The charge neutralized at a small gap discharge has been evaluated from measured electromagnetic fields by two methods. The small gap discharges simulate ESD events. The evaluated charge decreases rapidly as a step shape immediately in a moment of the discharge. The accumulated static charge and the risetime of the neutralization step increase with the gap length. When the gap length is 0.1mm, risetime and the initial static charge are about 0.3ns and 5.6nC, respectively.

Estimating the macroscopic demand for telephones is essential to long-term planning construction of telecommunication networks facilities. Although there are several useful forecast equations, they need some types and/or vast amounts of data that are sometimes unavailable, especially in developing countries. This paper presents a sophisticated telephone demand estimation technique that is based on the demands of residential and business users. It uses several parameters to estimate the increase in telephone demand. A simplified equation is also presented that is a function of only one parameter: normalized gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. This simplified equation is shown to be useful by using data for more than ten countries.

In order to pave the way to B-ISDN, one of the most important issues for network providers is to identify the most efficient B-ISDN introduction strategy. This paper focuses on the costs of introducing ATM transmission systems into backbone transport networks which must provide highly reliable broad band transmission capability. In this context, the main rival to ATM is Synchronous Transfer Mode (STM); recent Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) equipment supports the establishment of advanced STM-based high speed transport networks. This paper offers a cost comparison of ATM and STM based backbone transport networks. A digital path network in STM has a hierarchical structure determined by the hierarchical multiplexing scheme employed. The minimum cost STM path network can only be determined by developing a path design method that considers all hierarchical path levels and yields the optimum balance of link cost and node cost. Virtual paths have desirable features such as non-deterministic path bandwidth and non-hierarchical and direct multiplexing capability into high speed optical transmission links. These features make it possible to implement a non-hierarchical VP network with ATM cross connect systems which can handle any bandwidth VP with a universal cell switching function. This paper shows that the non-hierarchical VP routing, which strongly minimizes link cost, can be implemented without significantly increasing node cost. Network design simulations show that the virtual path scheme, possible only in an ATM network, yields the most cost effective path network configuration.

We studied effects of 50-200-keV electrons on semiconductor devices using BEASTLI (backscattered electron assisting LSI inspection) method. When irradiating semiconduc-tor devices with such high-energy electrons, we have to note two phenomena. The first is surface charging and the second is device damage. In our study of surface charging, we found that a net positive charge was formed on the device surface. The positive surface charges do not cause serious influence for observation so that we can inspect wafers without problems. The positive surface charging may be brought about because most incident electrons penetrate the device layer and reach the conducting substrate of the semiconductor device. For the device damage, we studied MOS devices which were sensitive to electron-beam irradiation. By applying a 400- annealing to electron-beam irradiated MOS devices, we could restore the initial characteris-tics of MOS devices. However, in order to recover hot-carrier degradation due to neutral traps, we had to apply a 900- annealing to the electron-beam irradiated MOS devices. Thus, BEASTLI could be successfully used by providing an apporopri-ate annealing to the electron-beam irradiated MOS devices.

An efficient full-wave approach for the accurate characterization of a H-plane waveguide π-junction with an inductive post and a waveguide cross-junction is proposed. By employing the port reflection coefficient method (PRCM), the analysis and solution procedures of these complex waveguide junctions are greatly simplified and only the calculation of field reflections caused by the simplest waveguide step-junction discontinuities are required. The reflections are easily determined by the mode-matching technique. Scattering parameters of these junctions are provided and discussed in terms of the working frequency and the geometrical dimensions of the junctions. Calculated results are compared with those of other papers and measurements, all show good agreement.

A new electron-beam wafer inspection system has been developed. The system has a resolution of 5 nm or better, and is applicable to quarter-micron devices such as 256 Mbit DRAMs. The most remarkable feature of this system is that a specimen stage is built in the objective lens and allows a working distance (WD) of 0. "WD=0"minimizes the effect of lens aberrations, and maximizes the resolving power. Innovative designs to achieve WD=0 are as follows: (1)A large objective lens of 730-mm width 730-mm depth 620-mm height that serves as a specimen chamber, has been developed. (2)A hollow specimen stage made of non-magnetic materials has been developed.It allows the lower pole piece and magnetic coile of the objective lens inside it. (3)Acoustic motors made of non-magnetic materials are em-ployed for use in vacuum.

We have developed a complete chromium oxide (Cr2O3) passivated gas tubing system by introducing ferritic stainless steel instead of conventional austenitic stainless steel (SUS316L). 100% Cr2O3 passivation film can be formed on electropolished ferritic stainless steel surface because the diffusion coefficient of Cr in ferritic stainless steel is 104 times larger than in austenitic stainless steel. In ferritic stainless steel, moreover, welded bead surface is covered by 100% Cr2O3 pas-sivated film by an introduction of advanced welding technology.

