelength photons. Quantum optical technology also requires single-photon detection with low dark count rate and high timing accuracy. Here we present very low noise superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors based on NbTiN thin films patterned directly on top of Si3N4 waveguides. We systematically investigate a large variety of detector designs and characterize their detection noise performance. Milli-Hz dark count rates are demonstrated over the entire operating range of the nanowire detectors which also feature low timing jitter. The ultra-low dark count rate, in combination with the high detection efficiency inherent to our travelling wave detector geometry, gives rise to a measured noise equivalent power at the 10−20 W/Hz1/2 level. PMID:23714696

Fuel Line Based Acoustic Flame-Out Detection System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Puster, Richard L. (Inventor); Franke, John M. (Inventor)

1997-01-01

An acoustic flame-out detection system that renders a large high pressure combustor safe in the event of a flame-out and possible explosive reignition. A dynamic pressure transducer is placed in the fuel and detects the stabilizing fuel pressure oscillations, caused by the combustion process. An electric circuit converts the signal from the combustion vortices, and transmitted to the fuel flow to a series of pulses. A missing pulse detector counts the pulses and continuously resets itself. If three consecutive pulses are missing, the circuit closes the fuel valve. With fuel denied the combustor is shut down or restarted under controlled conditions.

Practical proof of CP element based design for 14nm node and beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maruyama, Takashi; Takita, Hiroshi; Ikeno, Rimon; Osawa, Morimi; Kojima, Yoshinori; Sugatani, Shinji; Hoshino, Hiromi; Hino, Toshio; Ito, Masaru; Iizuka, Tetsuya; Komatsu, Satoshi; Ikeda, Makoto; Asada, Kunihiro

2013-03-01

To realize HVM (High Volume Manufacturing) with CP (Character Projection) based EBDW, the shot count reduction is the essential key. All device circuits should be composed with predefined character parts and we call this methodology "CP element based design". In our previous work, we presented following three concepts [2]. 1) Memory: We reported the prospects of affordability for the CP-stencil resource. 2) Logic cell: We adopted a multi-cell clustering approach in the physical synthesis. 3) Random interconnect: We proposed an ultra-regular layout scheme using fixed size wiring tiles containing repeated tracks and cutting points at the tile edges. In this paper, we will report the experimental proofs in these methodologies. In full chip layout, CP stencil resource management is critical key. From the MCC-POC (Proof of Concept) result [1], we assumed total available CP stencil resource as 9000um2. We should manage to layout all circuit macros within this restriction. Especially the issues in assignment of CP-stencil resource for the memory macros are the most important as they consume considerable degree of resource because of the various line-ups such as 1RW-, 2RW-SRAMs, Resister Files and ROM which require several varieties of large size peripheral circuits. Furthermore the memory macros typically take large area of more than 40% of die area in the forefront logic LSI products so that the shot count increase impact is serious. To realize CP-stencil resource saving we had constructed automatic CP analyzing system. We developed two types of extraction mode of simple division by block and layout repeatability recognition. By properly controlling these models based upon each peripheral circuit characteristics, we could minimize the consumption of CP stencil resources. The estimation for 14nm technology node had been performed based on the analysis of practical memory compiler. The required resource for memory macro is proved to be affordable value which is 60% of full CP stencil resource and wafer level converted shot count is proved to be the level which meets 100WPH throughput. In logic cell design, circuit performance verification result after the cell clustering has been estimated. The cell clustering by the acknowledgment of physical distance proved to owe large penalty mainly in the wiring length. To reduce this design penalty, we proposed CP cell clustering by the acknowledgment of logical distance. For shot-count reduction of random interconnect area design, we proposed a more structural routing architecture which consists of the track exchange and the via position arrangement. Putting these design approaches together, we can design CP stencils to hit the target throughput within the area constraint. From the analysis for other macros such as analog, I/O, and DUMMY, it has proved that we don't need special CP design approach than legacy pattern matching CP extraction. From all these experimental results we get good prospects to the reality of full CP element based layout.

Network origin-destination demand estimation using limited link traffic counts : strategic deployment of vehicle detectors through an integrated corridor management framework.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-10-15

In typical road traffic corridors, freeway systems are generally well-equipped with traffic surveillance systems such as vehicle detector (VD) and/or closed circuit television (CCTV) systems in order to gather timely traffic information for traffic c...

Apparatus for use in rapid and accurate controlled-potential coulometric analysis

DOEpatents

Frazzini, Thomas L.; Holland, Michael K.; Pietri, Charles E.; Weiss, Jon R.

1981-01-01

An apparatus for controlled-potential coulometric analysis of a solution includes a cell to contain the solution to be analyzed and a plurality of electrodes to contact the solution in the cell. Means are provided to stir the solution and to control the atmosphere above it. A potentiostat connected to the electrodes controls potential differences among the electrodes. An electronic circuit connected to the potentiostat provides analog-to-digital conversion and displays a precise count of charge transfer during a desired chemical process. This count provides a measure of the amount of an unknown substance in the solution.

Development of a high-performance multichannel system for time-correlated single photon counting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peronio, P.; Cominelli, A.; Acconcia, G.; Rech, I.; Ghioni, M.

2017-05-01

Time-Correlated Single Photon Counting (TCSPC) is one of the most effective techniques for measuring weak and fast optical signals. It outperforms traditional "analog" techniques due to its high sensitivity along with high temporal resolution. Despite those significant advantages, a main drawback still exists, which is related to the long acquisition time needed to perform a measurement. In past years many TCSPC systems have been developed with higher and higher number of channels, aimed to dealing with that limitation. Nevertheless, modern systems suffer from a strong trade-off between parallelism level and performance: the higher the number of channels the poorer the performance. In this work we present the design of a 32x32 TCSPC system meant for overtaking the existing trade-off. To this aim different technologies has been employed, to get the best performance both from detectors and sensing circuits. The exploitation of different technologies will be enabled by Through Silicon Vias (TSVs) which will be investigated as a possible solution for connecting the detectors to the sensing circuits. When dealing with a high number of channels, the count rate is inevitably set by the affordable throughput to the external PC. We targeted a throughput of 10Gb/s, which is beyond the state of the art, and designed the number of TCSPC channels accordingly. A dynamic-routing logic will connect the detectors to the lower number of acquisition chains.

Note: Large active area solid state photon counter with 20 ps timing resolution and 60 fs detection delay stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prochazka, Ivan; Kodet, Jan; Eckl, Johann; Blazej, Josef

2017-10-01

We are reporting on the design, construction, and performance of a photon counting detector system, which is based on single photon avalanche diode detector technology. This photon counting device has been optimized for very high timing resolution and stability of its detection delay. The foreseen application of this detector is laser ranging of space objects, laser time transfer ground to space and fundamental metrology. The single photon avalanche diode structure, manufactured on silicon using K14 technology, is used as a sensor. The active area of the sensor is circular with 200 μm diameter. Its photon detection probability exceeds 40% in the wavelength range spanning from 500 to 800 nm. The sensor is operated in active quenching and gating mode. A new control circuit was optimized to maintain high timing resolution and detection delay stability. In connection to this circuit, timing resolution of the detector is reaching 20 ps FWHM. In addition, the temperature change of the detection delay is as low as 70 fs/K. As a result, the detection delay stability of the device is exceptional: expressed in the form of time deviation, detection delay stability of better than 60 fs has been achieved. Considering the large active area aperture of the detector, this is, to our knowledge, the best timing performance reported for a solid state photon counting detector so far.

Active books: the design of an implantable stimulator that minimizes cable count using integrated circuits very close to electrodes.

PubMed

Liu, Xiao; Demosthenous, Andreas; Vanhoestenberghe, Anne; Jiang, Dai; Donaldson, Nick

2012-06-01

This paper presents an integrated stimulator that can be embedded in implantable electrode books for interfacing with nerve roots at the cauda equina. The Active Book overcomes the limitation of conventional nerve root stimulators which can only support a small number of stimulating electrodes due to cable count restriction through the dura. Instead, a distributed stimulation system with many tripole electrodes can be configured using several Active Books which are addressed sequentially. The stimulator was fabricated in a 0.6-μm high-voltage CMOS process and occupies a silicon area of 4.2 × 6.5 mm(2). The circuit was designed to deliver up to 8 mA stimulus current to tripole electrodes from an 18 V power supply. Input pad count is limited to five (two power and three control lines) hence requiring a specific procedure for downloading stimulation commands to the chip and extracting information from it. Supported commands include adjusting the amplitude of stimulus current, varying the current ratio at the two anodes in each channel, and measuring relative humidity inside the chip package. In addition to stimulation mode, the chip supports quiescent mode, dissipating less than 100 nA current from the power supply. The performance of the stimulator chip was verified with bench tests including measurements using tripoles in saline.

TIME-INTERVAL MEASURING DEVICE

DOEpatents

Gross, J.E.

1958-04-15

An electronic device for measuring the time interval between two control pulses is presented. The device incorporates part of a previous approach for time measurement, in that pulses from a constant-frequency oscillator are counted during the interval between the control pulses. To reduce the possible error in counting caused by the operation of the counter gating circuit at various points in the pulse cycle, the described device provides means for successively delaying the pulses for a fraction of the pulse period so that a final delay of one period is obtained and means for counting the pulses before and after each stage of delay during the time interval whereby a plurality of totals is obtained which may be averaged and multplied by the pulse period to obtain an accurate time- Interval measurement.

Design of a magnetic-tunnel-junction-oriented nonvolatile lookup table circuit with write-operation-minimized data shifting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Daisuke; Hanyu, Takahiro

2018-04-01

A magnetic-tunnel-junction (MTJ)-oriented nonvolatile lookup table (LUT) circuit, in which a low-power data-shift function is performed by minimizing the number of write operations in MTJ devices is proposed. The permutation of the configuration memory cell for read/write access is performed as opposed to conventional direct data shifting to minimize the number of write operations, which results in significant write energy savings in the data-shift function. Moreover, the hardware cost of the proposed LUT circuit is small since the selector is shared between read access and write access. In fact, the power consumption in the data-shift function and the transistor count are reduced by 82 and 52%, respectively, compared with those in a conventional static random-access memory-based implementation using a 90 nm CMOS technology.

Poly-2-methoxyethylacrylate-coated cardiopulmonary bypass circuit can reduce transfusion of platelet products compared to heparin-coated circuit during aortic arch surgery.

PubMed

Hosoyama, Katsuhiro; Ito, Koki; Kawamoto, Shunsuke; Kumagai, Kiichiro; Akiyama, Masatoshi; Adachi, Osamu; Kawatsu, Satoshi; Sasaki, Konosuke; Suzuki, Marina; Sugawara, Yumi; Shimizu, Yuya; Saiki, Yoshikatsu

2016-09-01

Several coating techniques for extracorporeal circulation have been developed to reduce the systemic inflammatory response during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). We compared the clinical effectiveness and biocompatibility of poly-2-methoxyethylacrylate (PMEA)- and heparin-coated CPB circuits in total aortic arch replacement (TAR) with the prolonged use of the bypass technique. Twenty patients who underwent elective TAR were divided randomly into two equal groups: group P (n = 10) to use PMEA-coated circuits and group H (n = 10) to use heparin-coated circuits. Clinical outcomes, hematological variables, and acute phase inflammatory response were analyzed perioperatively. Demographic, CPB, and clinical outcome data were similar for both groups. Hemoglobin and platelet count showed similar time-course curves. However, the amount of platelet products transfused intraoperatively was significantly larger in group H (group P 26.0 ± 7.0 units; group H 33.0 ± 6.7 units, p = 0.04). Total protein, and albumin levels were significantly higher in group P during and after the operation (total protein, p = 0.04; albumin, p = 0.02). The use of PMEA-coated circuit is associated with retainment of perioperative plasma proteins levels and may help to reduce transfusion of platelet products in TAR in comparison with the heparin-coated circuit.

Designing Nanoscale Counter Using Reversible Gate Based on Quantum-Dot Cellular Automata

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moharrami, Elham; Navimipour, Nima Jafari

2018-04-01

Some new technologies such as Quantum-dot Cellular Automata (QCA) is suggested to solve the physical limits of the Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology. The QCA as one of the novel technologies at nanoscale has potential applications in future computers. This technology has some advantages such as minimal size, high speed, low latency, and low power consumption. As a result, it is used for creating all varieties of memory. Counter circuits as one of the important circuits in the digital systems are composed of some latches, which are connected to each other in series and actually they count input pulses in the circuit. On the other hand, the reversible computations are very important because of their ability in reducing energy in nanometer circuits. Improving the energy efficiency, increasing the speed of nanometer circuits, increasing the portability of system, making smaller components of the circuit in a nuclear size and reducing the power consumption are considered as the usage of reversible logic. Therefore, this paper aims to design a two-bit reversible counter that is optimized on the basis of QCA using an improved reversible gate. The proposed reversible structure of 2-bit counter can be increased to 3-bit, 4-bit and more. The advantages of the proposed design have been shown using QCADesigner in terms of the delay in comparison with previous circuits.

Electromagnetically Operated Counter

DOEpatents

Goldberg, H D; Goldberg, M I

1951-12-18

An electromagnetically operated counter wherein signals to be counted are applied to cause stepwise rotation of a rotatable element which is connected to a suitable register. The mechanism involved consists of a rotatable armature having three spaced cores of magnetic material and a pair of diametrically opposed electromagnets with a suitable pulsing circuit to actuate the magnets.

Fully Integrated Linear Single Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) Array with Parallel Readout Circuit in a Standard 180 nm CMOS Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isaak, S.; Bull, S.; Pitter, M. C.; Harrison, Ian.

2011-05-01

This paper reports on the development of a SPAD device and its subsequent use in an actively quenched single photon counting imaging system, and was fabricated in a UMC 0.18 μm CMOS process. A low-doped p- guard ring (t-well layer) encircling the active area to prevent the premature reverse breakdown. The array is a 16×1 parallel output SPAD array, which comprises of an active quenched SPAD circuit in each pixel with the current value being set by an external resistor RRef = 300 kΩ. The SPAD I-V response, ID was found to slowly increase until VBD was reached at excess bias voltage, Ve = 11.03 V, and then rapidly increase due to avalanche multiplication. Digital circuitry to control the SPAD array and perform the necessary data processing was designed in VHDL and implemented on a FPGA chip. At room temperature, the dark count was found to be approximately 13 KHz for most of the 16 SPAD pixels and the dead time was estimated to be 40 ns.

SiC-based Photo-detectors for UV, VUV, EUV and Soft X-ray Detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yan, Feng

2006-01-01

A viewgraph presentation describing an ideal Silicon Carbide detector for ultraviolet, vacuum ultraviolet, extreme ultraviolet and soft x-ray detection is shown. The topics include: 1) An ideal photo-detector; 2) Dark current density of SiC photodiodes at room temperature; 3) Dark current in SiC detectors; 4) Resistive and capacitive feedback trans-impedance amplifier; 5) Avalanche gain; 6) Excess noise; 7) SNR in single photon counting mode; 8) Structure of SiC single photon counting APD and testing structure; 9) Single photon counting waveform and testing circuit; 10) Amplitude of SiC single photon counter; 11) Dark count of SiC APD photon counters; 12) Temperature-dependence of dark count rate; 13) Reduce the dark count rate by reducing the breakdown electric field; 14) Spectrum range for SiC detectors; 15) QE curves of Pt/4H-SiC photodiodes; 16) QE curve of SiC; 17) QE curves of SiC photodiode vs. penetration depth; 18) Visible rejection of SiC photodiodes; 19) Advantages of SiC photodiodes; 20) Competitors of SiC detectors; 21) Extraterrestrial solar spectra; 22) Visible-blind EUV detection; 23) Terrestrial solar spectra; and 24) Less than 1KeV soft x-ray detection.

32-channel single photon counting module for ultrasensitive detection of DNA sequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gudkov, Georgiy; Dhulla, Vinit; Borodin, Anatoly; Gavrilov, Dmitri; Stepukhovich, Andrey; Tsupryk, Andrey; Gorbovitski, Boris; Gorfinkel, Vera

2006-10-01

We continue our work on the design and implementation of multi-channel single photon detection systems for highly sensitive detection of ultra-weak fluorescence signals, for high-performance, multi-lane DNA sequencing instruments. A fiberized, 32-channel single photon detection (SPD) module based on single photon avalanche diode (SPAD), model C30902S-DTC, from Perkin Elmer Optoelectronics (PKI) has been designed and implemented. Unavailability of high performance, large area SPAD arrays and our desire to design high performance photon counting systems drives us to use individual diodes. Slight modifications in our quenching circuit has doubled the linear range of our system from 1MHz to 2MHz, which is the upper limit for these devices and the maximum saturation count rate has increased to 14 MHz. The detector module comprises of a single board computer PC-104 that enables data visualization, recording, processing, and transfer. Very low dark count (300-1000 counts/s), robust, efficient, simple data collection and processing, ease of connectivity to any other application demanding similar requirements and similar performance results to the best commercially available single photon counting module (SPCM from PKI) are some of the features of this system.

Compressor surge counter

DOEpatents

Castleberry, Kimberly N.

1983-01-01

A surge counter for a rotating compressor is provided which detects surging by monitoring the vibration signal from an accelerometer mounted on the shaft bearing of the compressor. The circuit detects a rapid increase in the amplitude envelope of the vibration signal, e.g., 4 dB or greater in less than one second, which is associated with a surge onset and increments a counter. The circuit is rendered non-responsive for a period of about 5 seconds following the detection which corresponds to the duration of the surge condition. This prevents multiple registration of counts during the surge period due to rapid swings in vibration amplitude during the period.

An energy-efficient readout circuit for resonant sensors based on ring-down measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Z.; Pertijs, M. A. P.; Karabacak, D. M.

2013-02-01

This paper presents an energy-efficient readout circuit for resonant sensors that operates based on a transient measurement method. The resonant sensor is driven at a frequency close to its resonance frequency by an excitation source that can be intermittently disconnected, causing the sensor to oscillate at its resonance frequency with exponentially decaying amplitude. By counting the zero crossings of this ring-down response, the interface circuit can detect the resonance frequency. In contrast with oscillator-based readout, the presented readout circuit is readily able to detect quality factor (Q) of the resonator from the envelope of the ring-down response, and can be used even in the presence of large parasitic capacitors. A prototype of the readout circuit has been integrated in 0.35 μm CMOS technology, and consumes only 36 μA from a 3.3 V supply during a measurement time of 2 ms. The resonance frequency and quality factor of a micro-machined SiN resonator obtained using this prototype are in good agreement with results obtained using impedance analysis. Furthermore, a clear transient response is observed to ethanol flow using the presented readout, demonstrating the use of this technique in sensing applications.

Feasibility of a high-speed gamma-camera design using the high-yield-pileup-event-recovery method.

PubMed

Wong, W H; Li, H; Uribe, J; Baghaei, H; Wang, Y; Yokoyama, S

2001-04-01

Higher count-rate gamma cameras than are currently used are needed if the technology is to fulfill its promise in positron coincidence imaging, radionuclide therapy dosimetry imaging, and cardiac first-pass imaging. The present single-crystal design coupled with conventional detector electronics and the traditional Anger-positioning algorithm hinder higher count-rate imaging because of the pileup of gamma-ray signals in the detector and electronics. At an interaction rate of 2 million events per second, the fraction of nonpileup events is < 20% of the total incident events. Hence, the recovery of pileup events can significantly increase the count-rate capability, increase the yield of imaging photons, and minimize image artifacts associated with pileups. A new technology to significantly enhance the performance of gamma cameras in this area is introduced. We introduce a new electronic design called high-yield-pileup-event-recovery (HYPER) electronics for processing the detector signal in gamma cameras so that the individual gamma energies and positions of pileup events, including multiple pileups, can be resolved and recovered despite the mixing of signals. To illustrate the feasibility of the design concept, we have developed a small gamma-camera prototype with the HYPER-Anger electronics. The camera has a 10 x 10 x 1 cm NaI(Tl) crystal with four photomultipliers. Hot-spot and line sources with very high 99mTc activities were imaged. The phantoms were imaged continuously from 60,000 to 3,500,000 counts per second to illustrate the efficacy of the method as a function of counting rates. At 2-3 million events per second, all phantoms were imaged with little distortion, pileup, and dead-time loss. At these counting rates, multiple pileup events (> or = 3 events piling together) were the predominate occurrences, and the HYPER circuit functioned well to resolve and recover these events. The full width at half maximum of the line-spread function at 3,000,000 counts per second was 1.6 times that at 60,000 counts per second. This feasibility study showed that the HYPER electronic concept works; it can significantly increase the count-rate capability and dose efficiency of gamma cameras. In a larger clinical camera, multiple HYPER-Anger circuits may be implemented to further improve the imaging counting rates that we have shown by multiple times. This technology would facilitate the use of gamma cameras for radionuclide therapy dosimetry imaging, cardiac first-pass imaging, and positron coincidence imaging and the simultaneous acquisition of transmission and emission data using different isotopes with less cross-contamination between transmission and emission data.

VARIABLE TIME-INTERVAL GENERATOR

DOEpatents

Gross, J.E.

1959-10-31

This patent relates to a pulse generator and more particularly to a time interval generator wherein the time interval between pulses is precisely determined. The variable time generator comprises two oscillators with one having a variable frequency output and the other a fixed frequency output. A frequency divider is connected to the variable oscillator for dividing its frequency by a selected factor and a counter is used for counting the periods of the fixed oscillator occurring during a cycle of the divided frequency of the variable oscillator. This defines the period of the variable oscillator in terms of that of the fixed oscillator. A circuit is provided for selecting as a time interval a predetermined number of periods of the variable oscillator. The output of the generator consists of a first pulse produced by a trigger circuit at the start of the time interval and a second pulse marking the end of the time interval produced by the same trigger circuit.

Personnel electronic neutron dosimeter

DOEpatents

Falk, R.B.; Tyree, W.H.

1982-03-03

A personnel electronic dosimeter includes a neutron-proton and neutron-alpha converter for providing an electrical signal having a magnitude proportional to the energy of a detected proton or alpha particle produced from the converter, a pulse generator circuit for generating a pulse having a duration controlled by the weighed effect of the amplitude of the electrical signal, an oscillator enabled by the pulse for generating a train of clock pulses for a time dependent upon the pulse length, a counter for counting the clock pulses, and an indicator for providing a direct reading and aural alarm when the count indicates that the wearer has been exposed to a selected level of neutron dose equivalent.

Personnel electronic neutron dosimeter

DOEpatents

Falk, Roger B.; Tyree, William H.

1984-12-18

A personnel electronic dosimeter includes a neutron-proton and neutron-alpha converter for providing an electrical signal having a magnitude proportional to the energy of a detected proton or alpha particle produced from the converter, a pulse generator circuit for generating a pulse having a duration controlled by the weighed effect of the amplitude of the electrical signal, an oscillator enabled by the pulse for generating a train of clock pulses for a time dependent upon the pulse length, a counter for counting the clock pulses, and an indicator for providing a direct reading and aural alarm when the count indicates that the wearer has been exposed to a selected level of neutron dose equivalent.

PULSE SORTER

DOEpatents

Wade, E.J.

1958-07-29

An apparatus is described for counting and recording the number of electrical pulses occurring in each of a timed sequence of groups of pulses. The particular feature of the invention resides in a novel timing circuit of the univibrator type which provides very accurately timed pulses for opening each of a series of coincidence channels in sequence. The univibrator is shown incorporated in a pulse analyzing system wherein a series of pulse counting channels are periodically opened in order, one at a time, for a predetermtned open time interval, so that only one channel will be open at the time of occurrence of any of the electrical pulses to be sorted.

High-speed photon-counting x-ray computed tomography system utilizing a multipixel photon counter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Eiichi; Enomoto, Toshiyuki; Watanabe, Manabu; Hitomi, Keitaro; Takahashi, Kiyomi; Sato, Shigehiro; Ogawa, Akiro; Onagawa, Jun

2009-07-01

High-speed photon counting is useful for discriminating photon energy and for decreasing absorbed dose for patients in medical radiography, and the counting is usable for constructing an x-ray computed tomography (CT) system. A photon-counting x-ray CT system is of the first generation type and consists of an x-ray generator, a turn table, a translation stage, a two-stage controller, a multipixel photon counter (MPPC) module, a 1.0-mm-thick LSO crystal (scintillator), a counter card (CC), and a personal computer (PC). Tomography is accomplished by repeating the linear scanning and the rotation of an object, and projection curves of the object are obtained by the linear scanning using the detector consisting of a MPPC module and the LSO. The pulses of the event signal from the module are counted by the CC in conjunction with the PC. The lower level of the photon energy is roughly determined by a comparator circuit in the module, and the unit of the level is the photon equivalent (pe). Thus, the average photon energy of the x-ray spectra increases with increasing the lower-level voltage of the comparator. The maximum count rate was approximately 20 Mcps, and energy-discriminated CT was roughly carried out.

Waveguide integrated superconducting single-photon detectors with high internal quantum efficiency at telecom wavelengths

PubMed Central

Kahl, Oliver; Ferrari, Simone; Kovalyuk, Vadim; Goltsman, Gregory N.; Korneev, Alexander; Pernice, Wolfram H. P.

2015-01-01

Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) provide high efficiency for detecting individual photons while keeping dark counts and timing jitter minimal. Besides superior detection performance over a broad optical bandwidth, compatibility with an integrated optical platform is a crucial requirement for applications in emerging quantum photonic technologies. Here we present SNSPDs embedded in nanophotonic integrated circuits which achieve internal quantum efficiencies close to unity at 1550 nm wavelength. This allows for the SNSPDs to be operated at bias currents far below the critical current where unwanted dark count events reach milli-Hz levels while on-chip detection efficiencies above 70% are maintained. The measured dark count rates correspond to noise-equivalent powers in the 10−19 W/Hz−1/2 range and the timing jitter is as low as 35 ps. Our detectors are fully scalable and interface directly with waveguide-based optical platforms. PMID:26061283

Waveguide integrated superconducting single-photon detectors with high internal quantum efficiency at telecom wavelengths.

PubMed

Kahl, Oliver; Ferrari, Simone; Kovalyuk, Vadim; Goltsman, Gregory N; Korneev, Alexander; Pernice, Wolfram H P

2015-06-10

Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) provide high efficiency for detecting individual photons while keeping dark counts and timing jitter minimal. Besides superior detection performance over a broad optical bandwidth, compatibility with an integrated optical platform is a crucial requirement for applications in emerging quantum photonic technologies. Here we present SNSPDs embedded in nanophotonic integrated circuits which achieve internal quantum efficiencies close to unity at 1550 nm wavelength. This allows for the SNSPDs to be operated at bias currents far below the critical current where unwanted dark count events reach milli-Hz levels while on-chip detection efficiencies above 70% are maintained. The measured dark count rates correspond to noise-equivalent powers in the 10(-19) W/Hz(-1/2) range and the timing jitter is as low as 35 ps. Our detectors are fully scalable and interface directly with waveguide-based optical platforms.

Measurements on a full-field digital mammography system with a photon counting crystalline silicon detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lundqvist, Mats; Danielsson, Mats; Cederstroem, Bjoern; Chmill, Valery; Chuntonov, Alexander; Aslund, Magnus

2003-06-01

Sectra Microdose is the first single photon counting mammography detector. An edge-on crystalline silicon detector is connected to application specific integrated circuits that individually process each photon. The detector is scanned across the breast and the rejection of scattered radiation exceeds 97% without the use of a Bucky. Processing of each x-rays individually enables an optimization of the information transfer from the x-rays to the image in a way previously not possible. Combined with an almost absence of noise from scattered radiation and from electronics we foresee a possibility to reduce the radiation dose and/or increase the image quality. We will discuss fundamental features of the new direct photon counting technique in terms of dose efficiency and present preliminary measurements for a prototype on physical parameters such as Noise Power Spectra (NPS), MTF and DQE.

Radiation and Temperature Hard Multi-Pixel Avalanche Photodiodes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bensaoula, Abdelhak (Inventor); Starikov, David (Inventor); Pillai, Rajeev (Inventor)

2017-01-01

The structure and method of fabricating a radiation and temperature hard avalanche photodiode with integrated radiation and temperature hard readout circuit, comprising a substrate, an avalanche region, an absorption region, and a plurality of Ohmic contacts are presented. The present disclosure provides for tuning of spectral sensitivity and high device efficiency, resulting in photon counting capability with decreased crosstalk and reduced dark current.

Transformerless dc-Isolated Converter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rippel, Wally E.

1987-01-01

Efficient voltage converter employs capacitive instead of transformer coupling to provide dc isolation. Offers buck/boost operation, minimal filtering, and low parts count, with possible application in photovoltaic power inverters, power supplies and battery charges. In photovoltaic inverter circuit with transformerless converter, Q2, Q3, Q4, and Q5 form line-commutated inverter. Switching losses and stresses nil because switching performed when current is zero.

Advanced active quenching circuit for ultra-fast quantum cryptography.

PubMed

Stipčević, Mario; Christensen, Bradley G; Kwiat, Paul G; Gauthier, Daniel J

2017-09-04

Commercial photon-counting modules based on actively quenched solid-state avalanche photodiode sensors are used in a wide variety of applications. Manufacturers characterize their detectors by specifying a small set of parameters, such as detection efficiency, dead time, dark counts rate, afterpulsing probability and single-photon arrival-time resolution (jitter). However, they usually do not specify the range of conditions over which these parameters are constant or present a sufficient description of the characterization process. In this work, we perform a few novel tests on two commercial detectors and identify an additional set of imperfections that must be specified to sufficiently characterize their behavior. These include rate-dependence of the dead time and jitter, detection delay shift, and "twilighting". We find that these additional non-ideal behaviors can lead to unexpected effects or strong deterioration of the performance of a system using these devices. We explain their origin by an in-depth analysis of the active quenching process. To mitigate the effects of these imperfections, a custom-built detection system is designed using a novel active quenching circuit. Its performance is compared against two commercial detectors in a fast quantum key distribution system with hyper-entangled photons and a random number generator.

3-Axis Fully-Integrated Capacitive Tactile Sensor with Flip-Bonded CMOS on LTCC Interposer.

PubMed

Asano, Sho; Muroyama, Masanori; Nakayama, Takahiro; Hata, Yoshiyuki; Nonomura, Yutaka; Tanaka, Shuji

2017-10-25

This paper reports a 3-axis fully integrated differential capacitive tactile sensor surface-mountable on a bus line. The sensor integrates a flip-bonded complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) with capacitive sensing circuits on a low temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) interposer with Au through vias by Au-Au thermo-compression bonding. The CMOS circuit and bonding pads on the sensor backside were electrically connected through Au bumps and the LTCC interposer, and the differential capacitive gap was formed by an Au sealing frame. A diaphragm for sensing 3-axis force was formed in the CMOS substrate. The dimensions of the completed sensor are 2.5 mm in width, 2.5 mm in length, and 0.66 mm in thickness. The fabricated sensor output coded 3-axis capacitive sensing data according to applied 3-axis force by three-dimensional (3D)-printed pins. The measured sensitivity was as high as over 34 Count/mN for normal force and 14 to 15 Count/mN for shear force with small noise, which corresponds to less than 1 mN. The hysteresis and the average cross-sensitivity were also found to be less than 2% full scale and 11%, respectively.

Research and design on orthogonal diffraction grating-based 3D nanometer displacement sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Baoshuai; Yuan, Yibao; Yin, Zhehao

2017-10-01

This study concerns an orthogonal diffraction grating-based nanometer displacement sensor. In this study, we performed calculation of displacements in the XYZ directions. In the optical measured path part, we used a two-dimensional orthogonal motion grating and a two-dimensional orthogonal reference grating with the pitch of 0.5um to measure the displacement of XYZ in three directions by detecting ±1st diffraction fringes. The self-collimated structure of the grating greatly extended the Z-axis range. We also simulated the optical path of the sensor with ZEMAX software and verified the feasibility of the scheme. For signal subdivision and processing, we combined large number counting (completed grating line) with small number counting (digital subdivision), realizing high multiples of subdivision of grating interference signals. We used PC to process the interference fringes and greatly improved the processing speed. In the scheme, the theoretical multiples of subdivision could reach 1024 with 10-bit AD conversion, but the actual multiples of subdivision was limited by the quality of the grating interference signals. So we introduced an orthogonal compensation circuit and a filter circuit to improve the signal quality.

3-Axis Fully-Integrated Capacitive Tactile Sensor with Flip-Bonded CMOS on LTCC Interposer †

PubMed Central

Asano, Sho; Nakayama, Takahiro; Hata, Yoshiyuki; Tanaka, Shuji

2017-01-01

This paper reports a 3-axis fully integrated differential capacitive tactile sensor surface-mountable on a bus line. The sensor integrates a flip-bonded complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) with capacitive sensing circuits on a low temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) interposer with Au through vias by Au-Au thermo-compression bonding. The CMOS circuit and bonding pads on the sensor backside were electrically connected through Au bumps and the LTCC interposer, and the differential capacitive gap was formed by an Au sealing frame. A diaphragm for sensing 3-axis force was formed in the CMOS substrate. The dimensions of the completed sensor are 2.5 mm in width, 2.5 mm in length, and 0.66 mm in thickness. The fabricated sensor output coded 3-axis capacitive sensing data according to applied 3-axis force by three-dimensional (3D)-printed pins. The measured sensitivity was as high as over 34 Count/mN for normal force and 14 to 15 Count/mN for shear force with small noise, which corresponds to less than 1 mN. The hysteresis and the average cross-sensitivity were also found to be less than 2% full scale and 11%, respectively. PMID:29068429

Faster Blood Flow Rate Does Not Improve Circuit Life in Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Fealy, Nigel; Aitken, Leanne; du Toit, Eugene; Lo, Serigne; Baldwin, Ian

2017-10-01

To determine whether blood flow rate influences circuit life in continuous renal replacement therapy. Prospective randomized controlled trial. Single center tertiary level ICU. Critically ill adults requiring continuous renal replacement therapy. Patients were randomized to receive one of two blood flow rates: 150 or 250 mL/min. The primary outcome was circuit life measured in hours. Circuit and patient data were collected until each circuit clotted or was ceased electively for nonclotting reasons. Data for clotted circuits are presented as median (interquartile range) and compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. Survival probability for clotted circuits was compared using log-rank test. Circuit clotting data were analyzed for repeated events using hazards ratio. One hundred patients were randomized with 96 completing the study (150 mL/min, n = 49; 250 mL/min, n = 47) using 462 circuits (245 run at 150 mL/min and 217 run at 250 mL/min). Median circuit life for first circuit (clotted) was similar for both groups (150 mL/min: 9.1 hr [5.5-26 hr] vs 10 hr [4.2-17 hr]; p = 0.37). Continuous renal replacement therapy using blood flow rate set at 250 mL/min was not more likely to cause clotting compared with 150 mL/min (hazards ratio, 1.00 [0.60-1.69]; p = 0.68). Gender, body mass index, weight, vascular access type, length, site, and mode of continuous renal replacement therapy or international normalized ratio had no effect on clotting risk. Continuous renal replacement therapy without anticoagulation was more likely to cause clotting compared with use of heparin strategies (hazards ratio, 1.62; p = 0.003). Longer activated partial thromboplastin time (hazards ratio, 0.98; p = 0.002) and decreased platelet count (hazards ratio, 1.19; p = 0.03) were associated with a reduced likelihood of circuit clotting. There was no difference in circuit life whether using blood flow rates of 250 or 150 mL/min during continuous renal replacement therapy.

Multiple-Event, Single-Photon Counting Imaging Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zheng, Xinyu; Cunningham, Thomas J.; Sun, Chao; Wang, Kang L.

2011-01-01

The single-photon counting imaging sensor is typically an array of silicon Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes that are monolithically integrated with CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) readout, signal processing, and addressing circuits located in each pixel and the peripheral area of the chip. The major problem is its single-event method for photon count number registration. A single-event single-photon counting imaging array only allows registration of up to one photon count in each of its pixels during a frame time, i.e., the interval between two successive pixel reset operations. Since the frame time can t be too short, this will lead to very low dynamic range and make the sensor merely useful for very low flux environments. The second problem of the prior technique is a limited fill factor resulting from consumption of chip area by the monolithically integrated CMOS readout in pixels. The resulting low photon collection efficiency will substantially ruin any benefit gained from the very sensitive single-photon counting detection. The single-photon counting imaging sensor developed in this work has a novel multiple-event architecture, which allows each of its pixels to register as more than one million (or more) photon-counting events during a frame time. Because of a consequently boosted dynamic range, the imaging array of the invention is capable of performing single-photon counting under ultra-low light through high-flux environments. On the other hand, since the multiple-event architecture is implemented in a hybrid structure, back-illumination and close-to-unity fill factor can be realized, and maximized quantum efficiency can also be achieved in the detector array.

Two-dimensional photon-counting detector arrays based on microchannel array plates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Timothy, J. G.; Bybee, R. L.

1975-01-01

The production of simple and rugged photon-counting detector arrays has been made possible by recent improvements in the performance of the microchannel array plate (MCP) and by the parallel development of compatible electronic readout systems. The construction of proximity-focused MCP arrays of novel design in which photometric information from (n x m) picture elements is read out with a total of (n + m) amplifier and discriminator circuits is described. Results obtained with a breadboard (32 x 32)-element array employing 64 charge-sensitive amplifiers are presented, and the application of systems of this type in spectrometers and cameras for use with ground-based telescopes and on orbiting spacecraft discussed.

Photon counting phosphorescence lifetime imaging with TimepixCam.

PubMed

Hirvonen, Liisa M; Fisher-Levine, Merlin; Suhling, Klaus; Nomerotski, Andrei

2017-01-01

TimepixCam is a novel fast optical imager based on an optimized silicon pixel sensor with a thin entrance window and read out by a Timepix Application Specific Integrated Circuit. The 256 × 256 pixel sensor has a time resolution of 15 ns at a sustained frame rate of 10 Hz. We used this sensor in combination with an image intensifier for wide-field time-correlated single photon counting imaging. We have characterised the photon detection capabilities of this detector system and employed it on a wide-field epifluorescence microscope to map phosphorescence decays of various iridium complexes with lifetimes of about 1 μs in 200 μm diameter polystyrene beads.

Photon counting phosphorescence lifetime imaging with TimepixCam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirvonen, Liisa M.; Fisher-Levine, Merlin; Suhling, Klaus; Nomerotski, Andrei

2017-01-01

TimepixCam is a novel fast optical imager based on an optimized silicon pixel sensor with a thin entrance window and read out by a Timepix Application Specific Integrated Circuit. The 256 × 256 pixel sensor has a time resolution of 15 ns at a sustained frame rate of 10 Hz. We used this sensor in combination with an image intensifier for wide-field time-correlated single photon counting imaging. We have characterised the photon detection capabilities of this detector system and employed it on a wide-field epifluorescence microscope to map phosphorescence decays of various iridium complexes with lifetimes of about 1 μs in 200 μm diameter polystyrene beads.

Single photon detection using Geiger mode CMOS avalanche photodiodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawrence, William G.; Stapels, Christopher; Augustine, Frank L.; Christian, James F.

2005-10-01

Geiger mode Avalanche Photodiodes fabricated using complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication technology combine high sensitivity detectors with pixel-level auxiliary circuitry. Radiation Monitoring Devices has successfully implemented CMOS manufacturing techniques to develop prototype detectors with active diameters ranging from 5 to 60 microns and measured detection efficiencies of up to 60%. CMOS active quenching circuits are included in the pixel layout. The actively quenched pixels have a quenching time less than 30 ns and a maximum count rate greater than 10 MHz. The actively quenched Geiger mode avalanche photodiode (GPD) has linear response at room temperature over six orders of magnitude. When operating in Geiger mode, these GPDs act as single photon-counting detectors that produce a digital output pulse for each photon with no associated read noise. Thermoelectrically cooled detectors have less than 1 Hz dark counts. The detection efficiency, dark count rate, and after-pulsing of two different pixel designs are measured and demonstrate the differences in the device operation. Additional applications for these devices include nuclear imaging and replacement of photomultiplier tubes in dosimeters.

A compact 7-cell Si-drift detector module for high-count rate X-ray spectroscopy.

PubMed

Hansen, K; Reckleben, C; Diehl, I; Klär, H

2008-05-01

A new Si-drift detector module for fast X-ray spectroscopy experiments was developed and realized. The Peltier-cooled module comprises a sensor with 7 × 7-mm 2 active area, an integrated circuit for amplification, shaping and detection, storage, and derandomized readout of signal pulses in parallel, and amplifiers for line driving. The compactness and hexagonal shape of the module with a wrench size of 16mm allow very short distances to the specimen and multi-module arrangements. The power dissipation is 186mW. At a shaper peaking time of 190 ns and an integration time of 450 ns an electronic rms noise of ~11 electrons was achieved. When operated at 7 °C, FWHM line widths around 260 and 460 eV (Cu-K α ) were obtained at low rates and at sum-count rates of 1.7 MHz, respectively. The peak shift is below 1% for a broad range of count rates. At 1.7-MHz sum-count rate the throughput loss amounts to 30%.

A second-generation blood substitute (perfluorodichlorooctane emulsion) does not activate complement during an ex vivo circulation model of bypass.

PubMed

Rosoff, J D; Soltow, L O; Vocelka, C R; Schmer, G; Chandler, W L; Cochran, R P; Kunzelman, K S; Spiess, B D

1998-08-01

To examine whether a second-generation perfluorocarbon (PFC) blood substitute added to the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) prime influences complement production. A prospective, randomized, single-blinded, ex vivo model. A university hospital, laboratory, and clinics. Ten healthy adult consented volunteer blood donors (five men, five women). Ex vivo closed-loop extracorporeal circuit including membrane oxygenator, tubing, and filter primed with crystalloid or crystalloid plus PFC was circulated for 1 hour with the addition of 500 mL of heparinized fresh human whole blood. Laboratory specimens were drawn from the circuit at 10-minute intervals for 1 hour and measured for complement (C3a, Bb fragment) concentrations, blood gases, fibrinogen concentration, platelet count, and hematocrit. In the PFC group, C3a and Bb fragments were equal to or less than those in the group that received crystalloid alone. The second-generation PFC added to the prime of a CPB circuit does not independently increase complement production.

Portable Cytometry Using Microscale Electronic Sensing

PubMed Central

Emaminejad, Sam; Paik, Kee-Hyun; Tabard-Cossa, Vincent; Javanmard, Mehdi

2015-01-01

In this manuscript, we present three different micro-impedance sensing architectures for electronic counting of cells and beads. The first method of sensing is based on using an open circuit sensing electrode integrated in a micro-pore, which measures the shift in potential as a micron-sized particle passes through. Our micro-pore, based on a funnel shaped microchannel, was fabricated in PDMS and was bound covalently to a glass substrate patterned with a gold open circuit electrode. The amplification circuitry was integrated onto a battery-powered custom printed circuit board. The second method is based on a three electrode differential measurement, which opens up the potential of using signal processing techniques to increase signal to noise ratio post measurement. The third architecture uses a contactless sensing approach, which significantly minimizes the cost of the consumable component of the impedance cytometer. We demonstrated proof of concept for the three sensing architectures by measuring the detected signal due to the passage of micron sized beads through the pore. PMID:27647950

TOFPET 2: A high-performance circuit for PET time-of-flight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Francesco, Agostino; Bugalho, Ricardo; Oliveira, Luis; Rivetti, Angelo; Rolo, Manuel; Silva, Jose C.; Varela, Joao

2016-07-01

We present a readout and digitization ASIC featuring low-noise and low-power for time-of flight (TOF) applications using SiPMs. The circuit is designed in standard CMOS 110 nm technology, has 64 independent channels and is optimized for time-of-flight measurement in Positron Emission Tomography (TOF-PET). The input amplifier is a low impedance current conveyor based on a regulated common-gate topology. Each channel has quad-buffered analogue interpolation TDCs (time binning 20 ps) and charge integration ADCs with linear response at full scale (1500 pC). The signal amplitude can also be derived from the measurement of time-over-threshold (ToT). Simulation results show that for a single photo-electron signal with charge 200 (550) fC generated by a SiPM with (320 pF) capacitance the circuit has 24 (30) dB SNR, 75 (39) ps r.m.s. resolution, and 4 (8) mW power consumption. The event rate is 600 kHz per channel, with up to 2 MHz dark counts rejection.

Accelerating fissile material detection with a neutron source

DOEpatents

Rowland, Mark S.; Snyderman, Neal J.

2018-01-30

A neutron detector system for discriminating fissile material from non-fissile material wherein a digital data acquisition unit collects data at high rate, and in real-time processes large volumes of data directly to count neutrons from the unknown source and detecting excess grouped neutrons to identify fission in the unknown source. The system includes a Poisson neutron generator for in-beam interrogation of a possible fissile neutron source and a DC power supply that exhibits electrical ripple on the order of less than one part per million. Certain voltage multiplier circuits, such as Cockroft-Walton voltage multipliers, are used to enhance the effective of series resistor-inductor circuits components to reduce the ripple associated with traditional AC rectified, high voltage DC power supplies.

First real-time detection of surface dust in a tokamak.

PubMed

Skinner, C H; Rais, B; Roquemore, A L; Kugel, H W; Marsala, R; Provost, T

2010-10-01

The first real-time detection of surface dust inside a tokamak was made using an electrostatic dust detector. A fine grid of interlocking circuit traces was installed in the NSTX vessel and biased to 50 V. Impinging dust particles created a temporary short circuit and the resulting current pulse was recorded by counting electronics. The techniques used to increase the detector sensitivity by a factor of ×10,000 to match NSTX dust levels while suppressing electrical pickup are presented. The results were validated by comparison to laboratory measurements, by the null signal from a covered detector that was only sensitive to pickup, and by the dramatic increase in signal when Li particles were introduced for wall conditioning purposes.

Design Space Toolbox V2: Automated Software Enabling a Novel Phenotype-Centric Modeling Strategy for Natural and Synthetic Biological Systems

PubMed Central

Lomnitz, Jason G.; Savageau, Michael A.

2016-01-01

Mathematical models of biochemical systems provide a means to elucidate the link between the genotype, environment, and phenotype. A subclass of mathematical models, known as mechanistic models, quantitatively describe the complex non-linear mechanisms that capture the intricate interactions between biochemical components. However, the study of mechanistic models is challenging because most are analytically intractable and involve large numbers of system parameters. Conventional methods to analyze them rely on local analyses about a nominal parameter set and they do not reveal the vast majority of potential phenotypes possible for a given system design. We have recently developed a new modeling approach that does not require estimated values for the parameters initially and inverts the typical steps of the conventional modeling strategy. Instead, this approach relies on architectural features of the model to identify the phenotypic repertoire and then predict values for the parameters that yield specific instances of the system that realize desired phenotypic characteristics. Here, we present a collection of software tools, the Design Space Toolbox V2 based on the System Design Space method, that automates (1) enumeration of the repertoire of model phenotypes, (2) prediction of values for the parameters for any model phenotype, and (3) analysis of model phenotypes through analytical and numerical methods. The result is an enabling technology that facilitates this radically new, phenotype-centric, modeling approach. We illustrate the power of these new tools by applying them to a synthetic gene circuit that can exhibit multi-stability. We then predict values for the system parameters such that the design exhibits 2, 3, and 4 stable steady states. In one example, inspection of the basins of attraction reveals that the circuit can count between three stable states by transient stimulation through one of two input channels: a positive channel that increases the count, and a negative channel that decreases the count. This example shows the power of these new automated methods to rapidly identify behaviors of interest and efficiently predict parameter values for their realization. These tools may be applied to understand complex natural circuitry and to aid in the rational design of synthetic circuits. PMID:27462346

Multi-channel photon counting DOT system based on digital lock-in detection technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Tingting; Zhao, Huijuan; Wang, Zhichao; Hou, Shaohua; Gao, Feng

2011-02-01

Relying on deeper penetration of light in the tissue, Diffuse Optical Tomography (DOT) achieves organ-level tomography diagnosis, which can provide information on anatomical and physiological features. DOT has been widely used in imaging of breast, neonatal cerebral oxygen status and blood oxygen kinetics observed by its non-invasive, security and other advantages. Continuous wave DOT image reconstruction algorithms need the measurement of the surface distribution of the output photon flow inspired by more than one driving source, which means that source coding is necessary. The most currently used source coding in DOT is time-division multiplexing (TDM) technology, which utilizes the optical switch to switch light into optical fiber of different locations. However, in case of large amounts of the source locations or using the multi-wavelength, the measurement time with TDM and the measurement interval between different locations within the same measurement period will therefore become too long to capture the dynamic changes in real-time. In this paper, a frequency division multiplexing source coding technology is developed, which uses light sources modulated by sine waves with different frequencies incident to the imaging chamber simultaneously. Signal corresponding to an individual source is obtained from the mixed output light using digital phase-locked detection technology at the detection end. A digital lock-in detection circuit for photon counting measurement system is implemented on a FPGA development platform. A dual-channel DOT photon counting experimental system is preliminary established, including the two continuous lasers, photon counting detectors, digital lock-in detection control circuit, and codes to control the hardware and display the results. A series of experimental measurements are taken to validate the feasibility of the system. This method developed in this paper greatly accelerates the DOT system measurement, and can also obtain the multiple measurements in different source-detector locations.

Improving the counting efficiency in time-correlated single photon counting experiments by dead-time optimization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peronio, P.; Acconcia, G.; Rech, I.

Time-Correlated Single Photon Counting (TCSPC) has been long recognized as the most sensitive method for fluorescence lifetime measurements, but often requiring “long” data acquisition times. This drawback is related to the limited counting capability of the TCSPC technique, due to pile-up and counting loss effects. In recent years, multi-module TCSPC systems have been introduced to overcome this issue. Splitting the light into several detectors connected to independent TCSPC modules proportionally increases the counting capability. Of course, multi-module operation also increases the system cost and can cause space and power supply problems. In this paper, we propose an alternative approach basedmore » on a new detector and processing electronics designed to reduce the overall system dead time, thus enabling efficient photon collection at high excitation rate. We present a fast active quenching circuit for single-photon avalanche diodes which features a minimum dead time of 12.4 ns. We also introduce a new Time-to-Amplitude Converter (TAC) able to attain extra-short dead time thanks to the combination of a scalable array of monolithically integrated TACs and a sequential router. The fast TAC (F-TAC) makes it possible to operate the system towards the upper limit of detector count rate capability (∼80 Mcps) with reduced pile-up losses, addressing one of the historic criticisms of TCSPC. Preliminary measurements on the F-TAC are presented and discussed.« less

Circuit lifespan during continuous renal replacement therapy for combined liver and kidney failure.

PubMed

Chua, Horng-Ruey; Baldwin, Ian; Bailey, Michael; Subramaniam, Ashwin; Bellomo, Rinaldo

2012-12-01

To evaluate circuit lifespan (CL) and bleeding risk during continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), in combined liver and renal failure. Single-center retrospective analysis of adults with acute liver failure or decompensated cirrhosis who received CRRT, without anticoagulation or with heparinization in intensive care unit. Seventy-one patients with 539 CRRT circuits were evaluated. Median overall CL was 9 (6-16) hours. CL was 12 (7-24) hours in 51 patients never anticoagulated for CRRT. In 20 patients who subsequently received heparinization, CL was 7 (5-11) hours without anticoagulation, which did not improve with systemic or regional heparinization (P = .231), despite higher peri-circuit activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and heparin dose. Using multivariate linear regression, patients with higher baseline APTT or serum bilirubin, or who were not mechanically ventilated, had longer CL (P < .05). Additionally, peri-circuit thrombocytopenia (P < .0001) or higher international normalized ratio (P < .05) predicted longer CL. Of 71 patients, 33 had significant bleeding events. Using multivariate logistic regression, patients with higher baseline APTT, vasoactive drug use >24 hours, or thrombocytopenia, had more bleeding complications (P < .05). Decreasing platelet counts (especially <50 × 10(9)/mm(3)) had an incremental effect on CL (P < .0001). CRRT CL is short in patients with liver failure despite apparent coagulopathy. Thrombocytopenia predicts longer CL and bleeding complications. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High-performance reconfigurable coincidence counting unit based on a field programmable gate array.

