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Regarded as a novel type of igniter, semiconductor bridge (SCB) prove superior in burst time and burst energy (less than 5 mJ). Nevertheless, SCB discharged by strong electrostatic discharge (ESD) inevitably leads to damage. To enhance the electrostatic safety of the SCB initiator, an antistatic semiconductor bridge (ASCB) initiator incorporating a transient suppression (TVS) diode was fabricated based on micro/nan processing techniques. Three sizes of polysilicon bridge (10440 µ m2, 17 020 µ m2, and 23 760 µ m2) and two breakdown voltages of TVS (7.3 V and 8.6 V) were designed. Then constant discharge test and ESD test were carried out to investigate the effects of bridge area and TVS breakdown voltage on the performance of ASCB. The results showed that, the energy density of polysilicon bridge is a linear function of the ratio of the square of the current to the area of the polysilicon (ISCB2/A). The breakdown voltage will affect the shunt of TVS. During polysilicon heat accumulation process, owing to shunt of TVS, the energy applied to the polysilicon bridge reduced. In addition, the bridge with a larger area were more difficult to reach the explosive limit. Therefore, both the breakdown voltage of the TVS and the area of the polysilicon bridge influenced the explosive characteristics of the ASCB. The antistatic performance of ASCB is obviously stronger than that of SCB, and A2 (ASCB with bridge area of 23 760 µ m2 and breakdown voltage of 7.3 V) is the strongest among the three types of ASCB. Reducing the breakdown voltage of TVS and increasing the bridge area of polysilicon can effectively improve the antistatic performance of ASCB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct current (DC) microgrid has recently gained potential interest since it supports easy integration of distributed generators (DGs) and energy storage devices (ESDs). However, most DGs and ESDs are integrated into the DC bus with the power electronic converter/inverter. Thus, controlling large-scale power electronic-based generators, loads, and ESDs becomes a challenging task. This paper introduces a new control strategy for the DC microgrid to regulate the bus voltage and power sharing among the DGs, ESDs, resistive loads, and constant power loads (CPLs). Each battery's state of charge (SoC) is utilized in the double control loop to determine the charging/discharging speed. Besides, an additional fractional-order proportional-integral voltage compensation loop is introduced to regulate the DC bus voltage. The SoC-based inner loops assist in the automatic balancing of battery charges, while the compensation loop minimizes the DC bus voltage deviation. A detailed small-signal model is derived to design the controller parameter. The optimization approach is applied to the developed model with the objective of reducing the integral square error of the step response. The DC microgrid system with the designed controller is tested with the simulation study. The results depict that the bus voltage deviation is reduced by 63.27% while the SoC balancing is faster for both charging and discharging modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently through the synergetic utilization of triboelectrification, electrostatic induction, and electrostatic discharge, a novel dual‐functional triboelectric nanogenerator (DF‐TENG) has been developed, which can not only generate a motion‐responsible alternating current/ direct current output but also provide a higher performance compared to traditional TENGs. However, further improvements in performance and lifespan are crucial and remain challenging for the future large‐scale application of this new‐type TENG. Herein, a novel bioinspired self‐lubricating prototype is presented (BS‐TENG), which employs a porous polyurethane (PU) matrix impregnated with a low‐viscosity dielectric lubricant. In response to external mechanical stimuli, the BS‐TENG can "secrete" pre‐stored lubricant to partially fill micro‐gaps between tribo‐layers, thus forming self‐lubrication. This self‐lubricating mechanism not only elevates the electrostatic discharge threshold between tribo‐layers to maximize charge accumulation, thereby facilitating efficient energy release through electrostatic discharge for enhanced power output, but also significantly reduces material abrasion and realizes superior output durability. Benefiting from this effect, the BS‐TENG delivers an average power density of up to 4.6 W m−2, with extraordinary stability to retain 99% of its initial output even after over 60 000 cycles. This work provides a straightforward and effective strategy for realizing high‐performance and long‐stability TENGs, paving the way for their practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The electrospray deposition (ESD) method is a wet process that uses the solution spray formed by an electric field between the needle of a syringe containing the solution and a conductive substrate or an insulated electrode. In this study, we fabricated thin films based on 6,13‐bis(triisopropyl‐silylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS‐pentacene) formed by a new direct patterning ESD method. This method utilizes an electric field applied between the nozzle and patterned electrodes on the substrate. It enables the formation of patterns on materials such as plastic films. Moreover, this ESD method allows for the control of patterned film width using the voltage on a counter‐patterned electrode. These results demonstrate that the patterned TIPS‐pentacene film width can be controlled by controlling voltage. We fabricated a flexible organic field‐effect transistor (OFET) using this method and measured its static electrical characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a low-power 60 GHz low-noise amplifier (LNA) designed for