High density circuit technology

Acquisition of polyimide materials for inter-metal dielectrics was obtained from three vendors, with considerable evaluation conducted on the Dupont PI2550 material. Experimental results indicate this material can be patterned using contact printing to line width far below 0.1 mils. Optimum line width is acquired using plasma etch equipment. Metal lift-off experiments on thermal evaporated films were optimized for application to sputtered deposited films. Alternate metal-lift-off experiments are proposed for future investigation. Dry processing equipment studies and future trends in VLSI fabrication techniques are on-going

High density circuit technology

Polyimide dielectric materials were acquired for comparative and evaluative studies in double layer metal processes. Preliminary experiments were performed. Also, the literature indicates that sputtered aluminum films may be successfully patterned using the left-off technique provided the substrate temperature remains low and the argon pressure in the chamber is relatively high at the time of sputtering. Vendors associated with dry processing equipment are identified. A literature search relative to future trends in VLSI fabrication techniques is described

Post heat treatment effects on double layer metal structures for VLSI applications

The realization of high yield double layer metal systems using wet chemistry processes and the ability to extend yields beyond that attainable with wet chemistry by means of post sintering processes at temperatures below 500 C for potential applications in very large scale integration structures were studied. Yields in excess of 98% and average total contact resistance of less than 150 ohms and 200 ohms were realized for a series of 560 vias of 0.5 X 0.5 mils and 0.2 X 0.2 mils in size, respectively

Groups Excluded from ‘Representative’ Household Surveys: An Analysis Based on Remittances Sent and Received in Vietnam

The Vietnam Living Standard Surveys (VLSS) are supposed to be representative of the entire population in Vietnam. However, we uncover an anomaly that the amount of remittances received from domestic sources is significantly larger than the amount of remittances sent to domestic sources, implying that the survey is at least not representative of remittance senders. By further exploring a unique characteristic of the survey questions about remittances, we determine that, in particular, female and urban-dwelling remittance senders are underrepresented in the survey.

Approaches to optimization of SS/TDMA time slot assignment

Reduction techniques for traffic matrices are explored in some detail. These matrices arise in satellite switched time-division multiple access (SS/TDMA) techniques whereby switching of uplink and downlink beams is required to facilitate interconnectivity of beam zones. A traffic matrix is given to represent that traffic to be transmitted from n uplink beams to n downlink beams within a TDMA frame typically of 1 ms duration. The frame is divided into segments of time and during each segment a portion of the traffic is represented by a switching mode. This time slot assignment is characterized by a mode matrix in which there is not more than a single non-zero entry on each line (row or column) of the matrix. Investigation is confined to decomposition of an n x n traffic matrix by mode matrices with a requirement that the decomposition be 100 percent efficient or, equivalently, that the line(s) in the original traffic matrix whose sum is maximal (called critical line(s)) remain maximal as mode matrices are subtracted throughout the decomposition process. A method of decomposition of an n x n traffic matrix by mode matrices results in a number of steps that is bounded by n(2) - 2n + 2. It is shown that this upper bound exists for an n x n matrix wherein all the lines are maximal (called a quasi doubly stochastic (QDS) matrix) or for an n x n matrix that is completely arbitrary. That is, the fact that no method can exist with a lower upper bound is shown for both QDS and arbitrary matrices, in an elementary and straightforward manner

Split fermion quasi-normal modes

In this paper we use the conformal properties of the spinor field to show how we can obtain the fermion quasi-normal modes for a higher dimensional Schwarzschild black hole. These modes are of interest in so called split fermion models, where quarks and leptons are required to exist on different branes in order to keep the proton stable. As has been previously shown, for brane localized fields, the larger the number of dimensions the faster the black hole damping rate. Moreover, we also present the analytic forms of the quasi-normal frequencies in both the large angular momentum and the large mode number limits.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, version 2 added reference

FGF2 is expressed in human and murine embryonic choroid plexus and affects choroid plexus cell behaviour

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although fibroblast growth factor (Fgf) signalling plays crucial roles in several developing and mature tissues, little information is currently available on expression of Fgf2 during early choroid plexus development and whether Fgf2 directly affects the behaviour of the choroid plexus epithelium (CPe). The purpose of this study was to investigate expression of Fgf2 in rodent and human developing CPe and possible function of Fgf2, using <it>in vitro </it>models. The application of Fgf2 to brain <it>in vivo </it>can affect the whole tissue, making it difficult to assess specific responses of the CPe.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Expression of Fgf2 was studied by immunohistochemistry in rodent and human embryonic choroid plexus. Effects of Fgf2 on growth, secretion, aggregation and gene expression was investigated using rodent CPe vesicles, a three-dimensional polarized culture model that closely mimics CPe properties <it>in vivo</it>, and rodent CPe monolayer cultures.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Fgf2 was present early in development of the choroid plexus both in mouse and human, suggesting the importance of this ligand in Fgf signalling in the developing choroid plexus. Parallel analysis of Fgf2 expression and cell proliferation during CP development suggests that Fgf2 is not involved in CPe proliferation <it>in vivo</it>. Consistent with this observation is the failure of Fgf2 to increase proliferation in the tri-dimensional vesicle culture model. The CPe however, can respond to Fgf2 treatment, as the diameter of CPe vesicles is significantly increased by treatment with this growth factor. We show that this is due to an increase in cell aggregation during vesicle formation rather than increased secretion into the vesicle lumen. Finally, Fgf2 regulates expression of the CPe-associated transcription factors, <it>Foxj1 </it>and <it>E2f5</it>, whereas transthyretin, a marker of secretory activity, is not affected by Fgf2 treatment.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Fgf2 expression early in the development of both human and rodent choroid plexus, and its ability to modulate behaviour and gene expression in CPe, supports the view that Fgf signalling plays a role in the maintenance of integrity and function of this specialized epithelium, and that this role is conserved between rodents and humans.</p

Black hole quasinormal modes using the asymptotic iteration method

In this article we show that the asymptotic iteration method (AIM) allows one to numerically find the quasinormal modes of Schwarzschild and Schwarzschild de Sitter (SdS) black holes. An added benefit of the method is that it can also be used to calculate the Schwarzschild anti-de Sitter (SAdS) quasinormal modes for the case of spin zero perturbations. We also discuss an improved version of the AIM, more suitable for numerical implementation.Comment: 10 pages, LaTeX; references added; substantially expanded versio

Angular Eigenvalues of Higher-Dimensional Kerr-(A)dS Black Holes with Two Rotations

In this paper, following the work of Chen, L\"u and Pope, we present the general metric for Kerr-(A)dS black holes with two rotations. The corresponding Klein-Gordon equation is separated explicitly, from which we develop perturbative expansions for the angular eigenvalues in powers of the rotation parameters with $D\geq 6$.Comment: 10 pages, no figures. To appear in the proceedings of 2011 Shanghai Asia-Pacific School and Workshop on Gravitatio