PubMed

Park, Byung Kwon; Kim, Yong-Su; Kwon, Osung; Han, Sang-Wook; Moon, Sung

2015-05-20

We present a high-performance reconfigurable coincidence counting unit (CCU) using a low-end field programmable gate array (FPGA) and peripheral circuits. Because of the flexibility guaranteed by the FPGA program, we can easily change system parameters, such as internal input delays, coincidence configurations, and the coincidence time window. In spite of a low-cost implementation, the proposed CCU architecture outperforms previous ones in many aspects: it has 8 logic inputs and 4 coincidence outputs that can measure up to eight-fold coincidences. The minimum coincidence time window and the maximum input frequency are 0.47 ns and 163 MHz, respectively. The CCU will be useful in various experimental research areas, including the field of quantum optics and quantum information.

An active drop counting device using condenser microphone for superheated emulsion detector

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Das, Mala; Marick, C.; Kanjilal, D.

2008-11-15

An active device for superheated emulsion detector is described. A capacitive diaphragm sensor or condenser microphone is used to convert the acoustic pulse of drop nucleation to electrical signal. An active peak detector is included in the circuit to avoid multiple triggering of the counter. The counts are finally recorded by a microprocessor based data acquisition system. Genuine triggers, missed by the sensor, were studied using a simulated clock pulse. The neutron energy spectrum of {sup 252}Cf fission neutron source was measured using the device with R114 as the sensitive liquid and compared with the calculated fission neutron energy spectrummore » of {sup 252}Cf. Frequency analysis of the detected signals was also carried out.« less

An active drop counting device using condenser microphone for superheated emulsion detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Mala; Arya, A. S.; Marick, C.; Kanjilal, D.; Saha, S.

2008-11-01

An active device for superheated emulsion detector is described. A capacitive diaphragm sensor or condenser microphone is used to convert the acoustic pulse of drop nucleation to electrical signal. An active peak detector is included in the circuit to avoid multiple triggering of the counter. The counts are finally recorded by a microprocessor based data acquisition system. Genuine triggers, missed by the sensor, were studied using a simulated clock pulse. The neutron energy spectrum of C252f fission neutron source was measured using the device with R114 as the sensitive liquid and compared with the calculated fission neutron energy spectrum of C252f. Frequency analysis of the detected signals was also carried out.

Free-running InGaAs single photon detector with 1 dark count per second at 10% efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korzh, B.; Walenta, N.; Lunghi, T.; Gisin, N.; Zbinden, H.

2014-02-01

We present a free-running single photon detector for telecom wavelengths based on a negative feedback avalanche photodiode (NFAD). A dark count rate as low as 1 cps was obtained at a detection efficiency of 10%, with an afterpulse probability of 2.2% for 20 μs of deadtime. This was achieved by using an active hold-off circuit and cooling the NFAD with a free-piston stirling cooler down to temperatures of -110 °C. We integrated two detectors into a practical, 625 MHz clocked quantum key distribution system. Stable, real-time key distribution in the presence of 30 dB channel loss was possible, yielding a secret key rate of 350 bps.

Development and verification of an innovative photomultiplier calibration system with a 10-fold increase in photometer resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Shyh-Biau; Yeh, Tse-Liang; Chen, Li-Wu; Liu, Jann-Yenq; Yu, Ming-Hsuan; Huang, Yu-Qin; Chiang, Chen-Kiang; Chou, Chung-Jen

2018-05-01

In this study, we construct a photomultiplier calibration system. This calibration system can help scientists measuring and establishing the characteristic curve of the photon count versus light intensity. The system uses an innovative 10-fold optical attenuator to enable an optical power meter to calibrate photomultiplier tubes which have the resolution being much greater than that of the optical power meter. A simulation is firstly conducted to validate the feasibility of the system, and then the system construction, including optical design, circuit design, and software algorithm, is realized. The simulation generally agrees with measurement data of the constructed system, which are further used to establish the characteristic curve of the photon count versus light intensity.

Instrumentation for laser physics and spectroscopy using 32-bit microcontrollers with an Android tablet interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eyler, E. E.

2013-10-01

Several high-performance lab instruments suitable for manual assembly have been developed using low-pin-count 32-bit microcontrollers that communicate with an Android tablet via a USB interface. A single Android tablet app accommodates multiple interface needs by uploading parameter lists and graphical data from the microcontrollers, which are themselves programmed with easily modified C code. The hardware design of the instruments emphasizes low chip counts and is highly modular, relying on small "daughter boards" for special functions such as USB power management, waveform generation, and phase-sensitive signal detection. In one example, a daughter board provides a complete waveform generator and direct digital synthesizer that fits on a 1.5 in. × 0.8 in. circuit card.

Development of the low-cost multi-channel analyzer system for γ-ray spectroscopy with a PC sound card

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugihara, Kenkoh; Nakamura, Satoshi N.; Chiga, Nobuyuki; Fujii, Yuu; Tamura, Hirokazu

2013-10-01

A low-cost multi-channel analyzer (MCA) system was developed using a custom-build interface circuit and a PC sound card. The performance of the system was studied using γ-ray spectroscopy measurements with a NaI(Tl) scintillation detector. Our system successfully measured the energy of γ-rays at a rate of 1000 counts per second (cps).

High-voltage integrated active quenching circuit for single photon count rate up to 80 Mcounts/s.

PubMed

Acconcia, Giulia; Rech, Ivan; Gulinatti, Angelo; Ghioni, Massimo

2016-08-08

Single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) have been subject to a fast improvement in recent years. In particular, custom technologies specifically developed to fabricate SPAD devices give the designer the freedom to pursue the best detector performance required by applications. A significant breakthrough in this field is represented by the recent introduction of a red enhanced SPAD (RE-SPAD) technology, capable of attaining a good photon detection efficiency in the near infrared range (e.g. 40% at a wavelength of 800 nm) while maintaining a remarkable timing resolution of about 100ps full width at half maximum. Being planar, the RE-SPAD custom technology opened the way to the development of SPAD arrays particularly suited for demanding applications in the field of life sciences. However, to achieve such excellent performance custom SPAD detectors must be operated with an external active quenching circuit (AQC) designed on purpose. Next steps toward the development of compact and practical multichannel systems will require a new generation of monolithically integrated AQC arrays. In this paper we present a new, fully integrated AQC fabricated in a high-voltage 0.18 µm CMOS technology able to provide quenching pulses up to 50 Volts with fast leading and trailing edges. Although specifically designed for optimal operation of RE-SPAD devices, the new AQC is quite versatile: it can be used with any SPAD detector, regardless its fabrication technology, reaching remarkable count rates up to 80 Mcounts/s and generating a photon detection pulse with a timing jitter as low as 119 ps full width at half maximum. The compact design of our circuit has been specifically laid out to make this IC a suitable building block for monolithically integrated AQC arrays.

High-speed MCP anodes for high time resolution low-energy charged particle spectrometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, Yoshifumi; Yokota, Shoichiro; Asamura, Kazushi; Krieger, Amanda

2017-02-01

The time resolution of low-energy charged particle measurements is becoming higher and higher. In order to realize high time resolution measurements, a 1-D circular delay line anode has been developed as a high-speed microchannel plate (MCP) anode. The maximum count rate of the 1-D circular delay line anode is around 1 × 107/s/360°, which is much higher than the widely used resistive anode, whose maximum count rate is around 1 × 106/s/360°. In order to achieve much higher speeds, an MCP anode with application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) has been developed. We have decided to adopt an anode configuration in which a discrete anode is formed on a ceramic substrate, and a bare ASIC chip is installed on the back of the ceramic. It has been found that the anode can detect at a high count rate of 2 × 108/s/360°. Developments in both delay line and discrete anodes, as well as readout electronics, will be reviewed.

A large surface photomultiplier based on SiPMs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbarino, Giancarlo; de Asmundis, Riccardo; De Rosa, Gianfranca; Vivolo, Daniele; Mollo, Carlos Maximiliano

2013-10-01

Light detection through photosensitive devices represents one of the key issues for a large variety of experiments. In the recent years, Silicon PhotoMultipliers (SiPMs) based on limited Geiger-mode avalanche have been extensively studied in view of their future applications. However, their use is strongly limited by their small sensitive surfaces and by the fact that any increment in the surface turns out into an increase of the dark count rate. In the present work we describe the dark count rate reduction obtained by using a FPGA-based logical circuit for fast pre-processing of pulses from a 3×3 matrix of SiPMs. The prototype we developed supports two SiPMs: we show that a rate reduction from 6.6 Mcps (Mega counts per second) down to 0.436 Mcps at the lowest threshold (0.5 photon-equivalent) and from 1.2 kcps down to 0.02 cps for the highest threshold (3.5 photon-equivalent) is obtainable.

Digital-only PLL with adaptive search step

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Ming-Lang; Huang, Shu-Chuan; Liu, Jie-Cherng

2014-06-01

In this paper, an all-digital phase-locked loop (PLL) with adaptively controlled up/down counter serves as the loop filter is presented, and it is implemented on a field-programmable gate array. The detailed circuit of the adaptive up/down counter implementing the adaptive search algorithm is also given, in which the search step for frequency acquisition is adaptively scaled down in half until it is reduced to zero. The phase jitter of the proposed PLL can be lowered, yet keeping with fast lock-in time. Thus, the dilemma between the low phase jitter and fast lock-in time of the traditional PLL can be resolved. Simulation results and circuit implementation show that the locked count, phase jitter and lock-in time of the proposed PLL are consistent with the theoretical predictions.

RADIATION-MEASURING SYSTEMS OF SOVIET ROCKETS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vakulov, P.V.; Goryunov, N.N.; Logachev, Yu.I.

1961-11-01

The second and third Sputniks and all Soviet space rockets and spaceship- satellites were equipped with radiationmeasuring systems comprising scintillation and gasdischarge counters and shaping, amplification, and scaling circuits. The scintillation counters use photomultipliers having either 40 x 40 Nal(Tl) or 20 x 20 Csl(Tl) cylindrical crystals. Both types have a gain of ~5.10/sup 4/. The highvoltage battery supplies voltages to the photomultipliers without the use of voltage dividers. Pulses from the 11th, 9th, and 8th dynodes are used for counting the number of particles which produce energy yields from the crystal exceeding ~50 and 500 kev and 5 Mev,more » respectively. Fourstage transistor amplifiers with an over-all gain of ~100 are used for amplification of the counting pulses. The trigger-discriminator, together with the amplifier, is capable of counting (2.5 -- 3.0) x 10/sup 5/ pulses/sec and of insuring a threshold stability of 10% at ambient temperatures of --30 to +50 deg C and voltage variations of plus or minus 20%. Ionization is measured from the current of the 7th dynode and the photomultiplier collector, which permits readings as low as 10/sup -10/ amp to be made by the method of charge storage (in the capacitor) with subsequent discharge through a neon tube. A gas-disoharge counter with 50 mg/cm/sup 2/ stainless-steel walls, operating at 400 v, also measures ionization. Before coming to the scaling circuit, the 50 v negative pulses from this counter pass through a transistor amplifier which changes their polarity and reduces their duration to 8 to 10 mu sec. (OTS)« less

Cosmic ray neutron background reduction using localized coincidence veto neutron counting

DOEpatents

Menlove, Howard O.; Bourret, Steven C.; Krick, Merlyn S.

2002-01-01

This invention relates to both the apparatus and method for increasing the sensitivity of measuring the amount of radioactive material in waste by reducing the interference caused by cosmic ray generated neutrons. The apparatus includes: (a) a plurality of neutron detectors, each of the detectors including means for generating a pulse in response to the detection of a neutron; and (b) means, coupled to each of the neutrons detectors, for counting only some of the pulses from each of the detectors, whether cosmic ray or fission generated. The means for counting includes a means that, after counting one of the pulses, vetos the counting of additional pulses for a prescribed period of time. The prescribed period of time is between 50 and 200 .mu.s. In the preferred embodiment the prescribed period of time is 128 .mu.s. The veto means can be an electronic circuit which includes a leading edge pulse generator which passes a pulse but blocks any subsequent pulse for a period of between 50 and 200 .mu.s. Alternately, the veto means is a software program which includes means for tagging each of the pulses from each of the detectors for both time and position, means for counting one of the pulses from a particular position, and means for rejecting those of the pulses which originate from the particular position and in a time interval on the order of the neutron die-away time in polyethylene or other shield material. The neutron detectors are grouped in pods, preferably at least 10. The apparatus also includes means for vetoing the counting of coincidence pulses from all of the detectors included in each of the pods which are adjacent to the pod which includes the detector which produced the pulse which was counted.

Digital time delay

DOEpatents

Martin, A.D.

1986-05-09

Method and apparatus are provided for generating an output pulse following a trigger pulse at a time delay interval preset with a resolution which is high relative to a low resolution available from supplied clock pulses. A first lumped constant delay provides a first output signal at predetermined interpolation intervals corresponding to the desired high resolution time interval. Latching circuits latch the high resolution data to form a first synchronizing data set. A selected time interval has been preset to internal counters and corrected for circuit propagation delay times having the same order of magnitude as the desired high resolution. Internal system clock pulses count down the counters to generate an internal pulse delayed by an internal which is functionally related to the preset time interval. A second LCD corrects the internal signal with the high resolution time delay. A second internal pulse is then applied to a third LCD to generate a second set of synchronizing data which is complementary with the first set of synchronizing data for presentation to logic circuits. The logic circuits further delay the internal output signal with the internal pulses. The final delayed output signal thereafter enables the output pulse generator to produce the desired output pulse at the preset time delay interval following input of the trigger pulse.

Modeling Large Scale Circuits Using Massively Parallel Descrete-Event Simulation

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

exascale levels of performance, the smallest elements of a single processor can greatly affect the entire computer system (e.g. its power consumption...grow to exascale levels of performance, the smallest elements of a single processor can greatly affect the entire computer system (e.g. its power...Warp Speed 10.0. 2.0 INTRODUCTION As supercomputer systems approach exascale , the core count will exceed 1024 and number of transistors used in

Compact pulse width modulation circuitry for silicon photomultiplier readout.

PubMed

Bieniosek, M F; Olcott, P D; Levin, C S

2013-08-07

The adoption of solid-state photodetectors for positron emission tomography (PET) system design and the interest in 3D interaction information from PET detectors has lead to an increasing number of readout channels in PET systems. To handle these additional readout channels, PET readout electronics should be simplified to reduce the power consumption, cost, and size of the electronics for a single channel. Pulse-width modulation (PWM), where detector pulses are converted to digital pulses with width proportional to the detected photon energy, promises to simplify PET readout by converting the signals to digital form at the beginning of the processing chain, and allowing a single time-to-digital converter to perform the data acquisition for many channels rather than routing many analogue channels and digitizing in the back end. Integrator based PWM systems, also known as charge-to-time converters (QTCs), are especially compact, reducing the front-end electronics to an op-amp integrator with a resistor discharge, and a comparator. QTCs, however, have a long dead-time during which dark count noise is integrated, reducing the output signal-to-noise ratio. This work presents a QTC based PWM circuit with a gated integrator that shows performance improvements over existing QTC based PWM. By opening and closing an analogue switch on the input of the integrator, the circuit can be controlled to integrate only the portions of the signal with a high signal-to-noise ratio. It also allows for multiplexing different detectors into the same PWM circuit while avoiding uncorrelated noise propagation between photodetector channels. Four gated integrator PWM circuits were built to readout the spatial channels of two position sensitive solid-state photomultiplier (PS-SSPM). Results show a 4 × 4 array 0.9 mm × 0.9 mm × 15 mm of LYSO crystals being identified on the 5 mm × 5 mm PS-SSPM at room temperature with no degradation for twofold multiplexing. In principle, much larger multiplexing ratios are possible, limited only by count rate issues.

Prior automatic posture and activity identification improves physical activity energy expenditure prediction from hip-worn triaxial accelerometry.

PubMed

Garnotel, M; Bastian, T; Romero-Ugalde, H M; Maire, A; Dugas, J; Zahariev, A; Doron, M; Jallon, P; Charpentier, G; Franc, S; Blanc, S; Bonnet, S; Simon, C

2018-03-01

Accelerometry is increasingly used to quantify physical activity (PA) and related energy expenditure (EE). Linear regression models designed to derive PAEE from accelerometry-counts have shown their limits, mostly due to the lack of consideration of the nature of activities performed. Here we tested whether a model coupling an automatic activity/posture recognition (AAR) algorithm with an activity-specific count-based model, developed in 61 subjects in laboratory conditions, improved PAEE and total EE (TEE) predictions from a hip-worn triaxial-accelerometer (ActigraphGT3X+) in free-living conditions. Data from two independent subject groups of varying body mass index and age were considered: 20 subjects engaged in a 3-h urban-circuit, with activity-by-activity reference PAEE from combined heart-rate and accelerometry monitoring (Actiheart); and 56 subjects involved in a 14-day trial, with PAEE and TEE measured using the doubly-labeled water method. PAEE was estimated from accelerometry using the activity-specific model coupled to the AAR algorithm (AAR model), a simple linear model (SLM), and equations provided by the companion-software of used activity-devices (Freedson and Actiheart models). AAR-model predictions were in closer agreement with selected references than those from other count-based models, both for PAEE during the urban-circuit (RMSE = 6.19 vs 7.90 for SLM and 9.62 kJ/min for Freedson) and for EE over the 14-day trial, reaching Actiheart performances in the latter (PAEE: RMSE = 0.93 vs. 1.53 for SLM, 1.43 for Freedson, 0.91 MJ/day for Actiheart; TEE: RMSE = 1.05 vs. 1.57 for SLM, 1.70 for Freedson, 0.95 MJ/day for Actiheart). Overall, the AAR model resulted in a 43% increase of daily PAEE variance explained by accelerometry predictions. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Although triaxial accelerometry is widely used in free-living conditions to assess the impact of physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) on health, its precision and accuracy are often debated. Here we developed and validated an activity-specific model which, coupled with an automatic activity-recognition algorithm, improved the variance explained by the predictions from accelerometry counts by 43% of daily PAEE compared with models relying on a simple relationship between accelerometry counts and EE.

Free-running InGaAs single photon detector with 1 dark count per second at 10% efficiency

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Korzh, B., E-mail: Boris.Korzh@unige.ch; Walenta, N.; Lunghi, T.

We present a free-running single photon detector for telecom wavelengths based on a negative feedback avalanche photodiode (NFAD). A dark count rate as low as 1 cps was obtained at a detection efficiency of 10%, with an afterpulse probability of 2.2% for 20 μs of deadtime. This was achieved by using an active hold-off circuit and cooling the NFAD with a free-piston stirling cooler down to temperatures of −110 °C. We integrated two detectors into a practical, 625 MHz clocked quantum key distribution system. Stable, real-time key distribution in the presence of 30 dB channel loss was possible, yielding a secret key rate of 350 bps.

[Low level alpha activity measurements with pulse shape discrimination--application to the determination of alpha-nuclides in environmental samples].

PubMed

Satoh, K; Noguchi, M; Higuchi, H; Kitamura, K

1984-12-01

Liquid scintillation counting of alpha rays with pulse shape discrimination was applied to the analysis of 226Ra and 239+240Pu in environmental samples and of alpha-emitters in/on a filter paper. The instrument used in this study was either a specially designed detector or a commercial liquid scintillation counter with an automatic sample changer, both of which were connected to the pulse shape discrimination circuit. The background counting rate in alpha energy region of 5-7 MeV was 0.01 or 0.04 cpm/MeV, respectively. The figure of merit indicating the resolving power for alpha- and beta-particles in time spectrum was found to be 5.7 for the commercial liquid scintillation counter.

In vitro evaluation of gaseous microemboli handling of cardiopulmonary bypass circuits with and without integrated arterial line filters.

PubMed

Liu, Saifei; Newland, Richard F; Tully, Phillip J; Tuble, Sigrid C; Baker, Robert A

2011-09-01

The delivery of gaseous microemboli (GME) by the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit should be minimized whenever possible. Innovations in components, such as the integration of arterial line filter (ALF) and ALFs with reduced priming volumes, have provided clinicians with circuit design options. However, before adopting these components clinically, their GME handling ability should be assessed. This study aims to compare the GME handling ability of different oxygenator/ALF combinations with our currently utilized combination. Five commercially available oxygenator/ALF combinations were evaluated in vitro: Terumo Capiox SX25RX and Dideco D734 (SX/D734),Terumo Capiox RX25R and AF125 (RX/AF125), Terumo FX25R (FX), Sorin Synthesis with 102 microm reservoir filter (SYN102), and Sorin Synthesis with 40 microm reservoir filter (SYN40). GME handling was studied by introducing air into the venous return at 100 mL/min for 60 seconds under two flow/ pressure combinations: 3.5 L/min, 150 mmHg and 5 L/min, 200 mmHg. Emboli were measured at three positions in the circuit using the Emboli Detection and Classification (EDAC) Quantifier and analyzed with the General Linear Model. All circuits significantly reduced GME. The SX/D734 and SYN40 circuits were most efficient in GME removal whilst the SYN102 handled embolic load (count and volume) least efficiently (p < .001). A greater number of emboli <70 microm were observed for the SYN102, FX and RX/AF125 circuits (p < .001). An increase in embolic load occurred with higher flow/pressure in all circuits (p < .001). The venous reservoir significantly influences embolic load delivered to the oxygenator (p < .001). The majority of introduced venous air was removed; however, significant variation existed in the ability of the different circuits to handle GME. Venous reservoir design influenced the overall GME handling ability. GME removal was less efficient at higher flow and pressure, and for smaller sized emboli. The clinical significance of reducing GME requires further investigation.

A randomized comparative crossover study to assess the affect on circuit life of varying pre-dilution volume associated with CVVH and CVVHDF.

PubMed

Davies, H T; Leslie, G; Pereira, S M; Webb, S A R

2008-03-01

To determine if circuit life is influenced by a higher pre-dilution volume used in CVVH when compared with a lower pre-dilution volume approach in CVVHDF. A comparative crossover study. Cases were randomized to receive either CVVH or CVVHDF followed by the alternative treatment. All patients >or= 18 yrs of age who required CRRT while in ICU were eligible to participate, but excluded if coagulopathic, thrombocytopenic or unable to receive heparin. Based on an intention-to-treat, 45 patients were randomized to receive either CVVH or CVVHDF followed by the alternative treatment. A 24-bed, tertiary, medical and surgical adult intensive care unit (ICU). Blood flow rate, vascular access device and insertion site, hemofilter, anticoagulation and machine hardware were standardized. An ultrafiltrate dose of 35 ml/ kg/h delivered pre-filter was used for CVVH. A fixed pre-dilution volume of 600 mls/h with a dialysate dose of 1 L was used for CVVHDF. Thirty-one patients received CVVH or CVVHDF out of 45 participants followed by the alternative technique. There was a significant increase in circuit life in favor of CVVHDF (median=16 h 5 min, range=40 h 23 min) compared with CVVH (median=6 h 35 min, range=30 h 45 min). A Mann-Whitney U test was performed to compare circuit life between the two different CRRT modes (Z=-3.478, p<0.001). Measurements of circuit life on the 93 circuits which survived to clotting (50 CVVH and 43 CVVHDF) were log transformed prior to under taking a standard multiple regression analysis. None of the independent variables - activated prothrombin time (aPTT), platelet count, heparin dose, patient hematocrit or urea - had a coefficient partial correlation >0.09 (coefficient of the determination=0.117) or a linear relationship which could be associated with circuit life (p=0.228). Pre-diluted CVVHDF appeared to have a longer circuit life when compared to high volume pre-diluted CVVH. The choice of CRRT mode may be an important independent determinant of circuit life.

Development of a multiplexed bypass control system for aerospace batteries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frank, H. A.

1977-01-01

A breadboard bypass control system was developed to control a battery comprised of 26 JPL-developed negative limited Ni-Cd cells. The system was designed to automatically remove cells from the circuit when their voltages exceeded a fixed limit on charge and fell below a fixed limit on discharge. Major components of the system consisted of a cell voltage monitor, a multiplexing circuit, and individual electromechanical relays for each cell. The system was found to function well in controlling the battery during a simulated 10-month MM-71 mission and a 2-month simulated low earth orbit cycling mission. A flight version of the bypass system was estimated to have a total parts count of 150 and total weight of 1.63 kg. When fully developed, the system shows promise for improving life and reliability of spacecraft batteries.

A front end readout electronics ASIC chip for position sensitive solid state detectors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kravis, S.D.; Tuemer, T.O.; Visser, G.J.

1998-12-31

A mixed signal Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) chip for front end readout electronics of position sensitive solid state detectors has been manufactured. It is called RENA (Readout Electronics for Nuclear Applications). This chip can be used for both medical and industrial imaging of X-rays and gamma rays. The RENA chip is a monolithic integrated circuit and has 32 channels with low noise high input impedance charge sensitive amplifiers. It works in pulse counting mode with good energy resolution. It also has a self triggering output which is essential for nuclear applications when the incident radiation arrives at random. Different,more » externally selectable, operational modes that includes a sparse readout mode is available to increase data throughput. It also has externally selectable shaping (peaking) times.« less

Vertical high-precision Michelson wavemeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morales, A.; de Urquijo, J.; Mendoza, A.

1993-01-01

We have designed and tested a traveling, Michelson-type vertical wavemeter for the wavelength measurement of tunable continuous-wave lasers in the visible part of the spectrum. The interferometer has two movable corner cubes, suspending vertically from a driving setup resembling Atwood's machine. To reduce the fraction-of-fringe error, a vernier-type coincidence circuit was used. Although simple, this wavemeter has a relative precision of 3.2 parts in 109 for an overall fringe count of about 7×106.

An Integrated Microfluidic Processor for DNA-Encoded Combinatorial Library Functional Screening

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

DNA-encoded synthesis is rekindling interest in combinatorial compound libraries for drug discovery and in technology for automated and quantitative library screening. Here, we disclose a microfluidic circuit that enables functional screens of DNA-encoded compound beads. The device carries out library bead distribution into picoliter-scale assay reagent droplets, photochemical cleavage of compound from the bead, assay incubation, laser-induced fluorescence-based assay detection, and fluorescence-activated droplet sorting to isolate hits. DNA-encoded compound beads (10-μm diameter) displaying a photocleavable positive control inhibitor pepstatin A were mixed (1920 beads, 729 encoding sequences) with negative control beads (58 000 beads, 1728 encoding sequences) and screened for cathepsin D inhibition using a biochemical enzyme activity assay. The circuit sorted 1518 hit droplets for collection following 18 min incubation over a 240 min analysis. Visual inspection of a subset of droplets (1188 droplets) yielded a 24% false discovery rate (1166 pepstatin A beads; 366 negative control beads). Using template barcoding strategies, it was possible to count hit collection beads (1863) using next-generation sequencing data. Bead-specific barcodes enabled replicate counting, and the false discovery rate was reduced to 2.6% by only considering hit-encoding sequences that were observed on >2 beads. This work represents a complete distributable small molecule discovery platform, from microfluidic miniaturized automation to ultrahigh-throughput hit deconvolution by sequencing. PMID:28199790

An Integrated Microfluidic Processor for DNA-Encoded Combinatorial Library Functional Screening.

PubMed

MacConnell, Andrew B; Price, Alexander K; Paegel, Brian M

2017-03-13

DNA-encoded synthesis is rekindling interest in combinatorial compound libraries for drug discovery and in technology for automated and quantitative library screening. Here, we disclose a microfluidic circuit that enables functional screens of DNA-encoded compound beads. The device carries out library bead distribution into picoliter-scale assay reagent droplets, photochemical cleavage of compound from the bead, assay incubation, laser-induced fluorescence-based assay detection, and fluorescence-activated droplet sorting to isolate hits. DNA-encoded compound beads (10-μm diameter) displaying a photocleavable positive control inhibitor pepstatin A were mixed (1920 beads, 729 encoding sequences) with negative control beads (58 000 beads, 1728 encoding sequences) and screened for cathepsin D inhibition using a biochemical enzyme activity assay. The circuit sorted 1518 hit droplets for collection following 18 min incubation over a 240 min analysis. Visual inspection of a subset of droplets (1188 droplets) yielded a 24% false discovery rate (1166 pepstatin A beads; 366 negative control beads). Using template barcoding strategies, it was possible to count hit collection beads (1863) using next-generation sequencing data. Bead-specific barcodes enabled replicate counting, and the false discovery rate was reduced to 2.6% by only considering hit-encoding sequences that were observed on >2 beads. This work represents a complete distributable small molecule discovery platform, from microfluidic miniaturized automation to ultrahigh-throughput hit deconvolution by sequencing.

People with stroke spend more time in active task practice, but similar time in walking practice, when physiotherapy rehabilitation is provided in circuit classes compared to individual therapy sessions: an observational study.

PubMed

English, Coralie; Hillier, Susan; Kaur, Gurpreet; Hundertmark, Laura

2014-03-01

Do people with stroke spend more time in active task practice during circuit class therapy sessions versus individual physiotherapy sessions? Do people with stroke practise different tasks during circuit class therapy sessions versus individual physiotherapy sessions? Prospective, observational study. Twenty-nine people with stroke in inpatient rehabilitation settings. Individual therapy sessions and circuit class therapy sessions provided within a larger randomised controlled trial. Seventy-nine therapy sessions were video-recorded and the footage was analysed for time spent engaged in various categories of activity. In a subsample of 28 videos, the number of steps taken by people with stroke per therapy session was counted. Circuit class therapy sessions were of a longer duration (mean difference 38.0minutes, 95% CI 29.9 to 46.1), and participants spent more time engaged in active task practice (mean difference 23.8minutes, 95% CI 16.1 to 31.4) compared with individual sessions. A greater percentage of time in circuit class therapy sessions was spent practising tasks in sitting (mean difference 5.3%, 95% CI 2.4 to 8.2) and in sit-to-stand practice (mean difference 2.7%, 95% CI 1.4 to 4.1), and a lower percentage of time in walking practice (mean difference 19.1%, 95% CI 10.0 to 28.1) compared with individual sessions. PARTICIPANTS took an average of 371 steps (SD 418) during therapy sessions and this did not differ significantly between group and individual sessions. People with stroke spent more time in active task practice, but a similar amount of time in walking practice when physiotherapy was offered in circuit class therapy sessions versus individual therapy sessions. There is a need for effective strategies to increase the amount of walking practice during physiotherapy sessions for people after stroke. Copyright © 2014 Australian Physiotherapy Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Handheld 2-channel impedimetric cell counting system with embedded real-time processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rottigni, A.; Carminati, M.; Ferrari, G.; Vahey, M. D.; Voldman, J.; Sampietro, M.

2011-05-01

Lab-on-a-chip systems have been attracting a growing attention for the perspective of miniaturization and portability of bio-chemical assays. Here we present a the design and characterization of a miniaturized, USB-powered, self-contained, 2-channel instrument for impedance sensing, suitable for label-free tracking and real-time detection of cells flowing in microfluidic channels. This original circuit features a signal generator based on a direct digital synthesizer, a transimpedance amplifier, an integrated square-wave lock-in coupled to a Σ▵ ADC converter, and a digital processing platform. Real-time automatic peak detection on two channels is implemented in a FPGA. System functionality has been tested with an electronic resistance modulator to simulate 1% impedance variation produced by cells, reaching a time resolution of 50μs (enabling a count rate of 2000 events/s) with an applied voltage as low as 200mV. Biological experiments have been carried out counting yeast cells. Statistical analysis of events is in agreement with the expected amplitude and time distributions. 2-channel yeast counting has been performed with concomitant dielectrophoretic cell separation, showing that this novel and ultra compact sensing system, thanks to the selectivity of the lock-in detector, is compatible with other AC electrical fields applied to the device.

Fast and High Dynamic Range Imaging with Superconducting Tunnel Junction Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsuo, Hiroshi

2014-08-01

We have demonstrated a combined test of the submillimeter-wave SIS photon detectors and GaAs-JFET cryogenic integrated circuits. A relatively large background photo-current can be read out by fast-reset integrating amplifiers. An integration time of 1 ms enables fast frame rate readout and large dynamic range imaging, with an expected dynamic range of 8,000 in 1 ms. Ultimate fast and high dynamic range performance of superconducting tunnel junction detectors (STJ) will be obtained when photon counting capabilities are employed. In the terahertz frequencies, when input photon rate of 100 MHz is measured, the photon bunching gives us enough timing resolution to be used as phase information of intensity fluctuation. Application of photon statistics will be a new tool in the terahertz frequency region. The design parameters of STJ terahertz photon counting detectors are discussed.

Quantitative secondary electron detection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Agrawal, Jyoti; Joy, David C.; Nayak, Subuhadarshi

Quantitative Secondary Electron Detection (QSED) using the array of solid state devices (SSD) based electron-counters enable critical dimension metrology measurements in materials such as semiconductors, nanomaterials, and biological samples (FIG. 3). Methods and devices effect a quantitative detection of secondary electrons with the array of solid state detectors comprising a number of solid state detectors. An array senses the number of secondary electrons with a plurality of solid state detectors, counting the number of secondary electrons with a time to digital converter circuit in counter mode.

DARPA Technical Accomplishments. An Historical Review of Selected DARPA Projects. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-02-01

CARBON - CARBON METAL MATRIX C4OMPOSITES CERAMIC TURBINE BLADES RAPID SCUJDIFICATION VLSI PROCESSING GaAs IN•TEGRATED CIRCUITS INFORMATION PROCESSING...500 S. The lee of Gough Island was also used to avoid Iage ships’ motions in the heavy seas. The two other locations were selected to separate the...lower curve) trajectories of Pioneer IlL. The labels on the contours are counts per second of a heavy shielded miniature Geiger-Mueller tube. The linear

An interactive wire-wrap board layout program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schlutsmeyer, A.

1987-01-01

An interactive computer-graphics-based tool for specifying the placement of electronic parts on a wire-wrap circuit board is presented. Input is a data file (currently produced by a commercial logic design system) which describes the parts used and their interconnections. Output includes printed reports describing the parts and wire paths, parts counts, placement lists, board drawing, and a tape to send to the wire-wrap vendor. The program should reduce the engineer's layout time by a factor of 3 to 5 as compared to manual methods.

High-speed and high-efficiency travelling wave single-photon detectors embedded in nanophotonic circuits

PubMed Central

Pernice, W.H.P.; Schuck, C.; Minaeva, O.; Li, M.; Goltsman, G.N.; Sergienko, A.V.; Tang, H.X.

2012-01-01

Ultrafast, high-efficiency single-photon detectors are among the most sought-after elements in modern quantum optics and quantum communication. However, imperfect modal matching and finite photon absorption rates have usually limited their maximum attainable detection efficiency. Here we demonstrate superconducting nanowire detectors atop nanophotonic waveguides, which enable a drastic increase of the absorption length for incoming photons. This allows us to achieve high on-chip single-photon detection efficiency up to 91% at telecom wavelengths, repeatable across several fabricated chips. We also observe remarkably low dark count rates without significant compromise of the on-chip detection efficiency. The detectors are fully embedded in scalable silicon photonic circuits and provide ultrashort timing jitter of 18 ps. Exploiting this high temporal resolution, we demonstrate ballistic photon transport in silicon ring resonators. Our direct implementation of a high-performance single-photon detector on chip overcomes a major barrier in integrated quantum photonics. PMID:23271658

Concrete resource analysis of the quantum linear-system algorithm used to compute the electromagnetic scattering cross section of a 2D target

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scherer, Artur; Valiron, Benoît; Mau, Siun-Chuon; Alexander, Scott; van den Berg, Eric; Chapuran, Thomas E.

2017-03-01

We provide a detailed estimate for the logical resource requirements of the quantum linear-system algorithm (Harrow et al. in Phys Rev Lett 103:150502, 2009) including the recently described elaborations and application to computing the electromagnetic scattering cross section of a metallic target (Clader et al. in Phys Rev Lett 110:250504, 2013). Our resource estimates are based on the standard quantum-circuit model of quantum computation; they comprise circuit width (related to parallelism), circuit depth (total number of steps), the number of qubits and ancilla qubits employed, and the overall number of elementary quantum gate operations as well as more specific gate counts for each elementary fault-tolerant gate from the standard set { X, Y, Z, H, S, T, { CNOT } }. In order to perform these estimates, we used an approach that combines manual analysis with automated estimates generated via the Quipper quantum programming language and compiler. Our estimates pertain to the explicit example problem size N=332{,}020{,}680 beyond which, according to a crude big-O complexity comparison, the quantum linear-system algorithm is expected to run faster than the best known classical linear-system solving algorithm. For this problem size, a desired calculation accuracy ɛ =0.01 requires an approximate circuit width 340 and circuit depth of order 10^{25} if oracle costs are excluded, and a circuit width and circuit depth of order 10^8 and 10^{29}, respectively, if the resource requirements of oracles are included, indicating that the commonly ignored oracle resources are considerable. In addition to providing detailed logical resource estimates, it is also the purpose of this paper to demonstrate explicitly (using a fine-grained approach rather than relying on coarse big-O asymptotic approximations) how these impressively large numbers arise with an actual circuit implementation of a quantum algorithm. While our estimates may prove to be conservative as more efficient advanced quantum-computation techniques are developed, they nevertheless provide a valid baseline for research targeting a reduction of the algorithmic-level resource requirements, implying that a reduction by many orders of magnitude is necessary for the algorithm to become practical.

A low-cost, scalable, current-sensing digital headstage for high channel count μECoG.

PubMed

Trumpis, Michael; Insanally, Michele; Zou, Jialin; Elsharif, Ashraf; Ghomashchi, Ali; Sertac Artan, N; Froemke, Robert C; Viventi, Jonathan

2017-04-01

High channel count electrode arrays allow for the monitoring of large-scale neural activity at high spatial resolution. Implantable arrays featuring many recording sites require compact, high bandwidth front-end electronics. In the present study, we investigated the use of a small, light weight, and low cost digital current-sensing integrated circuit for acquiring cortical surface signals from a 61-channel micro-electrocorticographic (μECoG) array. We recorded both acute and chronic μECoG signal from rat auditory cortex using our novel digital current-sensing headstage. For direct comparison, separate recordings were made in the same anesthetized preparations using an analog voltage headstage. A model of electrode impedance explained the transformation between current- and voltage-sensed signals, and was used to reconstruct cortical potential. We evaluated the digital headstage using several metrics of the baseline and response signals. The digital current headstage recorded neural signal with similar spatiotemporal statistics and auditory frequency tuning compared to the voltage signal. The signal-to-noise ratio of auditory evoked responses (AERs) was significantly stronger in the current signal. Stimulus decoding based on true and reconstructed voltage signals were not significantly different. Recordings from an implanted system showed AERs that were detectable and decodable for 52 d. The reconstruction filter mitigated the thermal current noise of the electrode impedance and enhanced overall SNR. We developed and validated a novel approach to headstage acquisition that used current-input circuits to independently digitize 61 channels of μECoG measurements of the cortical field. These low-cost circuits, intended to measure photo-currents in digital imaging, not only provided a signal representing the local cortical field with virtually the same sensitivity and specificity as a traditional voltage headstage but also resulted in a small, light headstage that can easily be scaled to record from hundreds of channels.

A low-cost, scalable, current-sensing digital headstage for high channel count μECoG

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trumpis, Michael; Insanally, Michele; Zou, Jialin; Elsharif, Ashraf; Ghomashchi, Ali; Sertac Artan, N.; Froemke, Robert C.; Viventi, Jonathan

2017-04-01

Objective. High channel count electrode arrays allow for the monitoring of large-scale neural activity at high spatial resolution. Implantable arrays featuring many recording sites require compact, high bandwidth front-end electronics. In the present study, we investigated the use of a small, light weight, and low cost digital current-sensing integrated circuit for acquiring cortical surface signals from a 61-channel micro-electrocorticographic (μECoG) array. Approach. We recorded both acute and chronic μECoG signal from rat auditory cortex using our novel digital current-sensing headstage. For direct comparison, separate recordings were made in the same anesthetized preparations using an analog voltage headstage. A model of electrode impedance explained the transformation between current- and voltage-sensed signals, and was used to reconstruct cortical potential. We evaluated the digital headstage using several metrics of the baseline and response signals. Main results. The digital current headstage recorded neural signal with similar spatiotemporal statistics and auditory frequency tuning compared to the voltage signal. The signal-to-noise ratio of auditory evoked responses (AERs) was significantly stronger in the current signal. Stimulus decoding based on true and reconstructed voltage signals were not significantly different. Recordings from an implanted system showed AERs that were detectable and decodable for 52 d. The reconstruction filter mitigated the thermal current noise of the electrode impedance and enhanced overall SNR. Significance. We developed and validated a novel approach to headstage acquisition that used current-input circuits to independently digitize 61 channels of μECoG measurements of the cortical field. These low-cost circuits, intended to measure photo-currents in digital imaging, not only provided a signal representing the local cortical field with virtually the same sensitivity and specificity as a traditional voltage headstage but also resulted in a small, light headstage that can easily be scaled to record from hundreds of channels.

A low-cost, scalable, current-sensing digital headstage for high channel count μECoG

PubMed Central

Trumpis, Michael; Insanally, Michele; Zou, Jialin; Elsharif, Ashraf; Ghomashchi, Ali; Artan, N. Sertac; Froemke, Robert C.; Viventi, Jonathan

2017-01-01

Objective High channel count electrode arrays allow for the monitoring of large-scale neural activity at high spatial resolution. Implantable arrays featuring many recording sites require compact, high bandwidth front-end electronics. In the present study, we investigated the use of a small, light weight, and low cost digital current-sensing integrated circuit for acquiring cortical surface signals from a 61-channel micro-electrocorticographic (μECoG) array. Approach We recorded both acute and chronic μECoG signal from rat auditory cortex using our novel digital current-sensing headstage. For direct comparison, separate recordings were made in the same anesthetized preparations using an analog voltage headstage. A model of electrode impedance explained the transformation between current- and voltage-sensed signals, and was used to reconstruct cortical potential. We evaluated the digital headstage using several metrics of the baseline and response signals. Main results The digital current headstage recorded neural signal with similar spatiotemporal statistics and auditory frequency tuning compared to the voltage signal. The signal-to-noise ratio of auditory evoked responses (AERs) was significantly stronger in the current signal. Stimulus decoding based on true and reconstructed voltage signals were not significantly different. Recordings from an implanted system showed AERs that were detectable and decodable for 52 days. The reconstruction filter mitigated the thermal current noise of the electrode impedance and enhanced overall SNR. Significance We developed and validated a novel approach to headstage acquisition that used current-input circuits to independently digitize 61 channels of μECoG measurements of the cortical field. These low-cost circuits, intended to measure photo-currents in digital imaging, not only provided a signal representing the local cortical field with virtually the same sensitivity and specificity as a traditional voltage headstage but also resulted in a small, light headstage that can easily be scaled to record from hundreds of channels. PMID:28102827

Design of Timer Circuit for Dynamic Data System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, Nathaniel, III

2004-01-01

The Branch That I work in is in the Aero Electronic Test Branch, which is part of the Research and Testing Division. The Aero Electronic Test Branch deals with electronic control and instrumentation systems. This branch supports the research and test study of wind tunnels such as the l0x10,9x15, and 8x6. Wind tunnels are used in research to test certain parts of a jet, plane, shuttle or any other flying object in certain test conditions. My assignment is to design a programmable trigger circuit on a 19 standard rack mount that will allow the circuit to latch and hold for a predefined amount of time entered by the user when receiving a signal. It should then re-arm itself within 0.25 seconds after the time is finished. The time should be able to be seen on a display showing the time entered. The time range has to be from 0-600 seconds in 0.01 second increments (600.00). From the information given, counters will be needed to design and build this circuit. A counter, in it s simplest form, is a group of flip flops that can temporarily store bits of information put into the circuit. They can be constructed in many different ways, such as in 4 flip flops (4-bit counter) or 8 flip flops and even higher. Counters are usually cascaded with other counters to reach higher bits, such as 16 or 24 bit counters. The application in which I will use the counters will be to count down from any programmable number that I input either by a keyboard or a thumbwheel. Also, I will use counters that will be used specifically as a frequency divider to divide the pulses that enter the circuit through an input signal from a crystal clock. The pulses will need to be divided so that it will function as a 100Hz clock putting out 100 pulses per second. A switch will be used to load my inputs in and more than likely a button also so that I can stop and hold the count at any point of time. I will use 5 BCD up/down programmable counters, and a certain amount (depending on what kind of "divide by N" counter I use) of frequency dividing counters for the assignment. After the design is carefully made, a task order will be written and then given to the manufacturer to create a rack mount circuit board that will match my specifications given. The applications in which this design will be used for is in the use of the six-component balance signal conditioner for measurement and electronic system control. It can be used as a timer system for the balance signal conditioner in which it does numerous tests for the Wind tunnel research, in which a preset time can be set for how long it performs its tests. Specifically, my design should be applied to the balance signal conditioner used for the 8x6 wind tunnel research. Hopefully this design should aid in more efficient research for the 8x6 wind tunnel.

Mu-Spec - A High Performance Ultra-Compact Photon Counting spectrometer for Space Submillimeter Astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moseley, H.; Hsieh, W.-T.; Stevenson, T.; Wollack, E.; Brown, A.; Benford, D.; Sadleir; U-Yen, I.; Ehsan, N.; Zmuidzinas, J.;

Advances in HgCdTe APDs and LADAR Receivers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, Steven; McKeag, William; Wang, Jinxue; Jack, Michael; Amzajerdian, Farzin

2010-01-01

Raytheon is developing NIR sensor chip assemblies (SCAs) for scanning and staring 3D LADAR systems. High sensitivity is obtained by integrating high performance detectors with gain i.e. APDs with very low noise Readout Integrated Circuits. Unique aspects of these designs include: independent acquisition (non-gated) of pulse returns, multiple pulse returns with both time and intensity reported to enable full 3D reconstruction of the image. Recent breakthrough in device design has resulted in HgCdTe APDs operating at 300K with essentially no excess noise to gains in excess of 100, low NEP <1nW and GHz bandwidths and have demonstrated linear mode photon counting. SCAs utilizing these high performance APDs have been integrated and demonstrated excellent spatial and range resolution enabling detailed 3D imagery both at short range and long ranges. In this presentation we will review progress in high resolution scanning, staring and ultra-high sensitivity photon counting LADAR sensors.

Dopaminergic stimulation in unilateral neglect

PubMed Central

Geminiani, G.; Bottini, G.; Sterzi, R.

1998-01-01

OBJECTIVE—To explore the hypothesis that dopaminergic circuits play a part in the premotor components of the unilateral neglect syndrome, the effects of acute dopaminergic stimulation in patients with neglect were studied.
METHODS—Two tasks were evaluated before and after subcutaneous administration of apomorphine and placebo: a circle crossing test and a test of target exploration (a modified version of the bell test), performed both in perceptual (counting) and in perceptual-motor (pointing) conditions.
SUBJECTS—Four patients with left neglect.
RESULTS—After dopaminergic stimulation, a significant improvement was found compared with placebo administration and baseline evaluation, in the performance of the two tests. Three of the patients had a more marked improvement in the perceptual-motor condition (pointing) of the task than the perceptual condition (counting).
CONCLUSIONS—The findings suggest that dopaminergic neuronal networks may mediate, in different ways, both perceptive and premotor components of the unilateral neglect syndrome. 

 PMID:9728946

Tunable high-channel-count bandstop graphene plasmonic filters based on plasmon induced transparency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhengren; Long, Yang; Ma, Pengyu; Li, Hongqiang

2017-11-01

A high-channel-count bandstop graphene plasmonic filter based on ultracompact plasmonic structure is proposed in this paper. It consists of graphene waveguide side-coupled with a series of graphene filtering units. The study shows that the waveguide-resonator system performs a multiple plasmon induced transparency (PIT) phenomenon. By carefully adjusting the Fermi level of the filtering units, any two adjacent transmitted dips which belong to different PIT units can produce coherent coupling superposition enhancement. This property prevents the attenuation of the high-frequency transmission dips of multiple PIT and leads to an excellent bandstop filter with multiple channels. Specifically, the bandwidth and modulation depth of the filters can be flexibly adjusted by tuning the Fermi energy of the graphene waveguide. This ultracompact plasmonic structure contributes to the achievement of frequency division multiplexing systems for optical computing and communications in highly integrated optical circuits.

A Compact, Flexible, High Channel Count DAQ Built From Off-the-Shelf Components

DOE PAGES

Heffner, M.; Riot, V.; Fabris, L.

2013-06-01

Medium to large channel count detectors are usually faced with a few unattractive options for data acquisition (DAQ). Small to medium sized TPC experiments, for example, can be too small to justify the high expense and long development time of application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) development. In some cases an experiment can piggy-back on a larger experiment and the associated ASIC development, but this puts the time line of development out of the hands of the smaller experiment. Another option is to run perhaps thousands of cables to rack mounted equipment, which is clearly undesirable. The development of commercial high-speedmore » high-density FPGAs and ADCs combined with the small discrete components and robotic assembly open a new option that scales to tens of thousands of channels and is only slightly larger than ASICs using off-the-shelf components.« less

Development and flight testing of UV optimized Photon Counting CCDs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamden, Erika T.

2018-06-01

I will discuss the latest results from the Hamden UV/Vis Detector Lab and our ongoing work using a UV optimized EMCCD in flight. Our lab is currently testing efficiency and performance of delta-doped, anti-reflection coated EMCCDs, in collaboration with JPL. The lab has been set-up to test quantum efficiency, dark current, clock-induced-charge, and read noise. I will describe our improvements to our circuit boards for lower noise, updates from a new, more flexible NUVU controller, and the integration of an EMCCD in the FIREBall-2 UV spectrograph. I will also briefly describe future plans to conduct radiation testing on delta-doped EMCCDs (both warm, unbiased and cold, biased configurations) thus summer and longer term plans for testing newer photon counting CCDs as I move the HUVD Lab to the University of Arizona in the Fall of 2018.

Building a Better Neonatal Extracorporeal Life Support Circuit: Comparison of Hemodynamic Performance and Gaseous Microemboli Handling in Different Pump and Oxygenator Technologies.

PubMed

Glass, Kristen; Trivedi, Payal; Wang, Shigang; Woitas, Karl; Kunselman, Allen R; Ündar, Akif

2017-04-01

Neurologic complications during neonatal extracorporeal life support (ECLS) are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Gaseous microemboli (GME) in the ECLS circuit may be a possible cause. Advances in neonatal circuitry may improve hemodynamic performance and GME handling leading to reduction in patient complications. This study compared hemodynamic performance and GME handling using two centrifugal pumps (Maquet RotaFlow and Medos Deltastream DP3) and polymethylpentene oxygenators (Maquet Quadrox-iD and Medos Hilite 800LT) in a neonatal ECLS circuit model. The experimental circuit was primed with Lactated Ringer's solution and packed human red blood cells (hematocrit 40%) and arranged in parallel with the RotaFlow and DP3 pump, Quadrox-iD and Hilite oxygenator, and Better-Bladder. Hemodynamic trials evaluating pressure drops and total hemodynamic energy (THE) were conducted at 300 and 500 mL/min at 36°C. GME handling was measured after 0.5 mL of air was injected into the venous line using the Emboli Detection and Classification Quantifier System with unique pump, oxygenator, and Better-Bladder combinations. The RotaFlow pump and Quadrox oxygenator arrangement had lower pressure drops and THE loss at both flow rates compared to the DP3 pump and Hilite oxygenator (P < 0.01). Total GME volume and counts decreased with Better-Bladder at both flow rates with all combinations (P < 0.01). Hemodynamic performance and energy loss were similar in all of the circuit combinations. The Better-Bladder significantly decreased GME. All four combinations of pumps and oxygenators also performed similarly in terms of GME handling. © 2017 International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Gaseous microemboli in a pediatric bypass circuit with an unprimed venous line: an in vitro study.

