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For advanced technology nodes, the static random-access memories (SRAMs) are highly vulnerable to the single-event upsets (SEUs), especially the multiple cell upsets (MCUs), by a high energy ion strike, which is due to the small transistor size and close proximity of the sensitive regions. However, the narrow connection between the fin and the bulk region for FinFET inhibits the charge collection compared to the planar transistor structure. In this work, heavy ion tests were conducted for 16 nm bulk FinFET dual-port SRAM at two high linear energy transfers (LETs) of 60 MeV∙cm2/mg and 85 MeV∙cm2/mg. The non-saturating behavior of the SEU cross-sections and event cross-sections for a bit cell is observed even over the LET of 60 MeV∙cm2/mg due to the expanding of the sensitive area surrounding the array and the cutting-off area in the FinFET SRAM cells. The distribution curves of the MCU event probabilities for different MCU cluster sizes show the Single-bit upset (SBU) occupies the largest probability of all the single-event cluster sizes, which exhibits the inhibition capability of the Fin structure against the upsets induced by high energy particles. The parasitic bipolar effect is also serious for 16nm FinFET SRAM as former planar SRAM, but the charge sharing effect is effectively inhibited due to the narrow connection between the fin and the bulk region for FinFET. Results presented in this paper will help designers estimate the Error Correcting Code (ECC) and interleaving design parameters for radiation hardened SRAM designs at the 16 nm FinFET process.

An improved analytical model is developed to predict the dynamic response of clamped lightweight sandwich beams with cellular cores subjected to shock loading over the entire span. The clamped face sheets are simplified as a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) system, and the core is idealized using the rigid-perfectly-plastic-locking (RPPL) model. Reflection of incident shock wave is considered by incorporating the bending/stretching resistance of the front face sheet and compaction of the core. The model is validated with existing analytical predictions and FE simulation results, with good agreement achieved. Compared with existing analytical models, the proposed model exhibits superiority in two aspects: the deformation resistance of front face sheet during shock wave reflection is taken into account; the effect of pulse shape is considered. The practical application range of the proposed model is therefore wider. Keywords: Sandwich beam, Cellular core, Shock loading, Analytical model

Novel ultralight sandwich panels, which are comprised of corrugated channel cores and are faced with two identical solid sheets, subjected to generalized bending are optimally designed for minimum mass. A combined analytical and numerical (finite element) investigation is carried out. Relevant failure mechanisms such as face yielding, face buckling, core yielding and core buckling are identified, the load for each failure mode derived, and the corresponding failure mechanism maps constructed. The analytically predicted failure loads and failure modes are validated against direct finite element simulations, with good agreement achieved. The optimized corrugated channel core is compared with competing topologies for sandwich construction including corrugations, honeycombs and lattice trusses, and the superiority of the proposed structure is demonstrated. Corrugated-channel-core sandwich panels hold great potential for multifunctional applications, i.e., simultaneous load bearing and active cooling.

A refined four-unknown quasi-3D zigzag beam theory is developed to model the free vibration and buckling behaviors of multilayered composite beams subjected to axial mechanical loading (e.g., distributed load and terminal force) and uniform temperature variation. Types of the composite beams considered include laminated composite beams, sandwich beams with composite face sheets, and fiber metal laminates. The proposed theory accounts for not only thickness stretching but also interlaminar continuity of transverse shear stresses and displacements. Associated eigenvalue problems for various boundary conditions are derived using the Ritz method. Accuracy and effectiveness of the theoretical predictions are verified by comparison with existing results and present finite element simulations. The theory is employed to quantify the effects of axial distributed load/terminal force and temperature variation on free vibration and buckling for different boundary conditions, geometric parameters and material properties. The present theory could produce sufficiently accurate predictions of natural frequencies and buckling capacities of multilayered beams at a very low computational cost.

