Ultra-broadband Silicon Photonic Multimode Interference Coupler

In integrated optics, multimode interference couplers (MMIs) are used as light-wave splitters and combiners in a wide variety of devices ranging from spectrometers to sensors and coherent optical receivers. While their design and operation is generally well understood [1], the operational bandwidth remains limited. Here we present a sub-wavelength structured MMI, shown in Fig. 1(a), that overcomes this limitation and experimentally demonstrate a bandwidth exceeding 300nm at telecom wavelength, with more than 500nm bandwidth potentially attainable (as per 3D-FDTD simulations).Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

The use of observations of soft X-rays and protons in the UMASEP scheme for making real-time predictions of the SEP events that took place in july and september 2017

The UMASEP-10 tool [Núñez, 2011] works in an operational level since 2010, and its >10 MeV Solar Energetic Proton (SEP) predictions are diseminated by NASA’s integrated Space Weather Analysis system (iSWA). This presentation shows the real-time predictions of the SEP events that took place in July and September 2017. The UMASEP-10 tool predicts the occurrence and intensity of the first hours of >10 MeV SEP events using the Well-Connected prediction (WCP) model and the Poorly-Connected prediction (PCP) model. The WCP model infers the observer's interplanetary magnetic field connection to the shock source by correlating remote sensing SXR and proton data at near-Earth. This poster also presents a summary of the predictions of the UMASEP-100 [Núñez, 2015] and HESPERIA UMASEP-500 [Núñez et al., 2017] tools for predicting >100 MeV and >500 MeV events, respectively, during the aforementioned period.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Evaluating the integration of supply chain information systems: A case study

Supply chain management (SCM) is the integrated management of business links, information flows and people. It is with this frame of reference that information systems integration from both intra- and inter-organisational levels becomes significant. Enterprise application integration (EAI) has emerged as software technologies to address the issue of integrating the portfolio of SCM components both within organisations and through cross-enterprises. EAI is based on a diversity of integration technologies (e.g. message brokers, ebXML) that differ in the type and level of integration they offer. However, none of these technologies claim to be a panacea to overcoming all integration problems but rather, need to be pieced together to support the linking of diverse applications that often exist within supply chains. In exploring the evaluation of supply chain integration, the authors propose a framework for evaluating the portfolio of integration technologies that are used to unify inter-organisational and intra-organisational information systems. The authors define and classify the permutations of information systems available according to their characteristics and integration requirements. These, classifications of system types are then adopted as part of the evaluation framework and empirically tested within a case study

Broadband Butler Matrices with the Use of High-Pass LC Sections as Left-Handed Transmission Lines

An application of left-handed transmission line sections in Butler matrices has been investigated. It has been shown, for the first time, that the utilization of both left-handed and right-handed transmission lines allows for broadband differential phase shifters’ realization, required in the Butler matrices. A complete theoretical analysis is given, for Butler matrices incorporating ideal transmission lines of both right- and left handed types and expressions for the achievable bandwidth and differential phase deviation are derived. The presented idea has been verified by the design of a 4 x 4 Butler matrix operating in a frequency range of 2.5 – 3.5 GHz. As an artificial left-handed transmission line, an equivalent high-pass LC circuit realized in a quasi-lumped element technique, has been considered, and the resulting phase shift of such a circuit is given analytically. The obtained measurement results fully confirm the validity of the proposed idea of broadband Butler matrices’ realization

Productivity growth and functional upgrading in foreign subsidiaries in the Slovenian manufacturing sector

The paper discusses the determinants of productivity growth in manufacturing foreign subsidiaries in Slovenia. Special attention is given to the impact of control pattern. Using the standard growth accounting approach we show that productivity growth is significantly and positively correlated with the level of foreign parent companies' control of marketing and strategic business functions. Larger subsidiaries and subsidiaries with higher exports to sales ratio also experience higher changes in the productivity level. Subsidiaries in high technology intensity sectors exhibit significantly lower change in productivity than subsidiaries in other sectors

Transforming failure into success through organisational learning: An analysis of a manufacturing information system

This paper describes the idiosyncracies of a case study company, through highlighting issues and problems experienced during their attempts to evaluate, implement and realise the holistic implications of a manufacturing information system. Although the Information System (IS) was operational for a period of time, it was eventually deemed a failure. The reason for this was that a range of human and organisational factors prevented the organisation from embracing the full impact of the system. The eventual success of their information system was realised through a bespoke implementation, based upon a traditional systems development lifecycle that indirectly addressed learning issues following the earlier failed deployment. The paper highlights key issues relating to business success and failure, and then contrasts them alongside the presented case study. In doing so, the authors conclude by proposing methods through which manufacturing information systems can be transformed for business success. This is described achievable through both a realisation in the positioning of the organisation relative to technology management, and the related mapping of human and technological constructs that support information systems related succes

Autonomy and Performance of Foreign Subsidiaries in five Transition Countries

The paper analyses the link between the autonomy according to business function and the performance of foreign subsidiaries in Slovenia, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Estonia. The novelty of the paper is in the deeper investigation of the multidimensionality of autonomy. Using the method of principal components, four business function factors relating to autonomy were obtained (technology, marketing, management, finance). The results supported the argument that the relationship between autonomy and performance depends on the type of autonomy. Marketing and finance are the most powerful dimensions of autonomy. Higher autonomy in marketing is negatively linked with technology upgrading, measured by productivity level, improvement of technological level of production equipment, and quality of products. The higher the financial autonomy of the subsidiaries the bigger the positive changes in all fields of performance.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/40166/3/wp780.pd

Pocket-size microwave radiation hazard detector

Inexpensive lightweight unit is easily carried in coat pocket or attached to belt, detector sounds alarm in presence of dangerous microwave radiation levels. Unit consists of antenna, detector, level sensor, keyed oscillator, and speaker. Antenna may be single equiangular spiral or set of orthogonal slot dipoles. Signal detector is simple diode in small package

Digital Offset Calibration of an OPAMP Towards Improving Static Parameters of 90 nm CMOS DAC

In this paper, an on-chip self-calibrated 8-bit R-2R digital-to-analog converter (DAC) based on digitally compensated input offset of the operational amplifier (OPAMP) is presented. To improve the overall DAC performance, a digital offset cancellation method was used to compensate deviations in the input offset voltage of the OPAMP caused by process variations. The whole DAC as well as offset compensation circuitry were designed in a standard 90 nm CMOS process. The achieved results show that after the self-calibration process, the improvement of 48% in the value of DAC offset error is achieved