Novel multiband circular microstrip antennas (C-MSAs) with multiple half-ring slots are presented in this paper. Two antenna-feeding systems, i.e. an embedded L-probe beneath the patch and a coplanar circular arc- shaped probe (T-probe), are used to feed the C-MSA with multiple half-ring slots. The embedded L-probe is used to excite the C-MSA with a double-layer dielectric substrate due to its tremendous performance to provide a wideband impedance matching. The coplanar T-probe is proposed to realize an excellent multiband C-MSA in a single-layer structure. The C-MSA with four half-ring slots fed by the embedded L-probe exhibits satisfactory radiation characteristics. Five frequencies with broadside radiation patterns and gains of at least 5.0 dBi are obtained. It is also confirmed by simulation that resonant frequency and gain can be easily controlled to meet the desired frequency requirements. Moreover, the C-MSA with three half-ring slots fed by the coplanar T-probe presents satisfactory performance over the four observed frequencies with good return losses (-10 dB reference). Broadside radiation patterns with acceptable cross-polarization level and gains in the range of 3.0-7.0 dBi are obtained. Couplings between the C-MSA and the coplanar T-probe have an important contribution to obtain good return losses. It can be controlled by adjusting the distance between them and the arc angle of the coplanar T-probe appropriately. Experiments of both types of antenna were conducted to verify the simulation results and good agreements are confirmed. Due to the performances, these two C-MSAs are considered to be an effective model as a multiband planar antenna.

In this letter, the fabrication of a compact and high performance semi-lumped coplanar waveguide low-pass filter (CPW-LPF) on high resistivity silicon (HRS) substrate at millimeter wave is proposed. The design procedure and the equivalent circuit of the proposed semi-lumped CPW-LPF is discussed. The filter structure of is very simple but its performances is fairly good. This designed filter at cutoff frequency fc of 31 GHz has very good measured characteristics including the low insertion loss, sharp rejection and low group delay, due to the reduced substrate loss of HRS. Experimental results of the fabricated filter show a good agreement with the predicted results.

DTW-based text-dependent speaker verification technology is an effective scheme for protecting personal information in personal electronic products from others. To enhance the performance of a DTW-based system, an impostor database covering all possible passwords is generally required for the matching scores normalization. However, it becomes impossible in our practical application scenario since users are not restricted in their choice of password. We propose a method to generate pseudo-impostor data by employing an acoustic codebook. Based on the pseudo-impostor data, two normalization algorithms are developed. Besides, a template compression approach based on the codebook is introduced. Some modifications to the conventional DTW global constraints are also made for the compressed template. Combining the normalization and template compression methods, we obtain more than 66% and 35% relative reduction in storage and EER, respectively. We expect that other DTW-based tasks may also benefit from our methods.

Mn1-xZnxFe2O4 thin films with various Zn contents, 300 nm in thickness, were synthesized on glass substrates directly by electroless plating in aqueous solution at 90 without a heat treatment. With XRD, SEM, VSM, the crystallographic structure, morphology of the films and the macroscopic magnetic properties were characterized. The Mn-Zn ferrite films have a single phase spinel structure and well-crystallized columnar grains grow perpendicularly to the substrate. The change of the coercivity is not consistent with that of the bulk materials. As the Zn content in the films increases, the value of Hc decreases firstly, and then increases. At x=0.5, the minimum value of Hc is 3.7 kA/m and the value of Ms is 419.6 kA/m. The hyperfine magnetic fields, cation occupations and the distribution of the magnetic moments in film plane were studied by the conversion electron Mossbauer spectroscopy (CEMS).

Generalized Multi-protocol Label Switching (GMPLS) technologies are expected a key technology that creates high-performance Internet backbone networks. There were many GMPLS interoperability trials. However, most of them reported the successful results only. How to set up a trial network and how to test it was generally not discussed. In this paper, as a kind of tutorial, detailed GMPLS field trials in the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) Kei-han-na Info-Communication Open Laboratory, Interoperability Working Group (WG) are reported. The interoperability WG is aiming at the leading edge GMPLS protocol based Inter-Carrier Interface that utilizes wide-bandwidth, cost-effective photonic technology to implement IP-centric managed networks. The interoperability WG is a consortium for researching the GMPLS protocol and advancing a de facto standard in this area. Its experimental results, new ideas, and protocols are submitted to standardization bodies such as the International Telecommunications Union-Telecommunication standardization sector (ITU-T), the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), and the Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF). This paper introduces the activities of the interoperability WG; they include a nationwide GMPLS field trial using the JGN II network with multi-vendor, multi-switching-capable equipment and a GMPLS multi routing area trial that used a multi-vendor lambda-switching-capable network.

In this paper, a simple piezoelectric floating mass transducer (PFMT) for implantable middle ear hearing devices (IMEHDs) is proposed and its modeling and designing are studied. The transducer which can be implanted in the meddle ear consists of a PMN-PT multi-layered piezoelectric actuator, an elastic material, and a metal case. The proposed transducer has a simple structure and the force generated from the piezoelectric actuator is efficiently transferred to the ossicles of the middle ear. For the analysis of the vibration characteristics, the transducer attached on the ossicle is simplified into a simple mechanical model considering the mass of an incus. And the vibration displacement of the model is calculated using computer simulation and verified by the experimental results. It is shown that the designed PFMT can allow implantation in the middle ear cavity and provide a sufficiently high output of more than 100 nm of vibration displacement. Plus, it is verified that the vibration characteristics of PFMT can be controlled through adjustment of the metal case size and the elastic material of the transducer.

