A light emitting diode (LED) array unit for use as a light source in isolated power transmission and a display panel was fabricated using LED chips mounted on a silicon microreflector. The reflector was formed on a (100) silicon wafer by anisotropic chemical etching. An isolated power supply consisting of an infrared LED array unit and single silicon crystal solar cells had a maximum transmission efficiency of 2.3%. The silicon microreflector absorbs the heat generated by the LED chips and improves their light directive characteristics. A small, high-resolution, full color LED display panel can also be constructed using LED array units fabricated on silicon microreflectors. The LEDs in a unit are arrayed with a matrix structure and the electric contacts between the LED chips, the reflector and the upper cover glass are formed using conducting silver resin.

A quantitative study is made on performance of neutron penumbral imaging with a toroidal-segment aperture, and it focused on isoplanaticity of aperture point spread function and effect of the non-isoplanaticity on the reconstructed images. The results show that the aperture point spread function is satisfactorily isoplanatic for a small field of view, while for a large field of view the point spread function is not satisfactorily isoplanatic resulting in some distortion in the reconstructed image and reduction of resolution.

A method is proposed for forming hillock-free aluminum-based alloy bus lines for active-matrix liquid-crystal displays (LCDs). Aluminum (Al)-based alloy films are deposited using an Al target containing boron (B) or nickel (Ni) in a sputtering ambient containing nitrogen. The Al-Ni films deposited using an Al target containing Ni showed excellent hillock resistance: virtually no hillock formation after thermal treatment at around 400 and no significant increase in resistivity. These films also showed good patternability with a simple wet etching: a smooth line edge and a gently tapered profile. These films are thus suitable for the bus lines of active matrices.

This paper presents an analog 2-dimensional discrete cosine transform (2-D DCT) processor for focal-plane image compression. The on-chip analog 2-D DCT processor can process directly the analog signal of the CMOS image sensor. The analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) is preformed after the 2-D DCT, and this leads to efficient AD conversion of video signals. Most of the 2-D DCT coefficients can be digitized by a relatively low-resolution ADC or a zero detector. The quantization process after the 2-D DCT can be realized by the ADC at the same time. The 88-point analog 2-D DCT processor is designed by switched-capacitor (SC) coefficient multipliers and an SC analog memory based on 0.35µm CMOS technology. The 2-D DCT processor has sufficient precision, high processing speed, low power dissipation, and small silicon area. The resulting smart image sensor chips with data compression and digital transmission functions are useful for the high-speed image acquisition devices and portable digital video camera systems.

A thermally controlled magnetization actuator (TCMA) is proposed for micro-mechanical relays. It is actuated by changing the local magnetization of the structure by remote heating using a laser beam. It is fabricated by nickel surface micromachining (a fabrication technique using nickel electroplating). The optical power of the laser diode used to drive the TCMA is about 30 mW. The switching time of the microrelay was experimentally measured to be 10 ms, the same as that of a conventional mechanical relay. The contact force was calculated to be 20 µN, which can be improved by increasing the size of the TCMA.

An ink-jet head using a buckling diaphragm microactuator is described. The microactuator is composed of a silicon substrate, silicon dioxide insulator, nickel heater layer and electro-plated nickel diaphragm. All the edges of the diaphragm are fixed on the substrate and a narrow gap is formed between the diaphragm and the substrate. A nozzle plate is connected to the actuator by an adhesive spacer to get the ink-jet head. An ink chamber is formed by the surfaces of the diaphragm, the nozzle plate, and the side wall of the spacer. When the diaphragm is heated, thermally induced compressive stress causes the diaphragm to buckle rapidly and the diaphragm simultaneously deflects toward the nozzle plate. The deflection raises the pressure in the ink chamber and an ink droplet is then ejected through the nozzle. The head design was carried out using mechanical analysis of a buckling model, and heat transfer simulation. The diaphragm made from nickel is 300 µm diameter and 2 µm-thick. The narrow gap is 0.4 µm. The cathode current density in nickel sulphamate solution used for nickel electro-plating of the diaphragm was 20 mA/cm2. An ink droplet has been ejected with a velocity of 8 m/s while the ink-jet head is operated by heating the diaphragm with a current of 510 mA at 16.6 V for 10 µs at 1.8 kHz.