One of coupling coefficients appearing in the coupled power equations describing the crosstalk in an image fiber is derived based on the coupled mode theory. Cores arranged in the cross-section of the fiber differ randomly to the degree of several percent in size and consequently modes propagating along the cores differ randomly. Random fluctuations of the propagation constants of modes cause the random transfer process of power between the cores, whereas contributions of the random fluctuations of the mode coupling coefficients to the statistical process can be neglected. The coupling coefficient is described as the ratio of the power transfer ratio to the coupling length for two cores with slightly different radii characterizing the random cores. The theoretical results are in good agreement with measurement results except near cutoff.

In general, a time-limited signal such as a single sinusoidal waveform framed by a frame period T can be utilized for conveying a multi-level symbol in data transmission. If such a signal is analyzed by the conventional DFT (Discrete Fourier Transform) analysis, the infinite number of frequency components with frequency spacing fD = T1 is needed. This limits the accuracy with which the original frequency of the unframed sinusoidal waverform can be identified. It is especially difficult to identify two similar framed sinusoids whose frequency spacing is narrower than fD. An analytical principle for time-limited signals is therefore proposed by introducing the concept of an Extended Frame into DFT. Waveform analysis more accurate than DFT is achieved by taking into account multiple correlations between extended frames made of an input frame signal and the element frequency components corresponding to the length of each extended frame. In this approach, it is possible to use arbitrary element frequency spacing less than fD. It also allows an element frequency to be selected as a real number times of fD, rather than as an integer times of fD that is used for DFT. With this analyzing mechanism, it is verified that an input frame signal with only the frequency components which coincide with any of the element frequencies can be exactly analyzed. The disturbance caused by the input white noise is examined. As a result, it is found that the superior noise suppression function is achieved by this method over a conventional matched filter. In addition, the error caused by using a finite number of element frequencies and the A/D conversion accuracy required for sampling an input signal are examined, and it is shown that these factors need not impede practical implementation. For this reason, this principle is useful for multi-ary transmission systems, noise tolerant receivers, or systems requiring precise filtering of time limited waveforms.

This paper presents a new internal image representation, in which the scene is encoded into a three-intensity-level image. This representation is generated by Laplacian-Gaussian filtering followed by dual-thresholding. We refer to this imege as three-level broad-edge representation. It supresses the high frequency noise and shading in the image and encodes the sign of relative intensity of a pixel compared with surrounding region. Image model search based on cross correlation using this representation is as reliable as the one based on gray normalized correlation, while it reduces the computational cost by 50 times. We examined the reliability and realtime performance of this method when it is applied to an industrial object recognition task. Our prototype system achieves 3232 image model search from the 128128 pixel area in 2 milli-seconds with a 9 MHz pixel clock image processor. This speed is fast enough for searching and tracking a single object at video frame rate.

A non-invasive method is proposed to estimate the location of intracranial vascular disease using several sensors placed on the forehead. The advantage of this method over earlier measurements with a single ocular sensor is the abilty to localize the region of abnormal vascular tissue. A weighted least mean square procedure is applied to estimating the time difference between the sensor outputs using the phase distribution in the cross-spectrum. It is possible to estimate time differences shorter than sampling period. Computer simulation and clinical experiments demonstrate that a distance difference of around 20 times shorter than the wavelength can be obtained.

A soft magnetic force microscope (MFM) tip was used to evaluate the magnetic recording characteristics of compositionally separated Co-Cr perpendicular media. Small magnetic bits were recorded on thick (350 nm). and thin (100 nm) films, focusing on the fineness of compositionally separated microstructures. MFM images showed bit marks 230 and 150 nm in diameter, measured at full-width at half maximum (FWHM) for the thick and thin films, respectively. These results verify that the recordable bit size can be decreased by using a thinner film with a finer compositionally separated microstructure. Simulation was used to clarify the relationship between the actual sizes of the recorded bits and the sizes of their MFM images. The recorded bit size was found to closely correspond to the FWHM of the MFM bit images.

Computer circumstance have changed drastically, and larger capacity removable media is indispensable. Magneto-optical disk is promising candidate to satisfy computer user's needs. In this report, future perspective of high density magneto-optical recording technology is investigated.

A two-dimensional recording method that achieves double recording density by reducing the track pitch is described. This method uses a flat disk and the data are recorded with circular marks on lattice points. Two-dimensional interference consisting of crosstalk and inter-symbol interference is reduced by two-dimensional equalization. To minimize the two-dimensional interference, the optimum equalization coefficients are calculated dynamically with the reproduced signal of the training marks. Reproduction was simulated and this showed that the signal-to-noise ratio of the processed signal was 24.3 dB under ideal conditions and 19.8 dB under worst-case conditions with the usual magneto-optical media using double recording density. These simulation results were checked by a recording/reproduction experiment. The experimental result for the signal-to-noise ratio of the processed signal was 23.6 dB with an areal density of 2.3 Gbit/in2.