In this paper the current trends in the optical networking including the physical components, technologies and control architectures are discussed. The possible interaction schemes and implementation models of the automatic communication between applications and network as well as between ASON/GMPLS based network domains are proposed. Finally, the related research activities based on simulation results of control plane dimensioning are illustrated and real test bed experiments on OIF worldwide interoperability demonstration and the ongoing European IST project MUPBED are disseminated.

A press-fit connection is a solderless electrical connection technology, which utilizes the mechanical contact force generated between through-holes on a printed circuit board (PCB) and terminals with a width slightly larger than the through-hole diameter. This technology has been widely noted recently as a measure against the "Lead Free Requirement" of materials comprising electric/electronic devices, especially in the area of automobile connector. For the application of this technology to automobile connectors, we have to take into account the severe requirement, such as (1) the adaptation to wider through-hole diameter tolerance range and (2) the establishment of connection reliability for the various PCB surface treatments. As a result, we have determined the minimum and maximum contact forces satisfying the long term connection reliability and designed the terminal shape, which has been refined the N-shape cross section developed before, by using three dimensional finite element methods (FEM). Furthermore, we have developed a new type of hard tin plating on terminals, thus preventing the scraping-off of tin during the insertion process, that could result in a short-circuit on the PCB, for the Organic Solderability Preservative (OSP) treated PCB. The press-fit connector for the automobile airbag Electronic Control Units (ECUs) we developed has been able to transfer to the mass-production phase successfully from August 2005.

Excitation of plasmons on the surface of a metal grating placed in planar or conical mounting is investigated in detail. Most of the results of numerical computations are compared with experimental data. When a TM wave illuminates a metal grating, total or partial absorption of incident light occurs at angles of incidence at which the plasmon surface waves are excited. In planar mounting the absorption is generally strong and nearly total absorption is observed. While in conical mounting, it is not so strong as that in the planar mounting case and a considerable amount of incident power is reflected. This, however, is accompanied by enhanced TM-TE mode conversion and the greater part of the reflected wave is in the TE polarization. The reciprocal of the TM-wave efficiency, hence, is a practical measure in finding the angles of incidence at which the plasmons are excited. Because the angles are sensitive functions of the refractive index of a material over the grating surface, this phenomenon can be used as an index sensor.

In recent years, there have been ever-increasing demands to miniaturize automotive connectors. However, because the contact force decreases as connectors are miniaturized further, fretting corrosion, which is a typical problem occurring with low-force electric contacts, is expected to become a more serious problem in future. This time we developed a new experimental device capable of controlling the contact load, fretting amplitude, fretting frequency, contact part temperature and humidity optionally. In this report, we used the design of experiments method, and quantitatively evaluated the extent of the influence of the expected factor (in terms of load, amplitude, and plating thickness, etc.) on the fretting phenomenon, which occurs in the tin plating of the connector terminal. Moreover, based on SEM examination, we analyzed the surface and cross section of the contact parts when degradation occurs, and considered the mechanism of the degradation.

Eddy-current type proximity sensor is a non-contact type sensing device to detect the approach of a conductor by increase of coil resistance due to eddy-current loss. This paper proposes to add the cap-shaped magnetic flux shield at the top of the ferrite core for the actual sensor. In conventional proximity sensors, main magnetic flux path passes through the air between the target conductor and ferrite core. Proposed sensor, in contrast, has closed magnetic circuit geometry. It means that main magnetic flux path is almost completed by the core and the shield. Therefore, it is predicted that flux does not reach the target conductor and it causes debasement of sensing property. However, it is shown that the calculated results by FEM and measured results of sensing property of the proposed sensor is enhanced compared with the actual sensor. This paper quantitatively accounts the electromagnetisms of the proposed sensor from sensing property, flux distributions and eddy-current loss in each part of the sensor body. Moreover, material characteristics for the proposed shield, such as relative permeability and conductivity, are found.

Nuclear power plants (NPPs) must be maintained periodically. Their maintenance efficiency must be improved and human error must be reduced simultaneously to improve NPPs' competitive capability in electricity markets. Although Augmented Reality (AR) offers great possibilities to support NPP maintenance work, some difficulties exist for application of AR to actual work support because current AR systems cannot be implemented in NPP environments without technical improvement. There are several kinds of problems such as recognition distance, tracking accuracy, and a complex working environment when applying AR to NPP field work support. Considerable extension of tracking distance and improvement of accuracy are particularly desired because NPPs are large-scale indoor environments. This study designed a linecode marker, a new type of paper-based marker, along with recognition and tracking algorithms for it to resolve these problems. In contrast to conventional paper-based markers, such as square markers and circle markers, the linecode marker is not merely easier to set up in complex industrial environments: it also enables the use of AR in industrial plants because of its considerable tracking-performance improvement. To evaluate tracking accuracy, the trackable distance, and the tracking speed of the proposed tracking method, an evaluation experiment was conducted in a large room. The experiment results show that the tracking distance is extended extremely over that of the traditional marker-based tracking method: tracking accuracy improved to 20 cm over a 10 m distance. The running speed of the tracking can be as fast as 15 frames per second using a laptop PC.