The security of cloud infrastructure is an important issue. Many solutions have been proposed to protect the integrity of cloud infrastructure through integrating Trusted Computing hardware. However, these existing solutions suffer from high complexity, repetition and latency. In this paper, we propose a blockchain based cloud service dependency attestation framework–CloudCoT (Cloud Chain-of-Trust). With CloudCoT which combines trusted computing and blockchain technology, cloud users are able to automatically extract the valid dependency of their applications deployed on cloud. And they can attest the valid dependency with low latency through its measurement mechanism and verification mechanism. In addition to the decentralized features, we can see that CloudCoT has higher efficiency while maintaining strong safety in experimental evaluation.

This article proposes a modified sequential multilateration method for measuring three-dimensional coordinates. The measuring system consists of a single laser tracker and four relay targets whose relative positions have been pre-calibrated by the multilateration method. The laser tracker is fixed on three prescribed positions successively, and these positions can be calibrated by using the distances between the laser tracker and the four relay targets based on the multilateration principle. Subsequently, the three-dimensional coordinates of each under-test point can be determined by the three laser trackers’ positions based on the trilateration principle. This method is more flexible than previous multilateration methods for three-dimensional coordinate collection, especially if the measurement space is partially covered by other objects. The mathematical model of this method is established. Based on the Monte Carlo method, a series of computer simulations are performed to optimize the system arrangement by investigating the performances of the measuring system with different system arrangement, and an optimal system arrangement is finally obtained. Practical measurement is also conducted to demonstrate the validity of the proposed method by comparing with a reference coordinate measuring machine.

One of the challenges regarding widespread use of parts made from alloy steel is their time-consuming polishing process. A rough freeform surface of part has been often expected to be polished rapidly up to a smooth surface finish. The focus of this study is to develop a fast polishing method of freeform surface by using dual-beam lasers. The dual-beam laser system consists of continuous laser (CW) and pulsed laser based on a five-axis CNC device. In this study, a series of experiments of CW laser polishing present the effects of different spot irradiation on surface topography, then the combination trajectory of zigzag and square waveform of pulsed laser is explored to realize a &ldquo, melting peak for filling into valley&rdquo, (MPFV) method. The polishing experiment on a semisphere of S136H steel polished by dual-beam shows that a rough semisphere surface was rapidly polished from initial state value of Sa (=877 nm) to post-polished value of Sa (=142 nm), and the polishing efficiency is as high as 2890 cm2/H.

At present, most of the strapdown seekers use the combination of infrared single band and single field of view to match and intercept the target, but this method is susceptible to factors such as target/background characteristic, detector performance, field of view in increasingly complex battlefield environment. On the basis of retaining the original single medium wave infrared large field of view of a strapdown seeker, a new type of IR dual band/dual field of view seeker was proposed by adding two long wave large and small field of view. By using the image fusion of medium and long wave dual band and the switching of dual field of view under long wave infrared, the difference between target and background feature information was highlighted, which can effectively improve the interception probability of missile to target. The optical system was designed with CODE V software. The whole system adopted the common aperture optical design, which had good imaging quality and meets the system requirements.

Detailed analysis is presented on the effect of re-convergence on SER estimation in combinational circuits. The results show that the ignoring of re-convergence by previous independent pulse methods introduces significant errors in SER results. Furthermore, independent pulse methods miscalculate the SET sensitive nodes, leading to improper hardening strategy.

Neonatal post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus is associated with cognitive decline and a serious deterioration in the patient's quality of life. The underlying impairments to neurons are not well understood. Here, we used the method described by Cherian et al. to construct a model of hydrocephalus after intra-ventricular hemorrhage and then observed the subsequent pathological changes in the morphology of neurons labeled by enhanced green fluorescent proteins (EGFP) using the in utero electroporation technique. Injection of venous blood into the lateral ventricles of 7-day-old rats in the operation group caused marked enlargement of the ventricles in 60% (9/15) of the rats after 2 weeks and in 53.3% (8/15) of the rats after 3 weeks. Compared with the control group, the length of the neural dendrites in the somatosensory cortex was shortened and the number of both neuron dendrite branches and synapses was significantly decreased. There was no evidence of cerebral cortical neuron death as shown by positive EGFP cell counting which suggest that neurological dysfunction after intra-ventricular hemorrhage-induced hydrocephalus may be related to the shortening of neural dendrites and the decreased number of synapses in somatosensory cortex and thus provides a possible neurological cause for hydrocephalus-induced cognitive decline and motor dysfunction.

