Non-Abelian Vortices in SO(N) and USp(N) Gauge Theories

Non-Abelian BPS vortices in SO(N) x U(1) and USp(2N) x U(1) gauge theories are constructed in maximally color-flavor locked vacua. We study in detail their moduli and transformation properties under the exact symmetry of the system. Our results generalize non-trivially those found earlier in supersymmetric U(N) gauge theories. The structure of the moduli spaces turns out in fact to be considerably richer here than what was found in the U(N) theories. We find that vortices are generally of the semi-local type, with power-like tails of profile functions.Comment: Latex, 69 pages, 13 figure

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

CMOS compatible IR sensors array

International audienceBased on self-generating Seebeck effect, thermoelectric IR sensors need no biasing, allow very simple readout requiring only a low noise amplifier and a voltmeter. This paper presents the design and fabrication of an array of CMOS compatible front-side bulk micromachined IR sensors. The design has been achieved using the MEMS design kit developed at CMP and it has been fabricated on the MPW facilities provided by the same service

Design and fabrication of an array of CMOS compatible IR sensors

International audienceBased on self-generating Seebeck effect, thermoelectric IR sensors need no biasing, allow very simple readout requiring only a low noise amplifier and a voltmeter. This paper presents the design and fabrication of an array of CMOS compatible front-side bulk micromachined IR sensors. The design has been achieved using the MEMS design kit developed at CMP and it has been fabricated on the MPW facilities provided by the same service

Towards space microsystems : design and manufacturing methodologies for CMOS compatible MEMS

International audienceThe use of standard technologies for ASICs and/or Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) intended for space has the potential of a significative cost reduction, which, together with increased performance requirements and obsolescence problems, is at the source of the current interest on the use COTS products. The straightforward extension of the COTS concept to the latest developments of the mainstream semiconductor industry is the use of already available intellectual property (IP) in the development of ASICs optimally matched to the end product specifications. A short time-to-market is the driving force, and it can only be achieved through the use of fine tuned and tightly integrated CAD tools. A major hurdle to this development for space electronic systems resides on the lack of data on the radiation tolerance of standard commercial ASIC technologies. This void is felt even more acutely in the development of integrated MEMS, and emerging technology that holds the promise of a new generation of compact spacecrafts and instruments. Moreover, CAD tools are generally not yet MEMS-aware, and MEMS libraries are virtually inexistent. The work at TIMA has sought to address each one of these shortcomings, and the efforts pertinent to the development of space microsystems are described in this paper. The design and manufacturing methodologies of CMOS compatible MEMS, developed at TIMA, are presented with a demonstration on a micromachined infra-red imaging sensor scheduled to fly (as a passenger) on the STENTOR satellite

Integrated microsystem for biomedical applications

International audienceThe article summarizes the architecture of a biomedical microsystem that has been developed during the European project BARMINT. The ISFETs, pressure and temperature sensor interfaces integrated on the sensor module of the microsystem are presented in the paper

Sensor interface circuit for ISFET based sensors

This paper presents a new ISFET sensor interface circuit, monolithically integrated as part of an implantable biomedical microsystem on a 3D MCM. The sensor interface is realized together with the ISFETs in a 2.5 mu m CMOS technology. It is designed as a differential configuration with two ISFET sensors (one with a Si/sub 3/N/sub 4/ sensitive layer, the other with a SiO/sub 2/ sensitive layer). A voltage-to-current (V-I) converter generates a current-mode output

CMOS compatible temperature sensor using lateral bipolar transistor for very wide temperature range applications

International audienceA CMOS process compatible wide range temperature sensor that takes advantage of the lateral bipolar transistor is described. Concerning accuracy, a temperature error of 0.34°C rms in current mode and of 1.86°C rms in voltage mode (without post-fabrication trimming) are the measured performance of this integrated sensor, over the -50°C to 150°C temperature range. Other important characteristics are the small surface (290x396µm2), low cost, the less than 1 mW power consumption, the higher than 40 dB PSRR, and the output signal swing which is intrinsically referenced to the temperature range and has been specially conditioned for analog to digital conversion in both, current and voltage modes. The characteristics of this sensor make it specially suitable for low-cost high-volume integrated microsystems over a wide range of fields, such as automative, space, oil prospect, biomedical, domotics, etc