Laser module fabricated with silicon platform technology is very attractive for low-cost modules. The technology enables passive optical alignment of an LD to an optical fiber. Our marker design for passive alignment allows positioning accuracy within 1 µm of LD. However, coupling efficiency is a key issue because that by conventional butt coupling scheme is low with about 10 dB coupling loss. We investigated optical coupling characteristics in various types of coupling scheme: conventional flat end fibers, cone fibers, integrated GRIN rod lenses on the platform and the coupling with new-type LDs integrated with spot size transformer. Improvement of coupling efficiency with 3 dB and 7.5 dB compared to flat-end fiber is achieved by using the cone fiber and the GRIN rod lens, respectively, although 1-dB coupling tolerances for alignment deteriorated with these schemes. We obtained high efficient coupling with 3.5 dB coupling loss and wide alignment tolerance of 2.3 µm simultaneously with a new-type LD integrated with spot size transformer owing to its expanded spot size characteristics.

An insertion loss, branching deviation and polarization dependent loss (PDL) as to a 2 N optical splitter using silica-based planar lightwave circuits has been investigated. New key technologies such as (1) a novel wedge type Y-branch, (2) an offset waveguide at the junction between the curved input waveguide and the Y-branch, and (3) low birefringence waveguides due to the appropriate dopant concentration of a cladding, have been devised and incorporated into the splitter. As a result, 2 N optical splitters with low average insertion loss ( 13.2 dB), low branching deviation ( 0.4 dB) and low PDL ( 0.2 dB) have been successfully developed.

This paper describes the technological issues in achieving a low-cost hybrid WDM module for access network systems. The problems which should be resolved in developing a low-cost module are clarified from the viewpoint of the module assembly in mass production. A design concept for a low-cost module suitable for mass production is indicated, which simplifies the alignment between a laser diode and a waveguide, and reduces the number of the components such as lenses and mirrors. The low-cost module is achieved by employing a flip-chip bonding method with passive alignment using a spot-size converter integrated laser diode (SS-LD) and p-i-n waveguide photodiodes (WGPDs) on a planar lightwave circuit (PLC) platform. We confirm that the SS-LD and the WGPD provide high coupling efficiency with a large tolerance for passive alignment. To achieve a high-sensitivity receiver, the module is designed to employ an asymmetric PLC Y-splitter that prefers a PD responsivity to an LD output power because of the high-coupling efficiency of the LD, and to employ a bare preamplifier mounting to reduce the parasitic capacitance into a preamplifier. We also demonstrate the dynamic performance for a 50-Mb/s burst signal, such as a high sensitivity, an instantaneous AGC response, and a small APC deviation of the transceiver.

A simple extension to treat evanescent modal excitation at the aperture of a parallel plane waveguide is shown here by GTD diffracted rays with complex propagation angles. Numerical comparison with other solution confirmed that our simple solution can be used for modal excitation estimation below the cut-off frequency.

The status of the plastic optical fiber (POF) for high-speed data communication is described. Very recently, the low-loss and high-bandwidth perfluorinated GI POF which has no serious absorption loss from visible to 1.3-µm wavelength was successfully prepared at Keio University. Since the core diameter (300-1000 µm) of the GI POF is much larger than that of the multimode silica fiber (62.5 µm), the serious modal noise in the conventional multimode silica fiber was virtually eliminated, resulting in stable giga bit order data transmission with inexpensive couplers and connectors.

We propose an InGaAlAs waveguide p-i-n photodiode (WG-PD) with a thick symmetric double-core for surface-hybrid integration onto optical platforms, which can be applied to low cost optical modules for access networks. The waveguide structure is designed to efficiently couple to flat-ended single mode fibers while maintaining low-voltage (less than 2 V) operation. Crystal growth conditions and a passivation technique are also investigated for obtaining high responsivity, low dark current and highly reliable operation. Fiber-coupled responsivity as high as 0.95 A/W, at a 1.3-µm wavelength, and vertical coupling tolerance as wide as 2.6 µm are demonstrated for a dispersion-shifted fiber (DSF) coupling at an operating voltage of 2 V. Dark current is as low as 300 pA at 25 and 12 nA at 100. A temperature accelerated aging test is performed to show the feasibility of using the WG-PD in long-term practical applications.