3D mixed-mode simulation is used to research current components of SET current pulse in inverter chain, compared with that in a single NMOS. It is found that parasitic bipolar conduction current is the major component in SET current of single NMOS, but not in deep-submicron CMOS circuit. The paper provides a detailed discussion of source current in SET and it shows that negative and positive components of source current are related to bipolar amplification and diffusion of carriers respectively.

We theoretically investigate the feasibility of terahertz generation and detection in a 〈110〉-oriented 3C-SiC single crystal excited by a frequency-doubled Yb-doped femtosecond pulse laser. The phase-matching condition of optical rectification (OR) and electro-optic (EO) sampling are analyzed on the basis of the dispersion relation of 3C-SiC. The THz generation bandwidth as well as the peak frequency position via OR are calculated at different crystal thicknesses. The THz detection bandwidth on EO sampling is discussed on the basis of 2 different schemes. In the collinear incidence scheme, the cut-off frequency as a function of crystal thickness is revealed. In the noncollinear incidence scheme, the phase-matching condition can be achieved locally by using a silicon prism to couple the THz radiation into a 3C-SiC single crystal. The relationship between THz coherence length and the apex angle of the Si prism is discussed. The detection sensitivity of 3C-SiC at the wavelength of an Yb-doped femtosecond pulse laser is compared with those of other zinc blende EO crystals, which is found to be higher than that of GaP but lower than those of GaAs and ZnTe. Considering the optimal phase-matching condition at a wavelength of 515 nm, 3C-SiC is found to be a potential EO crystal for THz generation and detection using a frequency-doubled Yb-doped femtosecond laser.

This paper describes a low-noise phase-locked loop (PLL) design method to achieve minimum jitter. Based on the phase noise properties extracted from the transistor, and the low-pass or high-pass transfer characteristics of different noise sources to the output, an optimal loop bandwidth design method, derived from a continuous-time PLL model, further improves the jitter characteristics of the PLL. The described method not only finds the optimal loop-bandwidth to minimize the overall PLL jitter, but also achieves optimal loop-bandwidth by changing the value of the resistor or charge pump current. In addition, a phase-domain behavioral model in ADS is presented for accurately predicting improved jitter performance of a PLL at system level. A prototype PLL designed in a 0.18μm CMOS technology is used to investigate the accuracy of the theoretical predictions. The simulation shows significant performance improvement by using the proposed method. The simulated RMS and peak-to-peak jitter of the PLL at the optimal loop-bandwidth are 10.262 ps and 46.851 ps, respectively.

The Global Financial Crisis (GFC) in 2008 had a significant impact on the world economy and the construction industry was no exception. This study investigates the major impacts of the 2008 GFC on the Australian construction industry and, in particular how the Australian construction contractors responded to the economic downturn. A total of 35 senior managers from the Top 100 Australian construction companies were interviewed. The findings indicate that construction companies, particularly the large ones were not affected in any significant way but are expecting some difficult financial times over the next few years and are taking actions to minimize the upcoming adverse impacts. The most common strategy adopted by Australian construction contractors is to concentrate on core business while avoiding aimless bidding. Similarly, great focus is placed on retaining human resources in order to maintain the skill set so that the company can respond quickly when market conditions improves. The research findings will provide construction contractors with insights on how to establish and sustain competitive advantages during economic slowdown and become more resilient in the future. First Publish Online: 9 Oct 2015

