A Fully Parameterized Fem Model for Electromagnetic Optimization of an RF Mems Wafer Level Package

In this work, we present a fully parameterized capped transmission line model for electromagnetic optimization of a wafer level package (WLP) for RF MEMS applications using the Ansoft HFSS-TM electromagnetic simulator. All the degrees of freedom (DoF's) in the package fabrication can be modified within the model in order to optimize for losses and mismatch (capacitive and inductive couplings) introduced by the cap affecting the MEMS RF behaviour. Ansoft HFSS-TM was also validated for the simulation of capped RF MEMS devices by comparison against experimental data. A test run of capped 50 transmission lines and shorts was fabricated and tested.Comment: Submitted on behalf of EDA Publishing Association (http://irevues.inist.fr/EDA-Publishing

Parasitic Effects Reduction for Wafer-Level Packaging of RF-Mems

In RF-MEMS packaging, next to the protection of movable structures, optimization of package electrical performance plays a very important role. In this work, a wafer-level packaging process has been investigated and optimized in order to minimize electrical parasitic effects. The RF-MEMS package concept used is based on a wafer-level bonding of a capping silicon substrate to an RF-MEMS wafer. The capping silicon substrate resistivity, substrate thickness and the geometry of through-substrate electrical interconnect vias have been optimized using finite-element electromagnetic simulations (Ansoft HFSS). Test structures for electrical characterization have been designed and after their fabrication, measurement results will be compared with simulations.Comment: Submitted on behalf of TIMA Editions (http://irevues.inist.fr/tima-editions

Governance structure and Operating Performance of Japanese Major Banks

近年，銀行の経営破綻が相次ぎ，金融システムの不安定性が高まっている。そのため，銀行のガバナンス構造を明らかにし，銀行経営の効率性を高めることは喫緊の課題である。ところで，非金融企業と異なり預金という特殊な負債を保有する銀行の場合，株主によるガバナンスが重要である。本稿では， 1990年から1998年をサンプル期間として，日本の大手銀行18行のパネル・データを用いて，株式所有構造の変化，株式所有構造と経営効率性および労働分配率との関係を分析した。その結果，①銀行の株式所有構造は経営効率性を重視する株主の保有比率が上昇する傾向にあること，②銀行経営に対して株主は経営効率性を高める方向で影響を与えていること，③株式保有比率が高いほど労働分配率が低下すること，すなわち株主への分配が多くなる傾向があること，の3点が明らかになった。従って，少なくとも1990年代において，銀行のガバナンス構造は株主への利益分配を重視する「新古典派型企業」としての性格を示していると言える

Diabetic nephropathy: What does the future hold?

The consensus management of diabetic nephropathy (DN) in 2015 involves good control of glycaemia, dyslipidaemia and blood pressure (BP). Blockade of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system using angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin-2 receptor blockers or mineralocorticoid inhibitors are key therapeutic approaches, shown to be beneficial once overt nephropathy is manifest, as either, or both, of albuminuria and loss of glomerular filtration rate. Some significant additional clinical benefits in slowing the progression of DN was reported from the Remission clinic experience, where simultaneous intensive control of BP, tight glycaemic control, weight loss, exercise and smoking cessation were prioritised in the management of DN. This has not proved possible to translate to more conventional clinical settings. This review briefly looks over the history and limitations of current therapy from landmark papers and expert reviews, and following an extensive PubMed search identifies the most promising clinical biomarkers (both established and proposed). Many challenges need to be addressed urgently as in order to obtain novel therapies in the clinic; we also need to examine what we mean by remission, stability and progression of DN in the modern era

An investigation of performance limits of conventional and tunneling graphene-based transistors

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A Reconfigurable Impedance Matching Network Employing RF-MEMS Switches

We propose the design of a reconfigurable impedance matching network for the lower RF frequency band, based on a developed RF-MEMS technology. The circuit is composed of RF-MEMS ohmic relays, metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors and suspended spiral inductors, all integrated on a high resistivity Silicon substrate. The presented circuit is well-suited for all applications requiring adaptive impedance matching between two in principle unknown cascaded RF-circuits. The fabrication and testing of a monolithic integrated prototype in RF-MEMS technology from ITC-irst is currently underway.Comment: Submitted on behalf of EDA Publishing Association (http://irevues.inist.fr/EDA-Publishing

Sub-Domain Solution of the Boltzmann Equation in MOS Means of Spherical Harmonics Expansion

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A gated oscillator clock and data recovery circuit for nanowatt wake-up and data receivers

This article presents a data-startable baseband logic featuring a gated oscillator clock and data recovery (GO-CDR) circuit for nanowatt wake-up and data receivers (WuRxs). At each data transition, the phase misalignment between the data coming from the analog front-end (AFE) and the clock is cleared by the GO-CDR circuit, thus allowing the reception of long data streams. Any free-running frequency mismatch between the GO and the bitrate does not limit the number of receivable bits, but only the maximum number of equal consecutive bits (Nm). To overcome this limitation, the proposed system includes a frequency calibration circuit, which reduces the frequency mismatch to ±0.5%, thus enabling the WuRx to be used with different encoding techniques up to Nm = 100. A full WuRx prototype, including an always-on clockless AFE operating in subthreshold, was fabricated with STMicroelectronics 90 nm BCD technology. The WuRx is supplied with 0.6 V, and the power consumption, excluding the calibration circuit, is 12.8 nW during the rest state and 17 nW at a 1 kbps data rate. With a 1 kbps On-Off Keying (OOK) modulated input and −35 dBm of input RF power after the input matching network (IMN), a 10^(−3) missed detection rate with a 0 bit error tolerance is measured, transmitting 63 bit packets with the Nm ranging from 1 to 63. The total sensitivity, including the estimated IMN gain at 100 MHz and 433 MHz, is −59.8 dBm and −52.3 dBm, respectively. In comparison with an ideal CDR, the degradation of the sensitivity due to the GO-CDR is 1.25 dBm. False alarm rate measurements lasting 24 h revealed zero overall false wake-ups

Generalized vector variational inequalities over countable product of sets

In this paper, we consider vector variational inequalities with set-valued mappings over countable product sets in a real Banach space setting. By employing concepts of relative pseudomonotonicity, we establish several existence results for generalized vector variational inequalities and for systems of generalized vector variational inequalities. These results strengthen previous existence results which were based on the usual monotonicity type assumptions. © 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands

An extended Gauss-Seidel method for a class of multi-valued complementarity problems

The complementarity problem is one of the basic topics in nonlinear analysis; however, the methods for solving complementarity problems are usually developed for problems with single-valued mappings. In this paper we examine a class of complementarity problems with multi-valued mappings and propose an extension of the Gauss-Seidel algorithm for finding its solution. Its convergence is proved under off-diagonal antitonicity assumptions. Applications to Walrasian type equilibrium problems and to nonlinear input-output problems are also given. © 2008 Springer-Verlag