PubMed

Hudacko, Andrea; Sievert, Alicia; Sistino, Joseph

2009-09-01

Miniaturizing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuits to reduce hemodilution and allogenic blood product administration is common in cardiac surgery. One major concern associated with smaller CPB circuits is a possible increase in gaseous microemboli (GME) sent to the cerebral vasculature, which is exacerbated by vacuum-assisted venous drainage (VAVD). The use of VAVD has increased with smaller venous line diameter and venous cannulae. This study examines the effects of CPB initiation with an unprimed venous line and VAVD in a pediatric circuit. A CPB circuit was set up with reservoir, oxygenator, and arterial filter with a bag reservoir to simulate the patient. All trials were done in vitro, and GME were measured using the EDAC Quantifier by Luna Innovations. EDAC sensors were placed proximal and distal to the oxygenator and distal to the arterial filter. Group 1 was the control group with no VAVD and a primed venous line. Groups 2, 3, and 4 used an unprimed venous line and VAVD of -40, -20, and -10 mmHg, respectively. Total microemboli counts and total embolic load in micrometers were measured at each sensor. Groups 2 (12,379.00 +/- 3180.37) and 3 (8296.67 +/- 2818.76) had significantly more microemboli than group 1 (923.33 +/- 796.08, p < .05) at the pre-oxygenator sensor. Group 2 (57.33 +/- 25.01, p < .05) had significantly more microemboli than group 1 (5.33 +/- 3.21) at the post-oxygenator sensor. No other findings were statistically significant. The results suggest that, if an oxygenator and arterial filter with sufficient air handling capabilities are used, this method to reduce prime volume may not increase GME in the arterial line distal to the arterial filter.

High event rate ROICs (HEROICs) for astronomical UV photon counting detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harwit, Alex; France, Kevin; Argabright, Vic; Franka, Steve; Freymiller, Ed; Ebbets, Dennis

2014-07-01

The next generation of astronomical photocathode / microchannel plate based UV photon counting detectors will overcome existing count rate limitations by replacing the anode arrays and external cabled electronics with anode arrays integrated into imaging Read Out Integrated Circuits (ROICs). We have fabricated a High Event Rate ROIC (HEROIC) consisting of a 32 by 32 array of 55 μm square pixels on a 60 μm pitch. The pixel sensitivity (threshold) has been designed to be globally programmable between 1 × 103 and 1 × 106 electrons. To achieve the sensitivity of 1 × 103 electrons, parasitic capacitances had to be minimized and this was achieved by fabricating the ROIC in a 65 nm CMOS process. The ROIC has been designed to support pixel counts up to 4096 events per integration period at rates up to 1 MHz per pixel. Integration time periods can be controlled via an external signal with a time resolution of less than 1 microsecond enabling temporally resolved imaging and spectroscopy of astronomical sources. An electrical injection port is provided to verify functionality and performance of each ROIC prior to vacuum integration with a photocathode and microchannel plate amplifier. Test results on the first ROICs using the electrical injection port demonstrate sensitivities between 3 × 103 and 4 × 105 electrons are achieved. A number of fixes are identified for a re-spin of this ROIC.

InGaAs/InP SPAD photon-counting module with auto-calibrated gate-width generation and remote control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tosi, Alberto; Ruggeri, Alessandro; Bahgat Shehata, Andrea; Della Frera, Adriano; Scarcella, Carmelo; Tisa, Simone; Giudice, Andrea

2013-01-01

We present a photon-counting module based on InGaAs/InP SPAD (Single-Photon Avalanche Diode) for detecting single photons up to 1.7 μm. The module exploits a novel architecture for generating and calibrating the gate width, along with other functions (such as module supervision, counting and processing of detected photons, etc.). The gate width, i.e. the time interval when the SPAD is ON, is user-programmable in the range from 500 ps to 1.5 μs, by means of two different delay generation methods implemented with an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array). In order to compensate chip-to-chip delay variation, an auto-calibration circuit picks out a combination of delays in order to match at best the selected gate width. The InGaAs/InP module accepts asynchronous and aperiodic signals and introduces very low timing jitter. Moreover the photon counting module provides other new features like a microprocessor for system supervision, a touch-screen for local user interface, and an Ethernet link for smart remote control. Thanks to the fullyprogrammable and configurable architecture, the overall instrument provides high system flexibility and can easily match all requirements set by many different applications requiring single photon-level sensitivity in the near infrared with very low photon timing jitter.

Initial steps toward the realization of large area arrays of single photon counting pixels based on polycrystalline silicon TFTs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Albert K.; Koniczek, Martin; Antonuk, Larry E.; El-Mohri, Youcef; Zhao, Qihua; Jiang, Hao; Street, Robert A.; Lu, Jeng Ping

2014-03-01

The thin-film semiconductor processing methods that enabled creation of inexpensive liquid crystal displays based on amorphous silicon transistors for cell phones and televisions, as well as desktop, laptop and mobile computers, also facilitated the development of devices that have become ubiquitous in medical x-ray imaging environments. These devices, called active matrix flat-panel imagers (AMFPIs), measure the integrated signal generated by incident X rays and offer detection areas as large as ~43×43 cm2. In recent years, there has been growing interest in medical x-ray imagers that record information from X ray photons on an individual basis. However, such photon counting devices have generally been based on crystalline silicon, a material not inherently suited to the cost-effective manufacture of monolithic devices of a size comparable to that of AMFPIs. Motivated by these considerations, we have developed an initial set of small area prototype arrays using thin-film processing methods and polycrystalline silicon transistors. These prototypes were developed in the spirit of exploring the possibility of creating large area arrays offering single photon counting capabilities and, to our knowledge, are the first photon counting arrays fabricated using thin film techniques. In this paper, the architecture of the prototype pixels is presented and considerations that influenced the design of the pixel circuits, including amplifier noise, TFT performance variations, and minimum feature size, are discussed.

High resolution digital delay timer

DOEpatents

Martin, Albert D.

1988-01-01

Method and apparatus are provided for generating an output pulse following a trigger pulse at a time delay interval preset with a resolution which is high relative to a low resolution available from supplied clock pulses. A first lumped constant delay (20) provides a first output signal (24) at predetermined interpolation intervals corresponding to the desired high resolution time interval. Latching circuits (26, 28) latch the high resolution data (24) to form a first synchronizing data set (60). A selected time interval has been preset to internal counters (142, 146, 154) and corrected for circuit propagation delay times having the same order of magnitude as the desired high resolution. Internal system clock pulses (32, 34) count down the counters to generate an internal pulse delayed by an interval which is functionally related to the preset time interval. A second LCD (184) corrects the internal signal with the high resolution time delay. A second internal pulse is then applied to a third LCD (74) to generate a second set of synchronizing data (76) which is complementary with the first set of synchronizing data (60) for presentation to logic circuits (64). The logic circuits (64) further delay the internal output signal (72) to obtain a proper phase relationship of an output signal (80) with the internal pulses (32, 34). The final delayed output signal (80) thereafter enables the output pulse generator (82) to produce the desired output pulse (84) at the preset time delay interval following input of the trigger pulse (10, 12).

The high accuracy data processing system of laser interferometry signals based on MSP430

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qi, Yong-yue; Lin, Yu-chi; Zhao, Mei-rong

2009-07-01

Generally speaking there are two orthogonal signals used in single-frequency laser interferometer for differentiating direction and electronic subdivision. However there usually exist three errors with the interferential signals: zero offsets error, unequal amplitude error and quadrature phase shift error. These three errors have a serious impact on subdivision precision. Based on Heydemann error compensation algorithm, it is proposed to achieve compensation of the three errors. Due to complicated operation of the Heydemann mode, a improved arithmetic is advanced to decrease the calculating time effectively in accordance with the special characteristic that only one item of data will be changed in each fitting algorithm operation. Then a real-time and dynamic compensatory circuit is designed. Taking microchip MSP430 as the core of hardware system, two input signals with the three errors are turned into digital quantity by the AD7862. After data processing in line with improved arithmetic, two ideal signals without errors are output by the AD7225. At the same time two original signals are turned into relevant square wave and imported to the differentiating direction circuit. The impulse exported from the distinguishing direction circuit is counted by the timer of the microchip. According to the number of the pulse and the soft subdivision the final result is showed by LED. The arithmetic and the circuit are adopted to test the capability of a laser interferometer with 8 times optical path difference and the measuring accuracy of 12-14nm is achieved.

Si-strip photon counting detectors for contrast-enhanced spectral mammography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Buxin; Reiser, Ingrid; Wessel, Jan C.; Malakhov, Nail; Wawrzyniak, Gregor; Hartsough, Neal E.; Gandhi, Thulasi; Chen, Chin-Tu; Iwanczyk, Jan S.; Barber, William C.

2015-08-01

We report on the development of silicon strip detectors for energy-resolved clinical mammography. Typically, X-ray integrating detectors based on scintillating cesium iodide CsI(Tl) or amorphous selenium (a-Se) are used in most commercial systems. Recently, mammography instrumentation has been introduced based on photon counting Si strip detectors. The required performance for mammography in terms of the output count rate, spatial resolution, and dynamic range must be obtained with sufficient field of view for the application, thus requiring the tiling of pixel arrays and particular scanning techniques. Room temperature Si strip detector, operating as direct conversion x-ray sensors, can provide the required speed when connected to application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) operating at fast peaking times with multiple fixed thresholds per pixel, provided that the sensors are designed for rapid signal formation across the X-ray energy ranges of the application. We present our methods and results from the optimization of Si-strip detectors for contrast enhanced spectral mammography. We describe the method being developed for quantifying iodine contrast using the energy-resolved detector with fixed thresholds. We demonstrate the feasibility of the method by scanning an iodine phantom with clinically relevant contrast levels.

Design and development of cell queuing, processing, and scheduling modules for the iPOINT input-buffered ATM testbed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duan, Haoran

1997-12-01

This dissertation presents the concepts, principles, performance, and implementation of input queuing and cell-scheduling modules for the Illinois Pulsar-based Optical INTerconnect (iPOINT) input-buffered Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) testbed. Input queuing (IQ) ATM switches are well suited to meet the requirements of current and future ultra-broadband ATM networks. The IQ structure imposes minimum memory bandwidth requirements for cell buffering, tolerates bursty traffic, and utilizes memory efficiently for multicast traffic. The lack of efficient cell queuing and scheduling solutions has been a major barrier to build high-performance, scalable IQ-based ATM switches. This dissertation proposes a new Three-Dimensional Queue (3DQ) and a novel Matrix Unit Cell Scheduler (MUCS) to remove this barrier. 3DQ uses a linked-list architecture based on Synchronous Random Access Memory (SRAM) to combine the individual advantages of per-virtual-circuit (per-VC) queuing, priority queuing, and N-destination queuing. It avoids Head of Line (HOL) blocking and provides per-VC Quality of Service (QoS) enforcement mechanisms. Computer simulation results verify the QoS capabilities of 3DQ. For multicast traffic, 3DQ provides efficient usage of cell buffering memory by storing multicast cells only once. Further, the multicast mechanism of 3DQ prevents a congested destination port from blocking other less- loaded ports. The 3DQ principle has been prototyped in the Illinois Input Queue (iiQueue) module. Using Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) devices, SRAM modules, and integrated on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB), iiQueue can process incoming traffic at 800 Mb/s. Using faster circuit technology, the same design is expected to operate at the OC-48 rate (2.5 Gb/s). MUCS resolves the output contention by evaluating the weight index of each candidate and selecting the heaviest. It achieves near-optimal scheduling and has a very short response time. The algorithm originates from a heuristic strategy that leads to 'socially optimal' solutions, yielding a maximum number of contention-free cells being scheduled. A novel mixed digital-analog circuit has been designed to implement the MUCS core functionality. The MUCS circuit maps the cell scheduling computation to the capacitor charging and discharging procedures that are conducted fully in parallel. The design has a uniform circuit structure, low interconnect counts, and low chip I/O counts. Using 2 μm CMOS technology, the design operates on a 100 MHz clock and finds a near-optimal solution within a linear processing time. The circuit has been verified at the transistor level by HSPICE simulation. During this research, a five-port IQ-based optoelectronic iPOINT ATM switch has been developed and demonstrated. It has been fully functional with an aggregate throughput of 800 Mb/s. The second-generation IQ-based switch is currently under development. Equipped with iiQueue modules and MUCS module, the new switch system will deliver a multi-gigabit aggregate throughput, eliminate HOL blocking, provide per-VC QoS, and achieve near-100% link bandwidth utilization. Complete documentation of input modules and trunk module for the existing testbed, and complete documentation of 3DQ, iiQueue, and MUCS for the second-generation testbed are given in this dissertation.

Resonant Tunneling Analog-To-Digital Converter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Broekaert, T. P. E.; Seabaugh, A. C.; Hellums, J.; Taddiken, A.; Tang, H.; Teng, J.; vanderWagt, J. P. A.

1995-01-01

As sampling rates continue to increase, current analog-to-digital converter (ADC) device technologies will soon reach a practical resolution limit. This limit will most profoundly effect satellite and military systems used, for example, for electronic countermeasures, electronic and signal intelligence, and phased array radar. New device and circuit concepts will be essential for continued progress. We describe a novel, folded architecture ADC which could enable a technological discontinuity in ADC performance. The converter technology is based on the integration of multiple resonant tunneling diodes (RTD) and hetero-junction transistors on an indium phosphide substrate. The RTD consists of a layered semiconductor hetero-structure AlAs/InGaAs/AlAs(2/4/2 nm) clad on either side by heavily doped InGaAs contact layers. Compact quantizers based around the RTD offer a reduction in the number of components and a reduction in the input capacitance Because the component count and capacitance scale with the number of bits N, rather than by 2 (exp n) as in the flash ADC, speed can be significantly increased, A 4-bit 2-GSps quantizer circuit is under development to evaluate the performance potential. Circuit designs for ADC conversion with a resolution of 6-bits at 25GSps may be enabled by the resonant tunneling approach.

ASIC Readout Circuit Architecture for Large Geiger Photodiode Arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vasile, Stefan; Lipson, Jerold

2012-01-01

The objective of this work was to develop a new class of readout integrated circuit (ROIC) arrays to be operated with Geiger avalanche photodiode (GPD) arrays, by integrating multiple functions at the pixel level (smart-pixel or active pixel technology) in 250-nm CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) processes. In order to pack a maximum of functions within a minimum pixel size, the ROIC array is a full, custom application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) design using a mixed-signal CMOS process with compact primitive layout cells. The ROIC array was processed to allow assembly in bump-bonding technology with photon-counting infrared detector arrays into 3-D imaging cameras (LADAR). The ROIC architecture was designed to work with either common- anode Si GPD arrays or common-cathode InGaAs GPD arrays. The current ROIC pixel design is hardwired prior to processing one of the two GPD array configurations, and it has the provision to allow soft reconfiguration to either array (to be implemented into the next ROIC array generation). The ROIC pixel architecture implements the Geiger avalanche quenching, bias, reset, and time to digital conversion (TDC) functions in full-digital design, and uses time domain over-sampling (vernier) to allow high temporal resolution at low clock rates, increased data yield, and improved utilization of the laser beam.

LOGIC CIRCUIT

DOEpatents

Strong, G.H.; Faught, M.L.

1963-12-24

A device for safety rod counting in a nuclear reactor is described. A Wheatstone bridge circuit is adapted to prevent de-energizing the hopper coils of a ball backup system if safety rods, sufficient in total control effect, properly enter the reactor core to effect shut down. A plurality of resistances form one arm of the bridge, each resistance being associated with a particular safety rod and weighted in value according to the control effect of the particular safety rod. Switching means are used to switch each of the resistances in and out of the bridge circuit responsive to the presence of a particular safety rod in its effective position in the reactor core and responsive to the attainment of a predetermined velocity by a particular safety rod enroute to its effective position. The bridge is unbalanced in one direction during normal reactor operation prior to the generation of a scram signal and the switching means and resistances are adapted to unbalance the bridge in the opposite direction if the safety rods produce a predetermined amount of control effect in response to the scram signal. The bridge unbalance reversal is then utilized to prevent the actuation of the ball backup system, or, conversely, a failure of the safety rods to produce the predetermined effect produces no unbalance reversal and the ball backup system is actuated. (AEC)

A readout circuit dedicated for the detection of chemiluminescence using a silicon photomultiplier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baszczyk, M.; Dorosz, P.; Mik, L.; Kucewicz, W.; Reczynski, W.; Sapor, M.

2018-05-01

A readout circuit dedicated for the detection of the chemiluminescence phenomenon using a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) is presented. During chemiluminescence, light is generated as a result of chemical reaction. Chemiluminescence is used in many applications within medicine, chemistry, biology and biotechnology, and is one of the most important sensing techniques in biomedical science and clinical medicine. The front-end electronics consist of a preamplifier and a fast shaper—this produces pulses, the peaking time which is 3.6 ns for a single photon and the FWHM is 3.8 ns. The system has been optimised to measure chemiluminescence—it is sensitive at the level of single photons, it generates a low number of overlapping pulses and is accurate. Two methods of signal detection are analysed and compared: the counting of events and amplitude detection. The relationship between the chemiluminescence light intensity and the concentration of the chemical compound (luminol) is linear in the range of the tested concentrations and has strong linearity parameters and low prediction intervals.

[Clinical benefits of using the phosphorylcholine coating of an extracorporeal circuit in babies weighing less than 5 kg].

PubMed

Averina, T B; Samuilova, D Sh

2010-01-01

The paper presents the results of studying the perfusion and postoperative periods in 24 neonates and babies weighing less than 5 kg who have undergone radical and hemodynamic correction of transposition of the great arteries under extracorporeal circulation. According to whether the phosphorylcholine coating of an extracorporeal circuit was available, the patients were allocated into 2 groups: (1) Phisio and (2) coating-free. Based on the time course of changes in the count of white blood cells and platelets and in the activity of aspartate aminotransferase, neutrophil elastase, and antitrypsin, in the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, IL-8, and IL-10, in postperfusion hemohydrobalance, and in the indicators of the clinical course in the postoperative period, the authors have concluded that a reduction in infectious complications (from 75 to 11%) and simplification of the pattern of noninfectious pathology in the Phisio group are associated with a more balanced systemic inflammatory response and less tissue damage.

40-Gb/s directly-modulated photonic crystal lasers under optical injection-locking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Chin-Hui; Takeda, Koji; Shinya, Akihiko; Nozaki, Kengo; Sato, Tomonari; Kawaguchi, Yoshihiro; Notomi, Masaya; Matsuo, Shinji

2011-08-01

CMOS integrated circuits (IC) usually requires high data bandwidth for off-chip input/output (I/O) data transport with sufficiently low power consumption in order to overcome pin-count limitation. In order to meet future requirements of photonic network interconnect, we propose an optical output device based on an optical injection-locked photonic crystal (PhC) laser to realize low-power and high-speed off-chip interconnects. This device enables ultralow-power operation and is suitable for highly integrated photonic circuits because of its strong light-matter interaction in the PhC nanocavity and ultra-compact size. High-speed operation is achieved by using the optical injection-locking (OIL) technique, which has been shown as an effective means to enhance modulation bandwidth beyond the relaxation resonance frequency limit. In this paper, we report experimental results of the OIL-PhC laser under various injection conditions and also demonstrate 40-Gb/s large-signal direct modulation with an ultralow energy consumption of 6.6 fJ/bit.

PHOTOSENSITIVE RELAY CONTROL CIRCUIT

DOEpatents

Martin, C.F.

1958-01-14

adapted for the measurement of the time required for an oscillating member to pass through a preselected number of oscillations, after being damped to a certain maximum amplitude of oscillation. A mirror is attached to the moving member and directs light successively to a photocell which is part of a trigger unit and to first and second photocells which are part of a starter unit, as the member swings to its maximum amplitude. The starter and trigger units comprise thyratrons and relays so interconnected that the trigger circuit, although generating a counter pulse, does not register a count in the counter when the light traverses both photocells of the starter unit. When the amplitude of oscillation of the member decreases to where the second photocell is not transversed, the triggei pulse is received by the counter. The counter taen operates to register the desired number of oscillations and initiates and terminates a timer for measuring the time irterval for the preselected number of oscillations.

MicroCT with energy-resolved photon-counting detectors

PubMed Central

Wang, X; Meier, D; Mikkelsen, S; Maehlum, G E; Wagenaar, D J; Tsui, BMW; Patt, B E; Frey, E C

2011-01-01

The goal of this paper was to investigate the benefits that could be realistically achieved on a microCT imaging system with an energy-resolved photon-counting x-ray detector. To this end, we built and evaluated a prototype microCT system based on such a detector. The detector is based on cadmium telluride (CdTe) radiation sensors and application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) readouts. Each detector pixel can simultaneously count x-ray photons above six energy thresholds, providing the capability for energy-selective x-ray imaging. We tested the spectroscopic performance of the system using polychromatic x-ray radiation and various filtering materials with Kabsorption edges. Tomographic images were then acquired of a cylindrical PMMA phantom containing holes filled with various materials. Results were also compared with those acquired using an intensity-integrating x-ray detector and single-energy (i.e. non-energy-selective) CT. This paper describes the functionality and performance of the system, and presents preliminary spectroscopic and tomographic results. The spectroscopic experiments showed that the energy-resolved photon-counting detector was capable of measuring energy spectra from polychromatic sources like a standard x-ray tube, and resolving absorption edges present in the energy range used for imaging. However, the spectral quality was degraded by spectral distortions resulting from degrading factors, including finite energy resolution and charge sharing. We developed a simple charge-sharing model to reproduce these distortions. The tomographic experiments showed that the availability of multiple energy thresholds in the photon-counting detector allowed us to simultaneously measure target-to-background contrasts in different energy ranges. Compared with single-energy CT with an integrating detector, this feature was especially useful to improve differentiation of materials with different attenuation coefficient energy dependences. PMID:21464527

MicroCT with energy-resolved photon-counting detectors.

PubMed

Wang, X; Meier, D; Mikkelsen, S; Maehlum, G E; Wagenaar, D J; Tsui, B M W; Patt, B E; Frey, E C

2011-05-07

The goal of this paper was to investigate the benefits that could be realistically achieved on a microCT imaging system with an energy-resolved photon-counting x-ray detector. To this end, we built and evaluated a prototype microCT system based on such a detector. The detector is based on cadmium telluride (CdTe) radiation sensors and application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) readouts. Each detector pixel can simultaneously count x-ray photons above six energy thresholds, providing the capability for energy-selective x-ray imaging. We tested the spectroscopic performance of the system using polychromatic x-ray radiation and various filtering materials with K-absorption edges. Tomographic images were then acquired of a cylindrical PMMA phantom containing holes filled with various materials. Results were also compared with those acquired using an intensity-integrating x-ray detector and single-energy (i.e. non-energy-selective) CT. This paper describes the functionality and performance of the system, and presents preliminary spectroscopic and tomographic results. The spectroscopic experiments showed that the energy-resolved photon-counting detector was capable of measuring energy spectra from polychromatic sources like a standard x-ray tube, and resolving absorption edges present in the energy range used for imaging. However, the spectral quality was degraded by spectral distortions resulting from degrading factors, including finite energy resolution and charge sharing. We developed a simple charge-sharing model to reproduce these distortions. The tomographic experiments showed that the availability of multiple energy thresholds in the photon-counting detector allowed us to simultaneously measure target-to-background contrasts in different energy ranges. Compared with single-energy CT with an integrating detector, this feature was especially useful to improve differentiation of materials with different attenuation coefficient energy dependences.

Downsampling Photodetector Array with Windowing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patawaran, Ferze D.; Farr, William H.; Nguyen, Danh H.; Quirk, Kevin J.; Sahasrabudhe, Adit

2012-01-01

In a photon counting detector array, each pixel in the array produces an electrical pulse when an incident photon on that pixel is detected. Detection and demodulation of an optical communication signal that modulated the intensity of the optical signal requires counting the number of photon arrivals over a given interval. As the size of photon counting photodetector arrays increases, parallel processing of all the pixels exceeds the resources available in current application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and gate array (GA) technology; the desire for a high fill factor in avalanche photodiode (APD) detector arrays also precludes this. Through the use of downsampling and windowing portions of the detector array, the processing is distributed between the ASIC and GA. This allows demodulation of the optical communication signal incident on a large photon counting detector array, as well as providing architecture amenable to algorithmic changes. The detector array readout ASIC functions as a parallel-to-serial converter, serializing the photodetector array output for subsequent processing. Additional downsampling functionality for each pixel is added to this ASIC. Due to the large number of pixels in the array, the readout time of the entire photodetector is greater than the time between photon arrivals; therefore, a downsampling pre-processing step is done in order to increase the time allowed for the readout to occur. Each pixel drives a small counter that is incremented at every detected photon arrival or, equivalently, the charge in a storage capacitor is incremented. At the end of a user-configurable counting period (calculated independently from the ASIC), the counters are sampled and cleared. This downsampled photon count information is then sent one counter word at a time to the GA. For a large array, processing even the downsampled pixel counts exceeds the capabilities of the GA. Windowing of the array, whereby several subsets of pixels are designated for processing, is used to further reduce the computational requirements. The grouping of the designated pixel frame as the photon count information is sent one word at a time to the GA, the aggregation of the pixels in a window can be achieved by selecting only the designated pixel counts from the serial stream of photon counts, thereby obviating the need to store the entire frame of pixel count in the gate array. The pixel count se quence from each window can then be processed, forming lower-rate pixel statistics for each window. By having this processing occur in the GA rather than in the ASIC, future changes to the processing algorithm can be readily implemented. The high-bandwidth requirements of a photon counting array combined with the properties of the optical modulation being detected by the array present a unique problem that has not been addressed by current CCD or CMOS sensor array solutions.

Correlations between plasma noradrenaline concentrations, antioxidants, and neutrophil counts after submaximal resistance exercise in men

PubMed Central

Ramel, A; Wagner, K; Elmadfa, I

2004-01-01

Objectives: To investigate noradrenaline concentrations, neutrophil counts, plasma antioxidants, and lipid oxidation products before and after acute resistance exercise. Methods: 17 male participants undertook a submaximal resistance exercise circuit (10 exercises; 75% of the one repetition maximum; mean (SD) exercise time, 18.6 (1.1) minutes). Blood samples were taken before and immediately after exercise and analysed for plasma antioxidants, noradrenaline, neutrophils, and lipid oxidation products. Wilcoxon's signed-rank test and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used for calculations. Results: Neutrophils, noradrenaline, fat soluble antioxidants, and lipid oxidation products increased after exercise. Noradrenaline concentrations were associated with higher antioxidant concentrations. Neutrophils were related to higher concentrations of conjugated dienes. Conclusions: Submaximal resistance exercise increases plasma antioxidants. This might reflect enhanced antioxidant defence in response to the oxidative stress of exercise, though this is not efficient for inhibiting lipid oxidation. The correlation between noradrenaline concentrations and plasma antioxidants suggests a modulating role of the stress hormone. Neutrophils are a possible source of oxidative stress after resistance exercise. PMID:15388566

Design and implementation of an audio indicator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Shiyong; Li, Zhao; Li, Biqing

2017-04-01

This page proposed an audio indicator which designed by using C9014, LED by operational amplifier level indicator, the decimal count/distributor of CD4017. The experimental can control audibly neon and holiday lights through the signal. Input audio signal after C9014 composed of operational amplifier for power amplifier, the adjust potentiometer extraction amplification signal input voltage CD4017 distributors make its drive to count, then connect the LED display running situation of the circuit. This simple audio indicator just use only U1 and can produce two colors LED with the audio signal tandem come pursuit of the running effect, from LED display the running of the situation takes can understand the general audio signal. The variation in the audio and the frequency of the signal and the corresponding level size. In this light can achieve jump to change, slowly, atlas, lighting four forms, used in home, hotel, discos, theater, advertising and other fields, and a wide range of USES, rU1h life in a modern society.

Photon Counting Energy Dispersive Detector Arrays for X-ray Imaging

PubMed Central

Iwanczyk, Jan S.; Nygård, Einar; Meirav, Oded; Arenson, Jerry; Barber, William C.; Hartsough, Neal E.; Malakhov, Nail; Wessel, Jan C.

2009-01-01

The development of an innovative detector technology for photon-counting in X-ray imaging is reported. This new generation of detectors, based on pixellated cadmium telluride (CdTe) and cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) detector arrays electrically connected to application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) for readout, will produce fast and highly efficient photon-counting and energy-dispersive X-ray imaging. There are a number of applications that can greatly benefit from these novel imagers including mammography, planar radiography, and computed tomography (CT). Systems based on this new detector technology can provide compositional analysis of tissue through spectroscopic X-ray imaging, significantly improve overall image quality, and may significantly reduce X-ray dose to the patient. A very high X-ray flux is utilized in many of these applications. For example, CT scanners can produce ~100 Mphotons/mm2/s in the unattenuated beam. High flux is required in order to collect sufficient photon statistics in the measurement of the transmitted flux (attenuated beam) during the very short time frame of a CT scan. This high count rate combined with a need for high detection efficiency requires the development of detector structures that can provide a response signal much faster than the transit time of carriers over the whole detector thickness. We have developed CdTe and CZT detector array structures which are 3 mm thick with 16×16 pixels and a 1 mm pixel pitch. These structures, in the two different implementations presented here, utilize either a small pixel effect or a drift phenomenon. An energy resolution of 4.75% at 122 keV has been obtained with a 30 ns peaking time using discrete electronics and a 57Co source. An output rate of 6×106 counts per second per individual pixel has been obtained with our ASIC readout electronics and a clinical CT X-ray tube. Additionally, the first clinical CT images, taken with several of our prototype photon-counting and energy-dispersive detector modules, are shown. PMID:19920884

Photon Counting Energy Dispersive Detector Arrays for X-ray Imaging.

PubMed

Iwanczyk, Jan S; Nygård, Einar; Meirav, Oded; Arenson, Jerry; Barber, William C; Hartsough, Neal E; Malakhov, Nail; Wessel, Jan C

2009-01-01

The development of an innovative detector technology for photon-counting in X-ray imaging is reported. This new generation of detectors, based on pixellated cadmium telluride (CdTe) and cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) detector arrays electrically connected to application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) for readout, will produce fast and highly efficient photon-counting and energy-dispersive X-ray imaging. There are a number of applications that can greatly benefit from these novel imagers including mammography, planar radiography, and computed tomography (CT). Systems based on this new detector technology can provide compositional analysis of tissue through spectroscopic X-ray imaging, significantly improve overall image quality, and may significantly reduce X-ray dose to the patient. A very high X-ray flux is utilized in many of these applications. For example, CT scanners can produce ~100 Mphotons/mm(2)/s in the unattenuated beam. High flux is required in order to collect sufficient photon statistics in the measurement of the transmitted flux (attenuated beam) during the very short time frame of a CT scan. This high count rate combined with a need for high detection efficiency requires the development of detector structures that can provide a response signal much faster than the transit time of carriers over the whole detector thickness. We have developed CdTe and CZT detector array structures which are 3 mm thick with 16×16 pixels and a 1 mm pixel pitch. These structures, in the two different implementations presented here, utilize either a small pixel effect or a drift phenomenon. An energy resolution of 4.75% at 122 keV has been obtained with a 30 ns peaking time using discrete electronics and a (57)Co source. An output rate of 6×10(6) counts per second per individual pixel has been obtained with our ASIC readout electronics and a clinical CT X-ray tube. Additionally, the first clinical CT images, taken with several of our prototype photon-counting and energy-dispersive detector modules, are shown.

Advances in LADAR Components and Subsystems at Raytheon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jack, Michael; Chapman, George; Edwards, John; McKeag, William; Veeder, Tricia; Wehner, Justin; Roberts, Tom; Robinson, Tom; Neisz, James; Andressen, Cliff;

Compact low-noise preamplifier for noise spectroscopy with biased photodiodes in cargo inspection systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benetti, Bob; Langeveld, Willem G. J.

2013-09-01

Noise Spectroscopy, a.k.a. Z-determination by Statistical Count-rate ANalysis (Z-SCAN), is a statistical technique to determine a quantity called the "noise figure" from digitized waveforms of pulses of transmitted x-rays in cargo inspection systems. Depending only on quantities related to the x-ray energies, it measures a characteristic of the transmitted x-ray spectrum, which depends on the atomic number, Z, of the material penetrated. The noise figure can thus be used for material separation. In an 80-detector prototype, scintillators are used with large-area photodiodes biased at 80V and digitized using 50-MSPS 12-bit ADC boards. We present an ultra-compact low-noise preamplifier design, with one high-gain and one low-gain channel per detector for improved dynamic range. To achieve adequate detection sensitivity and spatial resolution each dual-gain preamplifier channel must fit within a 12.7 mm wide circuit board footprint and maintain adequate noise immunity to conducted and radiated interference from adjacent channels. The novel design included iterative SPICE analysis of transient response, dynamic range, frequency response, and noise analysis to optimize the selection and configuration of amplifiers and filter response. We discuss low-noise active and passive components and low-noise techniques for circuit board layout that are essential to achieving the design goals, and how the completed circuit board performed in comparison to the predicted responses.

A novel high electrode count spike recording array using an 81,920 pixel transimpedance amplifier-based imaging chip.

PubMed

Johnson, Lee J; Cohen, Ethan; Ilg, Doug; Klein, Richard; Skeath, Perry; Scribner, Dean A

2012-04-15

Microelectrode recording arrays of 60-100 electrodes are commonly used to record neuronal biopotentials, and these have aided our understanding of brain function, development and pathology. However, higher density microelectrode recording arrays of larger area are needed to study neuronal function over broader brain regions such as in cerebral cortex or hippocampal slices. Here, we present a novel design of a high electrode count picocurrent imaging array (PIA), based on an 81,920 pixel Indigo ISC9809 readout integrated circuit camera chip. While originally developed for interfacing to infrared photodetector arrays, we have adapted the chip for neuron recording by bonding it to microwire glass resulting in an array with an inter-electrode pixel spacing of 30 μm. In a high density electrode array, the ability to selectively record neural regions at high speed and with good signal to noise ratio are both functionally important. A critical feature of our PIA is that each pixel contains a dedicated low noise transimpedance amplifier (∼0.32 pA rms) which allows recording high signal to noise ratio biocurrents comparable to single electrode voltage amplifier recordings. Using selective sampling of 256 pixel subarray regions, we recorded the extracellular biocurrents of rabbit retinal ganglion cell spikes at sampling rates up to 7.2 kHz. Full array local electroretinogram currents could also be recorded at frame rates up to 100 Hz. A PIA with a full complement of 4 readout circuits would span 1cm and could acquire simultaneous data from selected regions of 1024 electrodes at sampling rates up to 9.3 kHz. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Fabrication and In vivo Thrombogenicity Testing of Nitric Oxide Generating Artificial Lungs

PubMed Central

Amoako, Kagya A; Montoya, Patrick J; Major, Terry C; Suhaib, Ahmed B; Handa, Hitesh; Brant, David O; Meyerhoff, Mark E; Bartlett, Robert H; Cook, Keith E

2013-01-01

Hollow fiber artificial lungs are increasingly being used for long-term applications. However, clot formation limits their use to 1-2 weeks. This study investigated the effect of nitric oxide generating (NOgen) hollow fibers on artificial lung thrombogenicity. Silicone hollow fibers were fabricated to incorporate 50 nm copper particles as a catalyst for NO generation from the blood. Fibers with and without (control) these particles were incorporated into artificial lungs with a 0.1 m2 surface area and inserted in circuits coated tip-to-tip with the NOgen material. Circuits (N=5/each) were attached to rabbits in a pumpless, arterio-venous configuration and run for 4 hrs at an activated clotting time of 350-400s. Three control circuits clotted completely, while none of the NOgen circuits failed. Accordingly, blood flows were significantly higher in the NOgen group (95.9 ± 11.7, p < 0.01) compared to the controls (35.2 ± 19.7) (ml/min), and resistance was significantly higher in the control group after 4 hours (15.38 ± 9.65, p<0.001) than in NOgen (0.09 ± 0.03) (mmHg/mL/min). On the other hand, platelet counts and plasma fibrinogen concentration expressed as percent of baseline in control group (63.7 ± 5.7%, 77.2 ± 5.6% [p<0.05]) were greater than those in the NOgen group (60.4 ± 5.1%, 63.2 ± 3.7%). Plasma copper levels in the NOgen group were 2.8 times baseline at 4 hours (132.8 ± 4.5 μg/dl) and unchanged in the controls. This work demonstrates that NO generating gas exchange fibers could be a potentially effective way to control coagulation inside artificial lungs. PMID:23613156

All-digital full waveform recording photon counting flash lidar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grund, Christian J.; Harwit, Alex

2010-08-01

Current generation analog and photon counting flash lidar approaches suffer from limitation in waveform depth, dynamic range, sensitivity, false alarm rates, optical acceptance angle (f/#), optical and electronic cross talk, and pixel density. To address these issues Ball Aerospace is developing a new approach to flash lidar that employs direct coupling of a photocathode and microchannel plate front end to a high-speed, pipelined, all-digital Read Out Integrated Circuit (ROIC) to achieve photon-counting temporal waveform capture in each pixel on each laser return pulse. A unique characteristic is the absence of performance-limiting analog or mixed signal components. When implemented in 65nm CMOS technology, the Ball Intensified Imaging Photon Counting (I2PC) flash lidar FPA technology can record up to 300 photon arrivals in each pixel with 100 ps resolution on each photon return, with up to 6000 range bins in each pixel. The architecture supports near 100% fill factor and fast optical system designs (f/#<1), and array sizes to 3000×3000 pixels. Compared to existing technologies, >60 dB ultimate dynamic range improvement, and >104 reductions in false alarm rates are anticipated, while achieving single photon range precision better than 1cm. I2PC significantly extends long-range and low-power hard target imaging capabilities useful for autonomous hazard avoidance (ALHAT), navigation, imaging vibrometry, and inspection applications, and enables scannerless 3D imaging for distributed target applications such as range-resolved atmospheric remote sensing, vegetation canopies, and camouflage penetration from terrestrial, airborne, GEO, and LEO platforms. We discuss the I2PC architecture, development status, anticipated performance advantages, and limitations.

Energy harvesting using AC machines with high effective pole count

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geiger, Richard Theodore

In this thesis, ways to improve the power conversion of rotating generators at low rotor speeds in energy harvesting applications were investigated. One method is to increase the pole count, which increases the generator back-emf without also increasing the I2R losses, thereby increasing both torque density and conversion efficiency. One machine topology that has a high effective pole count is a hybrid "stepper" machine. However, the large self inductance of these machines decreases their power factor and hence the maximum power that can be delivered to a load. This effect can be cancelled by the addition of capacitors in series with the stepper windings. A circuit was designed and implemented to automatically vary the series capacitance over the entire speed range investigated. The addition of the series capacitors improved the power output of the stepper machine by up to 700%. At low rotor speeds, with the addition of series capacitance, the power output of the hybrid "stepper" was more than 200% that of a similarly sized PMDC brushed motor. Finally, in this thesis a hybrid lumped parameter / finite element model was used to investigate the impact of number, shape and size of the rotor and stator teeth on machine performance. A typical off-the-shelf hybrid stepper machine has significant cogging torque by design. This cogging torque is a major problem in most small energy harvesting applications. In this thesis it was shown that the cogging and ripple torque can be dramatically reduced. These findings confirm that high-pole-count topologies, and specifically the hybrid stepper configuration, are an attractive choice for energy harvesting applications.

Standard Transistor Array (STAR). Volume 1: Placement technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cox, G. W.; Caroll, B. D.

1979-01-01

A large scale integration (LSI) technology, the standard transistor array uses a prefabricated understructure of transistors and a comprehensive library of digital logic cells to allow efficient fabrication of semicustom digital LSI circuits. The cell placement technique for this technology involves formation of a one dimensional cell layout and "folding" of the one dimensional placement onto the chip. It was found that, by use of various folding methods, high quality chip layouts can be achieved. Methods developed to measure of the "goodness" of the generated placements include efficient means for estimating channel usage requirements and for via counting. The placement and rating techniques were incorporated into a placement program (CAPSTAR). By means of repetitive use of the folding methods and simple placement improvement strategies, this program provides near optimum placements in a reasonable amount of time. The program was tested on several typical LSI circuits to provide performance comparisons both with respect to input parameters and with respect to the performance of other placement techniques. The results of this testing indicate that near optimum placements can be achieved by use of the procedures incurring severe time penalties.

A SPAD-based 3D imager with in-pixel TDC for 145ps-accuracy ToF measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vornicu, I.; Carmona-Galán, R.; Rodríguez-Vázquez, Á.

2015-03-01

The design and measurements of a CMOS 64 × 64 Single-Photon Avalanche-Diode (SPAD) array with in-pixel Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC) are presented. This paper thoroughly describes the imager at architectural and circuit level with particular emphasis on the characterization of the SPAD-detector ensemble. It is aimed to 2D imaging and 3D image reconstruction in low light environments. It has been fabricated in a standard 0.18μm CMOS process, i. e. without high voltage or low noise features. In these circumstances, we are facing a high number of dark counts and low photon detection efficiency. Several techniques have been applied to ensure proper functionality, namely: i) time-gated SPAD front-end with fast active-quenching/recharge circuit featuring tunable dead-time, ii) reverse start-stop scheme, iii) programmable time resolution of the TDC based on a novel pseudo-differential voltage controlled ring oscillator with fast start-up, iv) a global calibration scheme against temperature and process variation. Measurements results of individual SPAD-TDC ensemble jitter, array uniformity and time resolution programmability are also provided.

Digital optical processing of optical communications: towards an Optical Turing Machine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Touch, Joe; Cao, Yinwen; Ziyadi, Morteza; Almaiman, Ahmed; Mohajerin-Ariaei, Amirhossein; Willner, Alan E.

2017-01-01

Optical computing is needed to support Tb/s in-network processing in a way that unifies communication and computation using a single data representation that supports in-transit network packet processing, security, and big data filtering. Support for optical computation of this sort requires leveraging the native properties of optical wave mixing to enable computation and switching for programmability. As a consequence, data must be encoded digitally as phase (M-PSK), semantics-preserving regeneration is the key to high-order computation, and data processing at Tb/s rates requires mixing. Experiments have demonstrated viable approaches to phase squeezing and power restoration. This work led our team to develop the first serial, optical Internet hop-count decrement, and to design and simulate optical circuits for calculating the Internet checksum and multiplexing Internet packets. The current exploration focuses on limited-lookback computational models to reduce the need for permanent storage and hybrid nanophotonic circuits that combine phase-aligned comb sources, non-linear mixing, and switching on the same substrate to avoid the macroscopic effects that hamper benchtop prototypes.

The design of a small flow optical sensor of particle counter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhan, Yongbo; zhang, Jianwei; Zeng, Jianxiong; Li, Bin; Chen, Lu

2018-01-01

Based on the principle of Mie scattering, we design a small flow optical sensor of particle counter. Firstly, laser illumination system was simulated and designed by ZEMAX optical design software, and the uniform light intensity of photosensitive area was obtained. The gas circuit structure was also designed according to the related theory of fluid mechanics. Then, the method of combining with MIST scattering calculation software and geometric modeling was firstly used to design spherical reflection system, on the basis of the formula of object-image distance. Finally, the test was conducted after the optical sensor placed in self-designed pre-amplification and high-speed processing circuit. The test results show that the counting efficiency of 0.3 μm gear is above 70%, 0.5 μm gear and 1.0 μm gear are both reached more than 90%, and the dispersion coefficient of each gear is very nearly the same, compared with the standard machine of Kanomax 3886 under the particle spraying flow of 2.5SCFH, 3.0SCFH, 3.5SCFH.

TOFPET2: a high-performance ASIC for time and amplitude measurements of SiPM signals in time-of-flight applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Francesco, A.; Bugalho, R.; Oliveira, L.; Pacher, L.; Rivetti, A.; Rolo, M.; Silva, J. C.; Silva, R.; Varela, J.

2016-03-01

We present a readout and digitization ASIC featuring low-noise and low-power for time-of flight (TOF) applications using SiPMs. The circuit is designed in standard CMOS 110 nm technology, has 64 independent channels and is optimized for time-of-flight measurement in Positron Emission Tomography (TOF-PET). The input amplifier is a low impedance current conveyor based on a regulated common-gate topology. Each channel has quad-buffered analogue interpolation TDCs (time binning 20 ps) and charge integration ADCs with linear response at full scale (1500 pC). The signal amplitude can also be derived from the measurement of time-over-threshold (ToT). Simulation results show that for a single photo-electron signal with charge 200 (550) fC generated by a SiPM with 320 pF capacitance the circuit has 24 (30) dB SNR, 75(39) ps r.m.s. resolution, and 4(8) mW power consumption. The event rate is 600 kHz per channel, with up to 2 MHz dark counts rejection.

Evaluation of Pulse Counting for the Mars Organic Mass Analyzer (MOMA) Ion Trap Detection Scheme

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Van Amerom, Friso H.; Short, Tim; Brinckerhoff, William; Mahaffy, Paul; Kleyner, Igor; Cotter, Robert J.; Pinnick, Veronica; Hoffman, Lars; Danell, Ryan M.; Lyness, Eric I.

2011-01-01

The Mars Organic Mass Analyzer is being developed at Goddard Space Flight Center to identify organics and possible biological compounds on Mars. In the process of characterizing mass spectrometer size, weight, and power consumption, the use of pulse counting was considered for ion detection. Pulse counting has advantages over analog-mode amplification of the electron multiplier signal. Some advantages are reduced size of electronic components, low power consumption, ability to remotely characterize detector performance, and avoidance of analog circuit noise. The use of pulse counting as a detection method with ion trap instruments is relatively rare. However, with the recent development of high performance electrical components, this detection method is quite suitable and can demonstrate significant advantages over analog methods. Methods A prototype quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer with an internal electron ionization source was used as a test setup to develop and evaluate the pulse-counting method. The anode signal from the electron multiplier was preamplified. The an1plified signal was fed into a fast comparator for pulse-level discrimination. The output of the comparator was fed directly into a Xilinx FPGA development board. Verilog HDL software was written to bin the counts at user-selectable intervals. This system was able to count pulses at rates in the GHz range. The stored ion count nun1ber per bin was transferred to custom ion trap control software. Pulse-counting mass spectra were compared with mass spectra obtained using the standard analog-mode ion detection. Prelin1inary Data Preliminary mass spectra have been obtained for both analog mode and pulse-counting mode under several sets of instrument operating conditions. Comparison of the spectra revealed better peak shapes for pulse-counting mode. Noise levels are as good as, or better than, analog-mode detection noise levels. To artificially force ion pile-up conditions, the ion trap was overfilled and ions were ejected at very high scan rates. Pile-up of ions was not significant for the ion trap under investigation even though the ions are ejected in so-called 'ion-micro packets'. It was found that pulse counting mode had higher dynamic range than analog mode, and that the first amplification stage in analog mode can distort mass peaks. The inherent speed of the pulse counting method also proved to be beneficial to ion trap operation and ion ejection characterization. Very high scan rates were possible with pulse counting since the digital circuitry response time is so much smaller than with the analog method. Careful investigation of the pulse-counting data also allowed observation of the applied resonant ejection frequency during mass analysis. Ejection of ion micro packets could be clearly observed in the binned data. A second oscillation frequency, much lower than the secular frequency, was also observed. Such an effect was earlier attributed to the oscillation of the total plasma cloud in the ion trap. While the components used to implement pulse counting are quite advanced, due to their prevalence in consumer electronics, the cost of this detection system is no more than that of an analog mode system. Total pulse-counting detection system electronics cost is under $250

Multi-element germanium detectors for synchrotron applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rumaiz, A. K.; Kuczewski, A. J.; Mead, J.; Vernon, E.; Pinelli, D.; Dooryhee, E.; Ghose, S.; Caswell, T.; Siddons, D. P.; Miceli, A.; Baldwin, J.; Almer, J.; Okasinski, J.; Quaranta, O.; Woods, R.; Krings, T.; Stock, S.

2018-04-01

We have developed a series of monolithic multi-element germanium detectors, based on sensor arrays produced by the Forschungzentrum Julich, and on Application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) developed at Brookhaven. Devices have been made with element counts ranging from 64 to 384. These detectors are being used at NSLS-II and APS for a range of diffraction experiments, both monochromatic and energy-dispersive. Compact and powerful readout systems have been developed, based on the new generation of FPGA system-on-chip devices, which provide closely coupled multi-core processors embedded in large gate arrays. We will discuss the technical details of the systems, and present some of the results from them.

Integrated input protection against discharges for Micro Pattern Gas Detectors readout ASICs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiutowski, T.; Dąbrowski, W.; Koperny, S.; Wiącek, P.

2017-02-01

Immunity against possible random discharges inside active detector volume of MPGDs is one of the key aspects that should be addressed in the design of the front-end electronics. This issue becomes particularly critical for systems with high channel counts and high density readout employing the front-end electronics built as multichannel ASICs implemented in modern CMOS technologies, for which the breakdown voltages are in the range of a few Volts. The paper presents the design of various input protection structures integrated in the ASIC manufactured in a 350 nm CMOS process and test results using an electrical circuit to mimic discharges in the detectors.

Processing circuitry for single channel radiation detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holland, Samuel D. (Inventor); Delaune, Paul B. (Inventor); Turner, Kathryn M. (Inventor)

2009-01-01

Processing circuitry is provided for a high voltage operated radiation detector. An event detector utilizes a comparator configured to produce an event signal based on a leading edge threshold value. A preferred event detector does not produce another event signal until a trailing edge threshold value is satisfied. The event signal can be utilized for counting the number of particle hits and also for controlling data collection operation for a peak detect circuit and timer. The leading edge threshold value is programmable such that it can be reprogrammed by a remote computer. A digital high voltage control is preferably operable to monitor and adjust high voltage for the detector.

Method and apparatus for measuring frequency and phase difference

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shores, Paul (Inventor); Lichtenberg, Christopher (Inventor); Kobayashi, Herbert S. (Inventor); Cunningham, Allen R. (Inventor)

1986-01-01

The present invention is a system for deriving direct digital indications of frequency and phase difference between two incoming pulse trains adaptable for collision avoidance systems or the like. A pair of radar beams are directed toward a target and corresponding beams returning therefrom are detected. A digital difference circuit forms a pulse train from the Doppler shift frequencies of each beam pair having a repetition rate functionally related to the difference in magnitude of the shift frequencies. Pulses from the pulse train are counted as a function of time. Visual indications thereof on display are correlative to target position relative to beams.

Quadrant anode image sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lampton, M.; Malina, R. F.

1976-01-01

A position-sensitive event-counting electronic readout system for microchannel plates (MCPs) is described that offers the advantages of high spatial resolution and fast time resolution. The technique relies upon a four-quadrant electron-collecting anode located behind the output face of the microchannel plate, so that the electron cloud from each detected event is partly intercepted by each of the four quadrants. The relative amounts of charge collected by each quadrant depend on event position, permitting each event to be localized with two ratio circuits. A prototype quadrant anode system for ion, electron, and extreme ultraviolet imaging is described. The spatial resolution achieved, about 10 microns, allows individual MCP channels to be distinguished.

The ultraviolet detection component based on Te-Cs image intensifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Yunsheng; Zhou, Xiaoyu; Wu, Yujing; Wang, Yan; Xu, Hua

2017-05-01

Ultraviolet detection technology has been widely focused and adopted in the fields of ultraviolet warning and corona detection for its significant value and practical meaning. The component structure of ultraviolet ICMOS, imaging driving and the photon counting algorithm are studied in this paper. Firstly, the one-inch and wide dynamic range CMOS chip with the coupling optical fiber panel is coupled to the ultraviolet image intensifier. The photocathode material in ultraviolet image intensifier is Te-Cs, which contributes to the solar blind characteristic, and the dual micro-channel plates (MCP) structure ensures the sufficient gain to achieve the single photon counting. Then, in consideration of the ultraviolet detection demand, the drive circuit of the CMOS chip is designed and the corresponding program based on Verilog language is written. According to the characteristics of ultraviolet imaging, the histogram equalization method is applied to enhance the ultraviolet image and the connected components labeling way is utilized for the ultraviolet single photon counting. Moreover, one visible light video channel is reserved in the ultraviolet ICOMS camera, which can be used for the fusion of ultraviolet and visible images. Based upon the module, the ultraviolet optical lens and the deep cut-off solar blind filter are adopted to construct the ultraviolet detector. At last, the detection experiment of the single photon signal is carried out, and the test results are given and analyzed.