Gbit/s applications using 28 nm CMOS technology. The LNA exploits a single-stage pseudo-differential architecture with integrated input transformer for both electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection and simultaneous noise/impedance matching. An effective power-constrained design strategy is adopted to pursue the lowest current consumption at the minimum noise figure (NF), with the best tradeoff between gain and frequency bandwidth. The LNA, which has been designed to drive an on–off keying (OOK) demodulator, is operated at a supply voltage as low as 0.9 V and achieves a voltage gain of about 21 dB with a 3 dB bandwidth of 2 GHz around 60 GHz. Thanks to the proper impedance transformation at the 60 GHz input, the amplifier exhibits an NF of 6.3 dB, also including the input transformer loss with a very low power consumption of about 5 mW. The adoption of a single-stage topology also allows an excellent input 1 dB compression point (IP1dB) of −4.7 dBm. The input transformer guarantees up to 2 kV human body model (HBM) ESD protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal protection systems (TPSs) are important components of reusable spacecraft, and their assembly quality has a crucial impact on flight safety. Owing to the complex assembly process and variable states of spacecraft thermal protection systems, assembly parameters may vary under different assembly states. Therefore, to obtain assembly parameters accurately and efficiently under different assembly states, in this study, 3D point cloud data and fiber optic sensor data were fused to develop an assembly parameter update method for assembly process state changes. Firstly, based on the measured data of thermal protection components and load-bearing structure, the gap, flush and matching parameters solution model are proposed. Secondly, to address the deformation problem of the load-bearing structure caused by changes in assembly status, a fusion method based on laser scanning and sensor detection was devised to achieve deformation prediction of the assembly structure during the assembly process. Thirdly, based on the assembly parameter solution model and point cloud prediction model, a constraint-based assembly parameter optimisation model was established, and an improved quantum particle swarm optimisation (LQPSO) algorithm was employed to achieve assembly parameter updates oriented toward changes in assembly status. Finally, an experimental system for array-based thermal protection structure simulation was established to validate the proposed method. The results show that the proposed parameter update method can achieve ideal results for different assembly state simulation components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen plays a pivotal role as a sustainable energy carrier, but the cost-effective and efficient production of gas barrier materials for hydrogen storage still poses a considerable challenge. In this research, we investigate the hydrogen barrier properties of nanocomposites based on low-density polyethylene (LDPE) filled with varying concentrations (0–5 wt%) of rippled graphene. The low-density polyethylene rippled graphene (LPRG) nanocomposites were prepared by drop-casting a suspension of graphene with LDPE dissolved in Toluene, which resulted in a uniform dispersion of rippled graphene within the LDPE matrix. Mechanical testing revealed notable improvements in tensile strength (+40%) and Young's modulus (+120%), confirming the reinforcing effect of rippled graphene in the polymer matrix. Results from the thermogravimetric analysis showed that the addition of rippled graphene significantly increased the thermal stability of the material, reporting an increase of 77 °C in the thermal degradation temperature at a nanofiller loading of 1 wt%. Additionally, the incorporation of rippled graphene in the composite improved the thermal conductivity by 161 %. Moreover, it resulted in an electrically percolated network at a critical nanofiller loading of 1 wt%, contributing to enhanced electrostatic discharge safety. Finally, gas permeability tests unveiled a 50% reduction in hydrogen permeability of LPRG with graphene content of 5 wt% compared to pristine LDPE, making graphene/LDPE composites a superior choice for sustainable and efficient hydrogen storage applications. • H 2 barrier properties of LDPE composites filled with (0–5 wt%) rippled graphene were investigated. • Mechanical testing revealed notable improvements in tensile strength (+40%) and Young's modulus (+120%). • Adding rippled graphene boosted material's thermal stability, raising degradation temp by 77 °C at 1% nanofiller loading. • Rippled graphene enhanced thermal conductivity by 161% and formed an electrically percolated network at 1 wt%. • The 5 wt% concentration of rippled graphene reduced H 2 permeability by 50% compared to pristine LDPE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Dual‐directional SCR (DDSCR) with bidirectional discharge paths and high robustness is widely employed for electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection in integrated circuits. However, the design and simulation of on‐chip ESD protection circuits for dual‐directional paths remain challenging due to a lack of relevant device models. This paper designs a Gate‐Controlled Dual‐Direction SCR (GDDSCR) for providing electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection in industry‐level temperature sensors. Furthermore, a new behavioral model is developed based on the GDDSCR for simulating ESD protection circuits along both forward and reverse paths. Experimental results demonstrate that the GDDSCR behavioral model accurately reproduces the IV characteristics observed in bidirectional transmission line pulse (TLP) tests. In addition, the equivalent circuit based on human body model (HBM) is used for