To realize a low-cost WDM transceiver module based on a PLC-platform, simple, assembly techniques have been successfully developed. The formation of index marks with an accuracy of below 0.1 µm has made it possible to mount Opto-electronic devices on the silicon terrace of the PLC-platform by a passive alignment. A newly developed trench formation technique for inserting a 1.3/1.5 µm WDM dielectric filter enabled us not only to ensure a stable WDM function but also to prevent excess loss associated with the dielectric filter scheme. It is found that these two technologies are practically useful to achieve high-performance WDM transceiver module.

So far, neuronal dendrites have been characterized as electrically passive cables. However, recent physiological findings have revealed complex dynamics due to active conductances distributed over dendrites. In particular, the voltage-gated calcium and calcium-activated conductances are essential for producing diverse neuronal dynamics and synaptic plasticity. In this paper, we investigate the functional significance of the dendritic calcium-activated dynamics by computer simulations. First, the dendritic calcium-activated responses are modeled in a discrete compartmental form based on the physiological findings. Second, the basic stimulus-response characteristics of the single compartment dendrite model are investigated. The model is shown to reproduce the neuronal responses qualitatively. Third, the spatio-temporal dynamics of the dendrite shafts are modeled by longitudinally connecting 10 single compartments with coupling constants which are responsible for the dendrite thickness. The thick dendrite models, corresponding to proximal dendrites, respond in a spatially cooperative manner to a localized constant or periodic current stimulation. In contrast, the highly activated compartments are forced to be localized in the neighborhood of the stimulation-site in the fine dendrite models corresponding to distal dendrites. These results suggest that dendritic activities are spatially cooperated in a site-dependent manner.

This paper describes the design and performance of optical components for in-service fiber testing and monitoring in optical subscriber loops. As the number of test fibers increases, compact and cost-effective components are becoming more important. To meet this need, we have developed a highly-dense hybrid structure for optical couplers and filters, which both play key roles in testing systems. It was realized by utilizing a polyimide-base thin film filter and a waveguide-type wavelength insensitive coupler. This component operates by combining a signal and a test light with a ratio of 80/20% and isolating the test light with a value of 50 dB. The experimental samples were successfully fabricated with an excess loss of 1 dB, a return loss of 40 dB, a plolarization dependent loss (PDL) of 0.3 dB, and good environmental and mechanical stability. We successfully applied the samples to an optical branch module (OBM), and achieved a component density twice that of a conventional module. The optical characteristics of the OBM met our target values. The results we obtained for termination cords incorporating the polyimide-base filter were also satisfactory.

Transport-processing FPGAs have been proposed for flexible telecommunication systems. Since those FPGAs have finer granularity of logic functions to implement circuits on them, the amount of routing resources tends to increase. In order to keep routing congstion small, it is necessary to execute placement and routing simultaneously. This paper proposes a simultaneous placement and global routing algorithm for transport-processing FPGAs whose primary objective is minimizing routing congestion. The algorithm is based on hierarchical bipartition of layout regions and sets of LUTs (Look Up Tables) to be placed. It achieves bipartitioning which leads to small routing congestion by applying a network flow technique to it and computing a maximum flow and a minimum cut. If there exist connections between bipartitioned LUT sets, pairs of pseudo-terminals are introduced to preserve the connections. A sequence of pseudo-terminals represents a global route of each net. As a result, both placement of LUTs and global routing are determined when hierarchical bipartitioning procedures are finished. The proposed algorithm has been implemented and applied to practical transport-processing circuits. The experimental results demonstrate that it decreases routing congestion by an average of 37% compared with a conventional algorithm and achieves 100% routing for the circuits for which the conventional algorithm causes unrouted nets.

