845 research outputs found
Packaging of RF Mems Switching Functions on Alumina Substrate
Recently the strong demands in wireless communication requires expanding
development for the application of RF MEMS (Radio Frequency micro electro
mechanical systems) sensing devices such as micro-switches, tunable capacitors
because it offers lower power consumption, lower losses, higher linearity and
higher Q factors compared with conventional communications components. To
accelerate commercialisation of RF MEMS products, development for packaging
technologies is one of the most critical issues should be solved beforehand.Comment: Submitted on behalf of TIMA Editions
(http://irevues.inist.fr/tima-editions
RF-MEMS Switched Varactors for Medium Power Applications
In RF (Radio Frequency) domain, one of the limitations of using MEMS (Micro
Electromechanical Systems) switching devices for medium power applications is
RF power. Failure phenomena appear even for 500 mW. A design of MEMS switched
capacitors with an enhanced topology is presented in this paper to prevent it.
This kind of device and its promising performances will serve to fabricate a
MEMS based phase shifter able to work under several watts.Comment: Submitted on behalf of EDA Publishing Association
(http://irevues.inist.fr/handle/2042/16838
Phase controlled superconducting proximity effect probed by tunneling spectroscopy
Using a dual-mode STM-AFM microscope operating below 50mK we measured the
Local Density of States (LDoS) along small normal wires connected at both ends
to superconductors with different phases. We observe that a uniform minigap can
develop in the whole normal wire and in the superconductors near the
interfaces. The minigap depends periodically on the phase difference. The
quasiclassical theory of superconductivity applied to a simplified 1D model
geometry accounts well for the data.Comment: Accepted for publication in Physical Review Letter
Superconducting atomic contacts under microwave irradiation
We have measured the effect of microwave irradiation on the dc
current-voltage characteristics of superconducting atomic contacts. The
interaction of the external field with the ac supercurrents leads to replicas
of the supercurrent peak, the well known Shapiro resonances. The observation of
supplementary fractional resonances for contacts containing highly transmitting
conduction channels reveals their non-sinusoidal current-phase relation. The
resonances sit on a background current which is itself deeply modified, as a
result of photon assisted multiple Andreev reflections. The results provide
firm support for the full quantum theory of transport between two
superconductors based on the concept of Andreev bound states
Thermopower Oscillation Symmetries in a Double-Loop Andreev Interferrometer
Andreev interferometers, normal metal wires coupled to superconducting loops,
display phase coherent changes as the magnetic flux through the superconducting
loops is altered. Properties such as the electronic and thermal conductance of
these devices have been shown to oscillate symmetrically about zero with a
period equal to one superconducting flux quantum, . However, the
thermopower of these devices can oscillate symmetrically or antisymmetrically
depending on the geometry of the sample, a phenomenon not well understood
theoretically. Here we report on thermopower measurements of a double-loop
Andreev interferometer where two Josephson currents in the normal metal wire
may be controlled independently. The amplitude and symmetries of the observed
thermopower oscillations may help to illuminate the unexplained dependence of
oscillation symmetry on sample geometry.Comment: 6 Pages, 5 figures, to appear in Physica
Radio-Frequency Single-Electron Refrigerator
We propose a cyclic refrigeration principle based on mesoscopic electron
transport. Synchronous sequential tunnelling of electrons in a
Coulomb-blockaded device, a normal metal-superconductor single-electron box,
results in a cooling power of at temperature
over a wide range of cycle frequencies . Electrostatic work, done by the
gate voltage source, removes heat from the Coulomb island with an efficiency of
, where is the superconducting gap. The
performance is not affected significantly by non-idealities, for instance by
offset charges. We propose ways of characterizing the system and of its
practical implementation.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures; corrected typos, language improve
Manipulating the Quantum State of an Electrical Circuit
We have designed and operated a superconducting tunnel junction circuit that
behaves as a two-level atom: the ``quantronium''. An arbitrary evolution of its
quantum state can be programmed with a series of microwave pulses, and a
projective measurement of the state can be performed by a pulsed readout
sub-circuit. The measured quality factor of quantum coherence Qphi=25000 is
sufficiently high that a solid-state quantum processor based on this type of
circuit can be envisioned.Comment: 4 figures include
Occupational lead neurotoxicity: Improvement in behavioural effects after reduction of exposure.
To evaluate critical exposure levels and the reversibility of lead neurotoxicity a group of lead exposed foundry workers and an unexposed reference population were followed up for three years. During this period, tests designed to monitor neurobehavioural function and lead dose were administered. Evaluations of 160 workers during the first year showed dose dependent decrements in mood, visual/motor performance, memory, and verbal concept formation. Subsequently, an improvement in the hygienic conditions at the plant resulted in striking reductions in blood lead concentrations over the following two years. Attendant improvement in indices of tension (20% reduction), anger (18%), depression (26%), fatigue (27%), and confusion (13%) was observed. Performance on neurobehavioural testing generally correlated best with integrated dose estimates derived from blood lead concentrations measured periodically over the study period; zinc protoporphyrin levels were less well correlated with function. This investigation confirms the importance of compliance with workplace standards designed to lower exposures to ensure that individual blood lead concentrations remain below 50 micrograms/dl
Probing interactions in mesoscopic gold wires
We have measured in gold wires the energy exchange rate between
quasiparticles, the phase coherence time of quasiparticles and the resistance
vs. temperature, in order to probe the interaction processes which are relevant
at low temperatures. We find that the energy exchange rate is higher than
expected from the theory of electron-electron interactions, and that it has a
different energy dependence. The dephasing time is constant at temperatures
between 8 K and 0.5 K, and it increases below 0.5 K. The magnetoresistance is
negative at large field scales, and the resistance decreases logarithmically
with increasing temperatures, indicating the presence of magnetic impurities,
probably Fe. Whereas resistivity and phase coherence measurements can be
attributed to magnetic impurities, the question is raised whether these
magnetic impurities could also mediate energy exchanges between quasiparticles.Comment: latex pothier.tex, 12 files, 15 pages in: Proceedings of the NATO
Advanced Research Workshop on Size Dependent Magnetic Scattering, Pesc,
Hungary, May 28 - June 1st, 2000 Chandrasekhar V., Van Haesendonck C. eds
(Kluwer, 2001) [SPEC-S00/083
- …