We measured the complex permittivities of whole blood and blood plasma in quasi millimeter and millimeter wave bands using a coaxial probe method. The validity of these measurements was confirmed by comparing with those of a different measurement method, i.e., a dielectric tube method. It is shown that the complex permittivities of the blood samples are similar to those of water in quasi millimeter and millimeter wave bands. Furthermore, the temperature dependences of the complex permittivities of the samples were measured.

In this paper, the effect of Halo concentration on performance of 30 nm gate length Double-Gate MOSFET with 30 nm thin body-Si is investigated by using two dimensional device simulator. We quantitatively show the dependency of electrical characteristic (subthreshold-slope, threshold voltage: Vth, drivability and leak current: Ion and Ioff) on the Halo concentration. This dependency can be explained by the reasons why the Halo concentration has directly effect on the potential distribution of the body. It is made clear that from viewpoint of body potential control, the design of Halo concentration is key technology for suppressing short-channel effect and improving subthreshold-slope, Ion and Ioff adjusting the Vth.

In this paper, we use a modified Gaussian filter to improve enlargement accuracy of the arbitrary scale LP enlargement method, which is based on the Laplacian pyramid representation (so called "LP method"). The parameters of the proposed algorithm are extracted through a theoretical analysis and an experimental estimation. Experimental results show that the proposed modified Gaussian filter is effective for the arbitrary scale LP enlargement method.

We experimentally investigated terahertz photomixing operation at room temperature in an InGaP/InGaAs/ GaAs two-dimensional plasmon-resonant photomixer incorporating grating-bicoupled dual-gate structure. Photoelectrons drifting into a high-density plasmon cavity grating from an adjacent low-density one extensively excite the plasmon resonance, resulting in emission of terahertz radiation. A vertical cavity formed between the two-dimensional plasmon grating plane and an indium-tin-oxide mirror at the back surface gains the radiation. Self-oscillation initially at around 4.5 THz excited by a dc-photo carrier component was reinforced by the photomixed differential-frequency excitation at 4.0 and 5.0 THz. This indicates a possibility of injection-locked oscillation of the photomixer in the terahertz frequency band.

One of 3-D devices to achieve high density arrays was adopted in this study, where source and drain junctions are formed along the silicon fin. The screening by adjacent high fins for large sensing margin makes it hard to ion-implant with high angle so that vertical ion implantation is inevitable. In this study, the dependency of current characteristics on doping profiles is investigated by 3-D numerical analysis. The position of concentration peak and the doping gradient are varied to look into the effects on driving currents. Through these analyses, the optimum condition of ion implantation for 3-D devices is estimated.

The quantization error of phase delay in an ultrasonic annular arrays imaging system is analyzed which impairs image resolution, and proper sampling rate is considered to reduce system complexity.

Acoustic field analysis results of surface acoustic wave dispersive delay lines using inclined chirp IDTs on a Y-Z LiNbO3 substrate are described. The calculated results are compared with optical measurements. The angular spectrum of the plane wave method is applied to calculation of the acoustic fields considering the anisotropy of the SAW velocity by using the polynomial approximation. Acoustic field propagating along the Z-axis of the substrate, which is the main beam excited by the inclined chirp IDT, shows asymmetric distribution between the +Z and -Z directions. Furthermore the SAW beam propagating in a slanted direction with an angle of +18 from the Z axis to the X-axis is observed. It is described that the SAW beam propagating in a slanted direction is the first side lobe excited by the inclined chirp IDT. The acoustic field shows asymmetric distribution along the X-axis because of the asymmetric structure of the inclined chirp IDT. Finally, acoustic field of a two-IDT connected structure which consists of the same IDTs electrically connected in series is presented. The acoustic field of the two-IDT connected structure is calculated to be superposed onto the calculated result of the acoustic field exited by one IDT on the calculated result shifted along the X-axis. Two SAW beams excited by IDTs are observed. The distributions of the SAW beams are not in parallel. The calculated results show good agreement with the optical measurement results.

This report presents Dual Field-modulating-Plates (Dual-FP) technology for a 28 V operated high power GaAs heterojunction FET (HJFET) amplifier. A developed HJFET has two FP electrodes; the 1st-FP is connected to the gate and the 2nd-FP to the ground. The 2nd-FP suppresses the drain current dispersion effectively cooperating with the 1st-FP, and it can also reduce the gate-drain parasitic capacitance. The developed push-pull amplifier, with four Dual-FPFET chips, demonstrated 55.1 dBm (320 W) output power with a 14.0 dB linear gain and a drain efficiency of 62% at 2.14 GHz. Under two-carrier W-CDMA signals, it showed a high drain efficiency of 30% and low third-order Inter-modulation distortion of -37 dBc at output power of 47.5 dBm.