A Computer Program for Simplifying Incompletely Specified Sequential Machines Using the Paull and Unger Technique

This report presents a description of a computer program mechanized to perform the Paull and Unger process of simplifying incompletely specified sequential machines. An understanding of the process, as given in Ref. 3, is a prerequisite to the use of the techniques presented in this report. This process has specific application in the design of asynchronous digital machines and was used in the design of operational support equipment for the Mariner 1966 central computer and sequencer. A typical sequential machine design problem is presented to show where the Paull and Unger process has application. A description of the Paull and Unger process together with a description of the computer algorithms used to develop the program mechanization are presented. Several examples are used to clarify the Paull and Unger process and the computer algorithms. Program flow diagrams, program listings, and a program user operating procedures are included as appendixes

Scintillator developments for high energy physics and medical imaging

Scintillating crystals have been for a long time developed as a basic component in particle detectors with a strong spin-off in the field of medical imaging. A typical example is BGO, which has become the main component of PET scanners since the large effort made by the L3 experiment at CERN to develop low cost production methods for this crystal. Systematic R&D on basic mechanism in inorganic scintillators, initiated by the Crystal Clear Collaboration at CERN 10 years ago, has contributed not to a small amount, to the development of new materials for high energy physics and for a new generation of medical imaging devices with increased resolution and sensitivity. The examples of the lead tungstate crystal for the CMS experiment at CERN (high energy physics) as well as of new materials under development for medical imaging will be described with an emphasis on the mutual benefit both fields can extract from a common R&D effort. (14 refs)

On the comparison of analog and digital SiPM readout in terms of expected timing performance

AbstractIn time of flight positron emission tomography (TOF-PET) and in particular for the EndoTOFPET-US Project (Frisch, 2013 [1]), and other applications for high energy physics, the multi-digital silicon photomultiplier (MD-SiPM) was recently proposed (Mandai and Charbon, 2012 [2]), in which the time of every single photoelectron is being recorded. If such a photodetector is coupled to a scintillator, the largest and most accurate timing information can be extracted from the cascade of the scintillation photons, and the most probable time of positron emission determined. The readout concept of the MD-SiPM is very different from that of the analog SiPM, where the individual photoelectrons are merely summed up and the output signal fed into the readout electronics. We have developed a comprehensive Monte Carlo (MC) simulation tool that describes the timing properties of the photodetector and electronics, the scintillation properties of the crystal and the light transfer within the crystal. In previous studies we have compared MC simulations with coincidence time resolution (CTR) measurements and found good agreement within less than 10% for crystals of different lengths (from 3mm to 20mm) coupled to SiPMs from Hamamatsu. In this work we will use the developed MC tool to directly compare the highest possible time resolution for both the analog and digital readout of SiPMs with different scintillator lengths. The presented studies reveal that the analog readout of SiPMs with microcell signal pile-up and leading edge discrimination can lead to nearly the same time resolution as compared to the maximum likelihood time estimation applied to MD-SiPMs. Consequently there is no real preference for either a digital or analog SiPM for the sake of achieving highest time resolution. However, the best CTR in the analog SiPM is observed for a rather small range of optimal threshold values, whereas the MD-SiPM provides stable CTR after roughly 20 registered photoelectron timestamps in the time estimator

Avaliação da predação de rato-preto Rattus rattus nas crias de cagarra Calonectris diomedea borealis na Ilha da Berlenga

Berlengas Archipelago is the most important area in mainland Portugal for breeding seabirds. The archipelago hosts the only known breeding population of the vulnerable Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea borealis in mainland Portuguese coastal waters. Although this population has already been the subject of many studies, little is known about its interaction with black rat Rattus rattus. Black rat and rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus are the only introduced mammals on the island, and the first is listed as one of the main predators of Cory’s Shearwater chicks. This study aimed to 1) evaluate the activity of black rat in two Cory’s Shearwater colonies and 2) report events of predation on chicks. For this, 54 and 20 nests were monitored daily in the colonies of Melreu and Furado Seco, respectively, between July 24 and August 6. Meanwhile, 16 photographic traps were installed within or at the entrance of 29 different nests in order to monitor rats’ activity. Despite not having obtained any record from direct predation of black rat, 2 chicks disappeared from the nest (with no photo trap) with a strong likelihood of being predated. Although in Melreu have been noticed a strong decrease in activity of black rat during development of chicks and Furado Seco not, the data presented here suggest a greater and more prolonged activity of rat at the second, which may indicate it’s under greater predatory pressure. Finnally it was found some evidences on possible impact by yellow-legged-gull on Cory’s shearwater chicks

Electron beam profile imaging in the presence of coherent optical radiation effects

High-brightness electron beams with low energy spread at existing and future x-ray free-electron lasers are affected by various collective beam self-interactions and microbunching instabilities. The corresponding coherent optical radiation effects, e.g., coherent optical transition radiation, render electron beam profile imaging impossible and become a serious issue for all kinds of electron beam diagnostics using imaging screens. Furthermore, coherent optical radiation effects can also be related to intrinsically ultrashort electron bunches or the existence of ultrashort spikes inside the electron bunches. In this paper, we discuss methods to suppress coherent optical radiation effects both by electron beam profile imaging in dispersive beamlines and by using scintillation imaging screens in combination with separation techniques. The suppression of coherent optical emission in dispersive beamlines is shown by analytical calculations, numerical simulations, and measurements. Transverse and longitudinal electron beam profile measurements in the presence of coherent optical radiation effects in non-dispersive beamlines are demonstrated by applying a temporal separation technique.Comment: 12 pages, 11 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. ST Accel. Beam

A Charge-Sensitive Amplifier Associated with APD or PMT for Positron Emission Tomography Scanners

to be presented at the 32nd International Convention MIPRO (Microeectronics, Electronics, and Electronic Technology (MEET)), Opatija, Croatia, May 25-29 2009We present a Charge-Sensitive Amplifier (CSA) to be coupled with a 511-KeV 2-photon detector for positron emission tomography scanners. The circuit has been designed to be associated with an Avalanche Photodiode (APD) or Photo-Multiplier Tube (PMT) with large capacitance. It is a two-stage structure. The input stage consists of a foldedcascode fully-differential part and a common-mode feedback (CMFB) circuit. The output stage employs complementary source followers. The amplifier has been designed in a 0.35μm BiCMOS process with optimization of noise and speed performances to meet specific constraints. Its main characteristics evaluated by post-layout simulations are: 70-dB DC gain, 4.6-GHz GBW, 20-ns peaking time for pulsed stimulus, 3900-electron equivalent input noise charge (ENC), 135-mW power consumption at 3.5 V supply