Development of a low actuation voltage RF MEMS switch

This paper reports on the design of a novel ultra low actuation voltage, low loss radio frequency micro-electro-mechanical system (RF MEMS) capacitive shunt switch. The concept of the switch relies on a mechanically unconstrained armature actuated over a coplanar waveguide using electrostatic forces. The minimum actuation voltage of the switch is <2V, with an isolation of 40dB and insertion loss <0.7dB at 78GHz

Non-Extremal Rotating Black Holes in Five-Dimensional Gauged Supergravity

Supersymmetric black holes in five-dimensional gauged supergravity must necessarily be rotating, and so in order to study the passage to black holes away from supersymmetry, it is of great interest to obtain non-extremal black holes that again have non-zero rotation. In this paper we find a simple framework for describing non-extremal rotating black holes in five-dimensional gauged supergravities. Using this framework, we are able to construct a new solution, describing the general single-charge solution of N=2 gauged supergravity, with arbitrary values for the two rotation parameters. Previously-obtained solutions with two or three equal charges also assume a much simpler form in the new framework, as also does the general solution with three unequal charges in ungauged N=2 supergravity. We discuss the thermodynamics and BPS limit of the new single-charge solutions, and we discuss the separability of the Hamilton-Jacobi and Klein-Gordan equations in these backgrounds.Comment: Latex, 12 pages. Mis-statement about separability of Hamilton-Jacobi and Klein-Gordon equations correcte

An active interferometric method for extreme impedance on-wafer device measurements

Nano-scale devices and high-power transistors present extreme impedances, which are far removed from the 50-Ω reference impedance of conventional test equipment, resulting in a reduction in the measurement sensitivity as compared with impedances close to the reference impedance. This letter describes a novel method based on active interferometry to increase the measurement sensitivity of a vector network analyzer for measuring such extreme impedances, using only a single coupler. The theory of the method is explained with supporting simulation. An interferometry-based method is demonstrated for the first time with on-wafer measurements, resulting in an improved measurement sensitivity for extreme impedance device characterization of up to 9%

Comparison Study of Two Different Sun-Tracking Methods in Optical Efficiency of Heliostat Field

There are two sun-tracking methods widely used for the heliostat, which are conventional Azimuth-Elevation and revolutionary Spinning-Elevation methods. Following the previous study to compare the range of motion, a comparison study in optical efficiency of heliostat field for the two methods is further explored in this paper. A special algorithm using ray-tracing technique has also been developed to simulate the optical efficiency of heliostat field for both sun-tracking methods in different latitudes. With the new algorithm, comprehensive analysis to compare the optical efficiency of individual heliostat and the overall heliostat field for the two sun-tracking methods has been carried out

Transparent conducting oxides for active hybrid metamaterial devices

We present here a study of the combined nonlinear response of plasmonic antenna—transparent conducting oxide hybrids for activation of metamaterial devices. Nanoantenna layers consisting of randomly positioned gold nanodisk dimers are fabricated using hole-mask lithography. The nanoantenna layers are covered with a 20 nm thin layer of transparent conducting oxide (TCO). We investigate the response of atomic layer deposited aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) next to indium–tin oxide (ITO) produced using sputter coating. We show that our results are in agreement with the hypothesis of fast electron-mediated cooling, facilitated by the Ohmic interface between the gold nanodisks and the TCO substrate, which appears a universal mechanism for providing a new hybrid functionality to active metamaterial device

Pulse generation without gain-bandwidth limitation in a laser with self-similar evolution

With existing techniques for mode-locking, the bandwidth of ultrashort pulses from a laser is determined primarily by the spectrum of the gain medium. Lasers with self-similar evolution of the pulse in the gain medium can tolerate strong spectral breathing, which is stabilized by nonlinear attraction to the parabolic self-similar pulse. Here we show that this property can be exploited in a fiber laser to eliminate the gain-bandwidth limitation to the pulse duration. Broad (̃200 nm) spectra are generated through passive nonlinear propagation in a normal-dispersion laser, and these can be dechirped to ̃20-fs duration

Forecasting U.S. Trade in Services

This paper provides a set of forecasts of United States international trade in services, both at the aggregate level and for four subcategories. These sectors are: travel, which is mostly tourist expenditures; passenger fares, which is mostly passenger air transportation; transportation, other than passenger transportation; and other private services, including education, financial services, insurance, telecommunications, and business, professional and technical services. A forecasting model is constructed and estimated, based on conventional economic forces of supply and demand, dependent on cost variables and income variables as well as relative prices. For forecasting purposes, these variables are taken from the Michigan Quarterly Econometric Model of the U.S. Economy, a macroeconomic forecasting model with forecasts provided regularly by the University of Michigan Research Seminar in Quantitative Economics. The equations of the services trade model are reported and discussed, and the performance of the estimated equations is evaluated. The quarterly forecast paths are provided for both aggregate and sectoral services trade, including exports and imports, through the end of 2001. Results indicate that imports will continue to rise over the forecast period, while exports, after remaining nearly stationary for several quarters in some sectors in 1999, will resume their rise thereafter. This forecasting work is to be continued, and it is suggested, in addition, that future research would be useful to explore the determinants of the production and sales of foreign services affiliates of U.S. parent companies.Services, International Trade

Structural relaxation in a system of dumbbell molecules

The interaction-site-density-fluctuation correlators, the dipole-relaxation functions, and the mean-squared displacements of a system of symmetric dumbbells of fused hard spheres are calculated for two representative elongations of the molecules within the mode-coupling theory for the evolution of glassy dynamics. For large elongations, universal relaxation laws for states near the glass transition are valid for parameters and time intervals similar to the ones found for the hard-sphere system. Rotation-translation coupling leads to an enlarged crossover interval for the mean-squared displacement of the constituent atoms between the end of the von Schweidler regime and the beginning of the diffusion process. For small elongations, the superposition principle for the reorientational $\alpha$-process is violated for parameters and time intervals of interest for data analysis, and there is a strong breaking of the coupling of the $\alpha$-relaxation scale for the diffusion process with that for representative density fluctuations and for dipole reorientations.Comment: 15 pages, 14 figures, Phys. Rev. E in pres