transient simulation, and the accuracy of the model is verified by relevant HBM experiments. The proposed model allows the direct extraction of parameters such as trigger voltage (Vt1), holding voltage (Vh), and on‐state resistance (Ron) through TLP testing, facilitating easy application to other types of DDSCR devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both nanoscience and nanotechnology have undoubtedly contributed significantly to the development of thermite-based nanoenergetic materials (NEMs) with tunable and tailorable combustion performance and their subsequent integration into devices. Specifically, this review article reflects the immense paybacks in designing and fabricating ordered/disordered assembly of energetic materials over multiple length scales (from nano- to milli-scales) in terms of realization of desired reaction rates and sensitivity. Besides presenting a critical review of present advancements made in the synthesis of NEMs, this article touches upon aspects related to various applications concomitantly. The article concludes with the author's summary of the insurmountable challenges and the road ahead toward the deployment of nanoenergetic materials in practical applications. The real challenge lies in the ability to preserve the self-assembly of fuel and oxidizer nanoparticles achieved at the nanoscale while synthesizing macroscale energetic formulations using advanced fabrication techniques both in bulk and thin film forms. Most importantly, these self-assembled NEMs have to exhibit excellent combustion performance at reduced sensitivity to external stimuli such as electrostatic discharge (ESD), friction and impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a root cause analysis case study of defective Hall effect sensor devices. The study identified a complex failure mode caused by chip–package interaction, which has a similar signature to discharging defects such as ESDFOS (electrostatic discharge from outside to surface). However, the study revealed that the defect was induced by local mechanical force applied to IC structures due to the presence of large irregular shaped filler particles within the mold compound. Extensive failure analysis work was conducted to identify the failure mode, including the development of a new backside analysis strategy to preserve the mold compound during IC defect localization and screening. A combination of different failure analysis techniques was used, including CMP delayering, PFIB trenching, SEM PVC imaging and large area FIB cross-sectioning. The study found that the mold compound of the package caused thermo-mechanical strain onto the silica filler particle due to epoxy shrinkage during the molding process. Additionally, extra-large, irregularly shaped filler particles (called twin particles), located on top of the chip surface, can cause locally high compression stresses onto the IC layers, initiating cracks in the isolation layers under certain conditions forming a leakage path over the time. Thermo-mechanical finite element analysis was applied to verify the mechanical load condition for these large irregular shaped filler particles. As a result, an additional polyimide layer was introduced onto the IC to mitigate the mechanical stress of mold compound particles to avoid this failure mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurement of a qubit (quantum bit) is a key element of quantum computation and is necessary for extracting information from a quantum processor. The physical implementation of a measurement protocol involves monitoring a physical quantity of a sensor, such as a current or a voltage, that is correlated with the state of the qubit to be measured. The monitoring of these sensors used to measure qubits in modern quantum computer architectures is typically divided between RF reflectometry and current/voltage monitoring. There are tradeoffs involved with both approaches for the reliable and accurate readout of qubits when it comes to scalable quantum computing architectures. In this article, we will review the working principles of a selection of sensors that are used to measure the state of qubits in semiconductors. The goal is to introduce electronic engineers with little or no background in quantum computing to the working principles of charge sensors in semiconductor quantum computers, their identification in various physical systems, and an overview of their design tradeoffs when measuring a qubit. This will allow electronic engineers to begin working with physics literature in the field of charge sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the primary and still unresolved problems of shotcreting is the high rebound rate of the material, which reaches over 20% in "dry" shotcreting. There is a practical need to improve the very principle of shotcreting and methods for optimizing the movement of torch particles. Materials and Methods: The purpose of this study was to justify the use of the electrostatic treatment of cement–sand mortar in the process of performing shotcreting works using the dry method. It was proposed that the binder and then the finished mixture be ionized step-by-step (by passing it through a non-uniform electrostatic field formed by corona electrodes). As a result, the shotcrete will be held on the fence. Results: Analysis of the modeling results shows that the presence of an electrostatic field slows down the particle and reduces the kinetic energy of the rebound. After theoretical calculations, experiments were conducted, during which, the torch size and the plant productivity were changed, and the rebound mass was weighed. After application to the surface, prototypes were formed and subjected to strength tests. It was determined that gunning in a sharply non-uniform electric field demonstrates its practical and economic efficiency due to the uniform