Process Chart for Controlling Wafer Defects using Fuzzy Theory

Manufacturers of integrated circuits (IC) frequently utilize c-charts to monitor wafer defects. The clustering of wafer defects increases with the surface area of the wafers. The clustering of defects causes the Poisson-based c-chart to show many false alarms. Although Neyman-based c-chart has been developed to reduce the number of false alarms, it has some shortcomings in practical use. This study presents a process control chart that applies Fuzzy theory and the engineering experience to monitor the clustered defects on a wafer. The proposed method is simpler and more efficient than that of the Neyman-based c-chart. A case study of an IC company in Taiwan demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed method

The Literature Review of Technology Acceptance Model: A Study of the Bibliometric Distributions

Technology acceptance model plays a signified issue in the information systems field since this theory was introduced by Davis in 1989. This paper investigates the features of technology acceptance model literature based on bibliometric method. By searching the ISI Web of knowledge database under the keyword of “technology acceptance model,” 689 articles were retrieved and analyzed though growth of the literatures and citation, document type, publication countries, subject area, keyword analysis are addressed. The distribution of journal paper was also examined using Bradford’s law and Lotka’s law. As the result, this research found that technology acceptance model literature has a steady growth as well as the citations. Relevant articles were concentrating on computer science, information systems, management, information science, and library science. The author productivity distribution data in technology acceptance literature was consistent with Lotka’s law. Furthermore, eight core journals were identified utilizing the Bradford’s law

Small-Size Humanoid Soccer Robot Design for FIRA HuroSot

Non

Search for quantum dimer phases and transitions in a frustrated spin ladder

A two-leg spin-1/2 ladder with diagonal interactions is investigated numerically. We focus our attention on the possibility of columnar dimer phase, which was recently predicted based on a reformulated bosonization theory. By using density matrix renormalization group technique and exact diagonalization method, we calculate columnar dimer order parameter, spin correlation on a rung, string order parameters, and scaled excitation gaps. Carefully using various finite-size scaling techniques, our results show no support for the existence of columnar dimer phase in the spin ladder under consideration.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. To be published in Phys. Rev.

Fabrication of multianalyte CeO2 nanograin electrolyte–insulator–semiconductor biosensors by using CF4 plasma treatment

Multianalyte CeO2 biosensors have been demonstrated to detect pH, glucose, and urine concentrations. To enhance the multianalyte sensing capability of these biosensors, CF4 plasma treatment was applied to create nanograin structures on the CeO2 membrane surface and thereby increase the contact surface area. Multiple material analyses indicated that crystallization or grainization caused by the incorporation of flourine atoms during plasma treatment might be related to the formation of the nanograins. Because of the changes in surface morphology and crystalline structures, the multianalyte sensing performance was considerably enhanced. Multianalyte CeO2 nanograin electrolyte–insulator–semiconductor biosensors exhibit potential for use in future biomedical sensing device applications

Interactions between Amyloid-β and Hemoglobin: Implications for Amyloid Plaque Formation in Alzheimer's Disease

Accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides in the brain is one of the central pathogenic events in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, why and how Aβ aggregates within the brain of AD patients remains elusive. Previously, we demonstrated hemoglobin (Hb) binds to Aβ and co-localizes with the plaque and vascular amyloid deposits in post-mortem AD brains. In this study, we further characterize the interactions between Hb and Aβ in vitro and in vivo and report the following observations: 1) the binding of Hb to Aβ required iron-containing heme; 2) other heme-containing proteins, such as myoglobin and cytochrome C, also bound to Aβ; 3) hemin-induced cytotoxicity was reduced in neuroblastoma cells by low levels of Aβ; 4) Hb was detected in neurons and glial cells of post-mortem AD brains and was up-regulated in aging and APP/PS1 transgenic mice; 5) microinjection of human Hb into the dorsal hippocampi of the APP/PS1 transgenic mice induced the formation of an envelope-like structure composed of Aβ surrounding the Hb droplets. Our results reveal an enhanced endogenous expression of Hb in aging brain cells, probably serving as a compensatory mechanism against hypoxia. In addition, Aβ binds to Hb and other hemoproteins via the iron-containing heme moiety, thereby reducing Hb/heme/iron-induced cytotoxicity. As some of the brain Hb could be derived from the peripheral circulation due to a compromised blood-brain barrier frequently observed in aged and AD brains, our work also suggests the genesis of some plaques may be a consequence of sustained amyloid accretion at sites of vascular injury

Using data envelopment analysis to support best-value contractor selection

Selecting an appropriate contractor or supplier is essential to the successful implementation of a public procurement project. The Taiwan government frequently applies the best-value (BV) tendering method, a multi-criteria evaluation method, to procure projects. However, the selection process of the winner for a BV-based procurement project is generally subjective and thus is easily accused of corruptions. To develop a systematic method to support contractor selection, this study proposes using the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to facilitate the criteria evaluations for each bidder during the short-listing stage. The evaluation results of using the DEA are a list of potential BV winners who are then suggested to enter into the final selection stage. Based on three case studies related to service procurement projects, this research finds that the DEA is suitable of assessing the relative efficiencies among bidders when the BV approach is applied. Lessons learned here should be helpful in applying the DEA to aid bid evaluations in other supplier selection problems. First published online: 24 Aug 201

3D Geometry of the Chelungpu Thrust System in Central Taiwan: Its Implications for Active Tectonics

This study is aimed at constructing a 3D subsurface geometry of the Chelungpu thrust and its associated structures, as well as examining the implications of the studies results for active tectonics in the area. Nine balanced cross-sections were constructed across the foothills belt in the study area to delineate the subsurface geometry of the major thrusts in the foreland of the fold-and-thrust belt

Fidelity approach to Gaussian transitions

The fidelity approach to the Gaussian transitions in spin-one XXZ spin chains with three different values of Ising-like anisotropy lambda is analyzed by means of the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) technique for systems of large sizes. We find that, despite the success in the cases of lambda=2.59 and 1, the fidelity susceptibility fails to detect the Gaussian transition for lambda=0.5. Thus our results demonstrate the limitation of the fidelity susceptibility in characterizing quantum phase transitions, which was proposed recently in general frameworks.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figure