Radiation detection and wireless networked early warning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burns, David A.; Litz, Marc S.; Carroll, James J.; Katsis, Dimosthenis

2012-06-01

We have designed a compact, wireless, GPS-enabled array of inexpensive radiation sensors based on scintillation counting. Each sensor has a scintillator, photomultiplier tube, and pulse-counting circuit that includes a comparator, digital potentiometer and microcontroller. This design provides a high level of sensitivity and reliability. A 0.2 m2 PV panel powers each sensor providing a maintenance-free 24/7 energy source. The sensor can be mounted within a roadway light-post and monitor radiological activity along transport routes. Each sensor wirelessly transmits real-time data (as counts per second) up to 2 miles with a XBee radio module, and the data is received by a XBee receive-module on a computer. Data collection software logs the information from all sensors and provides real-time identification of radiation events. Measurements performed to-date demonstrate the ability of a sensor to detect a 20 μCi source at 3.5 meters when packaged with a PVT (plastic) scintillator, and 7 meters for a sensor with a CsI crystal (more expensive but ~5 times more sensitive). It is calculated that the sensor-architecture can detect sources moving as fast as 130 km/h based on the current data rate and statistical bounds of 3-sigma threshold detection. The sensor array is suitable for identifying and tracking a radiation threat from a dirty bomb along roadways.

PSA discriminator influence on (222)Rn efficiency detection in waters by liquid scintillation counting.

PubMed

Stojković, Ivana; Todorović, Nataša; Nikolov, Jovana; Tenjović, Branislava

2016-06-01

A procedure for the (222)Rn determination in aqueous samples using liquid scintillation counting (LSC) was evaluated and optimized. Measurements were performed by ultra-low background spectrometer Quantulus 1220™ equipped with PSA (Pulse Shape Analysis) circuit which discriminates alpha/beta spectra. Since calibration procedure is carried out with (226)Ra standard, which has both alpha and beta progenies, it is clear that PSA discriminator has vital importance in order to provide precise spectra separation. Improvement of calibration procedure was done through investigation of PSA discriminator level and, consequentially, the activity of (226)Ra calibration standard influence on (222)Rn efficiency detection. Quench effects on generated spectra i.e. determination of radon efficiency detection were also investigated with quench calibration curve obtained. Radon determination in waters based on modified procedure according to the activity of (226)Ra standard used, dependent on PSA setup, was evaluated with prepared (226)Ra solution samples and drinking water samples with assessment of measurement uncertainty variation included. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PULSE AMPLITUDE ANALYZER

DOEpatents

Gray, G.W.; Jensen, A.S.

1957-10-22

A pulse-height analyzer system of improved design for sorting and counting a series of pulses, such as provided by a scintillation detector in nuclear radiation measurements, is described. The analyzer comprises a main transmission line, a cathode-ray tube for each section of the line with its deflection plates acting as the line capacitance; means to bias the respective cathode ray tubes so that the beam strikes a target only when a prearranged pulse amplitude is applied, with each tube progressively biased to respond to smaller amplitudes; pulse generating and counting means associated with each tube to respond when the beam is deflected; a control transmission line having the same time constant as the first line per section with pulse generating means for each tube for initiating a pulse on the second transmission line when a pulse triggers the tube of corresponding amplitude response, the former pulse acting to prevent successive tubes from responding to the pulse under test. This arrangement permits greater deflection sensitivity in the cathode ray tube and overcomes many of the disadvantages of prior art pulse-height analyzer circuits.

Characterization of an ultraviolet imaging detector with high event rate ROIC (HEROIC) readout

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nell, Nicholas; France, Kevin; Harwit, Alex; Bradley, Scott; Franka, Steve; Freymiller, Ed; Ebbets, Dennis

2016-07-01

We present characterization results from a photon counting imaging detector consisting of one microchannel plate (MCP) and an array of two readout integrated circuits (ROIC) that record photon position. The ROICs used in the position readout are the high event rate ROIC (HEROIC) devices designed to handle event rates up to 1 MHz per pixel, recently developed by the Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corporation in collaboration with the University of Colorado. An opaque cesium iodide (CsI) photocathode sensitive in the far-ultraviolet (FUV; 122-200 nm), is deposited on the upper surface of the MCP. The detector is characterized in a chamber developed by CU Boulder that is capable of illumination with vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) monochromatic light and measurement of absolute ux with a calibrated photodiode. Testing includes investigation of the effects of adjustment of internal settings of the HEROIC devices including charge threshold, gain, and amplifier bias. The detector response to high count rates is tested. We report initial results including background, uniformity, and quantum detection efficiency (QDE) as a function of wavelength.

Time Multiplexed Active Neural Probe with 1356 Parallel Recording Sites

PubMed Central

Raducanu, Bogdan C.; Yazicioglu, Refet F.; Lopez, Carolina M.; Putzeys, Jan; Andrei, Alexandru; Rochus, Veronique; Welkenhuysen, Marleen; van Helleputte, Nick; Musa, Silke; Puers, Robert; Kloosterman, Fabian; Van Hoof, Chris; Mitra, Srinjoy

2017-01-01

We present a high electrode density and high channel count CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) active neural probe containing 1344 neuron sized recording pixels (20 µm × 20 µm) and 12 reference pixels (20 µm × 80 µm), densely packed on a 50 µm thick, 100 µm wide, and 8 mm long shank. The active electrodes or pixels consist of dedicated in-situ circuits for signal source amplification, which are directly located under each electrode. The probe supports the simultaneous recording of all 1356 electrodes with sufficient signal to noise ratio for typical neuroscience applications. For enhanced performance, further noise reduction can be achieved while using half of the electrodes (678). Both of these numbers considerably surpass the state-of-the art active neural probes in both electrode count and number of recording channels. The measured input referred noise in the action potential band is 12.4 µVrms, while using 678 electrodes, with just 3 µW power dissipation per pixel and 45 µW per read-out channel (including data transmission). PMID:29048396

Computer Program Recognizes Patterns in Time-Series Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hand, Charles

2003-01-01

A computer program recognizes selected patterns in time-series data like digitized samples of seismic or electrophysiological signals. The program implements an artificial neural network (ANN) and a set of N clocks for the purpose of determining whether N or more instances of a certain waveform, W, occur within a given time interval, T. The ANN must be trained to recognize W in the incoming stream of data. The first time the ANN recognizes W, it sets clock 1 to count down from T to zero; the second time it recognizes W, it sets clock 2 to count down from T to zero, and so forth through the Nth instance. On the N + 1st instance, the cycle is repeated, starting with clock 1. If any clock has not reached zero when it is reset, then N instances of W have been detected within time T, and the program so indicates. The program can readily be encoded in a field-programmable gate array or an application-specific integrated circuit that could be used, for example, to detect electroencephalographic or electrocardiographic waveforms indicative of epileptic seizures or heart attacks, respectively.

PULSE AMPLITUDE DISTRIBUTION RECORDER

DOEpatents

Cowper, G.

1958-08-12

A device is described for automatica1ly recording pulse annplitude distribution received from a counter. The novelty of the device consists of the over-all arrangement of conventional circuit elements to provide an easy to read permanent record of the pulse amplitude distribution during a certain time period. In the device a pulse analyzer separates the pulses according to annplitude into several channels. A scaler in each channel counts the pulses and operates a pen marker positioned over a drivable recorder sheet. Since the scalers in each channel have the sanne capacity, the control circuitry permits counting of the incoming pulses until one scaler reaches capacity, whereupon the input is removed and an internal oscillator supplies the necessary pulses to fill up the other scalers. Movement of the chart sheet is initiated wben the first scaler reaches capacity to thereby give a series of marks at spacings proportional to the time required to fill the remaining scalers, and accessory equipment marks calibration points on the recorder sheet to facilitate direct reading of the number of external pulses supplied to each scaler.

Position-sensitive proportional counter with low-resistance metal-wire anode

DOEpatents

Kopp, Manfred K.

1980-01-01

A position-sensitive proportional counter circuit is provided which allows the use of a conventional (low-resistance, metal-wire anode) proportional counter for spatial resolution of an ionizing event along the anode of the counter. A pair of specially designed active-capacitance preamplifiers are used to terminate the anode ends wherein the anode is treated as an RC line. The preamplifiers act as stabilized active capacitance loads and each is composed of a series-feedback, low-noise amplifier, a unity-gain, shunt-feedback amplifier whose output is connected through a feedback capacitor to the series-feedback amplifier input. The stabilized capacitance loading of the anode allows distributed RC-line position encoding and subsequent time difference decoding by sensing the difference in rise times of pulses at the anode ends where the difference is primarily in response to the distributed capacitance along the anode. This allows the use of lower resistance wire anodes for spatial radiation detection which simplifies the counter construction and handling of the anodes, and stabilizes the anode resistivity at high count rates (>10.sup.6 counts/sec).

Single-photon imaging in complementary metal oxide semiconductor processes

PubMed Central

Charbon, E.

2014-01-01

This paper describes the basics of single-photon counting in complementary metal oxide semiconductors, through single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs), and the making of miniaturized pixels with photon-counting capability based on SPADs. Some applications, which may take advantage of SPAD image sensors, are outlined, such as fluorescence-based microscopy, three-dimensional time-of-flight imaging and biomedical imaging, to name just a few. The paper focuses on architectures that are best suited to those applications and the trade-offs they generate. In this context, architectures are described that efficiently collect the output of single pixels when designed in large arrays. Off-chip readout circuit requirements are described for a variety of applications in physics, medicine and the life sciences. Owing to the dynamic nature of SPADs, designs featuring a large number of SPADs require careful analysis of the target application for an optimal use of silicon real estate and of limited readout bandwidth. The paper also describes the main trade-offs involved in architecting such chips and the solutions adopted with focus on scalability and miniaturization. PMID:24567470

Anatomically ordered tapping interferes more with one-digit addition than two-digit addition: a dual-task fMRI study.

PubMed

Soylu, Firat; Newman, Sharlene D

2016-02-01

Fingers are used as canonical representations for numbers across cultures. In previous imaging studies, it was shown that arithmetic processing activates neural resources that are known to participate in finger movements. Additionally, in one dual-task study, it was shown that anatomically ordered finger tapping disrupts addition and subtraction more than multiplication, possibly due to a long-lasting effect of early finger counting experiences on the neural correlates and organization of addition and subtraction processes. How arithmetic task difficulty and tapping complexity affect the concurrent performance is still unclear. If early finger counting experiences have bearing on the neural correlates of arithmetic in adults, then one would expect anatomically and non-anatomically ordered tapping to have different interference effects, given that finger counting is usually anatomically ordered. To unravel these issues, we studied how (1) arithmetic task difficulty and (2) the complexity of the finger tapping sequence (anatomical vs. non-anatomical ordering) affect concurrent performance and use of key neural circuits using a mixed block/event-related dual-task fMRI design with adult participants. The results suggest that complexity of the tapping sequence modulates interference on addition, and that one-digit addition (fact retrieval), compared to two-digit addition (calculation), is more affected from anatomically ordered tapping. The region-of-interest analysis showed higher left angular gyrus BOLD response for one-digit compared to two-digit addition, and in no-tapping conditions than dual tapping conditions. The results support a specific association between addition fact retrieval and anatomically ordered finger movements in adults, possibly due to finger counting strategies that deploy anatomically ordered finger movements early in the development.

The effect of heparin rinse on the biocompatibility of continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration.

PubMed

Opatrný, K; Polanská, K; Krouzecký, A; Vít, L; Novák, I; Kasal, E

2002-06-01

The aims of our cross-over randomized study were (1) to assess hemostasis in patients with acute renal failure (ARF) and (2) to determine whether or not the generally recommended heparin rinse of the extracorporeal circuit (ECC) prior to the procedure affects thrombogenicity, complement activation, and leukocyte count in blood during continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF). Eleven critically ill ARF patients were treated, in random order, using CVVHDF in postdilution setup following ECC rinse with saline (A) with heparin at a concentration of 2,000 IU/L (10 procedures), (B) with heparin at a concentration of 10,000 IU/L (7 procedures), and (C) without heparin (9 procedures). Except for the rinse, anticoagulation therapy did not differ in individual patients during the procedures. Blood was withdrawn before, and at minutes 15, 60, and 360 invariably at diafilter inlet and outlet. Compared with healthy individuals, patients showed lower blood thrombocyte counts (153 vs 233*10(9)/L, p<0.01, arithmetic means, Student's t test), longer aPTT (44 vs 36 s, p<0.05), higher plasma levels of heparin (0.1 vs 0.0 U/mL, p<0.05), D-dimer (1129 vs 36 ng/mL, p<0.001) and beta-thromboglobulin (BTG) (159 vs 37 U/mL, p<0.001) prior to CVVHDF. The comparison of procedures with different rinsing technique did not reveal any significant difference in their effects on blood thrombocyte and leukocyte counts, aPTT, plasma levels of heparin, BTG, thrombin-antithrombin III complexes, D-dimer, or the C5a complement component. (1) Patients indicated for CVVHDF show impaired hemostasis involving thrombocytes, coagulation, and fibrinolysis, (2) no beneficial effect of heparin rinse on CVVHDF ECC thrombogenicity, complement activation or blood leukocyte counts was demonstrated.

Design automation for integrated nonlinear logic circuits (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Vaerenbergh, Thomas; Pelc, Jason; Santori, Charles; Bose, Ranojoy; Kielpinski, Dave; Beausoleil, Raymond G.

2016-05-01

A key enabler of the IT revolution of the late 20th century was the development of electronic design automation (EDA) tools allowing engineers to manage the complexity of electronic circuits with transistor counts now reaching into the billions. Recently, we have been developing large-scale nonlinear photonic integrated logic circuits for next generation all-optical information processing. At this time a sufficiently powerful EDA-style software tool chain to design this type of complex circuits does not yet exist. Here we describe a hierarchical approach to automating the design and validation of photonic integrated circuits, which can scale to several orders of magnitude higher complexity than the state of the art. Most photonic integrated circuits developed today consist of a small number of components, and only limited hierarchy. For example, a simple photonic transceiver may contain on the order of 10 building-block components, consisting of grating couplers for photonic I/O, modulators, and signal splitters/combiners. Because this is relatively easy to lay out by hand (or simple script) existing photonic design tools have relatively little automation in comparison to electronics tools. But demonstrating all-optical logic will require significantly more complex photonic circuits containing up to 1,000 components, hence becoming infeasible to design manually. Our design framework is based off Python-based software from Luceda Photonics which provides an environment to describe components, simulate their behavior, and export design files (GDS) to foundries for fabrication. At a fundamental level, a photonic component is described as a parametric cell (PCell) similarly to electronics design. PCells are described by geometric characteristics of their layout. A critical part of the design framework is the implementation of PCells as Python objects. PCell objects can then use inheritance to simplify design, and hierarchical designs can be made by creating composite PCells (modules) which consist of primitive building-block PCells (components). To automatically produce layouts, we built on a construct provided by Luceda called a PlaceAndAutoRoute cell: we create a module component by supplying a list of child cells, and a list of the desired connections between the cells (e.g. the out0 port of a microring is connected to a grating coupler). This functionality allowed us to write algorithms to automatically lay out the components: for instance, by laying out the first component and walking through the list of connections to check to see if the next component is already placed or not. The placement and orientation of the new component is determined by minimizing the length of a connecting waveguide. Our photonic circuits also utilize electrical signals to tune the photonic elements (setting propagation phases or microring resonant frequencies via thermo-optical tuning): the algorithm also routes the contacts for the metal heaters to contact pads at the edge of the circuit being designed where it can be contacted by electrical probes. We are currently validating a test run fabricated over the summer, and will use detailed characterization results to prepare our final design cycle in which we aim to demonstrate complex operational logic circuits containing ~50-100 nonlinear resonators.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tang, Jason D.; Schroeppel, Richard Crabtree; Robertson, Perry J.

With the build-out of large transport networks utilizing optical technologies, more and more capacity is being made available. Innovations in Dense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM) and the elimination of optical-electrical-optical conversions have brought on advances in communication speeds as we move into 10 Gigabit Ethernet and above. Of course, there is a need to encrypt data on these optical links as the data traverses public and private network backbones. Unfortunately, as the communications infrastructure becomes increasingly optical, advances in encryption (done electronically) have failed to keep up. This project examines the use of optical logic for implementing encryption in themore » photonic domain to achieve the requisite encryption rates. This paper documents the innovations and advances of work first detailed in 'Photonic Encryption using All Optical Logic,' [1]. A discussion of underlying concepts can be found in SAND2003-4474. In order to realize photonic encryption designs, technology developed for electrical logic circuits must be translated to the photonic regime. This paper examines S-SEED devices and how discrete logic elements can be interconnected and cascaded to form an optical circuit. Because there is no known software that can model these devices at a circuit level, the functionality of S-SEED devices in an optical circuit was modeled in PSpice. PSpice allows modeling of the macro characteristics of the devices in context of a logic element as opposed to device level computational modeling. By representing light intensity as voltage, 'black box' models are generated that accurately represent the intensity response and logic levels in both technologies. By modeling the behavior at the systems level, one can incorporate systems design tools and a simulation environment to aid in the overall functional design. Each black box model takes certain parameters (reflectance, intensity, input response), and models the optical ripple and time delay characteristics. These 'black box' models are interconnected and cascaded in an encrypting/scrambling algorithm based on a study of candidate encryption algorithms. Demonstration circuits show how these logic elements can be used to form NAND, NOR, and XOR functions. This paper also presents functional analysis of a serial, low gate count demonstration algorithm suitable for scrambling/encryption using S-SEED devices.« less

Measurement of DT and DD components in neutron spectrum with a double-crystal time-of-flight spectrometer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Okada, K.; Okamoto, A.; Kitajima, S.

To investigate the deuteron and triton density ratio in core plasmas, a new methodology with measurement of tritium (DT) and deuterium (DD) neutron count rate ratio using a double-crystal time-of-flight (TOF) spectrometer is proposed. Multi-discriminator electronic circuits for the first and second detectors are used in addition to the TOF technique. The optimum arrangement of the detectors and discrimination window were examined considering the relations between the geometrical arrangement and deposited energy using a Monte Carlo Code, PHITS (Particle and Heavy Ion Transport Code System). An experiment to verify the calculations was performed using DD neutrons from an accelerator.

On-chip photonic particle sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Robin; Ma, Danhao; Agarwal, Anu; Anthony, Brian

2018-02-01

We propose an on-chip photonic particle sensor design that can perform particle sizing and counting for various environmental applications. The sensor is based on micro photonic ring resonators that are able to detect the presence of the free space particles through the interaction with their evanescent electric field tail. The sensor can characterize a wide range of the particle size ranging from a few nano meters to micron ( 1 micron). The photonic platform offers high sensitivity, compactness, fast response of the device. Further, FDTD simulations are performed to analyze different particle-light interactions. Such a compact and portable platform, packaged with integrated photonic circuit provides a useful sensing modality in space shuttle and environmental applications.

Single-Cell mRNA-Seq Using the Fluidigm C1 System and Integrated Fluidics Circuits.

PubMed

Gong, Haibiao; Do, Devin; Ramakrishnan, Ramesh

2018-01-01

Single-cell mRNA-seq is a valuable tool to dissect expression profiles and to understand the regulatory network of genes. Microfluidics is well suited for single-cell analysis owing both to the small volume of the reaction chambers and easiness of automation. Here we describe the workflow of single-cell mRNA-seq using C1 IFC, which can isolate and process up to 96 cells. Both on-chip procedure (lysis, reverse transcription, and preamplification PCR) and off-chip sequencing library preparation protocols are described. The workflow generates full-length mRNA information, which is more valuable compared to 3' end counting method for many applications.

Optimizing microwave photodetection: input-output theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schöndorf, M.; Govia, L. C. G.; Vavilov, M. G.; McDermott, R.; Wilhelm, F. K.

2018-04-01

High fidelity microwave photon counting is an important tool for various areas from background radiation analysis in astronomy to the implementation of circuit quantum electrodynamic architectures for the realization of a scalable quantum information processor. In this work we describe a microwave photon counter coupled to a semi-infinite transmission line. We employ input-output theory to examine a continuously driven transmission line as well as traveling photon wave packets. Using analytic and numerical methods, we calculate the conditions on the system parameters necessary to optimize measurement and achieve high detection efficiency. With this we can derive a general matching condition depending on the different system rates, under which the measurement process is optimal.

Fully digital routing logic for single-photon avalanche diode arrays in highly efficient time-resolved imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cominelli, Alessandro; Acconcia, Giulia; Ghioni, Massimo; Rech, Ivan

2018-03-01

Time-correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC) is a powerful optical technique, which permits recording fast luminous signals with picosecond precision. Unfortunately, given its repetitive nature, TCSPC is recognized as a relatively slow technique, especially when a large time-resolved image has to be recorded. In recent years, there has been a fast trend toward the development of TCPSC imagers. Unfortunately, present systems still suffer from a trade-off between number of channels and performance. Even worse, the overall measurement speed is still limited well below the saturation of the transfer bandwidth toward the external processor. We present a routing algorithm that enables a smart connection between a 32×32 detector array and five shared high-performance converters able to provide an overall conversion rate up to 10 Gbit/s. The proposed solution exploits a fully digital logic circuit distributed in a tree structure to limit the number and length of interconnections, which is a major issue in densely integrated circuits. The behavior of the logic has been validated by means of a field-programmable gate array, while a fully integrated prototype has been designed in 180-nm technology and analyzed by means of postlayout simulations.

Carbon nanotube computer.

PubMed

Shulaker, Max M; Hills, Gage; Patil, Nishant; Wei, Hai; Chen, Hong-Yu; Wong, H-S Philip; Mitra, Subhasish

2013-09-26

The miniaturization of electronic devices has been the principal driving force behind the semiconductor industry, and has brought about major improvements in computational power and energy efficiency. Although advances with silicon-based electronics continue to be made, alternative technologies are being explored. Digital circuits based on transistors fabricated from carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have the potential to outperform silicon by improving the energy-delay product, a metric of energy efficiency, by more than an order of magnitude. Hence, CNTs are an exciting complement to existing semiconductor technologies. Owing to substantial fundamental imperfections inherent in CNTs, however, only very basic circuit blocks have been demonstrated. Here we show how these imperfections can be overcome, and demonstrate the first computer built entirely using CNT-based transistors. The CNT computer runs an operating system that is capable of multitasking: as a demonstration, we perform counting and integer-sorting simultaneously. In addition, we implement 20 different instructions from the commercial MIPS instruction set to demonstrate the generality of our CNT computer. This experimental demonstration is the most complex carbon-based electronic system yet realized. It is a considerable advance because CNTs are prominent among a variety of emerging technologies that are being considered for the next generation of highly energy-efficient electronic systems.

Theoretical and experimental investigations of coincidences in Poisson distributed pulse trains and spectral distortion caused by pulse pileup

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bristow, Quentin

1990-03-01

The occurrence rates of pulse strings, or sequences of pulses with interarrival times less than the resolving time of the pulse-height analysis system used to acquire spectra, are derived from theoretical considerations. Logic circuits were devised to make experimental measurements of multiple pulse string occurrence rates in the output from a scintillation detector over a wide range of count rates. Markov process theory was used to predict state transition rates in the logic circuits, enabling the experimental data to be checked rigorously for conformity with those predicted for a Poisson distribution. No fundamental discrepancies were observed. Monte Carlo simulations, incorporating criteria for pulse pileup inherent in the operation of modern analog to digital converters, were used to generate pileup spectra due to coincidences between two pulses (first order pileup) and three pulses (second order pileup) for different semi-Gaussian pulse shapes. Coincidences between pulses in a single channel produced a basic probability density function spectrum. The use of a flat spectrum showed the first order pileup distorted the spectrum to a linear ramp with a pileup tail. A correction algorithm was successfully applied to correct entire spectra (simulated and real) for first and second order pileups.

Method and apparatus to debug an integrated circuit chip via synchronous clock stop and scan

DOEpatents

Bellofatto, Ralph E [Ridgefield, CT; Ellavsky, Matthew R [Rochester, MN; Gara, Alan G [Mount Kisco, NY; Giampapa, Mark E [Irvington, NY; Gooding, Thomas M [Rochester, MN; Haring, Rudolf A [Cortlandt Manor, NY; Hehenberger, Lance G [Leander, TX; Ohmacht, Martin [Yorktown Heights, NY

2012-03-20

An apparatus and method for evaluating a state of an electronic or integrated circuit (IC), each IC including one or more processor elements for controlling operations of IC sub-units, and each the IC supporting multiple frequency clock domains. The method comprises: generating a synchronized set of enable signals in correspondence with one or more IC sub-units for starting operation of one or more IC sub-units according to a determined timing configuration; counting, in response to one signal of the synchronized set of enable signals, a number of main processor IC clock cycles; and, upon attaining a desired clock cycle number, generating a stop signal for each unique frequency clock domain to synchronously stop a functional clock for each respective frequency clock domain; and, upon synchronously stopping all on-chip functional clocks on all frequency clock domains in a deterministic fashion, scanning out data values at a desired IC chip state. The apparatus and methodology enables construction of a cycle-by-cycle view of any part of the state of a running IC chip, using a combination of on-chip circuitry and software.

Potential Danger of Pre-Pump Clamping on Negative Pressure-Associated Gaseous Microemboli Generation During Extracorporeal Life Support--An In Vitro Study.

PubMed

Wang, Shigang; Chin, Brian J; Gentile, Frank; Kunselman, Allen R; Palanzo, David; Ündar, Akif

2016-01-01

The objectives of this study were to investigate the relationship between revolution speed of a conventional centrifugal pump and negative pressure at the inlet of the pump by clamping the tubing upstream of the pump, and to verify whether negative pressure leads to gaseous microemboli (GME) production in a simulated adult extracorporeal life support (ECLS) system. The experimental circuit, including a Maquet Rotaflow centrifugal pump and a Medos Hilite 7000 LT polymethyl-pentene membrane oxygenator, was primed with packed red blood cells (hematocrit 35%). Negative pressure was created in the circuit by clamping the tubing upstream of the pump for 10 s, and then releasing the clamp. An emboli detection and classification quantifier was used to record GME volume and count at pre-oxygenator and post-oxygenator sites, and pressure and flow rate data were collected using a custom-based data acquisition system. All trials were conducted at 36°C at revolution speeds of 2000-4000 rpm (500 rpm increment). The flow rates were 1092.5-4708.4 mL/min at the revolution speeds of 2000-4000 rpm. Higher revolution speed generated higher negative pressure at the pre-pump site when clamping the tubing upstream of the pump (-108.3 ± 0.1 to -462.0 ± 0.5 mm Hg at 2000-4000 rpm). Moreover, higher negative pressure was associated with a larger number and volume of GME at pre-oxygenator site after de-clamp (GME count 10,573 ± 271 at pre-oxygenator site at 4000 rpm). The results showed that there was a potential danger of delivering GME to the patient when clamping pre-pump tubing during ECLS using a centrifugal pump. Our results warrant further clinical studies to investigate this phenomenon. Copyright © 2015 International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

8-Channel acquisition system for Time-Correlated Single-Photon Counting.

PubMed

Antonioli, S; Miari, L; Cuccato, A; Crotti, M; Rech, I; Ghioni, M

2013-06-01

Nowadays, an increasing number of applications require high-performance analytical instruments capable to detect the temporal trend of weak and fast light signals with picosecond time resolution. The Time-Correlated Single-Photon Counting (TCSPC) technique is currently one of the preferable solutions when such critical optical signals have to be analyzed and it is fully exploited in biomedical and chemical research fields, as well as in security and space applications. Recent progress in the field of single-photon detector arrays is pushing research towards the development of high performance multichannel TCSPC systems, opening the way to modern time-resolved multi-dimensional optical analysis. In this paper we describe a new 8-channel high-performance TCSPC acquisition system, designed to be compact and versatile, to be used in modern TCSPC measurement setups. We designed a novel integrated circuit including a multichannel Time-to-Amplitude Converter with variable full-scale range, a D∕A converter, and a parallel adder stage. The latter is used to adapt each converter output to the input dynamic range of a commercial 8-channel Analog-to-Digital Converter, while the integrated DAC implements the dithering technique with as small as possible area occupation. The use of this monolithic circuit made the design of a scalable system of very small dimensions (95 × 40 mm) and low power consumption (6 W) possible. Data acquired from the TCSPC measurement are digitally processed and stored inside an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), while a USB transceiver allows real-time transmission of up to eight TCSPC histograms to a remote PC. Eventually, the experimental results demonstrate that the acquisition system performs TCSPC measurements with high conversion rate (up to 5 MHz/channel), extremely low differential nonlinearity (<0.04 peak-to-peak of the time bin width), high time resolution (down to 20 ps Full-Width Half-Maximum), and very low crosstalk between channels.

Long-Term Nitric Oxide Release and Elevated Temperature Stability with S-Nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP)-Doped Elast-eon E2As Polymer

PubMed Central

Brisbois, Elizabeth J.; Handa, Hitesh; Major, Terry C.; Bartlett, Robert H.; Meyerhoff, Mark E.

2013-01-01

Nitric oxide (NO) is known to be a potent inhibitor of platelet activation and adhesion. Healthy endothelial cells that line the inner walls of all blood vessels exhibit a NO flux of 0.5~4×10−10 mol cm−2 min−1 that helps prevent thrombosis. Materials with a NO flux that is equivalent to this level are expected to exhibit similar anti-thrombotic properties. In this study, five biomedical grade polymers doped with S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) were investigated for their potential to control the release of NO from the SNAP within the polymers, and further control the release of SNAP itself. SNAP in the Elast-eon E2As polymer creates an inexpensive, homogeneous coating that can locally deliver NO (via thermal and photochemical reactions) as well slowly release SNAP. Furthermore, SNAP is surprisingly stable in the E2As polymer, retaining 82% of the initial SNAP after 2 months storage at 37°C. The E2As polymer containing SNAP was coated on the walls of extracorporeal circuits (ECC) and exposed to 4 h blood flow in a rabbit model of extracorporeal circulation to examine the effects on platelet count, platelet function, clot area, and fibrinogen adsorption. After 4 h, platelet count was preserved at 100±7% of baseline for the SNAP/E2As coated loops, compared to 60±6% for E2As control circuits (n=4). The SNAP/E2As coating also reduced the thrombus area when compared to the control (2.3±0.6 and 3.4±1.1 pixels/cm2, respectively). The results suggest that the new SNAP/E2As coating has potential to improve the thromboresistance of intravascular catheters, grafts, and other blood contacting medical devices, and exhibits excellent storage stability compared to previously reported NO release polymeric materials. PMID:23777908

Non anti-coagulant factors associated with filter life in continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT): a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Brain, Matthew; Winson, Elizabeth; Roodenburg, Owen; McNeil, John

2017-02-20

Optimising filter life and performance efficiency in continuous renal replacement therapy has been a focus of considerable recent research. Larger high quality studies have predominantly focussed on optimal anticoagulation however CRRT is complex and filter life is also affected by vascular access, circuit and management factors. We performed a systematic search of the literature to identify and quantify the effect of vascular access, circuit and patient factors that affect filter life and presented the results as a meta-analysis. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed by searching Pubmed (MEDLINE) and Ovid EMBASE libraries from inception to 29 th February 2016 for all studies with a comparator or independent variable relating to CRRT circuits and reporting filter life. Included studies documented filter life in hours with a comparator other than anti-coagulation intervention. All studies comparing anticoagulation interventions were searched for regression or hazard models pertaining to other sources of variation in filter life. Eight hundred nineteen abstracts were identified of which 364 were selected for full text analysis. 24 presented data on patient modifiers of circuit life, 14 on vascular access modifiers and 34 on circuit related factors. Risk of bias was high and findings are hypothesis generating. Ranking of vascular access site by filter longevity favours: tunnelled semi-permanent catheters, femoral, internal jugular and subclavian last. There is inconsistency in the difference reported between femoral and jugular catheters. Amongst published literature, modality of CRRT consistently favoured continuous veno-venous haemodiafiltration (CVVHD-F) with an associated 44% lower failure rate compared to CVVH. There was a trend favouring higher blood flow rates. There is insufficient data to determine advantages of haemofilter membranes. Patient factors associated with a statistically significant worsening of filter life included mechanical ventilation, elevated SOFA or LOD score, elevations in ionized calcium, elevated platelet count, red cell transfusion, platelet factor 4 (PF-4) antibodies, and elevated fibrinogen. Majority of studies are observational or report circuit factors in sub-analysis. Risk of bias is high and findings require targeted investigations to confirm. The interaction of patient, pathology, anticoagulation, vascular access, circuit and staff factors contribute to CRRT filter life. There remains an ambiguity from published data as to which site and side should be the first choice for vascular access placement and what interaction this has with patient factors and timing. Early consideration of tunnelled semi-permanent access may provide optimal filter life if longer periods of CRRT are anticipated. There remains an absence of robust evidence outside of anti-coagulation strategies despite over 20 years of therapy delivery however trends favour CVVHD-F over CVVH.

TRANSISTORIZED RADIATION MEASURING APPARATUS FOR $gamma$-RAYS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beug, L.; Rudack, G.

1961-06-24

It is often necessary to measure the content of containers which for various reasons cannot be opened or inspected visually, but the gamma rays emitted by certain radioisotopes can be used for these measuring purposes because they can penetrate iron walls of from 2 to 100 mm thickness. A level gage is described which consists of a measuring table, a radiation source, a radiation detector, a transformer which converts the incident rays in electric current, a discriminator, a recording device, and an adequate current supply. In principle, there are 2 different measuring methods: one uses 2 counting tubes and determinesmore » the level by the difference method, while the other uses only one tube which has been calibrated with a standard source. Several circuit diagrams used in the construction of the devices are discussed. The use of transistors instead of electron tubes is advantageous because they are more compact, sturdier, less dependent on temperature, have a longer life time, and are more economical. A table shows the characteristic properties of one radiation measuring device: 100 pulses/sec, 200 mu amp, -20 deg -+50 deg C, 500-5000 OMEGA , 12w, counting duration 10/sup 10/ pulses. (OID)« less

Radium-226 body burden in U miners by measurement of Rn in exhaled breath.

PubMed

Srivastava, G K; Raghavayya, M; Kotrappa, P; Somasundaram, S

1986-02-01

Uranium miners were made to inhale Rn-free medical O2 and exhale through a 5.2-1 A1 chamber before reporting to work. The chamber was sealed and isolated from the sampling circuit. An electrostatic plate collected the freshly formed Rn-decay products. The subsequent programmed alpha counting of the plate yielded a Rn concentration in the exhaled breath. Assuming that the exhaled breath represents a certain fraction of the Rn produced inside the body, the body burden of 226Ra was calculated. Standardisation of this procedure and the data collected on 310 miners are discussed. The procedure is simple and applicable for routine measurements. The miner needs to be in the laboratory for only 10 min. The system is also portable for field application. For routine use, the minimum detectable concentration is 3.87 Bq X m-3 which corresponds to a body burden of 0.26 kBq in a typical miner, if one assumes the Rn release fraction from the body as 84%. The system offers a more convenient and sensitive alternative to whole-body counting of workers for 226Ra.

Magnetic timing valves for fluid control in paper-based microfluidics.

PubMed

Li, Xiao; Zwanenburg, Philip; Liu, Xinyu

2013-07-07

Multi-step analytical tests, such as an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), require delivery of multiple fluids into a reaction zone and counting the incubation time at different steps. This paper presents a new type of paper-based magnetic valves that can count the time and turn on or off a fluidic flow accordingly, enabling timed fluid control in paper-based microfluidics. The timing capability of these valves is realized using a paper timing channel with an ionic resistor, which can detect the event of a solution flowing through the resistor and trigger an electromagnet (through a simple circuit) to open or close a paper cantilever valve. Based on this principle, we developed normally-open and normally-closed valves with a timing period up to 30.3 ± 2.1 min (sufficient for an ELISA on paper-based platforms). Using the normally-open valve, we performed an enzyme-based colorimetric reaction commonly used for signal readout of ELISAs, which requires a timed delivery of an enzyme substrate to a reaction zone. This design adds a new fluid-control component to the tool set for developing paper-based microfluidic devices, and has the potential to improve the user-friendliness of these devices.

Functional MRI study of specific animal phobia using an event-related emotional counting stroop paradigm.

PubMed

Britton, Jennifer C; Gold, Andrea L; Deckersbach, Thilo; Rauch, Scott L

2009-01-01

Emotional interference tasks may be useful in probing anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) function to understand abnormal attentional study in individuals with specific phobia. In a 3 T functional MRI study, individuals with specific phobias of the animal subtype (SAP, n=12) and healthy comparison (HC) adults (n=12) completed an event-related emotional counting Stroop task. Individuals were presented phobia-related, negative, and neutral words and were instructed to report via button press the number of words displayed on each trial. Compared to the HC group, the SAP group exhibited greater rostral ACC activation (i.e., greater response to phobia-related words than neutral words). In this same contrast, HCs exhibited greater right amygdala and posterior insula activations as well as greater thalamic deactivation than the SAP group. Both groups exhibited anterior cingulate, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, inferior frontal gyrus/insula, and amygdala activations as well as thalamic deactivation. Psychophysiological interaction analysis highlighted a network of activation in these regions in response to phobia-related words in the SAP group. Taken together, these findings implicate a circuit of dysfunction, which is linked to attention abnormalities in individuals with SAP.

Solid-state image sensor with focal-plane digital photon-counting pixel array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fossum, Eric R. (Inventor); Pain, Bedabrata (Inventor)

1995-01-01

A photosensitive layer such as a-Si for a UV/visible wavelength band is provided for low light level imaging with at least a separate CMOS amplifier directly connected to each PIN photodetector diode to provide a focal-plane array of NxN pixels, and preferably a separate photon-counting CMOS circuit directly connected to each CMOS amplifier, although one row of counters may be time shared for reading out the photon flux rate of each diode in the array, together with a buffer memory for storing all rows of the NxN image frame before transfer to suitable storage. All CMOS circuitry is preferably fabricated in the same silicon layer as the PIN photodetector diode for a monolithic structure, but when the wavelength band of interest requires photosensitive material different from silicon, the focal-plane array may be fabricated separately on a different semiconductor layer bump-bonded or otherwise bonded for a virtually monolithic structure with one free terminal of each diode directly connected to the input terminal of its CMOS amplifier and digital counter for integration of the photon flux rate at each photodetector of the array.

Laboratory and field performance of a laser particle counter for measuring aeolian sand transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hugenholtz, Chris H.; Barchyn, Thomas E.

2011-03-01

This paper reports the results of laboratory and field tests that evaluate the performance of a new laser particle counter for measuring aeolian sand transport. The Wenglor® model YH03PCT8 ("Wenglor") consists of a laser (655 nm), photo sensor, and switching circuit. When a particle passes through the 0.6 mm diameter, 30 mm long laser beam, the sensor outputs a digital signal. Laboratory tests with medium sand and a vertical gravity flume show that the Wenglor count rate scales approximately linearly with mass flux up to the saturation point of the sensor, after which the count rate decreases despite increasing mass flux. Saturation depends on the diameter and concentration of particles in the airstream and may occur during extreme events in the field. Below saturation sensor performance is relatively consistent; the mean difference between average count rate response was between 50 and 100 counts. Field tests provide a complimentary frame of reference for evaluating the performance of the Wenglor under varying environmental conditions and to gauge its performance with respect to a collocated piezoelectric impact sensor (Sensit H11-B). During 136.5 h of deployment on an active sand dune the relative proportion of time sand transport recorded by two Wenglors was 0.09% and 0.79%, compared to 4.68% by the Sensit H11-B. The weak performance of the Wenglors is attributed to persistent lens contamination from adhesion of sand grains on the sensors after rainfall. However, during dry and windy conditions the Wenglor performance improved substantially; sensors measured a concentration of sand particles in the airstream more than seven times greater than that measured by the Sensit. Between the two Wenglors, the mean absolute count rate difference was 6.16 counts per second, with a standard deviation of 8.53 counts per second. For short-term measurement campaigns in dry conditions, therefore, the Wenglor is relatively consistent and can outperform the Sensit in detecting particles in the airstream. The Sensit, however, is more reliable in detecting particle transport during longer unattended deployments. Two additional field tests show that the sensor is well-suited to the measurement of snow drifting but could be ineffective in dusty settings because of lens contamination. Overall, the main advantages of the Wenglor include (1) insensitivity to particle momentum; (2) low measurement variability; (3) low cost ($210 USD); and perhaps most important of all, (4) a consistent design that will improve comparison of results between investigations. At present, no other particle detector used in aeolian research can claim all these characteristics.

VERDE Analytic Modules

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

2008-01-15

The Verde Analytic Modules permit the user to ingest openly available data feeds about phenomenology (storm tracks, wind, precipitation, earthquake, wildfires, and similar natural and manmade power grid disruptions and forecast power outages, restoration times, customers outaged, and key facilities that will lose power. Damage areas are predicted using historic damage criteria of the affected area. The modules use a cellular automata approach to estimating the distribution circuits assigned to geo-located substations. Population estimates served within the service areas are located within 1 km grid cells and converted to customer counts by conversion through demographic estimation of households and commercialmore » firms within the population cells. Restoration times are estimated by agent-based simulation of restoration crews working according to utility published prioritization calibrated by historic performance.« less

Multi-element germanium detectors for synchrotron applications

DOE PAGES

Rumaiz, A. K.; Kuczewski, A. J.; Mead, J.; ...

2018-04-27

In this paper, we have developed a series of monolithic multi-element germanium detectors, based on sensor arrays produced by the Forschungzentrum Julich, and on Application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) developed at Brookhaven. Devices have been made with element counts ranging from 64 to 384. These detectors are being used at NSLS-II and APS for a range of diffraction experiments, both monochromatic and energy-dispersive. Compact and powerful readout systems have been developed, based on the new generation of FPGA system-on-chip devices, which provide closely coupled multi-core processors embedded in large gate arrays. Finally, we will discuss the technical details of the systems,more » and present some of the results from them.« less

Characterization of silicon photomultipliers and validation of the electrical model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Peng; Qiang, Yi; Ross, Steve; Burr, Kent

2018-04-01

This paper introduces a systematic way to measure most features of the silicon photomultipliers (SiPM). We implement an efficient two-laser procedure to measure the recovery time. Avalanche probability was found to play an important role in explaining the right behavior of the SiPM recovery process. Also, we demonstrate how equivalent circuit parameters measured by optical tests can be used in SPICE modeling to predict details of the time constants relevant to the pulse shape. The SiPM properties measured include breakdown voltage, gain, diode capacitor, quench resistor, quench capacitor, dark count rate, photodetection efficiency, cross-talk and after-pulsing probability, and recovery time. We apply these techniques on the SiPMs from two companies: Hamamatsu and SensL.

New-Sum: A Novel Online ABFT Scheme For General Iterative Methods

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tao, Dingwen; Song, Shuaiwen; Krishnamoorthy, Sriram

Emerging high-performance computing platforms, with large component counts and lower power margins, are anticipated to be more susceptible to soft errors in both logic circuits and memory subsystems. We present an online algorithm-based fault tolerance (ABFT) approach to efficiently detect and recover soft errors for general iterative methods. We design a novel checksum-based encoding scheme for matrix-vector multiplication that is resilient to both arithmetic and memory errors. Our design decouples the checksum updating process from the actual computation, and allows adaptive checksum overhead control. Building on this new encoding mechanism, we propose two online ABFT designs that can effectively recovermore » from errors when combined with a checkpoint/rollback scheme.« less

Multi-element germanium detectors for synchrotron applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rumaiz, A. K.; Kuczewski, A. J.; Mead, J.

In this paper, we have developed a series of monolithic multi-element germanium detectors, based on sensor arrays produced by the Forschungzentrum Julich, and on Application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) developed at Brookhaven. Devices have been made with element counts ranging from 64 to 384. These detectors are being used at NSLS-II and APS for a range of diffraction experiments, both monochromatic and energy-dispersive. Compact and powerful readout systems have been developed, based on the new generation of FPGA system-on-chip devices, which provide closely coupled multi-core processors embedded in large gate arrays. Finally, we will discuss the technical details of the systems,more » and present some of the results from them.« less

FinFET-based Miller encoder for UHF and SHF RFID application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srinivasulu, Avireni; Sravanthi, G.; Sarada, M.; Pal, Dipankar

2018-01-01

This paper proposes a T-flip-flop and a Miller encoder design for ultra-high frequency and super high frequency, radio-frequency identification (RFID) application using FinFETs. Miller encoder is used in magnetic recording, in optical domain and also in RFID. Performance of the proposed circuit was examined by installing the model parameters of 20-nm FinFET (obtained from open source) on Cadence platform with +0.4 V supply rail at frequencies of 1, 2 and 10 GHz. Simulation results have confirmed that proposed Miller encoder offers a simpler design with reduced transistor count and gives lower power dissipation, higher frequency range of operation at lower supply rail as compared to other candidate designs. Proposed design also promises less propagation delay.

Fully integrated free-running InGaAs/InP single-photon detector for accurate lidar applications.

PubMed

Yu, Chao; Shangguan, Mingjia; Xia, Haiyun; Zhang, Jun; Dou, Xiankang; Pan, Jian-Wei

2017-06-26

We present a fully integrated InGaAs/InP negative feedback avalanche diode (NFAD) based free-running single-photon detector (SPD) designed for accurate lidar applications. A free-piston Stirling cooler is used to cool down the NFAD with a large temperature range, and an active hold-off circuit implemented in a field programmable gate array is applied to further suppress the afterpulsing contribution. The key parameters of the free-running SPD including photon detection efficiency (PDE), dark count rate (DCR), afterpulse probability, and maximum count rate (MCR) are dedicatedly optimized for lidar application in practice. We then perform a field experiment using a Mie lidar system with 20 kHz pulse repetition frequency to compare the performance between the free-running InGaAs/InP SPD and a commercial superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD). Our detector exhibits good performance with 1.6 Mcps MCR (0.6 μs hold-off time), 10% PDE, 950 cps DCR, and 18% afterpulse probability over 50 μs period. Such performance is worse than the SNSPD with 60% PDE and 300 cps DCR. However, after performing a specific algorithm that we have developed for afterpulse and count rate corrections, the lidar system performance in terms of range-corrected signal (Pr 2 ) distribution using our SPD agrees very well with the result using the SNSPD, with only a relative error of ∼2%. Due to the advantages of low-cost and small size of InGaAs/InP NFADs, such detector provides a practical solution for accurate lidar applications.

Geography-based structural analysis of the Internet

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kasiviswanathan, Shiva; Eidenbenz, Stephan; Yan, Guanhua

2010-01-01

In this paper, we study some geographic aspects of the Internet. We base our analysis on a large set of geolocated IP hop-level session data (including about 300,000 backbone routers, 150 million end hosts, and 1 billion sessions) that we synthesized from a variety of different input sources such as US census data, computer usage statistics, Internet market share data, IP geolocation data sets, CAJDA's Skitter data set for backbone connectivity, and BGP routing tables. We use this model to perform a nationwide and statewide geographic analysis of the Internet. Our main observations are: (1) There is a dominant coast-to-coastmore » pattern in the US Internet traffic. In fact, in many instances even if the end-devices are not near either coast, still the traffic between them takes a long detour through the coasts. (2) More than half of the Internet paths are inflated by 100% or more compared to their corresponding geometric straight-line distance. This circuitousness makes the average ratio between the routing distance and geometric distance big (around 10). (3) The weighted mean hop count is around 5, but the hop counts are very loosely correlated with the distances. The weighted mean AS count (number of ASes traversed) is around 3. (4) The AS size and the AS location number distributions are heavy-tailed and strongly correlated. Most of the ASes are medium sized and there is a wide variability in the geographic dispersion size (measured in terms of the convex hull area) of these ASes.« less

512-Channel and 13-Region Simultaneous Recordings Coupled with Optogenetic Manipulation in Freely Behaving Mice

PubMed Central

Xie, Kun; Fox, Grace E.; Liu, Jun; Tsien, Joe Z.

2016-01-01

The development of technologies capable of recording both single-unit activity and local field potentials (LFPs) over a wide range of brain circuits in freely behaving animals is the key to constructing brain activity maps. Although mice are the most popular mammalian genetic model, in vivo neural recording has been traditionally limited to smaller channel count and fewer brain structures because of the mouse’s small size and thin skull. Here, we describe a 512-channel tetrode system that allows us to record simultaneously over a dozen cortical and subcortical structures in behaving mice. This new technique offers two major advantages – namely, the ultra-low cost and the do-it-yourself flexibility for targeting any combination of many brain areas. We show the successful recordings of both single units and LFPs from 13 distinct neural circuits of the mouse brain, including subregions of the anterior cingulate cortices, retrosplenial cortices, somatosensory cortices, secondary auditory cortex, hippocampal CA1, dentate gyrus, subiculum, lateral entorhinal cortex, perirhinal cortex, and prelimbic cortex. This 512-channel system can also be combined with Cre-lox neurogenetics and optogenetics to further examine interactions between genes, cell types, and circuit dynamics across a wide range of brain structures. Finally, we demonstrate that complex stimuli – such as an earthquake and fear-inducing foot-shock – trigger firing changes in all of the 13 brain regions recorded, supporting the notion that neural code is highly distributed. In addition, we show that localized optogenetic manipulation in any given brain region could disrupt network oscillations and caused changes in single-unit firing patterns in a brain-wide manner, thereby raising the cautionary note of the interpretation of optogenetically manipulated behaviors. PMID:27378865

Development FD-SOI MOSFET Amplifiers for Integrated Read-Out Circuit of Superconducting-Tunnel-Junction Single-Photon-Detectors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kiuchi, Kenji; et al.

We proposed a new high-resolution single-photon infrared spectrometer for search for radiative decay of cosmic neutrino background (CνB). The superconducting-tunnel-junctions(STJs) are used as a single-photon counting device. Each STJ consists of Nb/Al/Al xO y/Al/Nb layers, and their thicknesses are optimized for the operation temperature at 370 mK cooled by a 3He sorption refrigerator. Our STJs achieved the leak current 250 pA, and the measured data implies that a smaller area STJ fulfills our requirement. FD-SOI MOSFETs are employed to amplify the STJ signal current in order to increase signal-to-noise ratio (S/N). FD-SOI MOSFETs can be operated at cryogenic temperature ofmore » 370 mK, which reduces the noise of the signal amplification system. FD-SOI MOSFET characteristics are measured at cryogenic temperature. The Id-Vgs curve shows a sharper turn on with a higher threshold voltage and the Id-Vds curve shows a nonlinear shape in linear region at cryogenic temperature. Taking into account these effects, FD-SOI MOSFETs are available for read-out circuit of STJ detectors. The bias voltage for STJ detectors is 0.4 mV, and it must be well stabilized to deliver high performance. We proposed an FD-SOI MOSFET-based charge integrated amplifier design as a read-out circuit of STJ detectors. The requirements for an operational amplifier used in the amplifier is estimated using SPICE simulation. The op-amp is required to have a fast response (GBW ≥ 100 MHz), and it must have low power dissipation as compared to the cooling power of refrigerator.« less

125 GHz sine wave gating InGaAs/InP single-photon detector with a monolithically integrated readout circuit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Wen-Hao; Liu, Jian-Hong; Liu, Yin; Jin, Ge; Zhang, Jun; Pan, Jian-Wei

2017-12-01

InGaAs/InP single-photon detectors (SPDs) are the key devices for applications requiring near-infrared single-photon detection. Gating mode is an effective approach to synchronous single-photon detection. Increasing gating frequency and reducing module size are important challenges for the design of such detector system. Here we present for the first time an InGaAs/InP SPD with 1.25 GHz sine wave gating using a monolithically integrated readout circuit (MIRC). The MIRC has a size of 15 mm * 15 mm and implements the miniaturization of avalanche extraction for high-frequency sine wave gating. In the MIRC, low-pass filters and a low-noise radio frequency amplifier are integrated based on the technique of low temperature co-fired ceramic, which can effectively reduce the parasitic capacitance and extract weak avalanche signals. We then characterize the InGaAs/InP SPD to verify the functionality and reliability of MIRC, and the SPD exhibits excellent performance with 27.5 % photon detection efficiency, 1.2 kcps dark count rate, and 9.1 % afterpulse probability at 223 K and 100 ns hold-off time. With this MIRC, one can further design miniaturized high-frequency SPD modules that are highly required for practical applications.

A new structure design and the basic radiation characteristics test of the intense current tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhiyuan; Ai, Xianyun; Fu, Li; Cui, Hui

2018-02-01

As a kind of special G-M counter, the intense current tube (ICT) is characterized by small ratio of cathode to anode radius, high working current or count rate, and can be used as the detection units of ultra-high range radiation instruments. In this paper, a new design of ICT structure is introduced, not only does it have a minimum ratio of cathode to anode but it also has a cathode which directly sticks out from the sensitive gas. Using COMSOL Multiphysics, we simulated the electric field between the anode and cathode and finalized the optimal structure. The results of processes and experiments show that the structure has better properties, with plateau slope reaching up to 7.4% within 100V, and it also has a wider range of dose rate. The linear data between the bottom limit of 0.2mGy/h and the upper limit of 1Gy/h is quite accurate but it becomes less reliable beyond 1Gy/h. By using Paralyzable model, we deduce that the dead time of the said ICT is less than 13.4 µs, and we will further optimize the readout circuit in order to reduce the resolution time of the circuit in the near future.