deposition of charged particles on the treated surface and low power consumption. Conclusions: It was established that the electrostatic treatment of a cement–sand mixture during application allows concrete particles to be retained on the shotcrete surface, the rebound of the material to be reduced and the strength of concrete to be increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyester fibers tend to generate static electricity during the weaving and application processes, posing a threat to their production. Enhancing the water absorbency and electrical conductivity of polyester fibers themselves is an effective approach to improving their antistatic properties. In this study, multifunctional chitosan (CS), sodium phytate (SP), and Cu2+ were loaded on polyester fibers through layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly. The antistatic and water absorption capability of the modified polyester fibers was investigated by designing different process parameters combined with a surface resistance test and water contact angle tests. The antistatic property test results confirmed the positive effect of CS and Cu2+ on discharging electrostatic charge. Within a definite scope, with the increase in the number of assembly layers, assembly duration, and the concentration of the assembly substances, the wettability of the modified polyester fibers became more favorable and the antistatic effect became more remarkable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advancements in electronics and digitization have led to concerns about electromagnetic interference (EMI), necessitating effective EMI shielding measures. This study investigates the electromagnetic wave absorption properties of La n+1 Ni n O 3n+1 (n = 1, 2, 3) Ruddlesden-popper (RP) phases. While a single phase, La 2 NiO 4 , was obtained for n = 1, mixed phases of La 3 N 2 O 7-δ /La 4 Ni 3 O 10-δ were observed for n = 2 and 3. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed superparamagnetic behavior for La 2 NiO 4 and multi-resonance peaks for La 3 Ni 2 O 7-δ , suggesting increased surface defects. La 3 Ni 2 O 7-δ exhibited enhanced absorption properties, with a minimum reflection loss of −19.4 dB and a broader (less than −10 dB) bandwidth covering 4.2 GHz (X-band) at a thickness of 1.4 mm, attributed to optimal conductivity, magnetic resonance, eddy current losses, and synergistic dielectric loss. The sample with n = 2 demonstrates potential for EMI absorption and electrostatic discharge (ESD) applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A single-phase grounding fault often occurs in 10 kV distribution networks, seriously affecting the safety of equipment and personnel. With the popularization of urban cables, the low-resistance grounding system gradually replaced arc suppression coils in some large cities. Compared to arc suppression coils, the low-resistance grounding system features simplicity and reliability. However, when a high-resistance grounding fault occurs, a lower amount of fault characteristics cannot trigger the zero-sequence protection action, so this type of fault will exist for a long time, which poses a threat to the power grid. To address this kind of problem, in this paper, a hybrid grounding system combining the low-resistance protection device and fully controlled power module is proposed. During a low-resistance grounding fault, the fault isolation is achieved through the zero-sequence current protection with the low-resistance grounding system itself, while, during a high-resistance grounding fault, the reliable arc extinction is achieved by regulating the neutral-point voltage with a fully controlled power module. Firstly, this paper introduces the principles, topology, and coordination control of the hybrid grounding system for active voltage arc extinction. Subsequently, a dual-loop-based control method is proposed to suppress the fault phase voltage. Furthermore, a faulty feeder selection method based on the Kepler optimization algorithm and convolutional neural network is proposed for the timely removal of permanent faults. Lastly, the simulation and HIL-based emulated results verify the rationality and effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simultaneous achievement of both low sensitivity and high energy is crucial in practical applications of high energetic materials such as HMX and RDX. In this work, TNT, a low-sensitive explosive, was used to improve sensitivity and thermal stability of HMX and RDX explosives. The method is based on coating HMX and RDX with TNT using solvent-anti-solvent technique. The characterization of samples was done by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The SEM and TEM images revealed that a layer of TNT was coated on the HMX and RDX surfaces. TG/DSC thermograms for HMX/TNT and RDX/TNT show that decomposition enthalpy change (ΔH) increased to 121.1 and 197.6 J/g compared to pure HMX and RDX, respectively. Fluidity test results showed that the fluidity of the samples improved from medium to good grade after coating. The impact sensitivity for HMX/TNT and RDX/TNT improved to 7.35 and 19.62 J, respectively. Also, friction sensitivity for coated HMX and RDX increased to 210.2 and 196.1 N. The electrostatic discharge experiments showed that HMX/TNT and RDX/TNT were safer than pure HMX and RDX. Therefore, the coated samples will be good candidates for energetic formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have been widely used to harness various forms of mechanical energy for conversion to electrical energy. However, the contentious challenge in characterising TENGs is the lack of standard protocols for assessing mechanical‐to‐electrical energy conversion processes. Herein, macroscopic signal analysis is used to identify three key charging events within triboelectric signals: charge induction (CI), contact electrification (CE), and electrostatic discharge (ESD). By considering two phases of motion during contact‐separation (approach and departure of the contact materials), CI arising from the motion of bound surface charge (varying electric field) between opposing contact materials is shown to dominate the measured displacement current signal, rather than the process of CE itself. Furthermore, the conventional signal (i. e. voltage, current, charge) interpretation of CE and CI during approach and departure phases is re‐assessed, to indicate that the sudden spike of current often observed immediately prior to contact (or after separation) arises from polarity inverting electrostatic discharge (ESD). This aspect of the measured triboelectric effect, which is often ignored, is crucial for the design of TENGs and hence, techniques to enhance the understanding and control over the stochastic occurrence of ESDs is explored. The methods proposed for the deconvolution of the macroscopic signal components of TENGs, and mitigation of ESD occurrences, will allow for precise quantification of the associated charging events. The applications of this study will template the design and development of future super‐TENGs with optimised energy conversion capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioactive glasses are renowned for their applications in dentistry, serving as restorative materials, dental adhesives, intracanal medicaments, and agents for enamel remineralization. Niobium pentoxide (Nb 2 O 5) is employed in dental adhesive resins and orthodontic adhesives, offering radio-pacifying properties essential for dental materials. Samarium oxide (Sm 2 O 3) emerges as a potential additive in aesthetic restorative dental ceramics and resins, enhancing the natural fluorescence of teeth. In this study Nb 2 O 5 and Sm 2 O 3 -doped (1, 3, and 5 wt%) 13–93 bioactive glass particles were synthesized via the sol-gel method, tailored for dental implementations. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of the physical, structural, and optical properties of the resultant glass powders. Additionally, their in vitro bioactivity and ionizing radiation shielding characteristics were rigorously evaluated. The results indicate that Sm3+ ions preserve the amorphous nature of the silicate glasses, while Nb5+ incorporation leads to the crystallization of the T-Nb 2 O 5 phase. Bioactivity assays across three physiological fluids—simulated body fluid, α-minimum essential medium, and phosphate-buffered saline, demonstrated the ability of doped glasses to facilitate hydroxyapatite layer formation, with the most pronounced bioactivity observed in phosphate-buffered saline immersed samples. Furthermore, radiation shielding simulations reveal that the addition of Nb 2 O 5 and Sm 2 O 3 enhances the ionizing radiation attenuation capabilities of the glasses, a property that holds significant promise for protecting against radiation in dental radiology. It can be concluded that the dual functionality of Nb5+ and Sm3+-doped bioactive glasses, which may revolutionize restorative dental practices and offer improved protection in radiological applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal oxides (HMOs) can enhance the physical, optical, and radiation shielding properties of glass. Through the comprehensive consideration of the absorption edge, the fast neutron removal cross-section, and transmittance of heavy metal oxides, the rapid determination of the shielding material system is achieved. Herein, B 2 O 3 –TeO 2 –BaO-MO (M = Bi, W, Cd, Mo) glasses are synthesized by the melt quenching method, and the effects of various heavy metal oxides on the glass performance are investigated. The physical and optical property results show that the addition of Bi 2 O 3 provides glass with greater stiffness, a more densified glass network, and a relatively wide indirect optical bandgap compared to other oxides. Subsequently, the photon attenuation behavior of the B 2 O 3 –TeO 2 –BaO-MO glasses was evaluated using the MCNPX, Phy-X and XCOM. Compared to the shielding materials in service, all the four metal oxide glasses exhibit excellent shielding capabilities against X-rays, gamma rays, and fast neutron. Particularly, due to the higher density and effective atomic number of Bi 2 O 3 , its modified glass will have more extra-nuclear electrons per unit volume, which increases the probability of collision with incident photons, and thus exhibits superior radiation shielding properties than other glasses. The Bi 2 O 3 -modified glass exhibits an average specific lead equivalent of 0.441 mmPb/mm in the medical X-ray energy range (0.03–0.08 MeV), and only requires a thickness of 0.8 cm to achieve complete protection against this incident photon, which far exceeded the specific lead equivalent requirement of 0.22 mmPb/mm for "protection devices against diagnostic medical X-radiation". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A direct bidirectional current discharge path between the input/output (I/O) and ground (GND) is essential for the robust protection of charging device models (CDM) in the tightly constrained design parameters of advanced low-voltage (LV) processes. Dual-direction silicon controlled rectifiers (DDSCRs) serve as ESD protection devices with high efficiency unit area discharge, enabling bidirectional electrostatic protection. However, the high trigger voltage of conventional DDSCR makes it unsuitable for ASICs used for the preamplification of biomedical signals, which only operate at low supply voltage. To address this issue, a self-biased triggered DDSCR (STDDSCR) structure is proposed to further reduce the trigger voltage. When the ESD pulse comes, the external RC trigger circuit controls the PMOS turn-on by self-bias, and the current release path is opened in advance to reduce the trigger