A vertical magnetoresistive (MR)/inductive head using the current bias technique has been developed for high-density magnetic recording. In this head, the sense current is orthogonal to the air-bearing surface (ABS). The area exposed at the ABS of the MR element is beneath the front lead, and the active area of the sensor is positioned behind that area. The MR element is composed of two permalloy films separated by a thin nonmagnetic material. The easy axis of the films is oriented parallel to the ABS and the films are magnetostatically coupled. The magnetic field created by the sense current is applied in the direction of the easy axis and the MR element is stabilized. In this head structure, no MR-element-stabilizing layer, such as an antiferromagnetic film or a hard magnetic film, is needed. Since the permalloy film beneath the front lead acts as a front flux guide, the signal flux propagates in the sensing area of the MR element behind the ABS. The new vertical MR head has the same electrical performance characteristics as the conventional horizontal MR head. The offtrack signal profile is symmetric against the track center because the magnetization of the two permalloy films rotates symmetrically in the signal-flux direction. The output signal level of this head is independent of the read trackwidth, which favors a narrow trackwidth. The exposed portion at the ABS is only connected to the common lead and is at ground potential. In this design, electrostatic breakdown does not occur and no corrosion is observed. Tests have shown that as the flying height is reduced, the error rate is reduced and noise does not increase. This head structure appears suitable for the near-contact recording of the near future.

In this paper, we present for the first time two three-dimensional analytical electrostatic Green's functions for shielded and open arbitrarily multilayered medium structures. The analytical formulas for the Green's functions are simply expressed in the form of Fourier series and integrals, and are applicable to the arbitrary number of dielectric layers. In combination with the complex image charge method, we demonstrate an efficient application to analyze microstrip discontinuities in a three-layered dielectric structure. Numerical results for the capacitance associated with on open-end discontinuity show good agreement with those from a previous paper and the effectiveness of using the analytical Green's functions to analyze three-dimensional electrostatic problems.

With a view to applying to the active matrix displays, micromechanical electrostatic switches having Si-N both-ends-fixed beam of size 1.4 µm by 23 µm grown with LP-CVD on Si wafer were studied about its kinetic switching characteristics, especially its switching speed and hysteresis behavior. Electrostatic beam sticking problems were improved with the additional inverse polarity and short duration pulse following on the turn-on signal. The switching beam deflection of 0.16 µm with the switching time of less than 100 nsec. was measured by tightly focused laser interferometric method. Observed turn-on threshold voltages were more than 30 V, and the on/off hysteresis widths were from one third to two thirds of its threshold voltage. The memory function was experimented for the 2 msec. long holding period with the hold voltage of 25 V following on the writing pulse with the duration of 2 µsec. and the amplitude of 32 V. Now, planarization process has been considered to imtroduce the contact electrodes that were not built-in for these experiments. Although conductive actual switches were not tested, with the obtained results, it seems that the micromechanical electrostatic switch has the large potentials as an active matrix element in display panel especially in electro-luminescent devices or field-emission devices.

This paper proposes novel optical path accommodation design algorithms for networks wherein the number of wavelengths multiplexed into a fiber is restricted. This algorithm optimizes both optical path route and wavelength assignment in VWP/WP networks. It minimizes optical path cross-connect (OPXC) system scale in terms of incoming/outgoing fiber port numbers. A comparison in terms of required OPXC system scale between the WP and VWP schemes is demonstrated for the first time.

Mesa structures have been investigated to optimize a buried-heterostructure (BH) for a GaInAsP/InP surface-emitting (SE) laser regrown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), and it has been found that a square mesa top pattern of which the sides are at an angle of 45 to the 011 orientation is suitable. A 1.3-µm GaInAsP/InP square buried heterostructure (SBH) SE laser with this mesa structure has been demonstrated and low-threshold CW oscillation (threshold current Ith=0.45 mA) at 77 K and low-threshold room-temperature pulsed oscillation (Ith=12 mA) have been obtained.

A down sampling technique was applied to signal processing of fiber optic gyroscopes with optical phase modulation. The technique shifts the frequency spectrum of the gyroscopic signal down to low frequencies, and lowers the speed requirements for analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion and numerical operations. A single-chip digital signal processor (DSP) with a built-in A/D converter and timers was used to demonstrate the proposed technique. The DSP internally generated a phase modulation signal and sampling trigger timing. The reference signals for digital lock-in discrimination of gyroscopic spectrum are generated by using an external binary counter, and their phases were adjusted optimally by DSP software. The DSP compensated for fluctuations in laser source intensity and phase modulation index, using the signal spectrum extracted, and linearized the gyroscopic response. The measured resolution of rotation detection was 0.9 deg/s (with a full scale of 100 deg/s) and it agreed with the resolution in A/D conversion.