Microbial contamination in dental unit waterlines: comparison between Er:YAG laser and turbine lines.

PubMed

Sacchetti, Rossella; Baldissarri, Augusto; De Luca, Giovanna; Lucca, Paola; Stampi, Serena; Zanetti, Franca

2006-01-01

The investigation was carried out by evaluating the microbiological characteristics of the water before and after treatment with Er:YAG laser and turbine. The study was carried out in 2 dental surgeries. In both cases the laser and dental units were served by two independent circuits, fed by the same potable tap water. Samples were taken from the water supplying and the water leaving the turbine and laser before and after treatment on the same patient. Total heterotrophic plate count was measured at 36 degrees C and at 22 degrees C, and the presence of Staphylococcus species and non-fermenting Gram negative bacteria was investigated. Bacterial contamination was found within the circuit, especially in the laser device. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was detected in only 1 sample of supply water, in 11.1 % and in 19.4 % of the samples from the turbine and the laser respectively. No evidence of Staphylococcus aureus was found. The contamination of supply water was low, whereas that of the water leaving the handpieces of the 2 devices was high, especially in the laser. Attention should be paid to the control of the water leaving laser devices, given the increasingly wide use of such instruments in dental treatment exposed to risk of infection.

The Salinas Airshower Learning And Discovery Project (SALAD)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernandez, Victor; Niduaza, Rommel; Ruiz Castruita, Daniel; Knox, Adrian; Ramos, Daniel; Fan, Sewan; Fatuzzo, Laura

2015-04-01

The SALAD project partners community college and high school STEM students in order to develop and investigate cosmic ray detector telescopes and the physical concepts, using a new light sensor technology based on silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) detectors. Replacing the conventional photomultiplier with the SiPM, offers notable advantages in cost and facilitates more in depth, hands-on learning laboratory activities. The students in the SALAD project design, construct and extensively evaluate the SiPM detector modules. These SiPM modules, can be completed in a short time utilizing cost effective components. We describe our research to implement SiPM as read out light detectors for plastic scintillators in a cosmic ray detector telescope for use in high schools. In particular, we describe our work in the design, evaluation and the assembly of (1) a fast preamplifier, (2) a simple coincidence circuit using fast comparators, to discriminate the SiPM noise signal pulses, and (3) a monovibrator circuit to shape the singles plus the AND logic pulses for subsequent processing. To store the singles and coincidence counts data, an Arduino micro-controller with program sketches can be implemented. Results and findings from our work would be described and presented. US Department of Education Title V Grant Award PO31S090007

Kalman-variant estimators for state of charge in lithium-sulfur batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Propp, Karsten; Auger, Daniel J.; Fotouhi, Abbas; Longo, Stefano; Knap, Vaclav

2017-03-01

Lithium-sulfur batteries are now commercially available, offering high specific energy density, low production costs and high safety. However, there is no commercially-available battery management system for them, and there are no published methods for determining state of charge in situ. This paper describes a study to address this gap. The properties and behaviours of lithium-sulfur are briefly introduced, and the applicability of 'standard' lithium-ion state-of-charge estimation methods is explored. Open-circuit voltage methods and 'Coulomb counting' are found to have a poor fit for lithium-sulfur, and model-based methods, particularly recursive Bayesian filters, are identified as showing strong promise. Three recursive Bayesian filters are implemented: an extended Kalman filter (EKF), an unscented Kalman filter (UKF) and a particle filter (PF). These estimators are tested through practical experimentation, considering both a pulse-discharge test and a test based on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). Experimentation is carried out at a constant temperature, mirroring the environment expected in the authors' target automotive application. It is shown that the estimators, which are based on a relatively simple equivalent-circuit-network model, can deliver useful results. If the three estimators implemented, the unscented Kalman filter gives the most robust and accurate performance, with an acceptable computational effort.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Quam, W.; Del Duca, T.; Plake, W.

This paper describes a pocket-calculator-sized, neutron-sensitive, REM-responding personnel dosimeter that uses three tissue-equivalent cylindrical proportional counters as neutron-sensitive detectors. These are conventionally called Linear Energy Transfer (LET) counters. Miniaturized hybrid circuits are used for the linear pulse handling electronics, followed by a 256-channel ADC. A CMOS microprocessor is used to calculate REM exposure from the basic rads-tissue data supplied by the LET counters and also to provide timing and display functions. The instrument is used to continuously accumulate time in hours since reset, total counts accumulated, rads-tissue, and REM. The user can display any one of these items or amore » channel number (an aid in calibration) at any time. Such data are provided with a precision of +- 3% for a total exposure of 1 mREM over eight hours.« less

The MIT OSO-7 X-ray experiment. A five color survey of the positions and time variations of cosmic X-ray sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, R. S.; Clark, G. W.

1971-01-01

The all-sky, X-ray measurements are made in five broad energy bands from 0.5 to 60 keV with X-ray collimators of one and three degree FWHM response. Working with the onboard star sensor source locations may be determined to a precision of plus or minus 0.1 deg. The experiment is located in wheel compartment number three of the spacecraft. A time division logic system divides each wheel rotation into 256 data bins in each of which X-ray counts are accumulated over a 190 second interval. Measurement chain circuits include provision for both geometric and risetime anticoincidence. A detailed description of the instrument is included as is pertinent operating information.

State of Charge estimation of lithium ion battery based on extended Kalman filtering algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Fan; Feng, Yiming; Pan, Binbiao; Wan, Renzhuo; Wang, Jun

2017-08-01

Accurate estimation of state-of-charge (SOC) for lithium ion battery is crucial for real-time diagnosis and prognosis in green energy vehicles. In this paper, a state space model of the battery based on Thevenin model is adopted. The strategy of estimating state of charge (SOC) based on extended Kalman fil-ter is presented, as well as to combine with ampere-hour counting (AH) and open circuit voltage (OCV) methods. The comparison between simulation and experiments indicates that the model’s performance matches well with that of lithium ion battery. The algorithm of extended Kalman filter keeps a good accura-cy precision and less dependent on its initial value in full range of SOC, which is proved to be suitable for online SOC estimation.

Roadmap evolution: from NTRS to ITRS, from ITRS 2.0 to IRDS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gargini, Paolo A.

2017-10-01

The semiconductor industry benefitted from roadmap guidance since the mid-60s. The roadmap anticipated and outlined the main needs of the semiconductor industry for years to come and identified future challenges and possible solutions. Making transistor smaller by means of advanced lithographic technologies enabled both increased integration levels and improved IC performance. The roadmap methodology allowed the removal of multiple "red brick walls". The NTRS and the ITRS constituted primarily a "bottom up" approach as standard microprocessors and memories where introduced at a blistering pace barely allowing time for system houses to integrate them in their products. The 1998 ITRS provided the vision that triggered research, development and manufacturing communities to develop a completely new transistor structure in addition to replacing aluminum interconnects with a more advanced technology. The advent of Foundries and Fabless companies transformed the electronics industry into a "top down" driven industry in the past 15 years. The ITRS adjusted to this new ecosystem and morphed into the International Roadmap for Devices and Systems (IRDS) sponsored by IEEE. The IRDS is addressing the requirements and needs of the renewed electronics industry. Furthermore, by the middle of the next decade the ability to layout integrated circuits in a 2D geometry grid will reach fundamental physical limits and the aggressive conversion to 3D architecture for integrated circuit must be pursued across the board as an avenue to continuously increasing transistor count and improving performance. EUV technology is finally approaching the manufacturing stage but with the advent of 3D monolithically integrated heterogeneous circuits approaching in the not-toodistant future should the semiconductor industry concentrate its resources on the next lithographic technology generation in order to enhance resolution or on providing a smooth transition to the new revolutionary 3D architecture of integrated circuits? It is essential for the whole semiconductor industry to come together and make fundamental choices leading to a cooperative and synchronized allocation of adequate resources to produce viable solutions that once introduced in a timely manner into manufacturing will enable the continuation of the growth of the electronic industry at a pace comparable or exceeding historical trends.

Global Electric Circuit Implications of Combined Aircraft Storm Electric Current Measurements and Satellite-Based Diurnal Lightning Statistics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mach, Douglas M.; Blakeslee, Richard J.; Bateman, Monte G.

2011-01-01

Using rotating vane electric field mills and Gerdien capacitors, we measured the electric field profile and conductivity during 850 overflights of thunderstorms and electrified shower clouds (ESCs) spanning regions including the Southeastern United States, the Western Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, Central America and adjacent oceans, Central Brazil, and the South Pacific. The overflights include storms over land and ocean, and with positive and negative fields above the storms. Over three-quarters (78%) of the land storms had detectable lightning, while less than half (43%) of the oceanic storms had lightning. Integrating our electric field and conductivity data, we determined total conduction currents and flash rates for each overpass. With knowledge of the storm location (land or ocean) and type (with or without lightning), we determine the mean currents by location and type. The mean current for ocean thunderstorms is 1.7 A while the mean current for land thunderstorms is 1.0 A. The mean current for ocean ESCs 0.41 A and the mean current for land ESCs is 0.13 A. We did not find any significant regional or latitudinal based patterns in our total conduction currents. By combining the aircraft derived storm currents and flash rates with diurnal flash rate statistics derived from the Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) and Optical Transient Detector (OTD) low Earth orbiting satellites, we reproduce the diurnal variation in the global electric circuit (i.e., the Carnegie curve) to within 4% for all but two short periods of time. The agreement with the Carnegie curve was obtained without any tuning or adjustment of the satellite or aircraft data. Given our data and assumptions, mean contributions to the global electric circuit are 1.1 kA (land) and 0.7 kA (ocean) from thunderstorms, and 0.22 kA (ocean) and 0.04 (land) from ESCs, resulting in a mean total conduction current estimate for the global electric circuit of 2.0 kA. Mean storm counts are 1100 for land thunderstorms, 530 for ocean ESCs, 390 for ocean thunderstorms, and 330 for land ESCs.

Development of an instrument for time activity curve measurements during PET imaging of rodents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reymond, Jean-Marc; Guez, David; Kerhoas, Sophie; Mangeot, Philippe; Boisgard, Raphaël; Jan, Sébastien; Tavitian, Bertrand; Trebossen, Régine

2007-02-01

Molecular imaging using PET in small rodents requires commonly the knowledge of the input function of the tracer (quantitative and kinetic studies of the metabolism, development of new drugs or new tracers, etc.). In this paper, we report the status and the performances of the prototype of a counting system that is under development at DAPNIA a in collaboration with SHFJ b. The detection device is made of silicon diodes of 0.3 mm thickness proper to measure the positrons emitted by the radiotracer contained in arterial blood flowing in a thin-wall microtube. Such diodes are poorly efficient for the 511 keV gammas from the rodent and thus require a rather light lead shielding and allow operating very close by to the animal. The detectors, the front-end electronics (for signal preamplification, shaping, and discrimination) and the acquisition circuits are mounted on a single card. The device is connected directly to a portable computer via an USB port. Such a design provides a compact, rugged and portable device for working close to a small animal PET camera. Preliminary results show the performances of this counting system with 18F solution and a time-activity curve for FDG blood samples (with ∣˜30 μL/samples) from a rat.

Low-dark current 1024×1280 InGaAs PIN arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Ping; Chang, James; Boisvert, Joseph C.; Karam, Nasser

2014-06-01

Photon counting imaging applications requires low noise from both detector and readout integrated circuit (ROIC) arrays. In order to retain the photon-counting-level sensitivity, a long integration time has to be employed and the dark current has to be minimized. It is well known that the PIN dark current is sensitive to temperature and a dark current density of 0.5 nA/cm2 was demonstrated at 7 °C previously. In order to restrain the size, weight, and power consumption (SWaP) of cameras for persistent large-area surveillance on small platforms, it is critical to develop large format PIN arrays with small pitch and low dark current density at higher operation temperatures. Recently Spectrolab has grown, fabricated and tested 1024x1280 InGaAs PIN arrays with 12.5 μm pitch and achieved 0.7 nA/cm2 dark current density at 15 °C. Based on our previous low-dark-current PIN designs, the improvements were focused on 1) the epitaxial material design and growth control; and 2) PIN device structure to minimize the perimeter leakage current and junction diffusion current. We will present characterization data and analyses that illustrate the contribution of various dark current mechanisms.

RF Device for Acquiring Images of the Human Body

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaier, Todd C.; McGrath, William R.

2010-01-01

A safe, non-invasive method for forming images through clothing of large groups of people, in order to search for concealed weapons either made of metal or not, has been developed. A millimeter wavelength scanner designed in a unique, ring-shaped configuration can obtain a full 360 image of the body with a resolution of less than a millimeter in only a few seconds. Millimeter waves readily penetrate normal clothing, but are highly reflected by the human body and concealed objects. Millimeter wave signals are nonionizing and are harmless to human tissues when used at low power levels. The imager (see figure) consists of a thin base that supports a small-diameter vertical post about 7 ft (=2.13 m) tall. Attached to the post is a square-shaped ring 2 in. (=5 cm) wide and 3 ft (=91 cm) on a side. The ring is oriented horizontally, and is supported halfway along one side by a connection to a linear bearing on the vertical post. A planar RF circuit board is mounted to the inside of each side of the ring. Each circuit board contains an array of 30 receivers, one transmitter, and digitization electronics. Each array element has a printed-circuit patch antenna coupled to a pair of mixers by a 90 coupler. The mixers receive a reference local oscillator signal to a subharmonic of the transmitter frequency. A single local oscillator line feeds all 30 receivers on the board. The resulting MHz IF signals are amplified and carried to the edge of the board where they are demodulated and digitized. The transmitted signal is derived from the local oscillator at a frequency offset determined by a crystal oscillator. One antenna centrally located on each side of the square ring provides the source illumination power. The total transmitted power is less than 100 mW, resulting in an exposure level that is completely safe to humans. The output signals from all four circuit boards are fed via serial connection to a data processing computer. The computer processes the approximately 1-MB data set into a three-dimensional image in a matter of seconds. The innovation is to configure the receiver array in a ring topology surrounding the scanned object. The ring is then scanned vertically to cover the necessary two-dimensional surface. This fabrication of the ring is made possible by using planar antenna and circuit technology. A planar circuit board serves as a medium for both antennas and signal processing components. Using this technique, parts counts are kept low, and the cost per element is a small fraction of a waveguide-based system.

Self-Calibration Approach for Mixed Signal Circuits in Systems-on-Chip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, In-Seok

MOSFET scaling has served industry very well for a few decades by proving improvements in transistor performance, power, and cost. However, they require high test complexity and cost due to several issues such as limited pin count and integration of analog and digital mixed circuits. Therefore, self-calibration is an excellent and promising method to improve yield and to reduce manufacturing cost by simplifying the test complexity, because it is possible to address the process variation effects by means of self-calibration technique. Since the prior published calibration techniques were developed for a specific targeted application, it is not easy to be utilized for other applications. In order to solve the aforementioned issues, in this dissertation, several novel self-calibration design techniques in mixed-signal mode circuits are proposed for an analog to digital converter (ADC) to reduce mismatch error and improve performance. These are essential components in SOCs and the proposed self-calibration approach also compensates the process variations. The proposed novel self-calibration approach targets the successive approximation (SA) ADC. First of all, the offset error of the comparator in the SA-ADC is reduced using the proposed approach by enabling the capacitor array in the input nodes for better matching. In addition, the auxiliary capacitors for each capacitor of DAC in the SA-ADC are controlled by using synthesized digital controller to minimize the mismatch error of the DAC. Since the proposed technique is applied during foreground operation, the power overhead in SA-ADC case is minimal because the calibration circuit is deactivated during normal operation time. Another benefit of the proposed technique is that the offset voltage of the comparator is continuously adjusted for every step to decide one-bit code, because not only the inherit offset voltage of the comparator but also the mismatch of DAC are compensated simultaneously. Synthesized digital calibration control circuit operates as fore-ground mode, and the controller has been highly optimized for low power and better performance with simplified structure. In addition, in order to increase the sampling clock frequency of proposed self-calibration approach, novel variable clock period method is proposed. To achieve high speed SAR operation, a variable clock time technique is used to reduce not only peak current but also die area. The technique removes conversion time waste and extends the SAR operation speed easily. To verify and demonstrate the proposed techniques, a prototype charge-redistribution SA-ADCs with the proposed self-calibration is implemented in a 130nm standard CMOS process. The prototype circuit's silicon area is 0.0715 mm 2 and consumers 4.62mW with 1.2V power supply.

Energy dispersive CdTe and CdZnTe detectors for spectral clinical CT and NDT applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barber, W. C.; Wessel, J. C.; Nygard, E.; Iwanczyk, J. S.

2015-06-01

We are developing room temperature compound semiconductor detectors for applications in energy-resolved high-flux single x-ray photon-counting spectral computed tomography (CT), including functional imaging with nanoparticle contrast agents for medical applications and non-destructive testing (NDT) for security applications. Energy-resolved photon-counting can provide reduced patient dose through optimal energy weighting for a particular imaging task in CT, functional contrast enhancement through spectroscopic imaging of metal nanoparticles in CT, and compositional analysis through multiple basis function material decomposition in CT and NDT. These applications produce high input count rates from an x-ray generator delivered to the detector. Therefore, in order to achieve energy-resolved single photon counting in these applications, a high output count rate (OCR) for an energy-dispersive detector must be achieved at the required spatial resolution and across the required dynamic range for the application. The required performance in terms of the OCR, spatial resolution, and dynamic range must be obtained with sufficient field of view (FOV) for the application thus requiring the tiling of pixel arrays and scanning techniques. Room temperature cadmium telluride (CdTe) and cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe) compound semiconductors, operating as direct conversion x-ray sensors, can provide the required speed when connected to application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) operating at fast peaking times with multiple fixed thresholds per pixel provided the sensors are designed for rapid signal formation across the x-ray energy ranges of the application at the required energy and spatial resolutions, and at a sufficiently high detective quantum efficiency (DQE). We have developed high-flux energy-resolved photon-counting x-ray imaging array sensors using pixellated CdTe and CdZnTe semiconductors optimized for clinical CT and security NDT. We have also fabricated high-flux ASICs with a two dimensional (2D) array of inputs for readout from the sensors. The sensors are guard ring free and have a 2D array of pixels and can be tiled in 2D while preserving pixel pitch. The 2D ASICs have four energy bins with a linear energy response across sufficient dynamic range for clinical CT and some NDT applications. The ASICs can also be tiled in 2D and are designed to fit within the active area of the sensors. We have measured several important performance parameters including: the output count rate (OCR) in excess of 20 million counts per second per square mm with a minimum loss of counts due to pulse pile-up, an energy resolution of 7 keV full width at half-maximum (FWHM) across the entire dynamic range, and a noise floor about 20 keV. This is achieved by directly interconnecting the ASIC inputs to the pixels of the CdZnTe sensors incurring very little input capacitance to the ASICs. We present measurements of the performance of the CdTe and CdZnTe sensors including the OCR, FWHM energy resolution, noise floor, as well as the temporal stability and uniformity under the rapidly varying high flux expected in CT and NDT applications.

Energy dispersive CdTe and CdZnTe detectors for spectral clinical CT and NDT applications

PubMed Central

Barber, W. C.; Wessel, J. C.; Nygard, E.; Iwanczyk, J. S.

2014-01-01

We are developing room temperature compound semiconductor detectors for applications in energy-resolved high-flux single x-ray photon-counting spectral computed tomography (CT), including functional imaging with nanoparticle contrast agents for medical applications and non destructive testing (NDT) for security applications. Energy-resolved photon-counting can provide reduced patient dose through optimal energy weighting for a particular imaging task in CT, functional contrast enhancement through spectroscopic imaging of metal nanoparticles in CT, and compositional analysis through multiple basis function material decomposition in CT and NDT. These applications produce high input count rates from an x-ray generator delivered to the detector. Therefore, in order to achieve energy-resolved single photon counting in these applications, a high output count rate (OCR) for an energy-dispersive detector must be achieved at the required spatial resolution and across the required dynamic range for the application. The required performance in terms of the OCR, spatial resolution, and dynamic range must be obtained with sufficient field of view (FOV) for the application thus requiring the tiling of pixel arrays and scanning techniques. Room temperature cadmium telluride (CdTe) and cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe) compound semiconductors, operating as direct conversion x-ray sensors, can provide the required speed when connected to application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) operating at fast peaking times with multiple fixed thresholds per pixel provided the sensors are designed for rapid signal formation across the x-ray energy ranges of the application at the required energy and spatial resolutions, and at a sufficiently high detective quantum efficiency (DQE). We have developed high-flux energy-resolved photon-counting x-ray imaging array sensors using pixellated CdTe and CdZnTe semiconductors optimized for clinical CT and security NDT. We have also fabricated high-flux ASICs with a two dimensional (2D) array of inputs for readout from the sensors. The sensors are guard ring free and have a 2D array of pixels and can be tiled in 2D while preserving pixel pitch. The 2D ASICs have four energy bins with a linear energy response across sufficient dynamic range for clinical CT and some NDT applications. The ASICs can also be tiled in 2D and are designed to fit within the active area of the sensors. We have measured several important performance parameters including; the output count rate (OCR) in excess of 20 million counts per second per square mm with a minimum loss of counts due to pulse pile-up, an energy resolution of 7 keV full width at half maximum (FWHM) across the entire dynamic range, and a noise floor about 20keV. This is achieved by directly interconnecting the ASIC inputs to the pixels of the CdZnTe sensors incurring very little input capacitance to the ASICs. We present measurements of the performance of the CdTe and CdZnTe sensors including the OCR, FWHM energy resolution, noise floor, as well as the temporal stability and uniformity under the rapidly varying high flux expected in CT and NDT applications. PMID:25937684

Energy dispersive CdTe and CdZnTe detectors for spectral clinical CT and NDT applications.

PubMed

Barber, W C; Wessel, J C; Nygard, E; Iwanczyk, J S

2015-06-01

We are developing room temperature compound semiconductor detectors for applications in energy-resolved high-flux single x-ray photon-counting spectral computed tomography (CT), including functional imaging with nanoparticle contrast agents for medical applications and non destructive testing (NDT) for security applications. Energy-resolved photon-counting can provide reduced patient dose through optimal energy weighting for a particular imaging task in CT, functional contrast enhancement through spectroscopic imaging of metal nanoparticles in CT, and compositional analysis through multiple basis function material decomposition in CT and NDT. These applications produce high input count rates from an x-ray generator delivered to the detector. Therefore, in order to achieve energy-resolved single photon counting in these applications, a high output count rate (OCR) for an energy-dispersive detector must be achieved at the required spatial resolution and across the required dynamic range for the application. The required performance in terms of the OCR, spatial resolution, and dynamic range must be obtained with sufficient field of view (FOV) for the application thus requiring the tiling of pixel arrays and scanning techniques. Room temperature cadmium telluride (CdTe) and cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe) compound semiconductors, operating as direct conversion x-ray sensors, can provide the required speed when connected to application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) operating at fast peaking times with multiple fixed thresholds per pixel provided the sensors are designed for rapid signal formation across the x-ray energy ranges of the application at the required energy and spatial resolutions, and at a sufficiently high detective quantum efficiency (DQE). We have developed high-flux energy-resolved photon-counting x-ray imaging array sensors using pixellated CdTe and CdZnTe semiconductors optimized for clinical CT and security NDT. We have also fabricated high-flux ASICs with a two dimensional (2D) array of inputs for readout from the sensors. The sensors are guard ring free and have a 2D array of pixels and can be tiled in 2D while preserving pixel pitch. The 2D ASICs have four energy bins with a linear energy response across sufficient dynamic range for clinical CT and some NDT applications. The ASICs can also be tiled in 2D and are designed to fit within the active area of the sensors. We have measured several important performance parameters including; the output count rate (OCR) in excess of 20 million counts per second per square mm with a minimum loss of counts due to pulse pile-up, an energy resolution of 7 keV full width at half maximum (FWHM) across the entire dynamic range, and a noise floor about 20keV. This is achieved by directly interconnecting the ASIC inputs to the pixels of the CdZnTe sensors incurring very little input capacitance to the ASICs. We present measurements of the performance of the CdTe and CdZnTe sensors including the OCR, FWHM energy resolution, noise floor, as well as the temporal stability and uniformity under the rapidly varying high flux expected in CT and NDT applications.

Plastic Scintillator Based Detector for Observations of Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barghi, M. R., Sr.; Delaney, N.; Forouzani, A.; Wells, E.; Parab, A.; Smith, D.; Martinez, F.; Bowers, G. S.; Sample, J.

2017-12-01

We present an overview of the concept and design of the Light and Fast TGF Recorder (LAFTR), a balloon borne gamma-ray detector designed to observe Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes (TGFs). Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flashes (TGFs) are extremely bright, sub-millisecond bursts of gamma-rays observed to originate inside thunderclouds coincident with lightning. LAFTR is joint institutional project built by undergraduates at the University of California Santa Cruz and Montana State University. It consists of a detector system fed into analog front-end electronics and digital processing. The presentation focuses specifically on the UCSC components, which consists of the detector system and analog front-end electronics. Because of the extremely high count rates observed during TGFs, speed is essential for both the detector and electronics of the instrument. The detector employs a fast plastic scintillator (BC-408) read out by a SensL Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM). BC-408 is chosen for its speed ( 4 ns decay time) and low cost and availability. Furthermore, GEANT3 simulations confirm the scintillator is sensitive to 500 counts at 7 km horizontal distance from the TGF source (for a 13 km source altitude and 26 km balloon altitude) and to 5 counts out to 20 km. The signal from the SiPM has a long exponential decay tail and is sent to a custom shaping circuit board that amplifies and shapes the signal into a semi-Gaussian pulse with a 40 ns FWHM. The signal is then input to a 6-channel discriminator board that clamps the signal and outputs a Low Voltage Differential Signal (LVDS) for processing by the digital electronics.

Performance evaluation of neuro-PET using silicon photomultipliers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Jiwoong; Choi, Yong; Jung, Jin Ho; Kim, Sangsu; Im, Ki Chun

2016-05-01

Recently, we have developed the second prototype Silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) based positron emission tomography (PET) scanner for human brain imaging. The PET system was comprised of detector block which consisted of 4×4 SiPMs and 4×4 Lutetium Yttrium Orthosilicate arrays, charge signal transmission method, high density position decoder circuit and FPGA-embedded ADC boards. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of the newly developed neuro-PET system. The energy resolution, timing resolution, spatial resolution, sensitivity, stability of the photo-peak position and count rate performance were measured. Tomographic image of 3D Hoffman brain phantom was also acquired to evaluate imaging capability of the neuro-PET. The average energy and timing resolutions measured for 511 keV gamma rays were 17±0.1% and 3±0.3 ns, respectively. Spatial resolution and sensitivity at the center of field of view (FOV) were 3.1 mm and 0.8%, respectively. The average scatter fraction was 0.4 with an energy window of 350-650 keV. The maximum true count rate and maximum NECR were measured as 43.3 kcps and 6.5 kcps at an activity concentration of 16.7 kBq/ml and 5.5 kBq/ml, respectively. Long-term stability results show that there was no significant change in the photo-peak position, energy resolution and count rate for 60 days. Phantom imaging studies were performed and they demonstrated the feasibility for high quality brain imaging. The performance tests and imaging results indicate that the newly developed PET is useful for brain imaging studies, if the axial FOV is extended to improve the system sensitivity.

Theoretical and Experimental Investigations of Coincidences in Poisson Distributed Pulse Trains and Spectral Distortion Caused by Pulse Pileup.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bristow, Quentin

1990-01-01

Part one of this two-part study is concerned with the multiple coincidences in pulse trains from X-ray and gamma radiation detectors which are the cause of pulse pileup. A sequence of pulses with inter-arrival times less than tau, the resolving time of the pulse-height analysis system used to acquire spectra, is called a multiple pulse string. Such strings can be classified on the basis of the number of pulses they contain, or the number of resolving times they cover. The occurrence rates of such strings are derived from theoretical considerations. Logic circuits were devised to make experimental measurements of multiple pulse string occurrence rates in the output from a NaI(Tl) scintillation detector over a wide range of count rates. Markov process theory was used to predict state transition rates in the logic circuits, enabling the experimental data to be checked rigorously for conformity with those predicted for a Poisson distribution. No fundamental discrepancies were observed. Part two of the study is concerned with a theoretical analysis of pulse pileup and the development of a discrete correction algorithm, based on the use of a function to simulate the coincidence spectrum produced by partial sums of pulses. Monte Carlo simulations, incorporating criteria for pulse pileup inherent in the operation of modern ADC's, were used to generate pileup spectra due to coincidences between two pulses, (1st order pileup) and three pulses (2nd order pileup), for different semi-Gaussian pulse shapes. Coincidences between pulses in a single channel produced a basic probability density function spectrum which can be regarded as an impulse response for a particular pulse shape. The use of a flat spectrum (identical count rates in all channels) in the simulations, and in a parallel theoretical analysis, showed the 1st order pileup distorted the spectrum to a linear ramp with a pileup tail. The correction algorithm was successfully applied to correct entire spectra for 1st and 2nd order pileup; both those generated by Monte Carlo simulations and in addition some real spectra acquired with a laboratory multichannel analysis system.

Vascular viscoelasticity of perfused rat hindquarters.

PubMed

Chihara, E; Morimoto, T; Shigemi, K; Natsuyama, T; Hashimoto, S

1991-06-01

To determine viscoelastic features of the rat hindquarters vasculature, we measured pressure-volume curves. Male Wistar rats were transected at the lumbar level, and the perfused hindquarters were oxygenated with a hollow fiber artificial lung. The blood volume was measured by counting 51Cr-labeled red cells led to a gamma counter through an extracorporeal circuit at a constant rate. With continuous monitoring of the venous pressure and circulating blood volume, saline was infused into the circuit from a venous branch for 5 min [1.2 +/- 0.3% (SD) of tissue weight] followed by a 10-min recovery phase. In the recovery phase, the venous pressure promptly declined to the preinfusion level, whereas the circulating blood volume decreased more slowly. This implied vascular stress relaxation of the hindquarters. Maxwell's viscoelastic model, consisting of a spring component and a viscous component, was applied to analyze the venous pressure-volume diagram. With a curve-fitting method, the calculated vascular compliance and relaxation time (a time constant of stress relaxation) were 1.31 +/- 0.14 ml.mmHg-1.kg-1 and 15.7 +/- 4.0 min (means +/- SE), respectively. The value of compliance of the hindquarters was smaller than those of visceral organs reported. In addition, the value for relaxation time suggests that the viscous response of the vasculature simultaneously overlaps change in blood volume due to extravascular fluid shift during the postinfusion period.

A novel double gate metal source/drain Schottky MOSFET as an inverter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loan, Sajad A.; Kumar, Sunil; Alamoud, Abdulrahman M.

2016-03-01

In this work, we propose and simulate a novel structure of a double gate metal source/drain (MSD) Schottky MOSFET. The novelty of the proposed device is that it realizes a complete CMOS inverter action, which is actually being realized by the combination of two n and p type MOS transistors in the conventional CMOS technology. Therefore, the use of this device will significantly reduce the transistor count in implementing combinational and sequential circuits. Further, there is a significant reduction in the number of junctions and regions in the proposed device in comparison to the conventional CMOS inverter. Therefore, the proposed device is compact and can consume less power. The proposed device has been named as Sajad-Sunil-Schottky (SSS) device. The mixed mode circuit analysis of the proposed SSS device has shown that a CMOS inverter action with high logic level (VOH) and low logic level (VOL) as ∼VDD and ∼ground respectively. A two dimensional calibrated simulation study using the experimental data has revealed that the proposed SSS device in n and p type modes have subthreshold slopes (S) of 130 mV/decade and 85 mV/decade respectively and have reasonable high ION and ION/IOFF ratio's. Furthermore, it has been proved that such a device action cannot be realised by folding the conventional doped n and p MOS transistors.

1.25  GHz sine wave gating InGaAs/InP single-photon detector with a monolithically integrated readout circuit.

PubMed

Jiang, Wen-Hao; Liu, Jian-Hong; Liu, Yin; Jin, Ge; Zhang, Jun; Pan, Jian-Wei

2017-12-15

InGaAs/InP single-photon detectors (SPDs) are the key devices for applications requiring near-infrared single-photon detection. The gating mode is an effective approach to synchronous single-photon detection. Increasing gating frequency and reducing the module size are important challenges for the design of such a detector system. Here we present for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, an InGaAs/InP SPD with 1.25 GHz sine wave gating (SWG) using a monolithically integrated readout circuit (MIRC). The MIRC has a size of 15  mm×15  mm and implements the miniaturization of avalanche extraction for high-frequency SWG. In the MIRC, low-pass filters and a low-noise radio frequency amplifier are integrated based on the technique of low temperature co-fired ceramic, which can effectively reduce the parasitic capacitance and extract weak avalanche signals. We then characterize the InGaAs/InP SPD to verify the functionality and reliability of the MIRC, and the SPD exhibits excellent performance with 27.5% photon detection efficiency, a 1.2 kcps dark count rate, and 9.1% afterpulse probability at 223 K and 100 ns hold-off time. With this MIRC, one can further design miniaturized high-frequency SPD modules that are highly required for practical applications.

Direct Digital Demultiplexing of Analog TDM Signals for Cable Reduction in Ultrasound Imaging Catheters

PubMed Central

Carpenter, Thomas M.; Rashid, M. Wasequr; Ghovanloo, Maysam; Cowell, David M. J.; Freear, Steven; Degertekin, F. Levent

2016-01-01

In real-time catheter based 3D ultrasound imaging applications, gathering data from the transducer arrays is difficult as there is a restriction on cable count due to the diameter of the catheter. Although area and power hungry multiplexing circuits integrated at the catheter tip are used in some applications, these are unsuitable for use in small sized catheters for applications like intracardiac imaging. Furthermore, the length requirement for catheters and limited power available to on-chip cable drivers leads to limited signal strength at the receiver end. In this paper an alternative approach using Analog Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) is presented which addresses the cable restrictions of ultrasound catheters. A novel digital demultiplexing technique is also described which allows for a reduction in the number of analog signal processing stages required. The TDM and digital demultiplexing schemes are demonstrated for an intracardiac imaging system that would operate in the 4 MHz to 11 MHz range. A TDM integrated circuit (IC) with 8:1 multiplexer is interfaced with a fast ADC through a micro-coaxial catheter cable bundle, and processed with an FPGA RTL simulation. Input signals to the TDM IC are recovered with −40 dB crosstalk between channels on the same micro-coax, showing the feasibility of this system for ultrasound imaging applications. PMID:27116738

A Prototype PZT Matrix Transducer With Low-Power Integrated Receive ASIC for 3-D Transesophageal Echocardiography.

PubMed

Chen, Chao; Raghunathan, Shreyas B; Yu, Zili; Shabanimotlagh, Maysam; Chen, Zhao; Chang, Zu-yao; Blaak, Sandra; Prins, Christian; Ponte, Jacco; Noothout, Emile; Vos, Hendrik J; Bosch, Johan G; Verweij, Martin D; de Jong, Nico; Pertijs, Michiel A P

2016-01-01

This paper presents the design, fabrication, and experimental evaluation of a prototype lead zirconium titanate (PZT) matrix transducer with an integrated receive ASIC, as a proof of concept for a miniature three-dimensional (3-D) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) probe. It consists of an array of 9 ×12 piezoelectric elements mounted on the ASIC via an integration scheme that involves direct electrical connections between a bond-pad array on the ASIC and the transducer elements. The ASIC addresses the critical challenge of reducing cable count, and includes front-end amplifiers with adjustable gains and micro-beamformer circuits that locally process and combine echo signals received by the elements of each 3 ×3 subarray. Thus, an order-of-magnitude reduction in the number of receive channels is achieved. Dedicated circuit techniques are employed to meet the strict space and power constraints of TEE probes. The ASIC has been fabricated in a standard 0.18-μm CMOS process and consumes only 0.44 mW/channel. The prototype has been acoustically characterized in a water tank. The ASIC allows the array to be presteered across ±37° while achieving an overall dynamic range of 77 dB. Both the measured characteristics of the individual transducer elements and the performance of the ASIC are in good agreement with expectations, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed techniques.

The RFET—a reconfigurable nanowire transistor and its application to novel electronic circuits and systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikolajick, T.; Heinzig, A.; Trommer, J.; Baldauf, T.; Weber, W. M.

2017-04-01

With CMOS scaling reaching physical limits in the next decade, new approaches are required to enhance the functionality of electronic systems. Reconfigurability on the device level promises to realize more complex systems with a lower device count. In the last five years a number of interesting concepts have been proposed to realize such a device level reconfiguration. Among these the reconfigurable field effect transistor (RFET), a device that can be configured between an n-channel and p-channel behavior by applying an electrical signal, can be considered as an end-of-roadmap extension of current technology with only small modifications and even simplifications to the process flow. This article gives a review on the RFET basics and current status. In the first sections state-of-the-art of reconfigurable devices will be summarized and the RFET will be introduced together with related devices based on silicon nanowire technology. The device optimization with respect to device symmetry and performance will be discussed next. The potential of the RFET device technology will then be shown by discussing selected circuit implementations making use of the unique advantages of this device concept. The basic device concept was also extended towards applications in flexible devices and sensors, also extending the capabilities towards so-called More-than-Moore applications where new functionalities are implemented in CMOS-based processes. Finally, the prospects of RFET device technology will be discussed.

Influence of cardiopulmonary bypass on platelet and neutrophil accumulations in internal organs.

PubMed

Bhujle, R; Li, J; Shastri, P; Gaffke, J N; Clift, J E; Ye, Y W; Dollar, M L; Ching, P; Chao, R; Constantinescu, A; Kulkarni, P V; Cheng, Q C; Wians, F; Jessen, M E; Eberhart, R C

1997-01-01

The authors employed gamma scintigraphy to quantify the post bypass accumulations of platelets and neutrophils in the lung, liver, and heart of adult pigs subjected to a standard 90 min regimen of normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Coated and uncoated microporous polypropylene oxygenator circuits were studied for Cobe Duo (Arvada, CO) oxygenators (amphophilic silicone-caprolactone oligomer [SMA] coating, n = 8 each) and Medtronic Maxima (Irvine, CA) oxygenators (Carmeda heparin coating, n = 5 each). Images of cells in the organs (deposited + blood pool) were corrected for tissue absorption and other factors and compared for a 2 hr period post CPB, using repeat measures ANOVA and rank tests. Platelet accumulations in internal organs correlated positively with whole blood platelet counts and negatively with platelet deposits in oxygenators during CPB. In general, uncoated CPB circuits significantly reduced platelet and neutrophil accumulations in lung, liver, and heart versus preCPB controls for the post CPB interval, for both systems. The SMA treatment significantly increased platelet accumulations versus uncoated controls in lung, liver, and heart for the 2 hr period, including the majority of the post CPB sampling intervals; platelet densities did not reach preCPB levels. Neutrophil accumulations were unaffected by the SMA coating. Carmeda heparin treatment significantly increased platelet accumulations in the liver, but not lung or heart. Despite preservation of circulating neutrophils observed with the Carmeda heparin treatment, neutrophil accumulations in internal organs were not elevated post CPB.

Transient digitizer with displacement current samplers

DOEpatents

McEwan, T.E.

1996-05-21

A low component count, high speed sample gate, and digitizer architecture using the sample gates is based on use of a signal transmission line, a strobe transmission line and a plurality of sample gates connected to the sample transmission line at a plurality of positions. The sample gates include a strobe pickoff structure near the strobe transmission line which generates a charge displacement current in response to propagation of the strobe signal on the strobe transmission line sufficient to trigger the sample gate. The sample gate comprises a two-diode sampling bridge and is connected to a meandered signal transmission line at one end and to a charge-holding cap at the other. The common cathodes are reverse biased. A voltage step is propagated down the strobe transmission line. As the step propagates past a capacitive pickoff, displacement current i=c(dv/dT), flows into the cathodes, driving the bridge into conduction and thereby charging the charge-holding capacitor to a value related to the signal. A charge amplifier converts the charge on the charge-holding capacitor to an output voltage. The sampler is mounted on a printed circuit board, and the sample transmission line and strobe transmission line comprise coplanar microstrips formed on a surface of the substrate. Also, the strobe pickoff structure may comprise a planar pad adjacent the strobe transmission line on the printed circuit board. 16 figs.

Transient digitizer with displacement current samplers

DOEpatents

McEwan, Thomas E.

1996-01-01

A low component count, high speed sample gate, and digitizer architecture using the sample gates is based on use of a signal transmission line, a strobe transmission line and a plurality of sample gates connected to the sample transmission line at a plurality of positions. The sample gates include a strobe pickoff structure near the strobe transmission line which generates a charge displacement current in response to propagation of the strobe signal on the strobe transmission line sufficient to trigger the sample gate. The sample gate comprises a two-diode sampling bridge and is connected to a meandered signal transmission line at one end and to a charge-holding cap at the other. The common cathodes are reverse biased. A voltage step is propagated down the strobe transmission line. As the step propagates past a capacitive pickoff, displacement current i=c(dv/dT), flows into the cathodes, driving the bridge into conduction and thereby charging the charge-holding capacitor to a value related to the signal. A charge amplifier converts the charge on the charge-holding capacitor to an output voltage. The sampler is mounted on a printed circuit board, and the sample transmission line and strobe transmission line comprise coplanar microstrips formed on a surface of the substrate. Also, the strobe pickoff structure may comprise a planar pad adjacent the strobe transmission line on the printed circuit board.

14C autoradiography with an energy-sensitive silicon pixel detector.

PubMed

Esposito, M; Mettivier, G; Russo, P

2011-04-07

The first performance tests are presented of a carbon-14 ((14)C) beta-particle digital autoradiography system with an energy-sensitive hybrid silicon pixel detector based on the Timepix readout circuit. Timepix was developed by the Medipix2 Collaboration and it is similar to the photon-counting Medipix2 circuit, except for an added time-based synchronization logic which allows derivation of energy information from the time-over-threshold signal. This feature permits direct energy measurements in each pixel of the detector array. Timepix is bump-bonded to a 300 µm thick silicon detector with 256 × 256 pixels of 55 µm pitch. Since an energetic beta-particle could release its kinetic energy in more than one detector pixel as it slows down in the semiconductor detector, an off-line image analysis procedure was adopted in which the single-particle cluster of hit pixels is recognized; its total energy is calculated and the position of interaction on the detector surface is attributed to the centre of the charge cluster. Measurements reported are detector sensitivity, (4.11 ± 0.03) × 10(-3) cps mm(-2) kBq(-1) g, background level, (3.59 ± 0.01) × 10(-5) cps mm(-2), and minimum detectable activity, 0.0077 Bq. The spatial resolution is 76.9 µm full-width at half-maximum. These figures are compared with several digital imaging detectors for (14)C beta-particle digital autoradiography.

Precision absolute-value amplifier for a precision voltmeter

DOEpatents

Hearn, W.E.; Rondeau, D.J.

1982-10-19

Bipolar inputs are afforded by the plus inputs of first and second differential input amplifiers. A first gain determining resistor is connected between the minus inputs of the differential amplifiers. First and second diodes are connected between the respective minus inputs and the respective outputs of the differential amplifiers. First and second FETs have their gates connected to the outputs of the amplifiers, while their respective source and drain circuits are connected between the respective minus inputs and an output lead extending to a load resistor. The output current through the load resistor is proportional to the absolute value of the input voltage difference between the bipolar input terminals. A third differential amplifier has its plus input terminal connected to the load resistor. A second gain determining resistor is connected between the minus input of the third differential amplifier and a voltage source. A third FET has its gate connected to the output of the third amplifier. The source and drain circuit of the third transistor is connected between the minus input of the third amplifier and a voltage-frequency converter, constituting an output device. A polarity detector is also provided, comprising a pair of transistors having their inputs connected to the outputs of the first and second differential amplifiers. The outputs of the polarity detector are connected to gates which switch the output of the voltage-frequency converter between up and down counting outputs.

Precision absolute value amplifier for a precision voltmeter

DOEpatents

Hearn, William E.; Rondeau, Donald J.

1985-01-01

Bipolar inputs are afforded by the plus inputs of first and second differential input amplifiers. A first gain determining resister is connected between the minus inputs of the differential amplifiers. First and second diodes are connected between the respective minus inputs and the respective outputs of the differential amplifiers. First and second FETs have their gates connected to the outputs of the amplifiers, while their respective source and drain circuits are connected between the respective minus inputs and an output lead extending to a load resister. The output current through the load resister is proportional to the absolute value of the input voltage difference between the bipolar input terminals. A third differential amplifier has its plus input terminal connected to the load resister. A second gain determining resister is connected between the minus input of the third differential amplifier and a voltage source. A third FET has its gate connected to the output of the third amplifier. The source and drain circuit of the third transistor is connected between the minus input of the third amplifier and a voltage-frequency converter, constituting an output device. A polarity detector is also provided, comprising a pair of transistors having their inputs connected to the outputs of the first and second differential amplifiers. The outputs of the polarity detector are connected to gates which switch the output of the voltage-frequency converter between up and down counting outputs.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Heffner, M.; Riot, V.; Fabris, L.

Medium to large channel count detectors are usually faced with a few unattractive options for data acquisition (DAQ). Small to medium sized TPC experiments, for example, can be too small to justify the high expense and long development time of application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) development. In some cases an experiment can piggy-back on a larger experiment and the associated ASIC development, but this puts the time line of development out of the hands of the smaller experiment. Another option is to run perhaps thousands of cables to rack mounted equipment, which is clearly undesirable. The development of commercial high-speedmore » high-density FPGAs and ADCs combined with the small discrete components and robotic assembly open a new option that scales to tens of thousands of channels and is only slightly larger than ASICs using off-the-shelf components.« less

High resolution, high rate x-ray spectrometer

DOEpatents

Goulding, F.S.; Landis, D.A.

1983-07-14

It is an object of the invention to provide a pulse processing system for use with detected signals of a wide dynamic range which is capable of very high counting rates, with high throughput, with excellent energy resolution and a high signal-to-noise ratio. It is a further object to provide a pulse processing system wherein the fast channel resolving time is quite short and substantially independent of the energy of the detected signals. Another object is to provide a pulse processing system having a pile-up rejector circuit which will allow the maximum number of non-interfering pulses to be passed to the output. It is also an object of the invention to provide new methods for generating substantially symmetrically triangular pulses for use in both the main and fast channels of a pulse processing system.

TH-CD-207B-07: Noise Modeling of Single Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) for Photon Counting CT Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cheng, Z; Zheng, X; Deen, J

Purpose: Silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) has recently emerged as a promising photodetector for biomedical imaging applications. Due to its high multiplication gain (comparable to PMT), fast timing, low cost and compactness, it is considered a good candidate for photon counting CT. Dark noise is a limiting factor which impacts both energy resolution and detection dynamic range. Our goal is to develop a comprehensive model for noise sources for SiPM sensors. Methods: The physical parameters used in this work were based upon a test SPAD fabricated in 130nm CMOS process. The SPAD uses an n+/p-well junction, which is isolated from the p-substratemore » by a deep n-well junction. Inter-avalanche time measurement was used to record the time interval between two adjacent avalanche pulses. After collecting 1×106 counts, the histogram was obtained and multiple exponential fitting process was used to extract the lifetime associated with the traps within the bandgap. Results: At room temperature, the breakdown voltage of the SPAD is ∼11.4V and shows a temperature coefficient of 7.7mV/°C. The dark noise of SPAD increases with both the excess biasing voltage and temperature. The primary dark counts from the model were validated against the measurement results. A maximum relative error of 8.7% is observed at 20 °C with an excess voltage of 0.5V. The probabilities of after-pulsing are found to be dependent of both temperature and excess voltage. With 0.5V excess voltage, the after-pulsing probability is 63.5% at - 30 °C and drops to ∼6.6% at 40 °C. Conclusion: A comprehensive noise model for SPAD sensor was proposed. The model takes into account of static, dynamic and statistical behavior of SPADs. We believe that this is the first SPAD circuit simulation model that includes the band-to-band tunneling dark noise contribution and temporal dependence of the after-pulsing probability.« less

Characteristic performance evaluation of a photon counting Si strip detector for low dose spectral breast CT imaging

PubMed Central

Cho, Hyo-Min; Barber, William C.; Ding, Huanjun; Iwanczyk, Jan S.; Molloi, Sabee

2014-01-01

Purpose: The possible clinical applications which can be performed using a newly developed detector depend on the detector's characteristic performance in a number of metrics including the dynamic range, resolution, uniformity, and stability. The authors have evaluated a prototype energy resolved fast photon counting x-ray detector based on a silicon (Si) strip sensor used in an edge-on geometry with an application specific integrated circuit to record the number of x-rays and their energies at high flux and fast frame rates. The investigated detector was integrated with a dedicated breast spectral computed tomography (CT) system to make use of the detector's high spatial and energy resolution and low noise performance under conditions suitable for clinical breast imaging. The aim of this article is to investigate the intrinsic characteristics of the detector, in terms of maximum output count rate, spatial and energy resolution, and noise performance of the imaging system. Methods: The maximum output count rate was obtained with a 50 W x-ray tube with a maximum continuous output of 50 kVp at 1.0 mA. A109Cd source, with a characteristic x-ray peak at 22 keV from Ag, was used to measure the energy resolution of the detector. The axial plane modulation transfer function (MTF) was measured using a 67 μm diameter tungsten wire. The two-dimensional (2D) noise power spectrum (NPS) was measured using flat field images and noise equivalent quanta (NEQ) were calculated using the MTF and NPS results. The image quality parameters were studied as a function of various radiation doses and reconstruction filters. The one-dimensional (1D) NPS was used to investigate the effect of electronic noise elimination by varying the minimum energy threshold. Results: A maximum output count rate of 100 million counts per second per square millimeter (cps/mm2) has been obtained (1 million cps per 100 × 100 μm pixel). The electrical noise floor was less than 4 keV. The energy resolution measured with the 22 keV photons from a 109Cd source was less than 9%. A reduction of image noise was shown in all the spatial frequencies in 1D NPS as a result of the elimination of the electronic noise. The spatial resolution was measured just above 5 line pairs per mm (lp/mm) where 10% of MTF corresponded to 5.4 mm−1. The 2D NPS and NEQ shows a low noise floor and a linear dependence on dose. The reconstruction filter choice affected both of the MTF and NPS results, but had a weak effect on the NEQ. Conclusions: The prototype energy resolved photon counting Si strip detector can offer superior imaging performance for dedicated breast CT as compared to a conventional energy-integrating detector due to its high output count rate, high spatial and energy resolution, and low noise characteristics, which are essential characteristics for spectral breast CT imaging. PMID:25186390

Design and fabrication of nano-imprint templates using unique pattern transforms and primitives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacDonald, Susan; Mellenthin, David; Rentzsch, Kevin; Kramer, Kenneth; Ellenson, James; Hostetler, Tim; Enck, Ron

2005-11-01

Increasing numbers of MEMS, photonic, and integrated circuit manufacturers are investigating the use of Nano-imprint Lithography or Step and Flash Imprint Lithography (SFIL) as a lithography choice for making various devices and products. Their main interests in using these technologies are the lack of aberrations inherent in traditional optical reduction lithography, and the relative low cost of imprint tools. Since imprint templates are at 1X scale, the small sizes of these structures have necessitated the use of high-resolution 50KeV, and 100KeV e-beam lithography tools to build these templates. For MEMS and photonic applications, the structures desired are often circles, arches, and other non-orthogonal shapes. It has long been known that both 50keV, and especially 100keV e-beam lithography tools are extremely accurate, and can produce very high resolution structures, but the trade off is long write times. The main drivers in write time are shot count and stage travel. This work will show how circles and other non-orthogonal shapes can be produced with a 50KeV Variable Shaped Beam (VSB) e-beam lithography system using unique pattern transforms and primitive shapes, while keeping the shot count and write times under control. The quality of shapes replicated into the resist on wafer using an SFIL tool will also be presented.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ross, Steve; Haji-Sheikh, Michael; Huntington, Andrew

The Voxtel VX-798 is a prototype X-ray pixel array detector (PAD) featuring a silicon sensor photodiode array of 48 x 48 pixels, each 130 mu m x 130 mu m x 520 mu m thick, coupled to a CMOS readout application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The first synchrotron X-ray characterization of this detector is presented, and its ability to selectively count individual X-rays within two independent arrival time windows, a programmable energy range, and localized to a single pixel is demonstrated. During our first trial run at Argonne National Laboratory's Advance Photon Source, the detector achieved a 60 ns gatingmore » time and 700 eV full width at half-maximum energy resolution in agreement with design parameters. Each pixel of the PAD holds two independent digital counters, and the discriminator for X-ray energy features both an upper and lower threshold to window the energy of interest discarding unwanted background. This smart-pixel technology allows energy and time resolution to be set and optimized in software. It is found that the detector linearity follows an isolated dead-time model, implying that megahertz count rates should be possible in each pixel. Measurement of the line and point spread functions showed negligible spatial blurring. When combined with the timing structure of the synchrotron storage ring, it is demonstrated that the area detector can perform both picosecond time-resolved X-ray diffraction and fluorescence spectroscopy measurements.« less

Preliminary evaluation of a novel energy-resolved photon-counting gamma ray detector.