Chinese electric power industry has adopted Build??Operate??Transfer (BOT) approach in a number of projects to alleviate the pressure of sole state-owned investment. The Chinese government has taken enormous efforts to create an environment to facilitate the application of BOT approach in electric power projects. Moreover, the growing attention on the sustainability issues puts the traditional major source of electricity ?? thermal power project under more strict scrutiny. As a result, various renewable energy projects, particularly the wind power projects have involved private sector funds. Both thermal power and wind power projects via BOT approach have met with a varying degree of success. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the factors contributing towards the success of both types of BOT power projects. Using an extensive literature survey, this paper identifies 31 success factors under 5 categories for Chinese BOT electric power projects. This is followed by a questionnaire survey to exam relative significance of these factors. The results reveal the different levels of significance of success factors for BOT thermal power projects versus wind power projects. Finally, survey results were analyzed to explore the underlying construction and distributions among the identified success factors. This study provides a valuable reference for all involved parties that are interested in developing BOT electric power projects in China. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

A reliable supply of energy is essential to maintain and to improve human being's living conditions. Compared to the conventional coal-fired approach, renewable energy (RE) helps to mitigate the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions to a large extent. As a newly developed sector with large resource potential and good commercial prospects, China's wind power industry is exceeding expectations. By 2008, installed capacity of wind power in China totaled over 12 GW, making China the fourth largest wind market in the world. However, China has to admit the gap with foreign leading countries, mainly in technical R&D for large-scale wind turbine generation units. This paper attempts to formulate an analytical model for studying and assessing factors that have significant impacts on the local industry. An improved dynamic Diamond Model is developed to help the international community to understand the status quo of the Chinese wind power industry. In order to build a stronger wind power industry, the elements identified in the model need to be strengthened.

The past decade has witnessed the steady growth of Chinese international contractors (CICs), who have become important and influential players in the international market. The enormous development demands worldwide, especially in developing countries, attract CICs to engage in the market. Similarly, the strong support from the Chinese government plays an important role for the expansion of Chinese contractors globally. Some leading CICs perform very well in certain fields and countries. This brings the competitiveness of CICs to the attention of the international community. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) approach was adopted in order to analyze CICs’ strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in international construction markets. Literature from various sources was reviewed in the first instance, which is followed by an interview survey with 42 CICs employees. A SWOT strategy matrix is used to establish a framework that can help CICs to select suitable business develop...

The design-build (DB) delivery system is an effective means of delivering a green construction project and selecting an appropriate contractor is critical to project success. Moreover, the delivery of green buildings requires specificdesign, construction and operation and maintenance considerations not generally encountered in the procurement ofconventional buildings. Specifying clear sustainability requirements to potential contractors is particularly important in achieving sustainable project goals. However, many client/owners either do not explicitly specify sustainability requirements or do so in a prescriptive manner during the project procurement process. This paper investigates the current state-of-the-art procurement process used in specifying the sustainability requirements of the public sector in the USA construction market by means of a robust content analysis of 40 design-build requests for proposals (RFPs). The results of the content analysis indicate that the sustainability requirement is one of the most important dimensions in the best-value evaluation of DB contractors. Client/owners predominantly specify the LEED certification levels (e.g. LEED Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum) for a particular facility, and include the sustainability requirements as selection criteria (with specific importance weightings) for contractor evolution. Additionally, larger size projects tend to allocate higher importance weightings to sustainability requirements.This study provides public DB client/owners with a number of practical implications for selecting appropriate design-builders for sustainable DB projects. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

In line with China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), largely due to the encouragement and support by the Chinese government, the last decades have witnessed a dramatic growing trend of Chinese construction companies making significant inroads into the international market. A Diamond Model is developed in this technical note to analyze the factors that have significant impacts on the competitiveness of the Chinese International Construction Companies (CICCs) in the Global Market. Data was collected from multiple sources including literature survey, statistics and policy review. The results show that Diamond Model is an effective method for the CICCs' self-competitiveness-assessment, which has great potential to be applied to any international contractor's competitiveness study in the global market. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

This research proposes an innovative critical chain method (ICCM) for project planning and control under resource constraints and uncertainty. An improved genetic algorithm is developed to identify the critical chain and to obtain the optimal start time of each activity under the most optimistic duration of each activity and resource constraints. Furthermore, a feeding buffer is added in an insert point in order to deal with uncertainties. The benefits of applying this ICCM are demonstrated in an example project. Refereed/Peer-reviewed