Phase Farming with Trees: A report for the RIRDC/LWRRDC/FWPRDC Joint Venture Agroforestry Program

A scoping study was undertaken to determine the economic and biophysical feasibility of a proposal to research a system of phase farming with trees (PFT) in medium to low (300-600 mm) rainfall areas of southern Australia. This system is designed to use trees grown in very short term rotations (3-5 years) to rapidly de-water farming catchments, at risk of salinity, by depleting unsaturated stored soil water and reducing recharge while producing utilizable products. If feasible, the system will utilize a resource that is currently contributing to environmental problems while building more sustainable agricultural systems. Potential benefits include decreased salinization, improved farm cash flows, improved soil structure and acting as a disease and weed break..

Latch-up control in CMOS integrated circuits

The potential for latch-up, a pnpn self-sustaining low impedance state, is inherent in standard bulk CMOS structures. Under normal bias, the parasitic SCR is in its blocking state, but if subjected to a high-voltage spike or if exposed to an ionizing environment, triggering may occur. Prevention of latch-up has been achieved by lifetime control methods such as gold doping or neutron irradiation and by modifying the structure with buried layers. Smaller, next-generation CMOS designs will enhance parasitic action making the problem a concern for other than military or space applications alone. Latch-up control methods presently employed are surveyed. Their adaptability to VSLI designs is analyzed

Overview on radiation effects in electronics

The radiation spectrum constituents of interest to microelectronics are prompt gamma or x-ray, total dose, neutrons (or protons), and cosmic radiation. Each of these constituents has a unique effect upon microelectronic components and requires unique techniques to improve the microelectronic radiation tolerance to such an exposure. This paper reviews the radiation effects associated with the natural space and nuclear reactor radiation environment, that is to say, total dose, neutrons, and cosmic rays. 2 refs., 6 figs