PubMed

Meng, L-J; Tan, J W; Spartiotis, K; Schulman, T

2009-06-11

In this paper, we present the design and preliminary performance evaluation of a novel energy-resolved photon-counting (ERPC) detector for gamma ray imaging applications. The prototype ERPC detector has an active area of 4.4 cm × 4.4 cm, which is pixelated into 128 × 128 square pixels with a pitch size of 350 µm × 350µm. The current detector consists of multiple detector hybrids, each with a CdTe crystal of 1.1 cm × 2.2 cm × 1 mm, bump-bonded onto a custom-designed application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The ERPC ASIC has 2048 readout channels arranged in a 32 × 64 array. Each channel is equipped with pre- and shaping-amplifiers, a discriminator, peak/hold circuitry and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for digitizing the signal amplitude. In order to compensate for the pixel-to-pixel variation, two 8-bit digital-to-analog converters (DACs) are implemented into each channel for tuning the gain and offset. The ERPC detector is designed to offer a high spatial resolution, a wide dynamic range of 12-200 keV and a good energy resolution of 3-4 keV. The hybrid detector configuration provides a flexible detection area that can be easily tailored for different imaging applications. The intrinsic performance of a prototype ERPC detector was evaluated with various gamma ray sources, and the results are presented.

ENCODING OF TEMPORAL FEATURES OF AUDITORY STIMULI IN THE MEDIAL NUCLEUS OF THE TRAPEZOID BODY AND SUPERIOR PARAOLIVARY NUCLEUS OF THE RAT

PubMed Central

Kadner, Alexander; Berrebi, Albert S.

2008-01-01

Neurons in the superior paraolivary nucleus (SPON) respond to the offset of pure tones with a brief burst of spikes. Medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB) neurons, which inhibit the SPON, produce a sustained pure tone response followed by an offset response characterized by a period of suppressed spontaneous activity. This MNTB offset response is duration dependent and critical to the formation of SPON offset spikes (Kadner et al., 2006; Kulesza, Jr. et al., 2007). Here we examine the temporal resolution of the MNTB/SPON circuit by assessing its capability to i) detect gaps in tones, and ii) synchronize to sinusoidally amplitude modulated (SAM) tones. Gap detection was tested by presenting two identical pure tone markers interrupted by gaps ranging from 0–25 ms duration. SPON neurons responded to the offset of the leading marker even when the two markers were separated only by their ramps (i.e., a 0 ms gap); longer gap durations elicited progressively larger responses. MNTB neurons produced an offset response at gap durations of 2 ms or longer, with a subset of neurons responding to 0 ms gaps. SAM tone stimuli used the unit’s characteristic frequency as a carrier, and modulation rates ranged from 40–1160 Hz. MNTB neurons synchronized to modulation rates up to ~1 KHz, whereas spiking of SPON neurons decreased sharply at modulation rates ≥ 400 Hz. Modulation transfer functions based on spike count were all-pass for MNTB neurons and low-pass for SPON neurons; the modulation transfer functions based on vector strength were low-pass for both nuclei, with a steeper cut-off for SPON neurons. Thus, the MNTB/SPON circuit encodes episodes of low stimulus energy, such as gaps in pure tones and troughs in amplitude modulated tones. The output of this circuit consists of brief SPON spiking episodes; their potential effects on the auditory midbrain and forebrain are discussed. PMID:18155850

Fault-Tolerant Coding for State Machines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Naegle, Stephanie Taft; Burke, Gary; Newell, Michael

2008-01-01

Two reliable fault-tolerant coding schemes have been proposed for state machines that are used in field-programmable gate arrays and application-specific integrated circuits to implement sequential logic functions. The schemes apply to strings of bits in state registers, which are typically implemented in practice as assemblies of flip-flop circuits. If a single-event upset (SEU, a radiation-induced change in the bit in one flip-flop) occurs in a state register, the state machine that contains the register could go into an erroneous state or could hang, by which is meant that the machine could remain in undefined states indefinitely. The proposed fault-tolerant coding schemes are intended to prevent the state machine from going into an erroneous or hang state when an SEU occurs. To ensure reliability of the state machine, the coding scheme for bits in the state register must satisfy the following criteria: 1. All possible states are defined. 2. An SEU brings the state machine to a known state. 3. There is no possibility of a hang state. 4. No false state is entered. 5. An SEU exerts no effect on the state machine. Fault-tolerant coding schemes that have been commonly used include binary encoding and "one-hot" encoding. Binary encoding is the simplest state machine encoding and satisfies criteria 1 through 3 if all possible states are defined. Binary encoding is a binary count of the state machine number in sequence; the table represents an eight-state example. In one-hot encoding, N bits are used to represent N states: All except one of the bits in a string are 0, and the position of the 1 in the string represents the state. With proper circuit design, one-hot encoding can satisfy criteria 1 through 4. Unfortunately, the requirement to use N bits to represent N states makes one-hot coding inefficient.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Blansett, Ethan L.; Schroeppel, Richard Crabtree; Tang, Jason D.

With the build-out of large transport networks utilizing optical technologies, more and more capacity is being made available. Innovations in Dense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM) and the elimination of optical-electrical-optical conversions have brought on advances in communication speeds as we move into 10 Gigabit Ethernet and above. Of course, there is a need to encrypt data on these optical links as the data traverses public and private network backbones. Unfortunately, as the communications infrastructure becomes increasingly optical, advances in encryption (done electronically) have failed to keep up. This project examines the use of optical logic for implementing encryption in themore » photonic domain to achieve the requisite encryption rates. In order to realize photonic encryption designs, technology developed for electrical logic circuits must be translated to the photonic regime. This paper examines two classes of all optical logic (SEED, gain competition) and how each discrete logic element can be interconnected and cascaded to form an optical circuit. Because there is no known software that can model these devices at a circuit level, the functionality of the SEED and gain competition devices in an optical circuit were modeled in PSpice. PSpice allows modeling of the macro characteristics of the devices in context of a logic element as opposed to device level computational modeling. By representing light intensity as voltage, 'black box' models are generated that accurately represent the intensity response and logic levels in both technologies. By modeling the behavior at the systems level, one can incorporate systems design tools and a simulation environment to aid in the overall functional design. Each black box model of the SEED or gain competition device takes certain parameters (reflectance, intensity, input response), and models the optical ripple and time delay characteristics. These 'black box' models are interconnected and cascaded in an encrypting/scrambling algorithm based on a study of candidate encryption algorithms. We found that a low gate count, cascadable encryption algorithm is most feasible given device and processing constraints. The modeling and simulation of optical designs using these components is proceeding in parallel with efforts to perfect the physical devices and their interconnect. We have applied these techniques to the development of a 'toy' algorithm that may pave the way for more robust optical algorithms. These design/modeling/simulation techniques are now ready to be applied to larger optical designs in advance of our ability to implement such systems in hardware.« less

Improved hemocompatibility of silicone rubber extracorporeal tubing via solvent swelling-impregnation of S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) and evaluation in rabbit thrombogenicity model.

PubMed

Brisbois, Elizabeth J; Major, Terry C; Goudie, Marcus J; Bartlett, Robert H; Meyerhoff, Mark E; Handa, Hitesh

2016-06-01

Blood-contacting devices, including extracorporeal circulation (ECC) circuits, can suffer from complications due to platelet activation and thrombus formation. Development of nitric oxide (NO) releasing polymers is one method to improve hemocompatibility, taking advantage of the ability of low levels of NO to prevent platelet activation/adhesion. In this study a novel solvent swelling method is used to load the walls of silicone rubber tubing with the NO donor S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP). This SNAP-silicone rubber tubing exhibits an NO flux of ca. 1×10(-10)molcm(-2)min(-1), which mimics the range of NO release from the normal endothelium, which is stable for at least 4h. Images of the tubing before and after swelling, obtained via scanning electron microscopy, demonstrate that this swelling method has little effect on the surface properties of the tubing. The SNAP-loaded silicone rubber and silicone rubber control tubing are used to fabricate ECC circuits that are evaluated in a rabbit model of thrombogenicity. After 4h of blood flow, the SNAP-loaded silicone rubber circuits were able to preserve the blood platelet count at 64% of baseline (vs. 12% for silicone rubber control). A 67% reduction in the degree of thrombus formation within the thrombogenicity chamber was also observed. This study demonstrates the ability to improve the hemocompatibility of existing/commercial silicone rubber tubing via a simple solvent swelling-impregnation technique, which may also be applicable to other silicone-based blood-contacting devices. Localized nitric oxide (NO) release can be achieved from biomedical grade polymers doped with S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP). Despite the promising in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility results reported for these NO releasing polymers, many of these materials may face challenges in being translated to clinical applications, especially in the areas of polymer processing and manufacturing. In this study, we report a solvent swelling-impregnation technique to incorporate SNAP into extracorporeal circuit (ECC) tubing. These NO-releasing ECCs were able to attenuate the activation of platelets and maintain their functionality, while significantly reducing the extent of thrombus formation during 4h blood flow in the rabbit model of thrombogenicity. Copyright © 2016 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

State of charge monitoring of vanadium redox flow batteries using half cell potentials and electrolyte density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ressel, Simon; Bill, Florian; Holtz, Lucas; Janshen, Niklas; Chica, Antonio; Flower, Thomas; Weidlich, Claudia; Struckmann, Thorsten

2018-02-01

The operation of vanadium redox flow batteries requires reliable in situ state of charge (SOC) monitoring. In this study, two SOC estimation approaches for the negative half cell are investigated. First, in situ open circuit potential measurements are combined with Coulomb counting in a one-step calibration of SOC and Nernst potential which doesn't need additional reference SOCs. In-sample and out-of-sample SOCs are estimated and analyzed, estimation errors ≤ 0.04 are obtained. In the second approach, temperature corrected in situ electrolyte density measurements are used for the first time in vanadium redox flow batteries for SOC estimation. In-sample and out-of-sample SOC estimation errors ≤ 0.04 demonstrate the feasibility of this approach. Both methods allow recalibration during battery operation. The actual capacity obtained from SOC calibration can be used in a state of health model.

Chaos and complexity by design

DOE PAGES

Roberts, Daniel A.; Yoshida, Beni

2017-04-20

We study the relationship between quantum chaos and pseudorandomness by developing probes of unitary design. A natural probe of randomness is the “frame poten-tial,” which is minimized by unitary k-designs and measures the 2-norm distance between the Haar random unitary ensemble and another ensemble. A natural probe of quantum chaos is out-of-time-order (OTO) four-point correlation functions. We also show that the norm squared of a generalization of out-of-time-order 2k-point correlators is proportional to the kth frame potential, providing a quantitative connection between chaos and pseudorandomness. In addition, we prove that these 2k-point correlators for Pauli operators completely determine the k-foldmore » channel of an ensemble of unitary operators. Finally, we use a counting argument to obtain a lower bound on the quantum circuit complexity in terms of the frame potential. This provides a direct link between chaos, complexity, and randomness.« less

Micro-Spec: A High Performance Compact Spectrometer for Submillimeter Astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hsieh, Wen-Ting; Moseley, Harvey; Stevenson, Thomas; Brown, Ari; Patel, Amil; U-Yen, Kongpop; Ehsan, Negar; Caltado, Giuseppe; Wollock, Edward

2012-01-01

We describe the micro-Spec, an extremely compact high performance spectrometer for the submillimeter and millimeter spectral ranges. We have designed a fully integrated submillimeter spectrometer based on superconducting microstrip technology and fabricated its critical elements. Using low loss transmission lines, we can produce a fully integrated high resolution submillimeter spectrometer on a single four inch Si wafer. A resolution of 500 can readily be achieved with standard fabrication tolerance, higher with phase trimming. All functions of the spectrometer are integrated - light is coupled to the micro strip circuit with a planar antenna, the spectra discrimination is achieved using a synthetic grating, orders are separated using a built-in planar filter, and the light is detected using photon counting Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors (MKID). We will discus the design principle of the instrument, describe its technical advantages, and report the progress on the development of the instrument.

Mu-Spec: A High Performance Compact Spectrometer for Submillimeter Astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hsieh, Wen-Ting; Moseley, Harvey; Stevenson, Thomas; Brown, Ari; Patel, Amil; U-yen, Kongpop; Ehsan, Negar; Cataldo, Giuseppe; Wollack, Ed

2012-01-01

We describe the Mu-Spec, an extremely compact high performance spectrometer for the submillimeter and millimeter spectral ranges. We have designed a fully integrated submillimeter spectrometer based on superconducting microstrip technology and fabricated its critical elements. Using low loss transmission lines, we can produce a fully integrated high resolution submillimeter spectrometer on a single four inch Si wafer. A resolution of 500 can readily be achieved with standard fabrication tolerance, higher with phase trimming. All functions of the spectrometer are integrated - light is coupled to the microstrip circuit with a planar antenna, the spectra discrimination is achieved using a synthetic grating, orders are separated using a built-in planar filter, and the light is detected using photon counting Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors (MKID). We will discus the design principle of the instrument, describe its technical advantages, and report the progress on the development of the instrument.

Effects of cycling temperatures on the voltage fade phenomenon in 0.5Li 2 MnO 3 ·0.5LiNi 0.375 Mn 0.375 Co 0.25 O 2 cathodes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vu, Anh; Walker, Lee K.; Bareño, Javier

2015-04-01

The rate of voltage fade in 0.5Li2MnO3•0.5LiNi0.375Mn0.375Co0.25O2 cathodes was measured in half-cells in a temperature range of 25 to 55°C. On the basis of the dependence of the values of the open-circuit potential with cycle count and temperature, the voltage fade phenomenon seems to consist of two chemical processes: one that can be described using a parabolic rate law and another that uses a linear-with-time law. As the cycling temperature increased, the relative contributions of the two processes changed. On the basis of the overall rate versus temperature data, we believe the two processes may be in competition with onemore » another.« less

Toward a Definition of Complexity for Quantum Field Theory States.

PubMed

Chapman, Shira; Heller, Michal P; Marrochio, Hugo; Pastawski, Fernando

2018-03-23

We investigate notions of complexity of states in continuous many-body quantum systems. We focus on Gaussian states which include ground states of free quantum field theories and their approximations encountered in the context of the continuous version of the multiscale entanglement renormalization ansatz. Our proposal for quantifying state complexity is based on the Fubini-Study metric. It leads to counting the number of applications of each gate (infinitesimal generator) in the transformation, subject to a state-dependent metric. We minimize the defined complexity with respect to momentum-preserving quadratic generators which form su(1,1) algebras. On the manifold of Gaussian states generated by these operations, the Fubini-Study metric factorizes into hyperbolic planes with minimal complexity circuits reducing to known geodesics. Despite working with quantum field theories far outside the regime where Einstein gravity duals exist, we find striking similarities between our results and those of holographic complexity proposals.

Electrical Counting and Sizing of Mammalian Cells in Suspension

PubMed Central

Gregg, E. C.; Steidley, K. David

1965-01-01

A recently developed method of determining the number and size of particles suspended in a conducting solution is to pump the suspension through a small orifice having an immersed electrode on each side to supply electrical current. The current changes due to the passage of particles of resistivity different from that of the solution. Theoretical expressions are developed which relate the current change caused by such particles to their volume and shape. It is found that most biological cells may be treated as dielectric particles whose capacitive effects are negligible. Electrolytic tank measurements on models confirm the theoretical development, and electric field plots of model orifices are used to predict the observed pulse shapes. An equivalent circuit of the orifice-electrode system is analyzed and shows that the current pulse may be made conductivity-independent when observed with a zero input impedance amplifier. PMID:5861698

The neutron transmission of natFe, 197Au and natW

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beyer, Roland; Junghans, Arnd R.; Schillebeeckx, Peter; Sirakov, Ivan; Song, Tae-Yung; Bemmerer, Daniel; Capote, Roberto; Ferrari, Anna; Hartmann, Andreas; Hannaske, Ronald; Heyse, Jan; Il Kim, Hyeon; Woon Kim, Jong; Kögler, Toni; Woo Lee, Cheol; Lee, Young-Ouk; Massarczyk, Ralph; Müller, Stefan E.; Reinhardt, Tobias P.; Röder, Marko; Schmidt, Konrad; Schwengner, Ronald; Szücs, Tamás; Takács, Marcell P.; Wagner, Andreas; Wagner, Louis; Yang, Sung-Chul

2018-05-01

Neutron total cross sections of natFe, 197Au and natW have been measured at the n ELBE neutron time-of-flight facility in the energy range 0.15-8MeV with an uncertainty due to counting statistics of up to 2% and a total uncertainty due to systematic effects of 1%. The neutrons are produced with the superconducting electron accelerator ELBE using a liquid lead circuit as photo-neutron target. By periodical sample-in-sample-out measurements the transmission of the sample materials has been determined using a low-threshold plastic scintillation detector. The resulting effective total cross sections show good agreement with previously measured data that cover only part of the energy range available at n ELBE. The results have also been compared to evaluated library files and recent calculations based on a dispersive coupled channel optical model potential.

Evaluation of a Programmable Voltage-Controlled MEMS Oscillator, Type SiT3701, Over a Wide Temperature Range

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, Richard; Hammoud, Ahmad

2009-01-01

Semiconductor chips based on MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) technology, such as sensors, transducers, and actuators, are becoming widely used in today s electronics due to their high performance, low power consumption, tolerance to shock and vibration, and immunity to electro-static discharge. In addition, the MEMS fabrication process allows for the miniaturization of individual chips as well as the integration of various electronic circuits into one module, such as system-on-a-chip. These measures would simplify overall system design, reduce parts count and interface, improve reliability, and reduce cost; and they would meet requirements of systems destined for use in space exploration missions. In this work, the performance of a recently-developed MEMS voltage-controlled oscillator was evaluated under a wide temperature range. Operation of this new commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) device was also assessed under thermal cycling to address some operational conditions of the space environment

A complete low cost radon detection system.

PubMed

Bayrak, A; Barlas, E; Emirhan, E; Kutlu, Ç; Ozben, C S

2013-08-01

Monitoring the (222)Rn activity through the 1200 km long Northern Anatolian fault line, for the purpose of earthquake precursory, requires large number of cost effective radon detectors. We have designed, produced and successfully tested a low cost radon detection system (a radon monitor). In the detector circuit of this monitor, First Sensor PS100-7-CER-2 windowless PIN photodiode and a custom made transempedence/shaping amplifier were used. In order to collect the naturally ionized radon progeny to the surface of the PIN photodiode, a potential of 3500 V was applied between the conductive hemi-spherical shell and the PIN photodiode. In addition to the count rate of the radon progeny, absolute pressure, humidity and temperature were logged during the measurements. A GSM modem was integrated to the system for transferring the measurements from the remote locations to the data process center. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Single photon detection of 1.5 THz radiation with the quantum capacitance detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Echternach, P. M.; Pepper, B. J.; Reck, T.; Bradford, C. M.

2018-01-01

Far-infrared spectroscopy can reveal secrets of galaxy evolution and heavy-element enrichment throughout cosmic time, prompting astronomers worldwide to design cryogenic space telescopes for far-infrared spectroscopy. The most challenging aspect is a far-infrared detector that is both exquisitely sensitive (limited by the zodiacal-light noise in a narrow wavelength band, λ/Δλ 1,000) and array-able to tens of thousands of pixels. We present the quantum capacitance detector, a superconducting device adapted from quantum computing applications in which photon-produced free electrons in a superconductor tunnel into a small capacitive island embedded in a resonant circuit. The quantum capacitance detector has an optically measured noise equivalent power below 10-20 W Hz-1/2 at 1.5 THz, making it the most sensitive far-infrared detector ever demonstrated. We further demonstrate individual far-infrared photon counting, confirming the excellent sensitivity and suitability for cryogenic space astrophysics.

Entangled Two Photon Absorption Cross Section on the 808 nm Region for the Common Dyes Zinc Tetraphenylporphyrin and Rhodamine B.

PubMed

Villabona-Monsalve, Juan P; Calderón-Losada, Omar; Nuñez Portela, M; Valencia, Alejandra

2017-10-19

We report the measurement of the entangled two-photon absorption (ETPA) cross section, σ E , at 808 nm on organic chromophores in solution in a low photon flux regime. We performed measurements on zinc tetraphenylporphyrin (ZnTPP) in toluene and rhodamine B (RhB) in methanol. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first time that σ E is measured for RhB. Additionally, we report a study of the dependence of σ E on the molecular concentration for both molecular systems. In contrast to previous experiments, our measurements are based on detecting the pairs of photons that are transmitted by the molecular system. By using a coincidence count circuit it was possible to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. This type of work is important for the development of spectroscopic and microscopic techniques using entangled photons.

Antiferromagnetic CuMnAs multi-level memory cell with microelectronic compatibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olejník, K.; Schuler, V.; Marti, X.; Novák, V.; Kašpar, Z.; Wadley, P.; Campion, R. P.; Edmonds, K. W.; Gallagher, B. L.; Garces, J.; Baumgartner, M.; Gambardella, P.; Jungwirth, T.

2017-05-01

Antiferromagnets offer a unique combination of properties including the radiation and magnetic field hardness, the absence of stray magnetic fields, and the spin-dynamics frequency scale in terahertz. Recent experiments have demonstrated that relativistic spin-orbit torques can provide the means for an efficient electric control of antiferromagnetic moments. Here we show that elementary-shape memory cells fabricated from a single-layer antiferromagnet CuMnAs deposited on a III-V or Si substrate have deterministic multi-level switching characteristics. They allow for counting and recording thousands of input pulses and responding to pulses of lengths downscaled to hundreds of picoseconds. To demonstrate the compatibility with common microelectronic circuitry, we implemented the antiferromagnetic bit cell in a standard printed circuit board managed and powered at ambient conditions by a computer via a USB interface. Our results open a path towards specialized embedded memory-logic applications and ultra-fast components based on antiferromagnets.

Toward a Definition of Complexity for Quantum Field Theory States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapman, Shira; Heller, Michal P.; Marrochio, Hugo; Pastawski, Fernando

2018-03-01

We investigate notions of complexity of states in continuous many-body quantum systems. We focus on Gaussian states which include ground states of free quantum field theories and their approximations encountered in the context of the continuous version of the multiscale entanglement renormalization ansatz. Our proposal for quantifying state complexity is based on the Fubini-Study metric. It leads to counting the number of applications of each gate (infinitesimal generator) in the transformation, subject to a state-dependent metric. We minimize the defined complexity with respect to momentum-preserving quadratic generators which form s u (1 ,1 ) algebras. On the manifold of Gaussian states generated by these operations, the Fubini-Study metric factorizes into hyperbolic planes with minimal complexity circuits reducing to known geodesics. Despite working with quantum field theories far outside the regime where Einstein gravity duals exist, we find striking similarities between our results and those of holographic complexity proposals.

A New Integrated Onboard Charger and Accessory Power Converter for Plug-in Electric Vehicles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Su, Gui-Jia; Tang, Lixin

2014-01-01

In this paper, a new approach is presented for integrating the function of onboard battery charging into the traction drive system and accessory dc-dc converter of a plug-in electric vehicle (PEV). The idea is to utilize the segmented traction drive system of a PEV as the frond converter of the charging circuit and the transformer and high voltage converter of the 14 V accessory dc-dc converter to form a galvanically isolated onboard charger. Moreover, a control method is presented for suppressing the battery current ripple component of twice the grid frequency with the reduced dc bus capacitor in the segmentedmore » inverter. The resultant integrated charger has lower cost, weight, and volume than a standalone charger due to a substantially reduced component count. The proposed integrated charger topology was verified by modeling and experimental results on a 5.8 kW charger prototype.« less

Time and position sensitive single photon detector for scintillator read-out

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schössler, S.; Bromberger, B.; Brandis, M.; Schmidt, L. Ph H.; Tittelmeier, K.; Czasch, A.; Dangendorf, V.; Jagutzki, O.

2012-02-01

We have developed a photon counting detector system for combined neutron and γ radiography which can determine position, time and intensity of a secondary photon flash created by a high-energy particle or photon within a scintillator screen. The system is based on a micro-channel plate photomultiplier concept utilizing image charge coupling to a position- and time-sensitive read-out anode placed outside the vacuum tube in air, aided by a standard photomultiplier and very fast pulse-height analyzing electronics. Due to the low dead time of all system components it can cope with the high throughput demands of a proposed combined fast neutron and dual discrete energy γ radiography method (FNDDER). We show tests with different types of delay-line read-out anodes and present a novel pulse-height-to-time converter circuit with its potential to discriminate γ energies for the projected FNDDER devices for an automated cargo container inspection system (ACCIS).

A 1.5k x 1.5k class photon counting HgCdTe linear avalanche photo-diode array for low background space astronomy in the 1-5micron infrared

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, Donald

Under a current award, NASA NNX 13AC13G "EXTENDING THE ASTRONOMICAL APPLICATION OF PHOTON COUNTING HgCdTe LINEAR AVALANCHE PHOTODIODE ARRAYS TO LOW BACKGROUND SPACE OBSERVATIONS" UH has used Selex SAPHIRA 320 x 256 MOVPE L-APD HgCdTe arrays developed for Adaptive Optics (AO) wavefront (WF) sensing to investigate the potential of this technology for low background space astronomy applications. After suppressing readout integrated circuit (ROIC) glow, we have placed upper limits on gain normalized dark current of 0.01 e-/sec at up to 8 volts avalanche bias, corresponding to avalanche gain of 5, and have operated with avalanche gains of up to several hundred at higher bias. We have also demonstrated detection of individual photon events. The proposed investigation would scale the format to 1536 x 1536 at 12um (the largest achievable in a standard reticule without requiring stitching) while incorporating reference pixels required at these low dark current levels. The primary objective is to develop, produce and characterize a 1.5k x 1.5k at 12um pitch MOVPE HgCdTe L-APD array, with nearly 30 times the pixel count of the 320 x 256 SAPHIRA, optimized for low background space astronomy. This will involve: 1) Selex design of a 1.5k x 1.5k at 12um pitch ROIC optimized for low background operation, silicon wafer fabrication at the German XFab foundry in 0.35 um 3V3 process and dicing/test at Selex, 2) provision by GL Scientific of a 3-side close-buttable carrier building from the heritage of the HAWAII xRG family, 3) Selex development and fabrication of 1.5k x 1.5k at 12 um pitch MOVPE HgCdTe L-APD detector arrays optimized for low background applications, 4) hybridization, packaging into a sensor chip assembly (SCA) with initial characterization by Selex and, 5) comprehensive characterization of low background performance, both in the laboratory and at ground based telescopes, by UH. The ultimate goal is to produce and eventually market a large format array, the L-APD equivalent of the Teledyne H1RG and H2RG, able to achieve sub-electron read noise and count 1 - 5 um photons with high quantum efficiency and low dark count rate while preserving their Poisson statistics and noise.

Theoretical investigation of the noise performance of active pixel imaging arrays based on polycrystalline silicon thin film transistors.

PubMed

Koniczek, Martin; Antonuk, Larry E; El-Mohri, Youcef; Liang, Albert K; Zhao, Qihua

2017-07-01

Active matrix flat-panel imagers, which typically incorporate a pixelated array with one a-Si:H thin-film transistor (TFT) per pixel, have become ubiquitous by virtue of many advantages, including large monolithic construction, radiation tolerance, and high DQE. However, at low exposures such as those encountered in fluoroscopy, digital breast tomosynthesis and breast computed tomography, DQE is degraded due to the modest average signal generated per interacting x-ray relative to electronic additive noise levels of ~1000 e, or greater. A promising strategy for overcoming this limitation is to introduce an amplifier into each pixel, referred to as the active pixel (AP) concept. Such circuits provide in-pixel amplification prior to readout as well as facilitate correlated multiple sampling, enhancing signal-to-noise and restoring DQE at low exposures. In this study, a methodology for theoretically investigating the signal and noise performance of imaging array designs is introduced and applied to the case of AP circuits based on low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si), a semiconductor suited to manufacture of large area, radiation tolerant arrays. Computer simulations employing an analog circuit simulator and performed in the temporal domain were used to investigate signal characteristics and major sources of electronic additive noise for various pixel amplifier designs. The noise sources include photodiode shot noise and resistor thermal noise, as well as TFT thermal and flicker noise. TFT signal behavior and flicker noise were parameterized from fits to measurements performed on individual poly-Si test TFTs. The performance of three single-stage and three two-stage pixel amplifier designs were investigated under conditions relevant to fluoroscopy. The study assumes a 20 × 20 cm 2 , 150 μm pitch array operated at 30 fps and coupled to a CsI:Tl x-ray converter. Noise simulations were performed as a function of operating conditions, including sampling mode, of the designs. The total electronic additive noise included noise contributions from each circuit component. The total noise results were found to exhibit a strong dependence on circuit design and operating conditions, with TFT flicker noise generally found to be the dominant noise contributor. For the single-stage designs, significantly increasing the size of the source-follower TFT substantially reduced flicker noise - with the lowest total noise found to be ~574 e [rms]. For the two-stage designs, in addition to tuning TFT sizes and introducing a low-pass filter, replacing a p-type TFT with a resistor (under the assumption in the study that resistors make no flicker noise contribution) resulted in significant noise reduction - with the lowest total noise found to be ~336 e [rms]. A methodology based on circuit simulations which facilitates comprehensive explorations of signal and noise characteristics has been developed and applied to the case of poly-Si AP arrays. The encouraging results suggest that the electronic additive noise of such devices can be substantially reduced through judicious circuit design, signal amplification, and multiple sampling. This methodology could be extended to explore the noise performance of arrays employing other pixel circuitry such as that for photon counting as well as other semiconductor materials such as a-Si:H and a-IGZO. © 2017 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Basic study of entire whole-body PET scanners based on the OpenPET geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshida, Eiji; Yamaya, Taiga; Nishikido, Fumihiko; Inadama, Naoko; Murayama, Hideo

2010-09-01

A conventional PET scanner has a 15-25 cm axial field-of-view (FOV) and images a whole body using about six bed positions. An OpenPET geometry can extend the axial FOV with a limited number of detectors. The entire whole-body PET scanner must be able to process a large amount of data effectively. In this work, we study feasibility of the fully 3D entire whole-body PET scanner using the GATE simulation. The OpenPET has 12 block detector rings with the ring diameter of 840 mm and each block detector ring consists of 48 depth-of-interaction (DOI) detectors. The OpenPET has the axial length of 895.95 mm with five parts of 58.95 mm open gaps. The OpenPET has higher single data loss than a conventional PET scanner at grouping circuits. NECR of the OpenPET decreases by single data loss. But single data loss is mitigated by separating the axially arranged detector into two parts. Also, multiple coincidences are found to be important for the entire whole-body PET scanner. The entire whole-body PET scanner with the OpenPET geometry promises to provide a large axial FOV with the open space and to have sufficient performance values. But single data loss at the grouping circuits and multiple coincidences are limited to the peak noise equivalent count rate (NECR) for the entire whole-body PET scanner.

A linearization time-domain CMOS smart temperature sensor using a curvature compensation oscillator.

PubMed

Chen, Chun-Chi; Chen, Hao-Wen

2013-08-28

This paper presents an area-efficient time-domain CMOS smart temperature sensor using a curvature compensation oscillator for linearity enhancement with a -40 to 120 °C temperature range operability. The inverter-based smart temperature sensors can substantially reduce the cost and circuit complexity of integrated temperature sensors. However, a large curvature exists on the temperature-to-time transfer curve of the inverter-based delay line and results in poor linearity of the sensor output. For cost reduction and error improvement, a temperature-to-pulse generator composed of a ring oscillator and a time amplifier was used to generate a thermal sensing pulse with a sufficient width proportional to the absolute temperature (PTAT). Then, a simple but effective on-chip curvature compensation oscillator is proposed to simultaneously count and compensate the PTAT pulse with curvature for linearization. With such a simple structure, the proposed sensor possesses an extremely small area of 0.07 mm2 in a TSMC 0.35-mm CMOS 2P4M digital process. By using an oscillator-based scheme design, the proposed sensor achieves a fine resolution of 0.045 °C without significantly increasing the circuit area. With the curvature compensation, the inaccuracy of -1.2 to 0.2 °C is achieved in an operation range of -40 to 120 °C after two-point calibration for 14 packaged chips. The power consumption is measured as 23 mW at a sample rate of 10 samples/s.

Microfluidic Capillaric Circuit for Rapid and Facile Bacteria Detection.

PubMed

Olanrewaju, Ayokunle Oluwafemi; Ng, Andy; DeCorwin-Martin, Philippe; Robillard, Alessandra; Juncker, David

2017-06-20

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are one of the most common bacterial infections and would greatly benefit from a rapid point-of-care diagnostic test. Although significant progress has been made in developing microfluidic systems for nucleic acid and whole bacteria immunoassay tests, their practical application is limited by complex protocols, bulky peripherals, and slow operation. Here we present a microfluidic capillaric circuit (CC) optimized for rapid and automated detection of bacteria in urine. Molds for CCs were constructed using previously established design rules, then 3D-printed and replicated into poly(dimethylsiloxane). CCs autonomously and sequentially performed all liquid delivery steps required for the assay. For efficient bacteria capture, on-the-spot packing of antibody-functionalized microbeads was completed in <20 s followed by autonomous sequential delivery of 100 μL of bacteria sample, biotinylated detection antibodies, fluorescent streptavidin conjugate, and wash buffer for a total volume ≈115 μL. The assay was completed in <7 min. Fluorescence images of the microbead column revealed captured bacteria as bright spots that were easily counted manually or using an automated script for user-independent assay readout. The limit of detection of E. coli in synthetic urine was 1.2 × 10 2 colony-forming-units per mL (CFU/mL), which is well below the clinical diagnostic criterion (>10 5 CFU/mL) for UTI. The self-powered, peripheral-free CC presented here has potential for use in rapid point-of-care UTI screening.

Integrated electronics for time-resolved array of single-photon avalanche diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acconcia, G.; Crotti, M.; Rech, I.; Ghioni, M.

2013-12-01

The Time Correlated Single Photon Counting (TCSPC) technique has reached a prominent position among analytical methods employed in a great variety of fields, from medicine and biology (fluorescence spectroscopy) to telemetry (laser ranging) and communication (quantum cryptography). Nevertheless the development of TCSPC acquisition systems featuring both a high number of parallel channels and very high performance is still an open challenge: to satisfy the tight requirements set by the applications, a fully parallel acquisition system requires not only high efficiency single photon detectors but also a read-out electronics specifically designed to obtain the highest performance in conjunction with these sensors. To this aim three main blocks have been designed: a gigahertz bandwidth front-end stage to directly read the custom technology SPAD array avalanche current, a reconfigurable logic to route the detectors output signals to the acquisition chain and an array of time measurement circuits capable of recording the photon arrival times with picoseconds time resolution and a very high linearity. An innovative architecture based on these three circuits will feature a very high number of detectors to perform a truly parallel spatial or spectral analysis and a smaller number of high performance time-to-amplitude converter offering very high performance and a very high conversion frequency while limiting the area occupation and power dissipation. The routing logic will make the dynamic connection between the two arrays possible in order to guarantee that no information gets lost.

Simulating Silicon Photomultiplier Response to Scintillation Light

PubMed Central

Jha, Abhinav K.; van Dam, Herman T.; Kupinski, Matthew A.; Clarkson, Eric

2015-01-01

The response of a Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) to optical signals is affected by many factors including photon-detection efficiency, recovery time, gain, optical crosstalk, afterpulsing, dark count, and detector dead time. Many of these parameters vary with overvoltage and temperature. When used to detect scintillation light, there is a complicated non-linear relationship between the incident light and the response of the SiPM. In this paper, we propose a combined discrete-time discrete-event Monte Carlo (MC) model to simulate SiPM response to scintillation light pulses. Our MC model accounts for all relevant aspects of the SiPM response, some of which were not accounted for in the previous models. We also derive and validate analytic expressions for the single-photoelectron response of the SiPM and the voltage drop across the quenching resistance in the SiPM microcell. These analytic expressions consider the effect of all the circuit elements in the SiPM and accurately simulate the time-variation in overvoltage across the microcells of the SiPM. Consequently, our MC model is able to incorporate the variation of the different SiPM parameters with varying overvoltage. The MC model is compared with measurements on SiPM-based scintillation detectors and with some cases for which the response is known a priori. The model is also used to study the variation in SiPM behavior with SiPM-circuit parameter variations and to predict the response of a SiPM-based detector to various scintillators. PMID:26236040

Analysis of the Diurnal Variation of the Global Electric Circuit Obtained From Different Numerical Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jánský, Jaroslav; Lucas, Greg M.; Kalb, Christina; Bayona, Victor; Peterson, Michael J.; Deierling, Wiebke; Flyer, Natasha; Pasko, Victor P.

2017-12-01

This work analyzes different current source and conductivity parameterizations and their influence on the diurnal variation of the global electric circuit (GEC). The diurnal variations of the current source parameterizations obtained using electric field and conductivity measurements from plane overflights combined with global Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite data give generally good agreement with measured diurnal variation of the electric field at Vostok, Antarctica, where reference experimental measurements are performed. An approach employing 85 GHz passive microwave observations to infer currents within the GEC is compared and shows the best agreement in amplitude and phase with experimental measurements. To study the conductivity influence, GEC models solving the continuity equation in 3-D are used to calculate atmospheric resistance using yearly averaged conductivity obtained from the global circulation model Community Earth System Model (CESM). Then, using current source parameterization combining mean currents and global counts of electrified clouds, if the exponential conductivity is substituted by the conductivity from CESM, the peak to peak diurnal variation of the ionospheric potential of the GEC decreases from 24% to 20%. The main reason for the change is the presence of clouds while effects of 222Rn ionization, aerosols, and topography are less pronounced. The simulated peak to peak diurnal variation of the electric field at Vostok is increased from 15% to 18% from the diurnal variation of the global current in the GEC if conductivity from CESM is used.

A Fully Integrated Dual-Channel On-Coil CMOS Receiver for Array Coils in 1.5-10.5 T MRI.

PubMed

Sporrer, Benjamin; Wu, Lianbo; Bettini, Luca; Vogt, Christian; Reber, Jonas; Marjanovic, Josip; Burger, Thomas; Brunner, David O; Pruessmann, Klaas P; Troster, Gerhard; Huang, Qiuting

2017-12-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is among the most important medical imaging modalities. Coil arrays and receivers with high channel counts (16 and more) have to be deployed to obtain the image quality and acquisition speed required by modern clinical protocols. In this paper, we report the theoretical analysis, the system-level design, and the circuit implementation of the first receiver IC (RXIC) for clinical MRI fully integrated in a modern CMOS technology. The dual-channel RXIC sits directly on the sensor coil, thus eliminating any RF cable otherwise required to transport the information out of the magnetic field. The first stage LNA was implemented using a noise-canceling architecture providing a highly reflective input used to decouple the individual channels of the array. Digitization is performed directly on-chip at base-band by means of a delta-sigma modulator, allowing the subsequent optical transmission of data. The presented receiver, implemented in a CMOS technology, is compatible with MRI scanners up to . It reaches sub- noise figure for MRI units and features a dynamic range up to at a power consumption below per channel, with an area occupation of . Mounted on a small-sized printed circuit board (PCB), the receiver IC has been employed in a commercial MRI scanner to acquire in-vivo images matching the quality of traditional systems, demonstrating the first step toward multichannel wearable MRI array coils.

Scalable hybrid computation with spikes.

PubMed

Sarpeshkar, Rahul; O'Halloran, Micah

2002-09-01

We outline a hybrid analog-digital scheme for computing with three important features that enable it to scale to systems of large complexity: First, like digital computation, which uses several one-bit precise logical units to collectively compute a precise answer to a computation, the hybrid scheme uses several moderate-precision analog units to collectively compute a precise answer to a computation. Second, frequent discrete signal restoration of the analog information prevents analog noise and offset from degrading the computation. And, third, a state machine enables complex computations to be created using a sequence of elementary computations. A natural choice for implementing this hybrid scheme is one based on spikes because spike-count codes are digital, while spike-time codes are analog. We illustrate how spikes afford easy ways to implement all three components of scalable hybrid computation. First, as an important example of distributed analog computation, we show how spikes can create a distributed modular representation of an analog number by implementing digital carry interactions between spiking analog neurons. Second, we show how signal restoration may be performed by recursive spike-count quantization of spike-time codes. And, third, we use spikes from an analog dynamical system to trigger state transitions in a digital dynamical system, which reconfigures the analog dynamical system using a binary control vector; such feedback interactions between analog and digital dynamical systems create a hybrid state machine (HSM). The HSM extends and expands the concept of a digital finite-state-machine to the hybrid domain. We present experimental data from a two-neuron HSM on a chip that implements error-correcting analog-to-digital conversion with the concurrent use of spike-time and spike-count codes. We also present experimental data from silicon circuits that implement HSM-based pattern recognition using spike-time synchrony. We outline how HSMs may be used to perform learning, vector quantization, spike pattern recognition and generation, and how they may be reconfigured.

JUNGFRAU 0.2: prototype characterization of a gain-switching, high dynamic range imaging system for photon science at SwissFEL and synchrotrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jungmann-Smith, J. H.; Bergamaschi, A.; Cartier, S.; Dinapoli, R.; Greiffenberg, D.; Johnson, I.; Maliakal, D.; Mezza, D.; Mozzanica, A.; Ruder, Ch; Schaedler, L.; Schmitt, B.; Shi, X.; Tinti, G.

2014-12-01

JUNGFRAU (adJUstiNg Gain detector FoR the Aramis User station) is a two-dimensional pixel detector for photon science applications at free electron lasers and synchrotron light sources. It is developed for the SwissFEL currently under construction at the Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland. Characteristics of this application-specific integrating circuit readout chip include single photon sensitivity and low noise over a dynamic range of over four orders of magnitude of photon input signal. These characteristics are achieved by a three-fold gain-switching preamplifier in each pixel, which automatically adjusts its gain to the amount of charge deposited on the pixel. The final JUNGFRAU chip comprises 256 × 256 pixels of 75 × 75 μm2 each. Arrays of 2 × 4 chips are bump-bonded to monolithic detector modules of about 4 × 8 cm2. Multi-module systems up to 16 Mpixels are planned for the end stations at SwissFEL. A readout rate in excess of 2 kHz is anticipated, which serves the readout requirements of SwissFEL and enables high count rate synchrotron experiments with a linear count rate capability of > 20 MHz/pixel. Promising characterization results from a 3.6 × 3.6 mm2 prototype (JUNGFRAU 0.2) with fluorescence X-ray, infrared laser and synchrotron irradiation are shown. The results include an electronic noise as low as 100 electrons root-mean-square, which enables single photon detection down to X-ray energies of about 2 keV. Noise below the Poisson fluctuation of the photon number and a linearity error of the pixel response of about 1% are demonstrated. First imaging experiments successfully show automatic gain switching. The edge spread function of the imaging system proves to be comparable in quality to single photon counting hybrid pixel detectors.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

De Geronimo, Gianluigi

Embodiments of comparator circuits are disclosed. A comparator circuit may include a differential input circuit, an output circuit, a positive feedback circuit operably coupled between the differential input circuit and the output circuit, and a hysteresis control circuit operably coupled with the positive feedback circuit. The hysteresis control circuit includes a switching device and a transistor. The comparator circuit provides sub-hysteresis discrimination and high speed discrimination.

Toward Efficient Design of Reversible Logic Gates in Quantum-Dot Cellular Automata with Power Dissipation Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sasamal, Trailokya Nath; Singh, Ashutosh Kumar; Ghanekar, Umesh

2018-04-01

Nanotechnologies, remarkably Quantum-dot Cellular Automata (QCA), offer an attractive perspective for future computing technologies. In this paper, QCA is investigated as an implementation method for designing area and power efficient reversible logic gates. The proposed designs achieve superior performance by incorporating a compact 2-input XOR gate. The proposed design for Feynman, Toffoli, and Fredkin gates demonstrates 28.12, 24.4, and 7% reduction in cell count and utilizes 46, 24.4, and 7.6% less area, respectively over previous best designs. Regarding the cell count (area cover) that of the proposed Peres gate and Double Feynman gate are 44.32% (21.5%) and 12% (25%), respectively less than the most compact previous designs. Further, the delay of Fredkin and Toffoli gates is 0.75 clock cycles, which is equal to the delay of the previous best designs. While the Feynman and Double Feynman gates achieve a delay of 0.5 clock cycles, equal to the least delay previous one. Energy analysis confirms that the average energy dissipation of the developed Feynman, Toffoli, and Fredkin gates is 30.80, 18.08, and 4.3% (for 1.0 E k energy level), respectively less compared to best reported designs. This emphasizes the beneficial role of using proposed reversible gates to design complex and power efficient QCA circuits. The QCADesigner tool is used to validate the layout of the proposed designs, and the QCAPro tool is used to evaluate the energy dissipation.

Comparing Global Positioning System (GPS) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Measures of Team Sport Movements.

PubMed

Jackson, Benjamin M; Polglaze, Ted; Dawson, Brian; King, Trish; Peeling, Peter

2018-02-21

To compare data from conventional GPS and new GNSS-enabled tracking devices, and to examine the inter-unit reliability of GNSS devices. Inter-device differences between 10 Hz GPS and GNSS devices were examined during laps (n=40) of a simulated game circuit (SGC) and during elite hockey matches (n=21); GNSS inter-unit reliability was also examined during the SGC laps. Differences in distance values and measures in three velocity categories (low <3 m.s -1 ; moderate 3-5 m.s -1 ; high >5 m.s -1 ) and acceleration/deceleration counts (>1.46 m.s -2 and < -1.46 m.s -2 ) were examined using one-way ANOVA. Inter-unit GNSS reliability was examined using the coefficient of variation (CV) and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Inter-device differences (P <0.05) were found for measures of peak deceleration, low-speed distance, % total distance at low speed, and deceleration count during the SGC, and for all measures except total distance and low-speed distance during hockey matches. Inter-unit (GNSS) differences (P <0.05) were not found. The CV was below 5% for total distance, average and peak speeds and distance and % total distance of low-speed running. The GNSS devices had a lower HDoP score than GPS devices in all conditions. These findings suggest that GNSS devices may be more sensitive than GPS in quantifying the physical demands of team sport movements, but further study into the accuracy of GNSS devices is required.

X-ray characterization of a multichannel smart-pixel array detector.

PubMed

Ross, Steve; Haji-Sheikh, Michael; Huntington, Andrew; Kline, David; Lee, Adam; Li, Yuelin; Rhee, Jehyuk; Tarpley, Mary; Walko, Donald A; Westberg, Gregg; Williams, George; Zou, Haifeng; Landahl, Eric

2016-01-01

The Voxtel VX-798 is a prototype X-ray pixel array detector (PAD) featuring a silicon sensor photodiode array of 48 × 48 pixels, each 130 µm × 130 µm × 520 µm thick, coupled to a CMOS readout application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The first synchrotron X-ray characterization of this detector is presented, and its ability to selectively count individual X-rays within two independent arrival time windows, a programmable energy range, and localized to a single pixel is demonstrated. During our first trial run at Argonne National Laboratory's Advance Photon Source, the detector achieved a 60 ns gating time and 700 eV full width at half-maximum energy resolution in agreement with design parameters. Each pixel of the PAD holds two independent digital counters, and the discriminator for X-ray energy features both an upper and lower threshold to window the energy of interest discarding unwanted background. This smart-pixel technology allows energy and time resolution to be set and optimized in software. It is found that the detector linearity follows an isolated dead-time model, implying that megahertz count rates should be possible in each pixel. Measurement of the line and point spread functions showed negligible spatial blurring. When combined with the timing structure of the synchrotron storage ring, it is demonstrated that the area detector can perform both picosecond time-resolved X-ray diffraction and fluorescence spectroscopy measurements.

Highly efficient router-based readout algorithm for single-photon-avalanche-diode imagers for time-correlated experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cominelli, A.; Acconcia, G.; Caldi, F.; Peronio, P.; Ghioni, M.; Rech, I.

2018-02-01

Time-Correlated Single Photon Counting (TCSPC) is a powerful tool that permits to record extremely fast optical signals with a precision down to few picoseconds. On the other hand, it is recognized as a relatively slow technique, especially when a large time-resolved image is acquired exploiting a single acquisition channel and a scanning system. During the last years, much effort has been made towards the parallelization of many acquisition and conversion chains. In particular, the exploitation of Single-Photon Avalanche Diodes in standard CMOS technology has paved the way to the integration of thousands of independent channels on the same chip. Unfortunately, the presence of a large number of detectors can give rise to a huge rate of events, which can easily lead to the saturation of the transfer rate toward the elaboration unit. As a result, a smart readout approach is needed to guarantee an efficient exploitation of the limited transfer bandwidth. We recently introduced a novel readout architecture, aimed at maximizing the counting efficiency of the system in typical TCSPC measurements. It features a limited number of high-performance converters, which are shared with a much larger array, while a smart routing logic provides a dynamic multiplexing between the two parts. Here we propose a novel routing algorithm, which exploits standard digital gates distributed among a large 32x32 array to ensure a dynamic connection between detectors and external time-measurement circuits.

Spatiotemporal Spike Coding of Behavioral Adaptation in the Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex

PubMed Central

Logiaco, Laureline; Quilodran, René; Procyk, Emmanuel; Arleo, Angelo

2015-01-01

The frontal cortex controls behavioral adaptation in environments governed by complex rules. Many studies have established the relevance of firing rate modulation after informative events signaling whether and how to update the behavioral policy. However, whether the spatiotemporal features of these neuronal activities contribute to encoding imminent behavioral updates remains unclear. We investigated this issue in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) of monkeys while they adapted their behavior based on their memory of feedback from past choices. We analyzed spike trains of both single units and pairs of simultaneously recorded neurons using an algorithm that emulates different biologically plausible decoding circuits. This method permits the assessment of the performance of both spike-count and spike-timing sensitive decoders. In response to the feedback, single neurons emitted stereotypical spike trains whose temporal structure identified informative events with higher accuracy than mere spike count. The optimal decoding time scale was in the range of 70–200 ms, which is significantly shorter than the memory time scale required by the behavioral task. Importantly, the temporal spiking patterns of single units were predictive of the monkeys’ behavioral response time. Furthermore, some features of these spiking patterns often varied between jointly recorded neurons. All together, our results suggest that dACC drives behavioral adaptation through complex spatiotemporal spike coding. They also indicate that downstream networks, which decode dACC feedback signals, are unlikely to act as mere neural integrators. PMID:26266537

Electronic circuits and systems: A compilation. [including integrated circuits, logic circuits, varactor diode circuits, low pass filters, and optical equipment circuits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Technological information is presented electronic circuits and systems which have potential utility outside the aerospace community. Topics discussed include circuit components such as filters, converters, and integrators, circuits designed for use with specific equipment or systems, and circuits designed primarily for use with optical equipment or displays.