voltage. As the ESD pulse voltage increases, the SCR loop opens to establish positive feedback and drain the amplified current. Additionally, the junction capacitance is decreased through high-resistance epitaxy and low-concentration P-well injection to further lower the trigger voltage. The simulation results of LTspice and TCAD respectively demonstrate that ESD devices can clamp transient high voltages earlier, with low parasitic capacitance and leakage current suitable for ESD protection of high-speed ports up to 1.5 V under normal operating conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On-chip electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection poses a challenge in the chip fabrication process. In this study, a novel electric fuse (E-fuse) device featuring a simple structure of Ni metal on a SiO2 dielectric for ESD protection was proposed, and the physical mechanism of its operation was investigated in detail. Experimental evaluations, utilizing transmission line pulse (TLP) testing and fusing performance analyses, reveal that the E-fuse, constructed with a Ni metal layer measuring 5 μm in width, 100 μm in length, and 5 nm in thickness, achieved a significant ESD protection voltage of 251 V (VHBM) and demonstrates low-voltage fusing at a bias voltage of 7 V. Compared to traditional ESD protection devices, the E-fuse boasts a smaller size and removability. To assess fusing performance, devices of varying sizes were tested using a fusing lifetime model. This study supports both theoretical and empirical evidence, enabling the adoption of cost-effective, straightforward E-fuse devices for ESD protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the characterization of 5 polymer composite materials with a polypropylene (PP) matrix obtained with different (mass) concentrations of strontium ferrite (Fe12SrO19) reinforcement that have synergistic protective properties against electrostatic discharges (ESD) and electromagnetic impulses (EMI). These types of composites can be used to protect electronic equipment. To this purpose, suitable polymer composites were developed using SrFe12O19 type filler in two forms (powder and concentrate). The weight ratio of the PP/SrFe12O19 composites obtained by the extrusion process and injection from the melt is 75/25 and 70/30. The characterization of these composite materials consisted of carrying out some physico-chemical tests to determine the hydrostatic density and the resistance to the action of water, as well as FTIR, UV-Vis analyzes and dielectric, magnetic and functional tests to identify the simultaneous protection performance at electromagnetic shielding and electrostatic discharges, which can occur in the electro-technical, electronics and automotive industries. It is also found that all composite materials presented reflection shielding properties (SER) in the range: -71.5 dB...to -56.7 dB, indicating very low absorption shielding. The best performing material was the PP/SrFe12O19 powder composite with a weight ratio of 70/30. At the same time, EDS tests were also carried out on these materials. For these applications, the surface resistance Rs and the point-to-point resistance Rp were tested. Recommended composites for simultaneous EMI and sensitivity to electrostatic discharges (ESD) functionality, in order of their performance, are M2 (with 30% ferrite powder) and M1 (with 25% ferrite powder). M4 composite (with 30% ferrite powder concentrate) can also be used at the limit. Following the research carried out, the obtained results recommend the composite with promising simultaneous operations as M2 (with 30% ferrite powder). The element of originality consists of obtaining polymer composites with simultaneous properties of protection against electromagnetic impulses and electrostatic discharges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen-rich heterocyclic energetic compounds (NRHECs) and their salts have witnessed widespread synthesis in recent years. The substantial energy-density content within these compounds can lead to potentially dangerous explosive reactions when subjected to external stimuli such as electrical discharge. Therefore, developing a reliable model for predicting their electrostatic discharge sensitivity (ESD) becomes imperative. This study proposes a novel and straightforward model based on the presence of specific groups (-NH2 or -NH-, -N=N+ -O- and -NNO2, -ONO2 or -NO2) under certain conditions to assess the ESD of NRHECs and their salts, employing interpretable structural parameters. Utilizing a comprehensive dataset comprising 54 ESD measurements of NRHECs and their salts, divided into 49/5 training/test sets, the model achieves promising results. The Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), and Maximum Error for the training set are reported as 0.16 J, 0.12 J, and 0.5 J, respectively. Notably, the ratios RMSE(training)/RMSE(test), MAE(training)/MAE(test), and Max Error(training)/Max Error(test) are all greater than 1.0, indicating the robust predictive capabilities of the model. The presented model demonstrates its efficacy in providing a reliable assessment of ESD for the targeted NRHECs and their salts, without the need for intricate computer codes or expert involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The short-circuit ratio index (SCR) can effectively quantify the voltage support strength in traditional DC grid-connected scenarios, yet it cannot reasonably describe the voltage support strength in diverse device grid connection scenarios. This paper introduces a new calculation method of the complex short-circuit ratio index (SCR) and derives the threshold value of the complex short-circuit ratio index to enable a comprehensive quantitative assessment of grid voltage support strength across diverse device grid connection scenarios. Firstly, critical