We studied the application of precursor solutions that can be fired into oxides to form a protective layer for AC-type Plasma Display Panel (AC-PDP). Our study of alkoxide and metallic soap as MgO precursors revealed that the crystallinity of MgO films depends on the starting substance. Since the electric discharge characteristics of a panel and the lamination effect of the protective layer depend on precursors, it was confirmed that binders having higher crystallinity provide better characteristics. Our study revealed that a compound-oxide film has high crystallinity. The application of a Ba0.6Sr0.4Gd2O4 formation solution to a binder and the application of a Sr0.6Mg0.4Gd2O4 formation solution to a protective layer both are seemed promising We also found that a double-layer film, made by forming a protective layer of fine MgO powder and a Ba0.6Sr0.4Gd2O4 binder, on top of a protective layer made of fine MgO powder and a MgO binder, provides a luminous efficiency 5.3 times higher than that of sputtered MgO film which is one of candidates for the large panel, and the conventional electron beam evaporation is not suitable for the large panel. We further found that a triple-layer protective film made by forming a thin film of Sr0.6Mg0.4Gd2O4 provides low voltages of 1 V in firing voltage (Vf) and 35 V in sustaining voltage (Vs) compared to the double-layer film and provides a luminous efficiency 5.5 times higher than that of sputtered MgO film. A life test revealed the triple-layer film in particular providing a useful life of more than 10,000 hours. From these findings, we concluded that the compound-oxides which is composed of alkaline-earth-metal and rare-earth-element could be applied effectively to a protective layer for AC-PDP.

This paper presents the scattering characteristics of a TE electromagnetic plane wave by metallic strip gratings on an optically plasma-induced silicon slab at millimeter wave frequencies. The characteristics were analyzed by using the spectral domain Galerkin method and estimated numerically. We examined to control the resonance anomaly by changing the optically induced plasma density, and the metallic strip grating structures were fabricated on highly resistive silicon. The optical control characteristics of the reflection, and the forward scattering pattern by the grating structures, were measured at Q band and are discussed briefly with theory.

Unlike the time-consuming contour tracking method of snakes [5] which requires a considerable number of iterated computations before contours are successfully tracked down, we present a faster and accurate model-based landmarks" tracking method where a single iteration of the dynamic programming is sufficient to obtain a local minimum to an integral measure of the elastic and the image energy functionals. The key lies in choosing a relatively small number of salient land-marks", or features of objects, rather than their contours as a target of tracking within the image structure. The landmarks comprising singular points along the model contours are tracked down within the image structure all inside restricted search areas of 41 41 pixels whose respective locations in image structure are dictated by their locations in the model. A Manhattan distance and a template corner detection function of Singh and Shneier [7] are used as elastic energy and image energy respectively in the algorithm. A first approximation to the image contour is obtained in our method by applying the thin-plate spline transformation of Bookstein [2] using these landmarks as fixed points of the transformation which is capable of preserving a global shape information of the model including the relative configuration of landmarks and consequently surrounding contours of the model in the image structure. The actual image contours are further tracked down by applying an active edge tracker using now simplified line search segments so that individual differences persisting between the mapped model contour are substantially eliminated. We have applied our method tentatively to portraits of a class album to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method. Our experiments convincingly show that using only about 11 feature points our method provides not only a much improved computational complexity requiring only 0.94sec. in CPU time by SGI's indigo2 but also more accurate shape representations than those obtained by the snakes methods. The method is powerful in a problem domain where the model-based approach is applicable, possibly allowing real time processing because a most time consuming algorithm of corner template evaluation can be easily implemented by parallel processing firmware.

In order to improve the sensitivity of micromachined sensors applied with electrostatic fields and increase their actuated force of electrostatic micromachined actuators, "electrets," which are dielectrics carrying non equilibrium permanent space charges of polarization distribution, are very important. In this paper, positively corona charged silicon dioxide electrets, which are deposited by Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition (PCVD) and thermally oxidized, are investigated. Physical studies will be described, in which the charge stability is correlated to Thermally Stimulated Current (TSC) measurements and to Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) analysis. Some intrinsic differences have been observed between materials. The electrets with superior long-term charge stability contain 10,000 times as much E' center (Si3 as the ones with inferior long-term charge stability. Finally, some investigations on the long-term charge storage mechanism of the positively charged silicon dioxide electret will be described.