Digital circuits using universal logic gates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitaker, Sterling R. (Inventor); Miles, Lowell H. (Inventor); Cameron, Eric G. (Inventor); Donohoe, Gregory W. (Inventor); Gambles, Jody W. (Inventor)

2004-01-01

According to the invention, a digital circuit design embodied in at least one of a structural netlist, a behavioral netlist, a hardware description language netlist, a full-custom ASIC, a semi-custom ASIC, an IP core, an integrated circuit, a hybrid of chips, one or more masks, a FPGA, and a circuit card assembly is disclosed. The digital circuit design includes first and second sub-circuits. The first sub-circuits comprise a first percentage of the digital circuit design and the second sub-circuits comprise a second percentage of the digital circuit design. Each of the second sub-circuits is substantially comprised of one or more kernel circuits. The kernel circuits are comprised of selection circuits. The second percentage is at least 5%. In various embodiments, the second percentage could be at least 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, or 95%.

30 CFR 75.800 - High-voltage circuits; circuit breakers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... shall be equipped with devices to provide protection against under-voltage grounded phase, short circuit... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false High-voltage circuits; circuit breakers. 75.800... § 75.800 High-voltage circuits; circuit breakers. [Statutory Provisions] High-voltage circuits entering...

An fMRI investigation of cerebellar function during verbal working memory in methadone maintenance patients.

PubMed

Marvel, Cherie L; Faulkner, Monica L; Strain, Eric C; Mintzer, Miriam Z; Desmond, John E

2012-03-01

Working memory is impaired in opioid-dependent individuals, yet the neural underpinnings of working memory in this population are largely unknown. Previous studies in healthy adults have demonstrated that working memory is supported by a network of brain regions that includes a cerebro-cerebellar circuit. The cerebellum, in particular, may be important for inner speech mechanisms that assist verbal working memory. This study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine brain activity associated with working memory in five opioid-dependent, methadone-maintained patients and five matched, healthy controls. An item recognition task was administered in two conditions: (1) a low working memory load "match" condition in which participants determined whether target letters presented at the beginning of the trial matched a probe item, and (2) a high working memory load "manipulation" condition in which participants counted two alphabetical letters forward of each of the targets and determined whether either of these new items matched a probe item. Response times and accuracy scores were not significantly different between the groups. FMRI analyses indicated that, in association with higher working memory load ("manipulation" condition), the patient group exhibited hyperactivity in the superior and inferior cerebellum and amygdala relative to that of controls. At a more liberal statistical threshold, patients exhibited hypoactivity in the left prefrontal and medial frontal/pre-SMA regions. These results indicate that verbal working memory in opioid-dependent individuals involves a disrupted cerebro-cerebellar circuit and shed light on the neuroanatomical basis of working memory impairments in this population.

An fMRI Investigation of Cerebellar Function During Verbal Working Memory in Methadone Maintenance Patients

PubMed Central

Marvel, Cherie L.; Faulkner, Monica L.; Strain, Eric C.; Mintzer, Miriam Z.; Desmond, John E.

2011-01-01

Working memory is impaired in opioid-dependent individuals, yet the neural underpinnings of working memory in this population are largely unknown. Previous studies in healthy adults have demonstrated that working memory is supported by a network of brain regions that includes a cerebro-cerebellar circuit. The cerebellum, in particular, may be important for inner speech mechanisms that assist verbal working memory. This study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine brain activity associated with working memory in 5 opioid-dependent, methadone-maintained patients and 5 matched, healthy controls. An item recognition task was administered in two conditions: 1) a low working memory load “match” condition in which participants determined whether target letters presented at the beginning of the trial matched a probe item, and 2) a high working memory load “manipulation” condition in which participants counted two alphabetical letters forward of each of the targets and determined whether either of these new items matched a probe item. Response times and accuracy scores were not significantly different between the groups. FMRI analyses indicated that, in association with higher working memory load (“manipulation” condition), the patient group exhibited hyperactivity in the superior and inferior cerebellum and amygdala relative to that of controls. At a more liberal statistical threshold, patients exhibited hypoactivity in the left prefrontal and medial frontal/pre-SMA regions. These results indicate that verbal working memory in opioid-dependent individuals involves a disrupted cerebro-cerebellar circuit, and shed light on the neuroanatomical basis of working memory impairments in this population. PMID:21892700

Reward Contingencies Improve Goal-Directed Behavior by Enhancing Posterior Brain Attentional Regions and Increasing Corticostriatal Connectivity in Cocaine Addicts.

PubMed

Rosell-Negre, Patricia; Bustamante, Juan-Carlos; Fuentes-Claramonte, Paola; Costumero, Víctor; Llopis-Llacer, Juan-José; Barrós-Loscertales, Alfonso

2016-01-01

The dopaminergic system provides the basis for the interaction between motivation and cognition. It is triggered by the possibility of obtaining rewards to initiate the neurobehavioral adaptations necessary to achieve them by directing the information from motivational circuits to cognitive and action circuits. In drug addiction, the altered dopamine (DA) modulation of the meso-cortico-limbic reward circuitry, such as the prefrontal cortex (PFC), underlies the disproportionate motivational value of drug use at the expense of other non-drug reinforcers and the user's loss of control over his/her drug intake. We examine how the magnitude of the reward affects goal-directed processes in healthy control (HC) subjects and abstinent cocaine dependent (ACD) patients by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a counting Stroop task with blocked levels of monetary incentives of different magnitudes (€0, €0.01, €0.5, €1 or €1.5). Our results showed that increasing reward magnitude enhances (1) performance facilitation in both groups; (2) left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activity in HC and left superior occipital cortex activity in ACD; and (3) left DLPFC and left putamen connectivity in ACD compared to HC. Moreover, we observed that (4) dorsal striatal and pallidum activity was associated with craving and addiction severity during the parametric increases in the monetary reward. In conclusion, the brain response to gradients in monetary value was different in HC and ACD, but both groups showed improved task performance due to the possibility of obtaining greater monetary rewards.

Development of a low-energy charged particle detector with on-anode ASIC for in-situ plasma measurement in the Earth's magnetosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, M.; Saito, Y.; Mukai, T.; Asamura, K.

2009-06-01

The future magnetospheric exploration missions (ex. SCOPE: cross Scale COupling in the Plasma universE) aim to obtain electron 3D distribution function with very fast time resolution below 10 ms to investigate the electron dynamics that is regarded as pivotal in understanding the space plasma phenomena such as magnetic reconnection. This can be achieved by developing a new plasma detector system which is fast in signal processing with small size, light weight and low power consumption. The new detector system consists of stacked micro channel plates and a position sensitive multi-anode detector with on-anode analogue ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuits). Multi-anode system usually suffers from false signals caused by mainly two effects. One is the effect of the electrostatic crosstalk between the discrete anodes since our new detector consists of many adjacent anodes with small gaps to increase the detection areas. Our experimental results show that there exists electrostatic crosstalk effect of approximately 10% from the adjacent anodes. The effect of 10% electrostatic crosstalk can be effectively avoided by a suitable discrimination level of the signal processing circuit. Non negligible charge cloud size on the anode also causes false counts. Optimized ASIC for in-situ plasma measurement in the Earth's magnetosphere is under development. The initial electron cloud at the MCP output has angular divergence. Furthermore, space charge effects may broaden the size of the charge cloud. We have obtained the charge cloud size both experimentally and theoretically. Our test model detector shows expected performance that is explained by our studies above.

Microwave Readout Techniques for Very Large Arrays of Nuclear Sensors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ullom, Joel

During this project, we transformed the use of microwave readout techniques for nuclear sensors from a speculative idea to reality. The core of the project consisted of the development of a set of microwave electronics able to generate and process large numbers of microwave tones. The tones can be used to probe a circuit containing a series of electrical resonances whose frequency locations and widths depend on the state of a network of sensors, with one sensor per resonance. The amplitude and phase of the tones emerging from the circuit are processed by the same electronics and are reduced tomore » the sensor signals after two demodulation steps. This approach allows a large number of sensors to be interrogated using a single pair of coaxial cables. We successfully developed hardware, firmware, and software to complete a scalable implementation of these microwave control electronics and demonstrated their use in two areas. First, we showed that the electronics can be used at room temperature to read out a network of diverse sensor types relevant to safeguards or process monitoring. Second, we showed that the electronics can be used to measure large numbers of ultrasensitive cryogenic sensors such as gamma-ray microcalorimeters. In particular, we demonstrated the undegraded readout of up to 128 channels and established a path to even higher multiplexing factors. These results have transformed the prospects for gamma-ray spectrometers based on cryogenic microcalorimeter arrays by enabling spectrometers whose collecting areas and count rates can be competitive with high purity germanium but with 10x better spectral resolution.« less

Reward Contingencies Improve Goal-Directed Behavior by Enhancing Posterior Brain Attentional Regions and Increasing Corticostriatal Connectivity in Cocaine Addicts

PubMed Central

Rosell-Negre, Patricia; Bustamante, Juan-Carlos; Fuentes-Claramonte, Paola; Costumero, Víctor; Llopis-Llacer, Juan-José; Barrós-Loscertales, Alfonso

2016-01-01

The dopaminergic system provides the basis for the interaction between motivation and cognition. It is triggered by the possibility of obtaining rewards to initiate the neurobehavioral adaptations necessary to achieve them by directing the information from motivational circuits to cognitive and action circuits. In drug addiction, the altered dopamine (DA) modulation of the meso-cortico-limbic reward circuitry, such as the prefrontal cortex (PFC), underlies the disproportionate motivational value of drug use at the expense of other non-drug reinforcers and the user’s loss of control over his/her drug intake. We examine how the magnitude of the reward affects goal-directed processes in healthy control (HC) subjects and abstinent cocaine dependent (ACD) patients by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a counting Stroop task with blocked levels of monetary incentives of different magnitudes (€0, €0.01, €0.5, €1 or €1.5). Our results showed that increasing reward magnitude enhances (1) performance facilitation in both groups; (2) left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activity in HC and left superior occipital cortex activity in ACD; and (3) left DLPFC and left putamen connectivity in ACD compared to HC. Moreover, we observed that (4) dorsal striatal and pallidum activity was associated with craving and addiction severity during the parametric increases in the monetary reward. In conclusion, the brain response to gradients in monetary value was different in HC and ACD, but both groups showed improved task performance due to the possibility of obtaining greater monetary rewards. PMID:27907134

Integrated Silicon Carbide Power Electronic Block

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Radhakrishnan, Rahul

2017-11-07

Research involved in this project is aimed at monolithically integrating an anti-parallel diode to the SiC MOSFET switch, so as to avoid having to use an external anti-parallel diode in power circuit applications. SiC MOSFETs are replacing Si MOSFETs and IGBTs in many applications, yet the high bandgap of the body diode in SiC MOSFET and consequent need for an external anti-parallel diode increases costs and discourages circuit designers from adopting this technology. Successful demonstration and subsequent commercialization of this technology would reduce SiC MOSFET cost and additionally reduce component count as well as other costs at the power circuitmore » level. In this Phase I project, we have created multiple device designs, set up a process for device fabrication at the 150mm SiC foundry XFAB Texas, demonstrated unit-processes for device fabrication in short loops and started full flow device fabrication. Key findings of the development activity were: The limits of coverage of photoresist over the topology of thick polysilicon structures covered with oxide, which required larger feature dimensions to overcome; and The insufficient process margin for removing oxide spacers from polysilicon field ring features which could result in loss of some features without further process development No fundamental obstacles were uncovered during the process development. Given sufficient time for additional development it is likely that processes could be tuned to realize the monolithically integrated SiC JBS diode and MOSFET. Sufficient funds were not available in this program to resolve processing difficulties and fabricate the devices.« less

Quantification of Postmembrane Gaseous Microembolization During Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

PubMed

Jiao, York; Gipson, Keith E; Bonde, Pramod; Mangi, Abeel; Hagberg, Robert; Rosinski, David J; Gross, Jeffrey B; Schonberger, Robert B

Prolonged use of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) may be complicated by end-organ dysfunction. Although gaseous microemboli (GME) are thought to damage end organs during cardiopulmonary bypass, patient exposures to GME have not been well characterized during VA ECMO. We therefore performed an observational study of GME in adult VA ECMO patients, with correlation to clinical events during routine patient care. After institutional review board (IRB) approval, we used two Doppler probes to detect GME noninvasively in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) circuits on four patients for 15 hours total while also recording patient care events. We then conducted in vitro trials to compare Doppler signals with gold-standard measurements using an Emboli Detection and Classification EDAC quantifier (Luna Innnovations, Inc. Roanoke, VA) (Terumo Cardiovascular, Ann Arbor, MI) during simulated clinical interventions. Correlations between Doppler and EDAC data were used to estimate GME counts and volumes represented by clinical Doppler data. A total of 503 groups of Doppler peaks representing GME showers were observed, including 194 statistically larger showers during patient care activities containing 92% of total Doppler peaks. Intravenous injections accounted for an estimated 68% of GME and 88% of GME volume, whereas care involving movement accounted for an estimated 6% of GME and 3% of volume. Overall estimated embolic rates of 24,000 GME totaling 4 μl/hr rivals reported GME rates during cardiopulmonary bypass. Numerous GME are present in the postmembrane circuit during VA ECMO, raising concern for effects on microcirculation and organ dysfunction. Strategies to detect and minimize GME may be warranted to limit embolic exposures experienced by VA ECMO patients.

Separating OR, SUM, and XOR Circuits.

PubMed

Find, Magnus; Göös, Mika; Järvisalo, Matti; Kaski, Petteri; Koivisto, Mikko; Korhonen, Janne H

2016-08-01

Given a boolean n × n matrix A we consider arithmetic circuits for computing the transformation x ↦ Ax over different semirings. Namely, we study three circuit models: monotone OR-circuits, monotone SUM-circuits (addition of non-negative integers), and non-monotone XOR-circuits (addition modulo 2). Our focus is on separating OR-circuits from the two other models in terms of circuit complexity: We show how to obtain matrices that admit OR-circuits of size O ( n ), but require SUM-circuits of size Ω( n 3/2 /log 2 n ).We consider the task of rewriting a given OR-circuit as a XOR-circuit and prove that any subquadratic-time algorithm for this task violates the strong exponential time hypothesis.

Artificial Neural Network with Hardware Training and Hardware Refresh

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duong, Tuan A. (Inventor)

2003-01-01

A neural network circuit is provided having a plurality of circuits capable of charge storage. Also provided is a plurality of circuits each coupled to at least one of the plurality of charge storage circuits and constructed to generate an output in accordance with a neuron transfer function. Each of a plurality of circuits is coupled to one of the plurality of neuron transfer function circuits and constructed to generate a derivative of the output. A weight update circuit updates the charge storage circuits based upon output from the plurality of transfer function circuits and output from the plurality of derivative circuits. In preferred embodiments, separate training and validation networks share the same set of charge storage circuits and may operate concurrently. The validation network has a separate transfer function circuits each being coupled to the charge storage circuits so as to replicate the training network s coupling of the plurality of charge storage to the plurality of transfer function circuits. The plurality of transfer function circuits may be constructed each having a transconductance amplifier providing differential currents combined to provide an output in accordance with a transfer function. The derivative circuits may have a circuit constructed to generate a biased differential currents combined so as to provide the derivative of the transfer function.

Approximate circuits for increased reliability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hamlet, Jason R.; Mayo, Jackson R.

2015-08-18

Embodiments of the invention describe a Boolean circuit having a voter circuit and a plurality of approximate circuits each based, at least in part, on a reference circuit. The approximate circuits are each to generate one or more output signals based on values of received input signals. The voter circuit is to receive the one or more output signals generated by each of the approximate circuits, and is to output one or more signals corresponding to a majority value of the received signals. At least some of the approximate circuits are to generate an output value different than the referencemore » circuit for one or more input signal values; however, for each possible input signal value, the majority values of the one or more output signals generated by the approximate circuits and received by the voter circuit correspond to output signal result values of the reference circuit.« less

Efficient design of CMOS TSC checkers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Biddappa, Anita; Shamanna, Manjunath K.; Maki, Gary; Whitaker, Sterling

1990-01-01

This paper considers the design of an efficient, robustly testable, CMOS Totally Self-Checking (TSC) Checker for k-out-of-2k codes. Most existing implementations use primitive gates and assume the single stuck-at fault model. The self-testing property has been found to fail for CMOS TSC checkers under the stuck-open fault model due to timing skews and arbitrary delays in the circuit. A new four level design using CMOS primitive gates (NAND, NOR, INVERTERS) is presented. This design retains its properties under the stuck-open fault model. Additionally, this method offers an impressive reduction (greater than 70 percent) in gate count, gate inputs, and test set size when compared to the existing method. This implementation is easily realizable and is based on Anderson's technique. A thorough comparative study has been made on the proposed implementation and Kundu's implementation and the results indicate that the proposed one is better than Kundu's in all respects for k-out-of-2k codes.

Development of Speckle Interferometry Algorithm and System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shamsir, A. A. M.; Jafri, M. Z. M.; Lim, H. S.

2011-05-25

Electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI) method is a wholefield, non destructive measurement method widely used in the industries such as detection of defects on metal bodies, detection of defects in intergrated circuits in digital electronics components and in the preservation of priceless artwork. In this research field, this method is widely used to develop algorithms and to develop a new laboratory setup for implementing the speckle pattern interferometry. In speckle interferometry, an optically rough test surface is illuminated with an expanded laser beam creating a laser speckle pattern in the space surrounding the illuminated region. The speckle pattern is opticallymore » mixed with a second coherent light field that is either another speckle pattern or a smooth light field. This produces an interferometric speckle pattern that will be detected by sensor to count the change of the speckle pattern due to force given. In this project, an experimental setup of ESPI is proposed to analyze a stainless steel plate using 632.8 nm (red) wavelength of lights.« less

Space Station Freedom power supply commonality via modular design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krauthamer, S.; Gangal, M. D.; Das, R.

1990-01-01

At mature operations, Space Station Freedom will need more than 2000 power supplies to feed housekeeping and user loads. Advanced technology power supplies from 20 to 250 W have been hybridized for terrestrial, aerospace, and industry applications in compact, efficient, reliable, lightweight packages compatible with electromagnetic interference requirements. The use of these hybridized packages as modules, either singly or in parallel, to satisfy the wide range of user power supply needs for all elements of the station is proposed. Proposed characteristics for the power supplies include common mechanical packaging, digital control, self-protection, high efficiency at full and partial loads, synchronization capability to reduce electromagnetic interference, redundancy, and soft-start capability. The inherent reliability is improved compared with conventional discrete component power supplies because the hybrid circuits use high-reliability components such as ceramic capacitors. Reliability is further improved over conventional supplies because the hybrid packages, which may be treated as a single part, reduce the parts count in the power supply.

A Streaming PCA VLSI Chip for Neural Data Compression.

PubMed

Wu, Tong; Zhao, Wenfeng; Guo, Hongsun; Lim, Hubert H; Yang, Zhi

2017-12-01

Neural recording system miniaturization and integration with low-power wireless technologies require compressing neural data before transmission. Feature extraction is a procedure to represent data in a low-dimensional space; its integration into a recording chip can be an efficient approach to compress neural data. In this paper, we propose a streaming principal component analysis algorithm and its microchip implementation to compress multichannel local field potential (LFP) and spike data. The circuits have been designed in a 65-nm CMOS technology and occupy a silicon area of 0.06 mm. Throughout the experiments, the chip compresses LFPs by 10 at the expense of as low as 1% reconstruction errors and 144-nW/channel power consumption; for spikes, the achieved compression ratio is 25 with 8% reconstruction errors and 3.05-W/channel power consumption. In addition, the algorithm and its hardware architecture can swiftly adapt to nonstationary spiking activities, which enables efficient hardware sharing among multiple channels to support a high-channel count recorder.

Toward Scalable Boson Sampling with Photon Loss

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hui; Li, Wei; Jiang, Xiao; He, Y.-M.; Li, Y.-H.; Ding, X.; Chen, M.-C.; Qin, J.; Peng, C.-Z.; Schneider, C.; Kamp, M.; Zhang, W.-J.; Li, H.; You, L.-X.; Wang, Z.; Dowling, J. P.; Höfling, S.; Lu, Chao-Yang; Pan, Jian-Wei

2018-06-01

Boson sampling is a well-defined task that is strongly believed to be intractable for classical computers, but can be efficiently solved by a specific quantum simulator. However, an outstanding problem for large-scale experimental boson sampling is the scalability. Here we report an experiment on boson sampling with photon loss, and demonstrate that boson sampling with a few photons lost can increase the sampling rate. Our experiment uses a quantum-dot-micropillar single-photon source demultiplexed into up to seven input ports of a 16 ×16 mode ultralow-loss photonic circuit, and we detect three-, four- and fivefold coincidence counts. We implement and validate lossy boson sampling with one and two photons lost, and obtain sampling rates of 187, 13.6, and 0.78 kHz for five-, six-, and seven-photon boson sampling with two photons lost, which is 9.4, 13.9, and 18.0 times faster than the standard boson sampling, respectively. Our experiment shows an approach to significantly enhance the sampling rate of multiphoton boson sampling.

Toward Scalable Boson Sampling with Photon Loss.

PubMed

Wang, Hui; Li, Wei; Jiang, Xiao; He, Y-M; Li, Y-H; Ding, X; Chen, M-C; Qin, J; Peng, C-Z; Schneider, C; Kamp, M; Zhang, W-J; Li, H; You, L-X; Wang, Z; Dowling, J P; Höfling, S; Lu, Chao-Yang; Pan, Jian-Wei

2018-06-08

Boson sampling is a well-defined task that is strongly believed to be intractable for classical computers, but can be efficiently solved by a specific quantum simulator. However, an outstanding problem for large-scale experimental boson sampling is the scalability. Here we report an experiment on boson sampling with photon loss, and demonstrate that boson sampling with a few photons lost can increase the sampling rate. Our experiment uses a quantum-dot-micropillar single-photon source demultiplexed into up to seven input ports of a 16×16 mode ultralow-loss photonic circuit, and we detect three-, four- and fivefold coincidence counts. We implement and validate lossy boson sampling with one and two photons lost, and obtain sampling rates of 187, 13.6, and 0.78 kHz for five-, six-, and seven-photon boson sampling with two photons lost, which is 9.4, 13.9, and 18.0 times faster than the standard boson sampling, respectively. Our experiment shows an approach to significantly enhance the sampling rate of multiphoton boson sampling.

Laminar Organization of Attentional Modulation in Macaque Visual Area V4.

PubMed

Nandy, Anirvan S; Nassi, Jonathan J; Reynolds, John H

2017-01-04

Attention is critical to perception, serving to select behaviorally relevant information for privileged processing. To understand the neural mechanisms of attention, we must discern how attentional modulation varies by cell type and across cortical layers. Here, we test whether attention acts non-selectively across cortical layers or whether it engages the laminar circuit in specific and selective ways. We find layer- and cell-class-specific differences in several different forms of attentional modulation in area V4. Broad-spiking neurons in the superficial layers exhibit attention-mediated increases in firing rate and decreases in variability. Spike count correlations are highest in the input layer and attention serves to reduce these correlations. Superficial and input layer neurons exhibit attention-dependent decreases in low-frequency (<10 Hz) coherence, but deep layer neurons exhibit increases in coherence in the beta and gamma frequency ranges. Our study provides a template for attention-mediated laminar information processing that might be applicable across sensory modalities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

30 CFR 75.518 - Electric equipment and circuits; overload and short circuit protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... short circuit protection. 75.518 Section 75.518 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION... Equipment-General § 75.518 Electric equipment and circuits; overload and short circuit protection... installed so as to protect all electric equipment and circuits against short circuit and overloads. Three...

46 CFR 28.365 - Overcurrent protection and switched circuits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... a steering circuit, each circuit must be protected against both overload and short circuit. Each overcurrent device in a steering system power and control circuit must provide short circuit protection only... 46 Shipping 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Overcurrent protection and switched circuits. 28.365...

30 CFR 77.800 - High-voltage circuits; circuit breakers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... devices to provide protection against under voltage, grounded phase, short circuit and overcurrent. High... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false High-voltage circuits; circuit breakers. 77.800... COAL MINES Surface High-Voltage Distribution § 77.800 High-voltage circuits; circuit breakers. High...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hamlet, Jason R.; Mayo, Jackson R.

Embodiments of the invention describe a Boolean circuit having a voter circuit and a plurality of approximate circuits each based, at least in part, on a reference circuit. The approximate circuits are each to generate one or more output signals based on values of received input signals. The voter circuit is to receive the one or more output signals generated by each of the approximate circuits, and is to output one or more signals corresponding to a majority value of the received signals. At least some of the approximate circuits are to generate an output value different than the referencemore » circuit for one or more input signal values; however, for each possible input signal value, the majority values of the one or more output signals generated by the approximate circuits and received by the voter circuit correspond to output signal result values of the reference circuit.« less

Synthetic Biology: A Unifying View and Review Using Analog Circuits.

PubMed

Teo, Jonathan J Y; Woo, Sung Sik; Sarpeshkar, Rahul

2015-08-01

We review the field of synthetic biology from an analog circuits and analog computation perspective, focusing on circuits that have been built in living cells. This perspective is well suited to pictorially, symbolically, and quantitatively representing the nonlinear, dynamic, and stochastic (noisy) ordinary and partial differential equations that rigorously describe the molecular circuits of synthetic biology. This perspective enables us to construct a canonical analog circuit schematic that helps unify and review the operation of many fundamental circuits that have been built in synthetic biology at the DNA, RNA, protein, and small-molecule levels over nearly two decades. We review 17 circuits in the literature as particular examples of feedforward and feedback analog circuits that arise from special topological cases of the canonical analog circuit schematic. Digital circuit operation of these circuits represents a special case of saturated analog circuit behavior and is automatically incorporated as well. Many issues that have prevented synthetic biology from scaling are naturally represented in analog circuit schematics. Furthermore, the deep similarity between the Boltzmann thermodynamic equations that describe noisy electronic current flow in subthreshold transistors and noisy molecular flux in biochemical reactions has helped map analog circuit motifs in electronics to analog circuit motifs in cells and vice versa via a `cytomorphic' approach. Thus, a body of knowledge in analog electronic circuit design, analysis, simulation, and implementation may also be useful in the robust and efficient design of molecular circuits in synthetic biology, helping it to scale to more complex circuits in the future.

Separating OR, SUM, and XOR Circuits☆

PubMed Central

Find, Magnus; Göös, Mika; Järvisalo, Matti; Kaski, Petteri; Koivisto, Mikko; Korhonen, Janne H.

2017-01-01

Given a boolean n × n matrix A we consider arithmetic circuits for computing the transformation x ↦ Ax over different semirings. Namely, we study three circuit models: monotone OR-circuits, monotone SUM-circuits (addition of non-negative integers), and non-monotone XOR-circuits (addition modulo 2). Our focus is on separating OR-circuits from the two other models in terms of circuit complexity: We show how to obtain matrices that admit OR-circuits of size O(n), but require SUM-circuits of size Ω(n3/2/log2n).We consider the task of rewriting a given OR-circuit as a XOR-circuit and prove that any subquadratic-time algorithm for this task violates the strong exponential time hypothesis. PMID:28529379

Fingerprinted circuits and methods of making and identifying the same

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferguson, Michael Ian (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A circuit having a fingerprint for identification of a particular instantiation of the circuit is disclosed. The circuit may include a plurality of digital circuits or gates. Each of the digital circuits or gates is responsive to a configuration voltage applied to its analog input for controlling whether or not the digital circuit or gate performs its intended digital function and each of the digital circuits or gates transitioning between its functional state and its at least one other state when the configuration voltage equals a boundary voltage. The boundary voltage varies between different instantiations of the circuit for a majority of the digital circuits or gates and these differing boundary voltages serving to identify (or fingerprint) different instantiations of the same circuit.

Fingerprinted circuits and methods of making and identifying the same

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferguson, Michael Ian (Inventor)

2012-01-01

A circuit having a fingerprint for identification of a particular instantiation of the circuit is disclosed. The circuit may include a plurality of digital circuits or gates. Each of the digital circuits or gates is responsive to a configuration voltage applied to its analog input for controlling whether or not the digital circuit or gate performs its intended digital function and each of the digital circuits or gates transitioning between its functional state and its at least one other state when the configuration voltage equals a boundary voltage. The boundary voltage varies between different instantiations of the circuit for a majority of the digital circuits or gates and these differing boundary voltages serving to identify (or fingerprint) different instantiations of the same circuit.

Compensated gain control circuit for buck regulator command charge circuit

DOEpatents

Barrett, David M.

1996-01-01

A buck regulator command charge circuit includes a compensated-gain control signal for compensating for changes in the component values in order to achieve optimal voltage regulation. The compensated-gain control circuit includes an automatic-gain control circuit for generating a variable-gain control signal. The automatic-gain control circuit is formed of a precision rectifier circuit, a filter network, an error amplifier, and an integrator circuit.

Compensated gain control circuit for buck regulator command charge circuit

DOEpatents

Barrett, D.M.

1996-11-05

A buck regulator command charge circuit includes a compensated-gain control signal for compensating for changes in the component values in order to achieve optimal voltage regulation. The compensated-gain control circuit includes an automatic-gain control circuit for generating a variable-gain control signal. The automatic-gain control circuit is formed of a precision rectifier circuit, a filter network, an error amplifier, and an integrator circuit. 5 figs.

30 CFR 77.506 - Electric equipment and circuits; overload and short-circuit protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... short-circuit protection. 77.506 Section 77.506 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION... circuits; overload and short-circuit protection. Automatic circuit-breaking devices or fuses of the correct type and capacity shall be installed so as to protect all electric equipment and circuits against short...

Solid state light source driver establishing buck or boost operation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Palmer, Fred

A solid state light source driver circuit that operates in either a buck convertor or a boost convertor configuration is provided. The driver circuit includes a controller, a boost switch circuit and a buck switch circuit, each coupled to the controller, and a feedback circuit, coupled to the light source. The feedback circuit provides feedback to the controller, representing a DC output of the driver circuit. The controller controls the boost switch circuit and the buck switch circuit in response to the feedback signal, to regulate current to the light source. The controller places the driver circuit in its boostmore » converter configuration when the DC output is less than a rectified AC voltage coupled to the driver circuit at an input node. The controller places the driver circuit in its buck converter configuration when the DC output is greater than the rectified AC voltage at the input node.« less

Distinct Pattern of Solar Modulation of Galactic Cosmic Rays above a High Geomagnetic Cutoff Rigidity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mangeard, Pierre-Simon; Clem, John; Evenson, Paul; Pyle, Roger; Mitthumsiri, Warit; Ruffolo, David; Sáiz, Alejandro; Nutaro, Tanin

2018-05-01

Solar modulation refers to Galactic cosmic-ray variations with the ∼11 yr sunspot cycle and ∼22 yr solar magnetic cycle and is relevant to the space radiation environment and effects on Earth’s atmosphere. Its complicated dependence on solar and heliospheric conditions is only roughly understood and has been empirically modeled in terms of a single modulation parameter. Most analyses of solar modulation use neutron monitor (NM) data from locations with relatively low geomagnetic cutoff rigidity, i.e., the threshold for cosmic rays to penetrate Earth’s magnetic field. The Princess Sirindhorn Neutron Monitor at Doi Inthanon, Thailand, has the world’s highest cutoff rigidity (≈17 GV) where observations span a complete solar modulation cycle (since late 2007). The pattern of solar modulation at Doi Inthanon during 2011–2014 was qualitatively very different from that at a low geomagnetic cutoff and is not well described by the same modulation parameter. At other times, NM count rates from Doi Inthanon and McMurdo, Antarctica (cutoff ∼1 GV), were linearly correlated and confirm the observation from latitude surveys in the previous solar cycle that the slope of the correlation changes with solar magnetic polarity. Low solar magnetic tilt angles (<40° at negative polarity) were well correlated with variations at both NM stations, as predicted by drift models. At a higher tilt angle, the Doi Inthanon count rate is well correlated with the interplanetary magnetic field, which is consistent with an increase in diffusion at high rigidity short-circuiting the effects of drifts and the heliospheric current sheet.

A noiseless, kHz frame rate imaging detector for AO wavefront sensors based on MCPs read out with the Medipix2 CMOS pixel chip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vallerga, J. V.; McPhate, J. B.; Tremsin, A. S.; Siegmund, O. H. W.; Mikulec, B.; Clark, A. G.

2004-12-01

Future wavefront sensors in adaptive optics (AO) systems for the next generation of large telescopes (> 30 m diameter) will require large formats (512x512) , kHz frame rates, low readout noise (<3 electrons) and high optical QE. The current generation of CCDs cannot achieve the first three of these specifications simultaneously. We present a detector scheme that can meet the first three requirements with an optical QE > 40%. This detector consists of a vacuum tube with a proximity focused GaAs photocathode whose photoelectrons are amplified by microchannel plates and the resulting output charge cloud counted by a pixelated CMOS application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) called the Medipix2 (http://medipix.web.cern.ch/MEDIPIX/). Each 55 micron square pixel of the Medipix2 chip has an amplifier, discriminator and 14 bit counter and the 256x256 array can be read out in 287 microseconds. The chip is 3 side abuttable so a 512x512 array is feasible in one vacuum tube. We will present the first results with an open-faced, demountable version of the detector where we have mounted a pair of MCPs 500 microns above a Medipix2 readout inside a vacuum chamber and illuminated it with UV light. The results include: flat field response, spatial resolution, spatial linearity on the sub-pixel level and global event counting rate. We will also discuss the vacuum tube design and the fabrication issues associated with the Medipix2 surviving the tube making process.

Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode focal plane arrays for three-dimensional imaging LADAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Itzler, Mark A.; Entwistle, Mark; Owens, Mark; Patel, Ketan; Jiang, Xudong; Slomkowski, Krystyna; Rangwala, Sabbir; Zalud, Peter F.; Senko, Tom; Tower, John; Ferraro, Joseph

2010-09-01

We report on the development of focal plane arrays (FPAs) employing two-dimensional arrays of InGaAsP-based Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes (GmAPDs). These FPAs incorporate InP/InGaAs(P) Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes (GmAPDs) to create pixels that detect single photons at shortwave infrared wavelengths with high efficiency and low dark count rates. GmAPD arrays are hybridized to CMOS read-out integrated circuits (ROICs) that enable independent laser radar (LADAR) time-of-flight measurements for each pixel, providing three-dimensional image data at frame rates approaching 200 kHz. Microlens arrays are used to maintain high fill factor of greater than 70%. We present full-array performance maps for two different types of sensors optimized for operation at 1.06 μm and 1.55 μm, respectively. For the 1.06 μm FPAs, overall photon detection efficiency of >40% is achieved at <20 kHz dark count rates with modest cooling to ~250 K using integrated thermoelectric coolers. We also describe the first evalution of these FPAs when multi-photon pulses are incident on single pixels. The effective detection efficiency for multi-photon pulses shows excellent agreement with predictions based on Poisson statistics. We also characterize the crosstalk as a function of pulse mean photon number. Relative to the intrinsic crosstalk contribution from hot carrier luminescence that occurs during avalanche current flows resulting from single incident photons, we find a modest rise in crosstalk for multi-photon incident pulses that can be accurately explained by direct optical scattering.

Counting Synapses Using FIB/SEM Microscopy: A True Revolution for Ultrastructural Volume Reconstruction.

PubMed

Merchán-Pérez, Angel; Rodriguez, José-Rodrigo; Alonso-Nanclares, Lidia; Schertel, Andreas; Defelipe, Javier

2009-01-01

The advent of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in the 1950s represented a fundamental step in the study of neuronal circuits. The application of this technique soon led to the realization that the number of synapses changes during the course of normal life, as well as under certain pathological or experimental circumstances. Since then, one of the main goals in neurosciences has been to define simple and accurate methods to estimate the magnitude of these changes. Contrary to analysing single sections, TEM reconstructions are extremely time-consuming and difficult. Therefore, most quantitative studies use stereological methods to define the three-dimensional characteristics of synaptic junctions that are studied in two dimensions. Here, to count the exact number of synapses per unit of volume we have applied a new three-dimensional reconstruction method that involves the combination of focused ion beam milling and scanning electron microscopy (FIB/SEM). We show that the images obtained with FIB/SEM are similar to those obtained with TEM, but with the advantage that FIB/SEM permits serial reconstructions of large volumes of tissue to be generated rapidly and automatically. Furthermore, we compared the estimates of the number of synapses obtained with stereological methods with the values obtained by FIB/SEM reconstructions. We concluded that FIB/SEM not only provides the actual number of synapses per volume but it is also much easier and faster to use than other currently available TEM methods. More importantly, it also avoids most of the errors introduced by stereological methods and overcomes the difficulties associated with these techniques.

Time-resolved single-photon detection module based on silicon photomultiplier: A novel building block for time-correlated measurement systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinenghi, E.; Di Sieno, L.; Contini, D.; Sanzaro, M.; Pifferi, A.; Dalla Mora, A.

2016-07-01

We present the design and preliminary characterization of the first detection module based on Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) tailored for single-photon timing applications. The aim of this work is to demonstrate, thanks to the design of a suitable module, the possibility to easily exploit SiPM in many applications as an interesting detector featuring large active area, similarly to photomultipliers tubes, but keeping the advantages of solid state detectors (high quantum efficiency, low cost, compactness, robustness, low bias voltage, and insensitiveness to magnetic field). The module integrates a cooled SiPM with a total photosensitive area of 1 mm2 together with the suitable avalanche signal read-out circuit, the signal conditioning, the biasing electronics, and a Peltier cooler driver for thermal stabilization. It is able to extract the single-photon timing information with resolution better than 100 ps full-width at half maximum. We verified the effective stabilization in response to external thermal perturbations, thus proving the complete insensitivity of the module to environment temperature variations, which represents a fundamental parameter to profitably use the instrument for real-field applications. We also characterized the single-photon timing resolution, the background noise due to both primary dark count generation and afterpulsing, the single-photon detection efficiency, and the instrument response function shape. The proposed module can become a reliable and cost-effective building block for time-correlated single-photon counting instruments in applications requiring high collection capability of isotropic light and detection efficiency (e.g., fluorescence decay measurements or time-domain diffuse optics systems).

Measuring circuit

DOEpatents

Sun, Shan C.; Chaprnka, Anthony G.

1977-01-11

An automatic gain control circuit functions to adjust the magnitude of an input signal supplied to a measuring circuit to a level within the dynamic range of the measuring circuit while a log-ratio circuit adjusts the magnitude of the output signal from the measuring circuit to the level of the input signal and optimizes the signal-to-noise ratio performance of the measuring circuit.

30 CFR 75.601-1 - Short circuit protection; ratings and settings of circuit breakers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Trailing Cables § 75.601-1 Short circuit protection; ratings and settings of circuit breakers. Circuit breakers providing short circuit protection for trailing cables shall be set so as not to exceed the...

JEN-1 Reactor Control System; SISTEMA DE CONTROL DEL REACTOR JEN-1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cantillo, M.F.; Nuno, C.M.; Andreu, J.L.M.

1963-01-01

ABS>The JEN-1 3Mw power swimming pool reactor electrical control circuits are described. Start-up, power generation in the core, and shutdown are controlled by the reactor control system. This control system guarantees in each moment the safety conditions during reactor operation. Each circuit was represented by a scheme, complemented with a description of its function, components, and operation theory. Components described include: scram circuit; fission counter control circuit; servo control circuit; control circuit of safety sheets; control circuits of primary, secondary, and clean-up pump motors and tower fan motor; primary valve motor circuit; center cubicle alarm circuit; and process alarm circuit.more » (auth)« less

[Design of High Frequency Signal Detecting Circuit of Human Body Impedance Used for Ultrashort Wave Diathermy Apparatus].

PubMed

Fan, Xu; Wang, Yunguang; Cheng, Haiping; Chong, Xiaochen

2016-02-01

The present circuit was designed to apply to human tissue impedance tuning and matching device in ultra-short wave treatment equipment. In order to judge if the optimum status of circuit parameter between energy emitter circuit and accepter circuit is in well syntony, we designed a high frequency envelope detect circuit to coordinate with automatic adjust device of accepter circuit, which would achieve the function of human tissue impedance matching and tuning. Using the sampling coil to receive the signal of amplitude-modulated wave, we compared the voltage signal of envelope detect circuit with electric current of energy emitter circuit. The result of experimental study was that the signal, which was transformed by the envelope detect circuit, was stable and could be recognized by low speed Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) and was proportional to the electric current signal of energy emitter circuit. It could be concluded that the voltage, transformed by envelope detect circuit can mirror the real circuit state of syntony and realize the function of human tissue impedance collecting.

An Electronics Course Emphasizing Circuit Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergeson, Haven E.

1975-01-01

Describes a one-quarter introductory electronics course in which the students use a variety of inexpensive integrated circuits to design and construct a large number of useful circuits. Presents the subject matter of the course in three parts: linear circuits, digital circuits, and more complex circuits. (GS)

Integrated circuits, and design and manufacture thereof

DOEpatents

Auracher, Stefan; Pribbernow, Claus; Hils, Andreas

2006-04-18

A representation of a macro for an integrated circuit layout. The representation may define sub-circuit cells of a module. The module may have a predefined functionality. The sub-circuit cells may include at least one reusable circuit cell. The reusable circuit cell may be configured such that when the predefined functionality of the module is not used, the reusable circuit cell is available for re-use.

Current limiter circuit system

DOEpatents

Witcher, Joseph Brandon; Bredemann, Michael V.

2017-09-05

An apparatus comprising a steady state sensing circuit, a switching circuit, and a detection circuit. The steady state sensing circuit is connected to a first, a second and a third node. The first node is connected to a first device, the second node is connected to a second device, and the steady state sensing circuit causes a scaled current to flow at the third node. The scaled current is proportional to a voltage difference between the first and second node. The switching circuit limits an amount of current that flows between the first and second device. The detection circuit is connected to the third node and the switching circuit. The detection circuit monitors the scaled current at the third node and controls the switching circuit to limit the amount of the current that flows between the first and second device when the scaled current is greater than a desired level.

Electronic circuits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

Twenty-nine circuits and circuit techniques developed for communications and instrumentation technology are described. Topics include pulse-code modulation, phase-locked loops, data coding, data recording, detection circuits, logic circuits, oscillators, and amplifiers.

30 CFR 77.506-1 - Electric equipment and circuits; overload and short circuit protection; minimum requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... short circuit protection; minimum requirements. 77.506-1 Section 77.506-1 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY...-1 Electric equipment and circuits; overload and short circuit protection; minimum requirements. Devices providing either short circuit protection or protection against overload shall conform to the...

Solid state remote circuit selector switch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peterson, V. S.

1970-01-01

Remote switching circuit utilizes voltage logic to switch on desired circuit. Circuit controls rotating multi-range pressure transducers in jet engine testing and can be used in coded remote circuit activator where sequence of switching has to occur in defined length of time to prevent false or undesired circuit activation.

30 CFR 75.900 - Low- and medium-voltage circuits serving three-phase alternating current equipment; circuit...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...-phase alternating current equipment; circuit breakers. 75.900 Section 75.900 Mineral Resources MINE... Low- and medium-voltage circuits serving three-phase alternating current equipment; circuit breakers. [Statutory Provisions] Low- and medium-voltage power circuits serving three-phase alternating current...

Color Coding of Circuit Quantities in Introductory Circuit Analysis Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reisslein, Jana; Johnson, Amy M.; Reisslein, Martin

2015-01-01

Learning the analysis of electrical circuits represented by circuit diagrams is often challenging for novice students. An open research question in electrical circuit analysis instruction is whether color coding of the mathematical symbols (variables) that denote electrical quantities can improve circuit analysis learning. The present study…

Project Circuits in a Basic Electric Circuits Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becker, James P.; Plumb, Carolyn; Revia, Richard A.

2014-01-01

The use of project circuits (a photoplethysmograph circuit and a simple audio amplifier), introduced in a sophomore-level electric circuits course utilizing active learning and inquiry-based methods, is described. The development of the project circuits was initiated to promote enhanced engagement and deeper understanding of course content among…

Radiation Hardened 10BASE-T Ethernet Physical Layer (PHY)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Michael R. (Inventor); Petrick, David J. (Inventor); Ballou, Kevin M. (Inventor); Espinosa, Daniel C. (Inventor); James, Edward F. (Inventor); Kliesner, Matthew A. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

Embodiments may provide a radiation hardened 10BASE-T Ethernet interface circuit suitable for space flight and in compliance with the IEEE 802.3 standard for Ethernet. The various embodiments may provide a 10BASE-T Ethernet interface circuit, comprising a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a transmitter circuit connected to the FPGA, a receiver circuit connected to the FPGA, and a transformer connected to the transmitter circuit and the receiver circuit. In the various embodiments, the FPGA, transmitter circuit, receiver circuit, and transformer may be radiation hardened.

Design and implementation of a simple acousto optic dual control circuit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Biqing; Li, Zhao

2017-04-01

This page proposed a simple light control circuit which designed by using power supply circuit, sonic circuits, electric circuit and delay circuit four parts. The main chip for CD4011, have inside of the four and to complete the sonic or circuit, electric, delay logic circuit. During the day, no matter how much a pedestrian voice, is ever shine light bulb. Dark night, circuit in a body to make the microphone as long as testing noise, and will automatically be bright for pedestrians lighting, several minutes after the automatic and put out, effective energy saving. Applicable scope and the working principle of the circuit principle diagram and given device parameters selection, power saving effect is obvious, at the same time greatly reduce the maintenance quantity, saving money, use effect is good.

Design of an improved RCD buffer circuit for full bridge circuit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Wenyan; Wei, Xueye; Du, Yongbo; Hu, Liang; Zhang, Liwei; Zhang, Ou

2017-05-01

In the full bridge inverter circuit, when the switch tube suddenly opened or closed, the inductor current changes rapidly. Due to the existence of parasitic inductance of the main circuit. Therefore, the surge voltage between drain and source of the switch tube can be generated, which will have an impact on the switch and the output voltage. In order to ab sorb the surge voltage. An improve RCD buffer circuit is proposed in the paper. The peak energy will be absorbed through the buffer capacitor of the circuit. The part energy feedback to the power supply, another part release through the resistor in the form of heat, and the circuit can absorb the voltage spikes. This paper analyzes the process of the improved RCD snubber circuit, According to the specific parameters of the main circuit, a reasonable formula for calculating the resistance capacitance is given. A simulation model will be modulated in Multisim, which compared the waveform of tube voltage and the output waveform of the circuit without snubber circuit with the improved RCD snubber circuit. By comparing and analyzing, it is proved that the improved buffer circuit can absorb surge voltage. Finally, experiments are demonstrated to validate that the correctness of the RC formula and the improved RCD snubber circuit.

Design and Characterization of DNA Strand-Displacement Circuits in Serum-Supplemented Cell Medium.

PubMed

Fern, Joshua; Schulman, Rebecca

2017-09-15

The functional stability and lifetimes of synthetic molecular circuits in biological environments are important for long-term, stable sensors or controllers of cell or tissue behavior. DNA-based molecular circuits, in particular DNA strand-displacement circuits, provide simple and effective biocompatible control mechanisms and sensors, but are vulnerable to digestion by nucleases present in living tissues and serum-supplemented cell culture. The stability of double-stranded and single-stranded DNA circuit components in serum-supplemented cell medium and the corresponding effect of nuclease-mediated degradation on circuit performance were characterized to determine the major routes of degradation and DNA strand-displacement circuit failure. Simple circuit design choices, such as the use of 5' toeholds within the DNA complexes used as reactants in the strand-displacement reactions and the termination of single-stranded components with DNA hairpin domains at the 3' termini, significantly increase the functional lifetime of the circuit components in the presence of nucleases. Simulations of multireaction circuits, guided by the experimentally measured operation of single-reaction circuits, enable predictive realization of multilayer and competitive-reaction circuit behavior. Together, these results provide a basic route to increased DNA circuit stability in cell culture environments.

Design and Characterization of DNA Strand-Displacement Circuits in Serum-Supplemented Cell Medium

DOE PAGES

Fern, Joshua; Schulman, Rebecca

2017-05-30

The functional stability and lifetimes of synthetic molecular circuits in biological environments are important for long-term, stable sensors or controllers of cell or tissue behavior. DNA-based molecular circuits, particularly DNA strand-displacement circuits, provide simple and effective biocompatible control mechanisms and sensors, but are vulnerable to digestion by nucleases present in living tissues and serum-supplemented cell culture. The stability of double-stranded and single-stranded DNA circuit components in serum-supplemented cell medium and the corresponding effect of nuclease-mediated degradation on circuit performance were characterized to determine the major routes of degradation and DNA strand-displacement circuit failure. Simple circuit design choices, such as themore » use of 5' toeholds within the DNA complexes used as reactants in the strand-displacement reactions and the termination of single-stranded components with DNA hairpin domains at the 3' termini, significantly increase the functional lifetime of the circuit components in the presence of nucleases. Furthermore, simulations of multireaction circuits, guided by the experimentally measured operation of single-reaction circuits, enable predictive realization of multilayer and competitive-reaction circuit behavior. Altogether, these results provide a basic route to increased DNA circuit stability in cell culture environments.« less

Design and Characterization of DNA Strand-Displacement Circuits in Serum-Supplemented Cell Medium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fern, Joshua; Schulman, Rebecca

The functional stability and lifetimes of synthetic molecular circuits in biological environments are important for long-term, stable sensors or controllers of cell or tissue behavior. DNA-based molecular circuits, particularly DNA strand-displacement circuits, provide simple and effective biocompatible control mechanisms and sensors, but are vulnerable to digestion by nucleases present in living tissues and serum-supplemented cell culture. The stability of double-stranded and single-stranded DNA circuit components in serum-supplemented cell medium and the corresponding effect of nuclease-mediated degradation on circuit performance were characterized to determine the major routes of degradation and DNA strand-displacement circuit failure. Simple circuit design choices, such as themore » use of 5' toeholds within the DNA complexes used as reactants in the strand-displacement reactions and the termination of single-stranded components with DNA hairpin domains at the 3' termini, significantly increase the functional lifetime of the circuit components in the presence of nucleases. Furthermore, simulations of multireaction circuits, guided by the experimentally measured operation of single-reaction circuits, enable predictive realization of multilayer and competitive-reaction circuit behavior. Altogether, these results provide a basic route to increased DNA circuit stability in cell culture environments.« less

Effect of Sensors on the Reliability and Control Performance of Power Circuits in the Web of Things (WoT)

PubMed Central

Bae, Sungwoo; Kim, Myungchin

2016-01-01

In order to realize a true WoT environment, a reliable power circuit is required to ensure interconnections among a range of WoT devices. This paper presents research on sensors and their effects on the reliability and response characteristics of power circuits in WoT devices. The presented research can be used in various power circuit applications, such as energy harvesting interfaces, photovoltaic systems, and battery management systems for the WoT devices. As power circuits rely on the feedback from voltage/current sensors, the system performance is likely to be affected by the sensor failure rates, sensor dynamic characteristics, and their interface circuits. This study investigated how the operational availability of the power circuits is affected by the sensor failure rates by performing a quantitative reliability analysis. In the analysis process, this paper also includes the effects of various reconstruction and estimation techniques used in power processing circuits (e.g., energy harvesting circuits and photovoltaic systems). This paper also reports how the transient control performance of power circuits is affected by sensor interface circuits. With the frequency domain stability analysis and circuit simulation, it was verified that the interface circuit dynamics may affect the transient response characteristics of power circuits. The verification results in this paper showed that the reliability and control performance of the power circuits can be affected by the sensor types, fault tolerant approaches against sensor failures, and the response characteristics of the sensor interfaces. The analysis results were also verified by experiments using a power circuit prototype. PMID:27608020

Tester Detects Steady-Short Or Intermittent-Open Circuits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Bobby L.

1990-01-01

Momentary open circuits or steady short circuits trigger buzzer. Simple, portable, lightweight testing circuit sounds long-duration alarm when it detects steady short circuit or momentary open circuit in coaxial cable or other two-conductor transmission line. Tester sensitive to discontinuities lasting 10 microseconds or longer. Used extensively for detecting intermittent open shorts in accelerometer and extensometer cables. Also used as ordinary buzzer-type continuity checker to detect steady short or open circuits.

Packaging Of Control Circuits In A Robot Arm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kast, William

1994-01-01

Packaging system houses and connects control circuitry mounted on circuit boards within shoulder, upper section, and lower section of seven-degree-of-freedom robot arm. Has modular design that incorporates surface-mount technology, multilayer circuit boards, large-scale integrated circuits, and multi-layer flat cables between sections for compactness. Three sections of robot arm contain circuit modules in form of stardardized circuit boards. Each module contains two printed-circuit cards, one of each face.