short-circuit ratio (CSCR) under different assumed conditions were derived based on the short-circuit ratio index. Secondly, the calculation method of the complex short-circuit ratio index was introduced, considering both the equivalent impedance angle of the device and the Thevenin equivalent impedance angle. This was followed by the determination of the threshold value of the complex short-circuit ratio (CSCR), enabling a precise quantitative evaluation of power grid voltage support strength in diverse device grid connection scenarios. Finally, the example analysis proves the accuracy and efficacy of the complex short-circuit ratio index in assessing the voltage support strength of diverse devices in grid-connected scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wearing face masks is the best way to stop the spread of respiratory infections. However, if masks are not sterilized, changing them too frequently can actually increase the risk of cross‐contamination. Herein, the construction of an antipathogen photocatalytic mask with carbon vacancy‐modified carbon nitride nanosheets (g‐C3N4‐VC Ns) coated on the non‐woven fabrics of the out layer of the mask, offering effective and long‐term protection against damaging pathogens when exposed to light is reported. The introduced carbon vacancies are found capable of creating energy‐disordered sites and inducing energetic electric force to overcome the Coulomb interactions between electron‐hole pairs, thus promoting the electron‐hole separation to achieve a high generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Thanks to its high activity in generating ROS upon exposure to light, the as‐prepared photocatalytic mask shows high pathogen sterilization performance. This, in turn, prolongs the mask's protective lifetime, decreases the need for regular replacement, and decreases medical waste production. The work demonstrated here opens new viewpoints in designing pathogens biocidal protective devices for health protection, offering significant promise in specific environment self‐protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: Protection against electrostatic discharge (ESD) is crucial in many industries and everyday life. The results described in this paper have the potential to be helpful for the design process of ESD textiles. The described modeling process, along with the simulator settings leading to convergent results and the provided plots and illustrations, allow for an understanding of the charge decay phenomenon occurring in textiles. This article discusses the important issue of designing textiles for electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection. ESD protective textiles are used to prevent the failure of electronic circuits. They also safeguard human health and life in explosive environments. The textiles are usually made of woven, knitted, or nonwoven fabrics incorporating a grid or strips of conductive fibers within a base material made of cotton, polyester, or blends of these materials. Various testing standards have been developed to evaluate the suitability of textiles for ESD protection. One of the most widely used is the EN 1149-3 standard, which outlines procedures for recording charge decay plots. The procedure can be used to evaluate all types of textiles. This paper discusses models corresponding to the standard developed in the general-purpose COMSOL Multiphysics software. Using the advanced numerical methods of the software, it is possible to graphically present the phenomena occurring during the application of the standard procedure and to determine the influence of the grid and material parameters on the shape of the charge decay plots. Furthermore, this article compares charge decay plots and shielding effectiveness measured in an accredited laboratory with simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the fundamentals of electroencephalography signals, their categorization into frequency sub-bands, the circuitry used for their acquisition, and the impact of noise interference on signal acquisition are examined. Additionally, design specifications for medical-grade and research-grade EEG circuits and a comprehensive analysis of various analog front-end architectures for electroencephalograph (EEG) circuit design are presented. Three distinct selected case studies are examined in terms of comparative evaluation with generic EEG circuit design templates. Moreover, a novel one-channel battery-supplied EEG analog front-end circuit designed to address the requirements of usage protocols containing strong compound muscle movements is introduced. Furthermore, a realistic input signal generator circuit is proposed that models the human body and the electromagnetic interference from its surroundings. Experimental simulations are conducted in 50 Hz and 60 Hz electrical grid environments to evaluate the performance of the novel design. The results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed system, particularly in terms of bandwidth, portability, Common Mode Rejection Ratio, gain, suppression of muscle movement artifacts, electrostatic discharge and leakage current protection. Conclusively, the novel design is cost-effective and suitable for both commercial and research single-channel EEG applications. It can be easily incorporated in Brain–Computer Interfaces and neurofeedback training systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this paper is to present novel applications of two recently proposed CMOS transconductors in realizing voltage mode/current mode Tow–Thomas (TT)-equivalent biquads and a linear voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), all exhibiting a number of advantages over the previously known circuits to realize the same functions. The workability of all the propositions has been demonstrated by SPICE simulation results using TSMC 0. 