30 CFR 75.518-1 - Electric equipment and circuits; overload and short circuit protection; minimum requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Electric equipment and circuits; overload and short circuit protection; minimum requirements. 75.518-1 Section 75.518-1 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY... short circuit protection; minimum requirements. A device to provide either short circuit protection or...

Educational Support System for Experiments Involving Construction of Sound Processing Circuits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Takemura, Atsushi

2012-01-01

This paper proposes a novel educational support system for technical experiments involving the production of practical electronic circuits for sound processing. To support circuit design and production, each student uses a computer during the experiments, and can learn circuit design, virtual circuit making, and real circuit making. In the…

Thermocouple-Signal-Conditioning Circuit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon, Richard A.

1991-01-01

Thermocouple-signal-conditioning circuit acting in conjunction with thermocouple, exhibits electrical behavior of voltage in series with resistance. Combination part of input bridge circuit of controller. Circuit configured for either of two specific applications by selection of alternative resistances and supply voltages. Includes alarm circuit detecting open circuit in thermocouple and provides off-scale output to signal malfunctions.

49 CFR 234.269 - Cut-out circuits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Cut-out circuits. 234.269 Section 234.269..., Inspection, and Testing Inspections and Tests § 234.269 Cut-out circuits. Each cut-out circuit shall be... of this section, a cut-out circuit is any circuit which overrides the operation of automatic warning...

30 CFR 75.900 - Low- and medium-voltage circuits serving three-phase alternating current equipment; circuit...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Low- and medium-voltage circuits serving three... STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Underground Low- and Medium-Voltage Alternating Current Circuits § 75.900 Low- and medium-voltage circuits serving three-phase alternating current equipment; circuit breakers...

30 CFR 77.900 - Low- and medium-voltage circuits serving portable or mobile three-phase alternating current...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Low- and medium-voltage circuits serving... Medium-Voltage Alternating Current Circuits § 77.900 Low- and medium-voltage circuits serving portable or mobile three-phase alternating current equipment; circuit breakers. Low- and medium-voltage circuits...

30 CFR 75.900 - Low- and medium-voltage circuits serving three-phase alternating current equipment; circuit...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Low- and medium-voltage circuits serving three... STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Underground Low- and Medium-Voltage Alternating Current Circuits § 75.900 Low- and medium-voltage circuits serving three-phase alternating current equipment; circuit breakers...

30 CFR 75.900 - Low- and medium-voltage circuits serving three-phase alternating current equipment; circuit...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Low- and medium-voltage circuits serving three... STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Underground Low- and Medium-Voltage Alternating Current Circuits § 75.900 Low- and medium-voltage circuits serving three-phase alternating current equipment; circuit breakers...

30 CFR 77.900 - Low- and medium-voltage circuits serving portable or mobile three-phase alternating current...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Low- and medium-voltage circuits serving... Medium-Voltage Alternating Current Circuits § 77.900 Low- and medium-voltage circuits serving portable or mobile three-phase alternating current equipment; circuit breakers. Low- and medium-voltage circuits...

30 CFR 77.900 - Low- and medium-voltage circuits serving portable or mobile three-phase alternating current...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Low- and medium-voltage circuits serving... Medium-Voltage Alternating Current Circuits § 77.900 Low- and medium-voltage circuits serving portable or mobile three-phase alternating current equipment; circuit breakers. Low- and medium-voltage circuits...

49 CFR 236.303 - Control circuits for signals, selection through circuit controller operated by switch points or...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... circuit controller operated by switch points or by switch locking mechanism. 236.303 Section 236.303... § 236.303 Control circuits for signals, selection through circuit controller operated by switch points or by switch locking mechanism. The control circuit for each aspect with indication more favorable...

49 CFR 236.303 - Control circuits for signals, selection through circuit controller operated by switch points or...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... circuit controller operated by switch points or by switch locking mechanism. 236.303 Section 236.303... § 236.303 Control circuits for signals, selection through circuit controller operated by switch points or by switch locking mechanism. The control circuit for each aspect with indication more favorable...

49 CFR 236.303 - Control circuits for signals, selection through circuit controller operated by switch points or...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... circuit controller operated by switch points or by switch locking mechanism. 236.303 Section 236.303... § 236.303 Control circuits for signals, selection through circuit controller operated by switch points or by switch locking mechanism. The control circuit for each aspect with indication more favorable...

49 CFR 236.303 - Control circuits for signals, selection through circuit controller operated by switch points or...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... circuit controller operated by switch points or by switch locking mechanism. 236.303 Section 236.303... § 236.303 Control circuits for signals, selection through circuit controller operated by switch points or by switch locking mechanism. The control circuit for each aspect with indication more favorable...

49 CFR 236.303 - Control circuits for signals, selection through circuit controller operated by switch points or...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... circuit controller operated by switch points or by switch locking mechanism. 236.303 Section 236.303... § 236.303 Control circuits for signals, selection through circuit controller operated by switch points or by switch locking mechanism. The control circuit for each aspect with indication more favorable...

49 CFR 234.269 - Cut-out circuits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cut-out circuits. 234.269 Section 234.269..., Inspection, and Testing Inspections and Tests § 234.269 Cut-out circuits. Each cut-out circuit shall be... of this section, a cut-out circuit is any circuit which overrides the operation of automatic warning...

Comparison of modified driver circuit and capacitor-transfer circuit in longitudinally excited N2 laser.

PubMed

Uno, Kazuyuki; Akitsu, Tetsuya; Nakamura, Kenshi; Jitsuno, Takahisa

2013-04-01

We developed a modified driver circuit composed of a capacitance and a spark gap, called a direct-drive circuit, for a longitudinally excited gas laser. The direct-drive circuit uses a large discharge impedance caused by a long discharge length of the longitudinal excitation scheme and eliminates the buffer capacitance used in the traditional capacitor-transfer circuit. We compared the direct-drive circuit and the capacitor-transfer circuit in a longitudinally excited N2 laser (wavelength: 337 nm). Producing high output energy with the capacitor-transfer circuit requires a large storage capacitance and a discharge tube with optimum dimensions (an inner diameter of 4 mm and a length of 10 cm in this work); in contrast, the direct-drive circuit requires a high breakdown voltage, achieved with a small storage capacitance and a large discharge tube. Additionally, for the same input energy of 792 mJ, the maximum output energy of the capacitor-transfer circuit was 174.2 μJ, and that of the direct-drive circuit was 344.7 μJ.

Double buffer circuit for the characterization of piezoelectric nanogenerators based on ZnO nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadaud, Kevin; Morini, François; Dahiya, Abhishek S.; Justeau, Camille; Boubenia, Sarah; Rajeev, Kiron P.; Alquier, Daniel; Poulin-Vittrant, Guylaine

2018-02-01

The accurate and precise measurements of voltage and current output generated by a nanogenerator (NG) are crucial to design the rectifying/harvesting circuit and to evaluate correctly the amount of energy provided by a NG. High internal impedance of the NGs (several MΩ) is the main limiting factor for designing circuits to measure the open circuit voltage. In this paper, we present the influence of the characterization circuit used to measure the generated voltage of piezoelectric NGs. The proposed circuit consists of a differential amplifier which permits us to measure the voltage provided by the NG without applying any parasitic bias to it. The proposed circuit is compared to a commercial electrometer and a homemade buffer circuit based on a voltage follower circuit to show its interest. For the proposed double buffer circuit, no asymmetric behavior has been noticed contrary to the measurements made using a simple buffer circuit and a Keithley electrometer. The proposed double buffer circuit is thus suitable to measure the NG voltage in a transparent way, as an ideal voltage probe should do.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sadowski, Greg

In one form, a logic circuit includes an asynchronous logic circuit, a synchronous logic circuit, and an interface circuit coupled between the asynchronous logic circuit and the synchronous logic circuit. The asynchronous logic circuit has a plurality of asynchronous outputs for providing a corresponding plurality of asynchronous signals. The synchronous logic circuit has a plurality of synchronous inputs corresponding to the plurality of asynchronous outputs, a stretch input for receiving a stretch signal, and a clock output for providing a clock signal. The synchronous logic circuit provides the clock signal as a periodic signal but prolongs a predetermined state ofmore » the clock signal while the stretch signal is active. The asynchronous interface detects whether metastability could occur when latching any of the plurality of the asynchronous outputs of the asynchronous logic circuit using said clock signal, and activates the stretch signal while the metastability could occur.« less

Circuit-Host Coupling Induces Multifaceted Behavioral Modulations of a Gene Switch.

PubMed

Blanchard, Andrew E; Liao, Chen; Lu, Ting

2018-02-06

Quantitative modeling of gene circuits is fundamentally important to synthetic biology, as it offers the potential to transform circuit engineering from trial-and-error construction to rational design and, hence, facilitates the advance of the field. Currently, typical models regard gene circuits as isolated entities and focus only on the biochemical processes within the circuits. However, such a standard paradigm is getting challenged by increasing experimental evidence suggesting that circuits and their host are intimately connected, and their interactions can potentially impact circuit behaviors. Here we systematically examined the roles of circuit-host coupling in shaping circuit dynamics by using a self-activating gene switch as a model circuit. Through a combination of deterministic modeling, stochastic simulation, and Fokker-Planck equation formalism, we found that circuit-host coupling alters switch behaviors across multiple scales. At the single-cell level, it slows the switch dynamics in the high protein production regime and enlarges the difference between stable steady-state values. At the population level, it favors cells with low protein production through differential growth amplification. Together, the two-level coupling effects induce both quantitative and qualitative modulations of the switch, with the primary component of the effects determined by the circuit's architectural parameters. This study illustrates the complexity and importance of circuit-host coupling in modulating circuit behaviors, demonstrating the need for a new paradigm-integrated modeling of the circuit-host system-for quantitative understanding of engineered gene networks. Copyright © 2017 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Design and performance of single photon APD focal plane arrays for 3-D LADAR imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Itzler, Mark A.; Entwistle, Mark; Owens, Mark; Patel, Ketan; Jiang, Xudong; Slomkowski, Krystyna; Rangwala, Sabbir; Zalud, Peter F.; Senko, Tom; Tower, John; Ferraro, Joseph

2010-08-01

×We describe the design, fabrication, and performance of focal plane arrays (FPAs) for use in 3-D LADAR imaging applications requiring single photon sensitivity. These 32 × 32 FPAs provide high-efficiency single photon sensitivity for three-dimensional LADAR imaging applications at 1064 nm. Our GmAPD arrays are designed using a planarpassivated avalanche photodiode device platform with buried p-n junctions that has demonstrated excellent performance uniformity, operational stability, and long-term reliability. The core of the FPA is a chip stack formed by hybridizing the GmAPD photodiode array to a custom CMOS read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) and attaching a precision-aligned GaP microlens array (MLA) to the back-illuminated detector array. Each ROIC pixel includes an active quenching circuit governing Geiger-mode operation of the corresponding avalanche photodiode pixel as well as a pseudo-random counter to capture per-pixel time-of-flight timestamps in each frame. The FPA has been designed to operate at frame rates as high as 186 kHz for 2 μs range gates. Effective single photon detection efficiencies as high as 40% (including all optical transmission and MLA losses) are achieved for dark count rates below 20 kHz. For these planar-geometry diffused-junction GmAPDs, isolation trenches are used to reduce crosstalk due to hot carrier luminescence effects during avalanche events, and we present details of the crosstalk performance for different operating conditions. Direct measurement of temporal probability distribution functions due to cumulative timing uncertainties of the GmAPDs and ROIC circuitry has demonstrated a FWHM timing jitter as low as 265 ps (standard deviation is ~100 ps).

Design of a reversible single precision floating point subtractor.

PubMed

Anantha Lakshmi, Av; Sudha, Gf

2014-01-04

In recent years, Reversible logic has emerged as a major area of research due to its ability to reduce the power dissipation which is the main requirement in the low power digital circuit design. It has wide applications like low power CMOS design, Nano-technology, Digital signal processing, Communication, DNA computing and Optical computing. Floating-point operations are needed very frequently in nearly all computing disciplines, and studies have shown floating-point addition/subtraction to be the most used floating-point operation. However, few designs exist on efficient reversible BCD subtractors but no work on reversible floating point subtractor. In this paper, it is proposed to present an efficient reversible single precision floating-point subtractor. The proposed design requires reversible designs of an 8-bit and a 24-bit comparator unit, an 8-bit and a 24-bit subtractor, and a normalization unit. For normalization, a 24-bit Reversible Leading Zero Detector and a 24-bit reversible shift register is implemented to shift the mantissas. To realize a reversible 1-bit comparator, in this paper, two new 3x3 reversible gates are proposed The proposed reversible 1-bit comparator is better and optimized in terms of the number of reversible gates used, the number of transistor count and the number of garbage outputs. The proposed work is analysed in terms of number of reversible gates, garbage outputs, constant inputs and quantum costs. Using these modules, an efficient design of a reversible single precision floating point subtractor is proposed. Proposed circuits have been simulated using Modelsim and synthesized using Xilinx Virtex5vlx30tff665-3. The total on-chip power consumed by the proposed 32-bit reversible floating point subtractor is 0.410 W.

Hemocompatibility Comparison of Biomedical Grade Polymers Using Rabbit Thrombogenicity Model for Preparing Nonthrombogenic Nitric Oxide Releasing Surfaces

PubMed Central

Handa, Hitesh; Major, Terry C.; Brisbois, Elizabeth J.; Amoako, Kagya A.; Meyerhoff, Mark E.; Bartlett, Robert H.

2014-01-01

Nitric oxide (NO) is an endogenous vasodilator as well as natural inhibitor of platelet adhesion/activation. Nitric oxide releasing (NOrel) materials can be prepared by doping an NO donor species, such as diazeniumdiolated dibutylhexanediamine (DBHD/N2O2), within a polymer coating. The inherent hemocompatibility properties of the base polymer can also influence the efficiency of such NO release coatings. In this study, four biomedical grade polymers were evaluated in a 4 h rabbit model of thrombogenicity for their effects on extracorporeal circuit thrombus formation and circulating platelet count. At the end of 4 h, Elast-Eon E2As was found to preserve 58% of baseline platelets versus 48, 40, and 47% for PVC/DOS, Tecophilic SP-60D-60, and Tecoflex SG80A, respectively. Elast-Eon also had significantly lower clot area of 5.2 cm2 compared to 6.7, 6.1, and 6.9 cm2 for PVC/DOS, SP-60D-60, and SG80A, respectively. Based on the results obtained for the base polymer comparison study, DBHD/N2O2-doped E2As was evaluated in short-term (4 h) rabbit studies to observe the NO effects on prevention of clotting and preservation of platelet function. Platelet preservation for this optimal NO release formulation was 97% of baseline after 4 h, and clot area was 0.9 cm2 compared to 5.2 cm2 for controls, demonstrating that combining E2As with NO release provides a truly advanced hemocompatible polymer coating for extracorporeal circuits and potentially other blood contacting applications. PMID:24634777

In vitro and in vivo study of sustained nitric oxide release coating using diazeniumdiolate-oped poly(vinyl chloride) matrix with poly(lactide-co-glycolide) additive

PubMed Central

Handa, Hitesh; Brisbois, Elizabeth J.; Major, Terry C.; Refahiyat, Lahdan; Amoako, Kagya A.; Annich, Gail M.; Bartlett, Robert H.; Meyerhoff, Mark E.

2013-01-01

Nitric oxide (NO) is an endogenous vasodilator as well as natural inhibitor of platelet adhesion and activation that can be released from a NO donor species, such as diazeniumdiolated dibutylhexanediamine (DBHD/N2O2) within a polymer coating. In this study, various Food and Drug Administration approved poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) species were evaluated as additives to promote a prolonged NO release from DBHD/N2O2 within a plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) matrix. When using an ester-capped PLGA additive with a slow hydrolysis time, the resulting coatings continuously release between 7–18×10-10 mol cm-2 min-1 NO for 14 d at 37°C in PBS buffer. The corresponding pH changes within the polymer films were visualized using pH sensitive indicators and are shown to correlate with the extended NO release pattern. The optimal combined diazeniumdiolate/PLGA-doped NO release (NOrel) PVC coating was evaluated in vitro and its effect on the hemodynamics was also studied within a 4 h in vivo extracorporeal circulation (ECC) rabbit model of thrombogenicity. Four out of 7 control circuits clotted within 3 h, whereas all the NOrel coated circuits were patent after 4 h. Platelet counts on the NOrel ECC were preserved (79 ± 11% compared to 54 ± 6% controls). The NOrel coatings showed a significant decrease in the thrombus area as compared to the controls. Results suggest that by using ester-capped PLGAs as additives to a conventional plasticized PVC material containing a lipophilic diazeniumdiolates, the NO release can be prolonged for up to 2 weeks by controlling the pH within the organic phase of the coating. PMID:23914297

Commutation circuit for an HVDC circuit breaker

DOEpatents

Premerlani, William J.

1981-01-01

A commutation circuit for a high voltage DC circuit breaker incorporates a resistor capacitor combination and a charging circuit connected to the main breaker, such that a commutating capacitor is discharged in opposition to the load current to force the current in an arc after breaker opening to zero to facilitate arc interruption. In a particular embodiment, a normally open commutating circuit is connected across the contacts of a main DC circuit breaker to absorb the inductive system energy trapped by breaker opening and to limit recovery voltages to a level tolerable by the commutating circuit components.

Commutation circuit for an HVDC circuit breaker

DOEpatents

Premerlani, W.J.

1981-11-10

A commutation circuit for a high voltage DC circuit breaker incorporates a resistor capacitor combination and a charging circuit connected to the main breaker, such that a commutating capacitor is discharged in opposition to the load current to force the current in an arc after breaker opening to zero to facilitate arc interruption. In a particular embodiment, a normally open commutating circuit is connected across the contacts of a main DC circuit breaker to absorb the inductive system energy trapped by breaker opening and to limit recovery voltages to a level tolerable by the commutating circuit components. 13 figs.

Development, Integration and Testing of Automated Triggering Circuit for Hybrid DC Circuit Breaker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanabar, Deven; Roy, Swati; Dodiya, Chiragkumar; Pradhan, Subrata

2017-04-01

A novel concept of Hybrid DC circuit breaker having combination of mechanical switch and static switch provides arc-less current commutation into the dump resistor during quench in superconducting magnet operation. The triggering of mechanical and static switches in Hybrid DC breaker can be automatized which can effectively reduce the overall current commutation time of hybrid DC circuit breaker and make the operation independent of opening time of mechanical switch. With this view, a dedicated control circuit (auto-triggering circuit) has been developed which can decide the timing and pulse duration for mechanical switch as well as static switch from the operating parameters. This circuit has been tested with dummy parameters and thereafter integrated with the actual test set up of hybrid DC circuit breaker. This paper deals with the conceptual design of the auto-triggering circuit, its control logic and operation. The test results of Hybrid DC circuit breaker using this circuit have also been discussed.

Three-phase short circuit calculation method based on pre-computed surface for doubly fed induction generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, J.; Liu, Q.

2018-02-01

This paper presents an improved short circuit calculation method, based on pre-computed surface to determine the short circuit current of a distribution system with multiple doubly fed induction generators (DFIGs). The short circuit current, injected into power grid by DFIG, is determined by low voltage ride through (LVRT) control and protection under grid fault. However, the existing methods are difficult to calculate the short circuit current of DFIG in engineering practice due to its complexity. A short circuit calculation method, based on pre-computed surface, was proposed by developing the surface of short circuit current changing with the calculating impedance and the open circuit voltage. And the short circuit currents were derived by taking into account the rotor excitation and crowbar activation time. Finally, the pre-computed surfaces of short circuit current at different time were established, and the procedure of DFIG short circuit calculation considering its LVRT was designed. The correctness of proposed method was verified by simulation.

Position sensor for a fuel injection element in an internal combustion engine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fulkerson, D.E.; Geske, M.L.

1987-08-18

This patent describes an electronic circuit for dynamically sensing and processing signals representative of changes in a magnet field, the circuit comprising: means for sensing a change in a magnetic field external to the circuit and providing an output representative of the change; circuit means electronically coupled with the output of the sensing means for providing an output indicating the presence of the magnetic field change; and a nulling circuit coupled with the output of the sensing means and across the indicating circuit means for nulling the electronic circuit responsive to the sensing means output, to thereby avoid ambient magneticmore » fields temperature and process variations, and wherein the nulling circuit comprises a capacitor coupled to the output of the nulling circuit, means for charging and discharging the capacitor responsive to any imbalance in the input to the nulling circuit, and circuit means coupling the capacitor with the output of the sensing means for nulling any imbalance during the charging or discharging of the capacitor.« less

A method for identifying EMI critical circuits during development of a large C3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barr, Douglas H.

The circuit analysis methods and process Boeing Aerospace used on a large, ground-based military command, control, and communications (C3) system are described. This analysis was designed to help identify electromagnetic interference (EMI) critical circuits. The methodology used the MIL-E-6051 equipment criticality categories as the basis for defining critical circuits, relational database technology to help sort through and account for all of the approximately 5000 system signal cables, and Macintosh Plus personal computers to predict critical circuits based on safety margin analysis. The EMI circuit analysis process systematically examined all system circuits to identify which ones were likely to be EMI critical. The process used two separate, sequential safety margin analyses to identify critical circuits (conservative safety margin analysis, and detailed safety margin analysis). These analyses used field-to-wire and wire-to-wire coupling models using both worst-case and detailed circuit parameters (physical and electrical) to predict circuit safety margins. This process identified the predicted critical circuits that could then be verified by test.

Millimeter And Submillimeter-Wave Integrated Circuits On Quartz

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehdi, Imran; Mazed, Mohammad; Siegel, Peter; Smith, R. Peter

1995-01-01

Proposed Quartz substrate Upside-down Integrated Device (QUID) relies on UV-curable adhesive to bond semiconductor with quartz. Integrated circuits including planar GaAs Schottky diodes and passive circuit elements (such as bandpass filters) fabricated on quartz substrates. Circuits designed to operate as mixers in waveguide circuit at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths. Integrated circuits mechanically more robust, larger, and easier to handle than planar Schottky diode chips. Quartz substrate more suitable for waveguide circuits than GaAs substrate.

Power system with an integrated lubrication circuit

DOEpatents

Hoff, Brian D [East Peoria, IL; Akasam, Sivaprasad [Peoria, IL; Algrain, Marcelo C [Peoria, IL; Johnson, Kris W [Washington, IL; Lane, William H [Chillicothe, IL

2009-11-10

A power system includes an engine having a first lubrication circuit and at least one auxiliary power unit having a second lubrication circuit. The first lubrication circuit is in fluid communication with the second lubrication circuit.

Scaling up digital circuit computation with DNA strand displacement cascades.

PubMed

Qian, Lulu; Winfree, Erik

2011-06-03

To construct sophisticated biochemical circuits from scratch, one needs to understand how simple the building blocks can be and how robustly such circuits can scale up. Using a simple DNA reaction mechanism based on a reversible strand displacement process, we experimentally demonstrated several digital logic circuits, culminating in a four-bit square-root circuit that comprises 130 DNA strands. These multilayer circuits include thresholding and catalysis within every logical operation to perform digital signal restoration, which enables fast and reliable function in large circuits with roughly constant switching time and linear signal propagation delays. The design naturally incorporates other crucial elements for large-scale circuitry, such as general debugging tools, parallel circuit preparation, and an abstraction hierarchy supported by an automated circuit compiler.

Crossed SMPS MOSFET-based protection circuit for high frequency ultrasound transceivers and transducers

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The ultrasonic transducer is one of the core components of ultrasound systems, and the transducer’s sensitivity is significantly related the loss of electronic components such as the transmitter, receiver, and protection circuit. In an ultrasonic device, protection circuits are commonly used to isolate the electrical noise between an ultrasound transmitter and transducer and to minimize unwanted discharged pulses in order to protect the ultrasound receiver. However, the performance of the protection circuit and transceiver obviously degrade as the operating frequency or voltage increases. We therefore developed a crossed SMPS (Switching Mode Power Supply) MOSFET-based protection circuit in order to maximize the sensitivity of high frequency transducers in ultrasound systems. The high frequency pulse signals need to trigger the transducer, and high frequency pulse signals must be received by the transducer. We therefore selected the SMPS MOSFET, which is the main component of the protection circuit, to minimize the loss in high frequency operation. The crossed configuration of the protection circuit can drive balanced bipolar high voltage signals from the pulser and transfer the balanced low voltage echo signals from the transducer. Methods The equivalent circuit models of the SMPS MOSFET-based protection circuit are shown in order to select the proper device components. The schematic diagram and operation mechanism of the protection circuit is provided to show how the protection circuit is constructed. The P-Spice circuit simulation was also performed in order to estimate the performance of the crossed MOSFET-based protection circuit. Results We compared the performance of our crossed SMPS MOSFET-based protection circuit with a commercial diode-based protection circuit. At 60 MHz, our expander and limiter circuits have lower insertion loss than the commercial diode-based circuits. The pulse-echo test is typical method to evaluate the sensitivity of ultrasonic transducers. Therefore, we performed a pulse-echo test using a single element transducer in order to utilize the crossed SMPS MOSFET-based protection circuit in an ultrasound system. Conclusions The SMPS-based protection circuit could be a viable alternative that provides better sensitivity, especially for high frequency ultrasound applications. PMID:24924595

Crossed SMPS MOSFET-based protection circuit for high frequency ultrasound transceivers and transducers.

PubMed

Choi, Hojong; Shung, K Kirk

2014-06-12

The ultrasonic transducer is one of the core components of ultrasound systems, and the transducer's sensitivity is significantly related the loss of electronic components such as the transmitter, receiver, and protection circuit. In an ultrasonic device, protection circuits are commonly used to isolate the electrical noise between an ultrasound transmitter and transducer and to minimize unwanted discharged pulses in order to protect the ultrasound receiver. However, the performance of the protection circuit and transceiver obviously degrade as the operating frequency or voltage increases. We therefore developed a crossed SMPS (Switching Mode Power Supply) MOSFET-based protection circuit in order to maximize the sensitivity of high frequency transducers in ultrasound systems.The high frequency pulse signals need to trigger the transducer, and high frequency pulse signals must be received by the transducer. We therefore selected the SMPS MOSFET, which is the main component of the protection circuit, to minimize the loss in high frequency operation. The crossed configuration of the protection circuit can drive balanced bipolar high voltage signals from the pulser and transfer the balanced low voltage echo signals from the transducer. The equivalent circuit models of the SMPS MOSFET-based protection circuit are shown in order to select the proper device components. The schematic diagram and operation mechanism of the protection circuit is provided to show how the protection circuit is constructed. The P-Spice circuit simulation was also performed in order to estimate the performance of the crossed MOSFET-based protection circuit. We compared the performance of our crossed SMPS MOSFET-based protection circuit with a commercial diode-based protection circuit. At 60 MHz, our expander and limiter circuits have lower insertion loss than the commercial diode-based circuits. The pulse-echo test is typical method to evaluate the sensitivity of ultrasonic transducers. Therefore, we performed a pulse-echo test using a single element transducer in order to utilize the crossed SMPS MOSFET-based protection circuit in an ultrasound system. The SMPS-based protection circuit could be a viable alternative that provides better sensitivity, especially for high frequency ultrasound applications.

Constraint and Contingency in Multifunctional Gene Regulatory Circuits

PubMed Central

Payne, Joshua L.; Wagner, Andreas

2013-01-01

Gene regulatory circuits drive the development, physiology, and behavior of organisms from bacteria to humans. The phenotypes or functions of such circuits are embodied in the gene expression patterns they form. Regulatory circuits are typically multifunctional, forming distinct gene expression patterns in different embryonic stages, tissues, or physiological states. Any one circuit with a single function can be realized by many different regulatory genotypes. Multifunctionality presumably constrains this number, but we do not know to what extent. We here exhaustively characterize a genotype space harboring millions of model regulatory circuits and all their possible functions. As a circuit's number of functions increases, the number of genotypes with a given number of functions decreases exponentially but can remain very large for a modest number of functions. However, the sets of circuits that can form any one set of functions becomes increasingly fragmented. As a result, historical contingency becomes widespread in circuits with many functions. Whether a circuit can acquire an additional function in the course of its evolution becomes increasingly dependent on the function it already has. Circuits with many functions also become increasingly brittle and sensitive to mutation. These observations are generic properties of a broad class of circuits and independent of any one circuit genotype or phenotype. PMID:23762020

Equivalent circuit simulation of HPEM-induced transient responses at nonlinear loads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotzev, Miroslav; Bi, Xiaotang; Kreitlow, Matthias; Gronwald, Frank

2017-09-01

In this paper the equivalent circuit modeling of a nonlinearly loaded loop antenna and its transient responses to HPEM field excitations are investigated. For the circuit modeling the general strategy to characterize the nonlinearly loaded antenna by a linear and a nonlinear circuit part is pursued. The linear circuit part can be determined by standard methods of antenna theory and numerical field computation. The modeling of the nonlinear circuit part requires realistic circuit models of the nonlinear loads that are given by Schottky diodes. Combining both parts, appropriate circuit models are obtained and analyzed by means of a standard SPICE circuit simulator. It is the main result that in this way full-wave simulation results can be reproduced. Furthermore it is clearly seen that the equivalent circuit modeling offers considerable advantages with respect to computation speed and also leads to improved physical insights regarding the coupling between HPEM field excitation and nonlinearly loaded loop antenna.

Sensitivity and Switching Delay in Trigger Circuits; SENSIBILITA E RITARDO ENI CIRCUITI A SCATTO

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

De Lotto, I.; Stanchi, L.

The problem of regeneration in trigger circuits is studied, particularly in relation to switching delay and switching time. The factors that affect the speed, such as the threshold as a function of the input signal duration, are examined. The sensitivity of the circuit is also discussed. The characteristics of the dipole equivalent to a trigger circuit are determined, and the switching delay and switching rise time are examined using considerable simplifications (circuits with constant parameters) and graphical methods. For the particular case of a transistor circuit, the equation of the equivalent circuit is derived taking into account the nonlinearity ofmore » the parameters. This equation is processed by means of an analog computer. Using experimental data, the circuits are classified according to their sensitivity and the switching delay. A merit figure is obtained for synthetically evaluating different circuits and optimizing circuit sensitivity and speed. (auth)« less

Electronic circuit for measuring series connected electrochemical cell voltages

DOEpatents

Ashtiani, Cyrus N.; Stuart, Thomas A.

2000-01-01

An electronic circuit for measuring voltage signals in an energy storage device is disclosed. The electronic circuit includes a plurality of energy storage cells forming the energy storage device. A voltage divider circuit is connected to at least one of the energy storage cells. A current regulating circuit is provided for regulating the current through the voltage divider circuit. A voltage measurement node is associated with the voltage divider circuit for producing a voltage signal which is proportional to the voltage across the energy storage cell.

Method and Circuit for Injecting a Precise Amount of Charge onto a Circuit Node

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hancock, Bruce R. (Inventor)

2016-01-01

A method and circuit for injecting charge into a circuit node, comprising (a) resetting a capacitor's voltage through a first transistor; (b) after the resetting, pre-charging the capacitor through the first transistor; and (c) after the pre-charging, further charging the capacitor through a second transistor, wherein the second transistor is connected between the capacitor and a circuit node, and the further charging draws charge through the second transistor from the circuit node, thereby injecting charge into the circuit node.

Method of determining the open circuit voltage of a battery in a closed circuit

DOEpatents

Brown, William E.

1980-01-01

The open circuit voltage of a battery which is connected in a closed circuit is determined without breaking the circuit or causing voltage upsets therein. The closed circuit voltage across the battery and the current flowing through it are determined under normal load and then a fractional change is made in the load and the new current and voltage values determined. The open circuit voltage is then calculated, according to known principles, from the two sets of values.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sadowski, Greg

A circuit adapts to the occurrence of metastable states. The circuit inhibits passing of the metastable state to circuits that follow, by clock gating the output stage. In order to determine whether or not to gate the clock of the output stage, two detect circuits may be used. One circuit detects metastability and another circuit detects metastability resolved to a wrong logic level. The results from one or both detector circuits are used to gate the next clock cycle if needed, waiting for the metastable situation to be resolved.

Universal programmable quantum circuit schemes to emulate an operator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Daskin, Anmer; Grama, Ananth; Kollias, Giorgos

Unlike fixed designs, programmable circuit designs support an infinite number of operators. The functionality of a programmable circuit can be altered by simply changing the angle values of the rotation gates in the circuit. Here, we present a new quantum circuit design technique resulting in two general programmable circuit schemes. The circuit schemes can be used to simulate any given operator by setting the angle values in the circuit. This provides a fixed circuit design whose angles are determined from the elements of the given matrix-which can be non-unitary-in an efficient way. We also give both the classical and quantummore » complexity analysis for these circuits and show that the circuits require a few classical computations. For the electronic structure simulation on a quantum computer, one has to perform the following steps: prepare the initial wave function of the system; present the evolution operator U=e{sup -iHt} for a given atomic and molecular Hamiltonian H in terms of quantum gates array and apply the phase estimation algorithm to find the energy eigenvalues. Thus, in the circuit model of quantum computing for quantum chemistry, a crucial step is presenting the evolution operator for the atomic and molecular Hamiltonians in terms of quantum gate arrays. Since the presented circuit designs are independent from the matrix decomposition techniques and the global optimization processes used to find quantum circuits for a given operator, high accuracy simulations can be done for the unitary propagators of molecular Hamiltonians on quantum computers. As an example, we show how to build the circuit design for the hydrogen molecule.« less

Multi-Layer E-Textile Circuits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunne, Lucy E.; Bibeau, Kaila; Mulligan, Lucie; Frith, Ashton; Simon, Cory

2012-01-01

Stitched e-textile circuits facilitate wearable, flexible, comfortable wearable technology. However, while stitched methods of e-textile circuits are common, multi-layer circuit creation remains a challenge. Here, we present methods of stitched multi-layer circuit creation using accessible tools and techniques.

A Parallel Genetic Algorithm for Automated Electronic Circuit Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lohn, Jason D.; Colombano, Silvano P.; Haith, Gary L.; Stassinopoulos, Dimitris; Norvig, Peter (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

We describe a parallel genetic algorithm (GA) that automatically generates circuit designs using evolutionary search. A circuit-construction programming language is introduced and we show how evolution can generate practical analog circuit designs. Our system allows circuit size (number of devices), circuit topology, and device values to be evolved. We present experimental results as applied to analog filter and amplifier design tasks.

System and method for filling a plurality of isolated vehicle fluid circuits through a common fluid fill port

DOEpatents

Sullivan, Scott C; Fansler, Douglas

2014-10-14

A vehicle having multiple isolated fluid circuits configured to be filled through a common fill port includes a first fluid circuit disposed within the vehicle, the first fluid circuit having a first fill port, a second fluid circuit disposed within the vehicle, and a conduit defining a fluid passageway between the first fluid circuit and second fluid circuit, the conduit including a valve. The valve is configured such that the first and second fluid circuits are fluidly coupled via the passageway when the valve is open, and are fluidly isolated when the valve is closed.

Multiple output power supply circuit for an ion engine with shared upper inverter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cardwell, Jr., Gilbert I. (Inventor); Phelps, Thomas K. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

A power supply circuit for an ion engine suitable for a spacecraft is coupled to a bus having a bus input and a bus return. The power supply circuit has a first primary winding of a first transformer. An upper inverter circuit is coupled to the bus input and the first primary winding. The power supply circuit further includes a first lower inverter circuit coupled to the bus return and the first primary winding. The second primary winding of a second transformer is coupled to the upper inverter circuit. A second lower inverter circuit is coupled to the bus return and the second primary winding.

Function does not follow form in gene regulatory circuits.

PubMed

Payne, Joshua L; Wagner, Andreas

2015-08-20

Gene regulatory circuits are to the cell what arithmetic logic units are to the chip: fundamental components of information processing that map an input onto an output. Gene regulatory circuits come in many different forms, distinct structural configurations that determine who regulates whom. Studies that have focused on the gene expression patterns (functions) of circuits with a given structure (form) have examined just a few structures or gene expression patterns. Here, we use a computational model to exhaustively characterize the gene expression patterns of nearly 17 million three-gene circuits in order to systematically explore the relationship between circuit form and function. Three main conclusions emerge. First, function does not follow form. A circuit of any one structure can have between twelve and nearly thirty thousand distinct gene expression patterns. Second, and conversely, form does not follow function. Most gene expression patterns can be realized by more than one circuit structure. And third, multifunctionality severely constrains circuit form. The number of circuit structures able to drive multiple gene expression patterns decreases rapidly with the number of these patterns. These results indicate that it is generally not possible to infer circuit function from circuit form, or vice versa.

Beyond the temporal pole: limbic memory circuit in the semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia.

PubMed

Tan, Rachel H; Wong, Stephanie; Kril, Jillian J; Piguet, Olivier; Hornberger, Michael; Hodges, John R; Halliday, Glenda M

2014-07-01

Despite accruing evidence for relative preservation of episodic memory in the semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia (previously semantic dementia), the neural basis for this remains unclear, particularly in light of their well-established hippocampal involvement. We recently investigated the Papez network of memory structures across pathological subtypes of behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia and demonstrated severe degeneration of all relay nodes, with the anterior thalamus in particular emerging as crucial for intact episodic memory. The present study investigated the status of key components of Papez circuit (hippocampus, mammillary bodies, anterior thalamus, cingulate cortex) and anterior temporal cortex using volumetric and quantitative cell counting methods in pathologically-confirmed cases with semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia (n = 8; 61-83 years; three males), behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia with TDP pathology (n = 9; 53-82 years; six males) and healthy controls (n = 8, 50-86 years; four males). Behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia cases with TDP pathology were selected because of the association between the semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia and TDP pathology. Our findings revealed that the semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia and behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia show similar degrees of anterior thalamic atrophy. The mammillary bodies and hippocampal body and tail were preserved in the semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia but were significantly atrophic in behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia. Importantly, atrophy in the anterior thalamus and mild progressive atrophy in the body of the hippocampus emerged as the main memory circuit regions correlated with increasing dementia severity in the semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia. Quantitation of neuronal populations in the cingulate cortices confirmed the selective loss of anterior cingulate von Economo neurons in behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia. We also show that by end-stage these neurons selectively degenerate in the semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia with preservation of neurons in the posterior cingulate cortex. Overall, our findings demonstrate for the first time, severe atrophy, although not necessarily neuronal loss, across all relay nodes of Papez circuit with the exception of the mammillary bodies and hippocampal body and tail in the semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia. Despite the longer disease course in the semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia compared with behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia, we suggest here that the neural preservation of crucial memory relays (hippocampal→mammillary bodies and posterior cingulate→hippocampus) likely reflects the conservation of specific episodic memory components observed in most patients with semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Driver circuit for solid state light sources

DOEpatents

Palmer, Fred; Denvir, Kerry; Allen, Steven

2016-02-16

A driver circuit for a light source including one or more solid state light sources, a luminaire including the same, and a method of so driving the solid state light sources are provided. The driver circuit includes a rectifier circuit that receives an alternating current (AC) input voltage and provides a rectified AC voltage. The driver circuit also includes a switching converter circuit coupled to the light source. The switching converter circuit provides a direct current (DC) output to the light source in response to the rectified AC voltage. The driver circuit also includes a mixing circuit, coupled to the light source, to switch current through at least one solid state light source of the light source in response to each of a plurality of consecutive half-waves of the rectified AC voltage.

49 CFR 236.723 - Circuit, double wire; line.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Circuit, double wire; line. 236.723 Section 236... § 236.723 Circuit, double wire; line. An electric circuit not employing a common return wire; a circuit formed by individual wires throughout. ...

49 CFR 236.723 - Circuit, double wire; line.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Circuit, double wire; line. 236.723 Section 236... § 236.723 Circuit, double wire; line. An electric circuit not employing a common return wire; a circuit formed by individual wires throughout. ...

Present Status of Power Circuit Breaker and its Future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshioka, Yoshio

Gas circuit breaker and vacuum circuit breaker are the 2 main types of circuit breaker used in extra high voltage and medium voltage networks. After reviewing the history of these circuit breakers, their present status and technologies are described. As for future technology, computation of interrupting phenomena, SF6 gas less apparatus and expectation of the high voltage vacuum circuit breaker are discussed.

30 CFR 56.12065 - Short circuit and lightning protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Short circuit and lightning protection. 56... Electricity § 56.12065 Short circuit and lightning protection. Powerlines, including trolley wires, and telephone circuits shall be protected against short circuits and lightning. ...

30 CFR 56.12065 - Short circuit and lightning protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Short circuit and lightning protection. 56... Electricity § 56.12065 Short circuit and lightning protection. Powerlines, including trolley wires, and telephone circuits shall be protected against short circuits and lightning. ...

30 CFR 56.12065 - Short circuit and lightning protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Short circuit and lightning protection. 56... Electricity § 56.12065 Short circuit and lightning protection. Powerlines, including trolley wires, and telephone circuits shall be protected against short circuits and lightning. ...

30 CFR 56.12065 - Short circuit and lightning protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Short circuit and lightning protection. 56... Electricity § 56.12065 Short circuit and lightning protection. Powerlines, including trolley wires, and telephone circuits shall be protected against short circuits and lightning. ...

30 CFR 56.12065 - Short circuit and lightning protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Short circuit and lightning protection. 56... Electricity § 56.12065 Short circuit and lightning protection. Powerlines, including trolley wires, and telephone circuits shall be protected against short circuits and lightning. ...

Exchange circuits for FASTBUS slaves

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bratskii, A.A.; Matseev, M.Y.; Rybakov, V.G.

1985-09-01

This paper describes general-purpose circuits for FASTBUS interfacing of the functional part of a slave device. The circuits contain buffered receivers and transmitters, addressrecognition and data-transfer logic, and the required control/status registers. The described circuits are implemented with series-K500 integrated circuits.

49 CFR 236.786 - Principle, closed circuit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Principle, closed circuit. 236.786 Section 236.786 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION... Principle, closed circuit. The principle of circuit design where a normally energized electric circuit which...

49 CFR 236.725 - Circuit, switch shunting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Circuit, switch shunting. 236.725 Section 236.725 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION... Circuit, switch shunting. A shunting circuit which is closed through contacts of a switch circuit...

49 CFR 236.725 - Circuit, switch shunting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Circuit, switch shunting. 236.725 Section 236.725 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION... Circuit, switch shunting. A shunting circuit which is closed through contacts of a switch circuit...

49 CFR 236.725 - Circuit, switch shunting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Circuit, switch shunting. 236.725 Section 236.725 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION... Circuit, switch shunting. A shunting circuit which is closed through contacts of a switch circuit...

49 CFR 236.725 - Circuit, switch shunting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Circuit, switch shunting. 236.725 Section 236.725 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION... Circuit, switch shunting. A shunting circuit which is closed through contacts of a switch circuit...

49 CFR 236.725 - Circuit, switch shunting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Circuit, switch shunting. 236.725 Section 236.725 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION... Circuit, switch shunting. A shunting circuit which is closed through contacts of a switch circuit...

30 CFR 57.12065 - Short circuit and lightning protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Short circuit and lightning protection. 57... MINES Electricity Surface Only § 57.12065 Short circuit and lightning protection. Powerlines, including trolley wires, and telephone circuits shall be protected against short circuits and lightning. ...

30 CFR 57.12065 - Short circuit and lightning protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Short circuit and lightning protection. 57... MINES Electricity Surface Only § 57.12065 Short circuit and lightning protection. Powerlines, including trolley wires, and telephone circuits shall be protected against short circuits and lightning. ...

30 CFR 57.12065 - Short circuit and lightning protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Short circuit and lightning protection. 57... MINES Electricity Surface Only § 57.12065 Short circuit and lightning protection. Powerlines, including trolley wires, and telephone circuits shall be protected against short circuits and lightning. ...

30 CFR 57.12065 - Short circuit and lightning protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Short circuit and lightning protection. 57... MINES Electricity Surface Only § 57.12065 Short circuit and lightning protection. Powerlines, including trolley wires, and telephone circuits shall be protected against short circuits and lightning. ...

30 CFR 57.12065 - Short circuit and lightning protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Short circuit and lightning protection. 57... MINES Electricity Surface Only § 57.12065 Short circuit and lightning protection. Powerlines, including trolley wires, and telephone circuits shall be protected against short circuits and lightning. ...

Quantum mechanical settings inspired by RLC circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alicata, G.; Bagarello, F.; Gargano, F.; Spagnolo, S.

2018-04-01

In some recent papers, several authors used electronic circuits to construct loss and gain systems. This is particularly interesting in the context of PT-quantum mechanics, where this kind of effects appears quite naturally. The electronic circuits used so far are simple, but not so much. Surprisingly enough, a rather trivial RLC circuit can be analyzed with the same perspective and it produces a variety of unexpected results, both from a mathematical and on a physical side. In this paper, we show that this circuit produces two biorthogonal bases associated with the Liouville matrix L used in the treatment of its dynamics, with a biorthogonality which is linked to the value of the parameters of the circuit. We also show that the related loss RLC circuit is naturally associated with a gain RLC circuit and that the relation between the two is rather naturally encoded in L . We propose a pseudo-fermionic analysis of the circuit, and we introduce the notion of m-equivalence between electronic circuits.

Digital model of a vacuum circuit breaker for the analysis of switching waveforms in electrical circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budzisz, Joanna; Wróblewski, Zbigniew

2016-03-01

The article presents a method of modelling a vaccum circuit breaker in the ATP/EMTP package, the results of the verification of the correctness of the developed digital circuit breaker model operation and its practical usefulness for analysis of overvoltages and overcurrents occurring in commutated capacitive electrical circuits and also examples of digital simulations of overvoltages and overcurrents in selected electrical circuits.

Faster Evolution of More Multifunctional Logic Circuits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoica, Adrian; Zebulum, Ricardo

2005-01-01

A modification in a method of automated evolutionary synthesis of voltage-controlled multifunctional logic circuits makes it possible to synthesize more circuits in less time. Prior to the modification, the computations for synthesizing a four-function logic circuit by this method took about 10 hours. Using the method as modified, it is possible to synthesize a six-function circuit in less than half an hour. The concepts of automated evolutionary synthesis and voltage-controlled multifunctional logic circuits were described in a number of prior NASA Tech Briefs articles. To recapitulate: A circuit is designed to perform one of several different logic functions, depending on the value of an applied control voltage. The circuit design is synthesized following an automated evolutionary approach that is so named because it is modeled partly after the repetitive trial-and-error process of biological evolution. In this process, random populations of integer strings that encode electronic circuits play a role analogous to that of chromosomes. An evolved circuit is tested by computational simulation (prior to testing in real hardware to verify a final design). Then, in a fitness-evaluation step, responses of the circuit are compared with specifications of target responses and circuits are ranked according to how close they come to satisfying specifications. The results of the evaluation provide guidance for refining designs through further iteration.

Associative and sensorimotor cortico-basal ganglia circuit roles in effects of abused drugs.

PubMed

Gremel, C M; Lovinger, D M

2017-01-01

The mammalian forebrain is characterized by the presence of several parallel cortico-basal ganglia circuits that shape the learning and control of actions. Among these are the associative, limbic and sensorimotor circuits. The function of all of these circuits has now been implicated in responses to drugs of abuse, as well as drug seeking and drug taking. While the limbic circuit has been most widely examined, key roles for the other two circuits in control of goal-directed and habitual instrumental actions related to drugs of abuse have been shown. In this review we describe the three circuits and effects of acute and chronic drug exposure on circuit physiology. Our main emphasis is on drug actions in dorsal striatal components of the associative and sensorimotor circuits. We then review key findings that have implicated these circuits in drug seeking and taking behaviors, as well as drug use disorders. Finally, we consider different models describing how the three cortico-basal ganglia circuits become involved in drug-related behaviors. This topic has implications for drug use disorders and addiction, as treatments that target the balance between the different circuits may be useful for reducing excessive substance use. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

BiCMOS circuit technology for a 704 MHz ATM switch LSI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohtomo, Yusuke; Yasuda, Sadayuki; Togashi, Minoru; Ino, Masayuki; Tanabe, Yasuyuki; Inoue, Jun-Ichi; Nogawa, Masafumi; Hino, Shigeki

1994-05-01

This paper describes BiCMOS level-converter circuits and clock circuits that increase VLSI interface speed to 1 GHz, and their application to a 704 MHz ATM switch LSI. An LSI with high speed interface requires a BiCMOS multiplexer/demultiplexer (MUX/DEMUX) on the chip to reduce internal operation speed. A MUX/DEMUX with minimum power dissipation and a minimum pattern area can be designed using the proposed converter circuits. The converter circuits, using weakly cross-coupled CMOS inverters and a voltage regulator circuit, can convert signal levels between LCML and positive CMOS at a speed of 500 MHz. Data synchronization in the high speed region is ensured by a new BiCMOS clock circuit consisting of a pure ECL path and retiming circuits. The clock circuit reduces the chip latency fluctuation of the clock signal and absorbs the delay difference between the ECL clock and data through the CMOS circuits. A rerouting-Banyan (RRB) ATM switch, employing both the proposed converter circuits and the clock circuits, has been fabricated with 0.5 micron BiCMOS technology. The LSI, composed of CMOS 15 K gate LOGIC, 8 Kb RAM, 1 Kb FIFO and ECL 1.6 K gate LOGIC, achieved an operation speed of 704-MHz with power dissipation of 7.2 W.

30 CFR 56.6402 - Deenergized circuits near detonators.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Electric Blasting § 56.6402 Deenergized circuits near detonators. Electrical distribution circuits within 50 feet of electric detonators at the blast site shall be deenergized. Such circuits need not be... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Deenergized circuits near detonators. 56.6402...

30 CFR 75.902-1 - Maximum voltage ground check circuits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Maximum voltage ground check circuits. 75.902-1... Alternating Current Circuits § 75.902-1 Maximum voltage ground check circuits. The maximum voltage used for such ground check circuits shall not exceed 40 volts. ...

30 CFR 75.902-1 - Maximum voltage ground check circuits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Maximum voltage ground check circuits. 75.902-1... Alternating Current Circuits § 75.902-1 Maximum voltage ground check circuits. The maximum voltage used for such ground check circuits shall not exceed 40 volts. ...

Superconducting flux flow digital circuits

DOEpatents

Hietala, Vincent M.; Martens, Jon S.; Zipperian, Thomas E.

1995-01-01

A NOR/inverter logic gate circuit and a flip flop circuit implemented with superconducting flux flow transistors (SFFTs). Both circuits comprise two SFFTs with feedback lines. They have extremely low power dissipation, very high switching speeds, and the ability to interface between Josephson junction superconductor circuits and conventional microelectronics.

Time-resolved single-photon detection module based on silicon photomultiplier: A novel building block for time-correlated measurement systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Martinenghi, E., E-mail: edoardo.martinenghi@polimi.it; Di Sieno, L.; Contini, D.

2016-07-15

We present the design and preliminary characterization of the first detection module based on Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) tailored for single-photon timing applications. The aim of this work is to demonstrate, thanks to the design of a suitable module, the possibility to easily exploit SiPM in many applications as an interesting detector featuring large active area, similarly to photomultipliers tubes, but keeping the advantages of solid state detectors (high quantum efficiency, low cost, compactness, robustness, low bias voltage, and insensitiveness to magnetic field). The module integrates a cooled SiPM with a total photosensitive area of 1 mm{sup 2} together with themore » suitable avalanche signal read-out circuit, the signal conditioning, the biasing electronics, and a Peltier cooler driver for thermal stabilization. It is able to extract the single-photon timing information with resolution better than 100 ps full-width at half maximum. We verified the effective stabilization in response to external thermal perturbations, thus proving the complete insensitivity of the module to environment temperature variations, which represents a fundamental parameter to profitably use the instrument for real-field applications. We also characterized the single-photon timing resolution, the background noise due to both primary dark count generation and afterpulsing, the single-photon detection efficiency, and the instrument response function shape. The proposed module can become a reliable and cost-effective building block for time-correlated single-photon counting instruments in applications requiring high collection capability of isotropic light and detection efficiency (e.g., fluorescence decay measurements or time-domain diffuse optics systems).« less