1 8 μ m CMOS technology parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a normalized compensation method for voltage nonlinearity of the three-level active neutral point clamped (3L ANPC) inverter. The operation of the 3L ANPC inverter includes the voltage nonlinearity caused by voltage errors, which are induced by the nonlinear components of switching devices and their operations. Since this voltage nonlinearity seriously distorts the phase current, it must be compensated to improve the quality of power conversion. For the 3L ANPC inverter, however, the voltage nonlinearity varies depending on the topology and modulation scheme, as well as the power factor of the system. Although many conventional methods have been proposed, these methods do not fully deal with the factors affecting the voltage nonlinearity. In this paper, a normalized compensation method for the voltage nonlinearity considering the characteristics of the 3L ANPC inverter and the power factor of the system is proposed. Two general topologies and modulation schemes of the 3L ANPC inverter are discussed in this paper, and the voltage nonlinearity is analyzed to derive the compensation components. By executing the compensation based on these analyses, the proposed method ensures its performance remains consistent across operating conditions, and is simply implemented. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overshoot and undershoot caused by the current load impact the accuracy of the required output voltage and circuit performance. The transient response issue in existing low-dropout (LDO) regulators is a dynamic specification that must be addressed at the design stage. This transient response is influenced by system parameters such as stability and gain. The LDO regulator suggested in this study is designed to minimize the change in output voltage by considerably enhancing the gain using a dynamic dual buffer structure. A dynamic dual buffer is utilized to effectively control undershoot and overshoot. Under the conditions that the input voltage range is from 3.3 to 4.5 V, the maximum load current is 300 mA, the output voltage is 3 V, and the output of the proposed LDO regulator with the dynamic dual buffer structure has undershoot and overshoot voltages of 41 mV and 31 mV, respectively. That is, the output voltage of the proposed LDO regulator effectively provided and discharged an additional current suited for the undershoot/overshoot conditions to enhance the transient response characteristics. Furthermore, the electrostatic discharge (ESD) robustness characteristics of the proposed LDO regulator improved because of the silicon-controlled rectifier underlying the ESD protection device embedded in the output node and power line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights Glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composite tubes have become increasingly popular in crashworthiness applications. On the other hand, square section GFRP tubes are prone to damage in a catastrophic failure mode in the early stages of the crushing process. At this point, triggering mechanisms have great potential to ensure deformation in progressive mode and improve the compression performance of GFRP tubes. Motivated by these facts, this paper aims to optimize the compression performance of square GFRP tubes by implementing notch‐type triggering mechanisms. The effects of notch width, number and length on the axial compression response of tubes were investigated to determine the optimal trigger configurations that would maximize specific energy absorption (SEA) and minimize peak crushing force (PCF). Experiments were conducted based on Taguchi L9 orthogonal array design, and Taguchi coupled Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS) method was employed for optimizing multiple responses. The optimization results revealed that the proposed trigger mechanisms induced progressive crushing by preventing catastrophic failure, thereby significantly improving the compression performance of GFRP tubes. In particular, the results showed that the PCF of intact GFRP tube decreased by up to 38%, while SEA increased by up to 130% with the help of proposed trigger mechanism. The compression performance of square GFRP tubes improved by notch‐type triggering. The notch width, length and number were chosen as design parameters. Taguchi experimental design was used to find the best configuration of design parameters. The optimum configurations were examined through the entropy‐WASPAS approach. The results revealed that significant improvements can be achieved using trigger mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, studies on blast-proof panels, which were attached to structures to protect facilities from local damage caused by explosions, have been actively performed. However, blast-proof panels are impractical yet due to the high installation cost and difficulty in construction, and protection performance for explosions inside a structure is not evaluated. In this study, a blast-proof panel consisting of concrete material was devised to ensure economic feasibility and constructability. Then, the protection performance of the concrete blast-proof panel for internal explosions was analyzed by numerical simulations and field experiments. First, field experiments on concrete explosion-proof panels were conducted for two cases, where panels without and with energy-absorbing foam were installed. As a result, the concrete blast-proof panel reduced the displacement of structures by up to 22% and the acceleration of structures by up to 86%. However, the reliability of the field experiment data was insufficient due to the shear failure of the test structure during experiments. Therefore, additional analysis was conducted by developing a numerical model. A series of numerical simulations was conducted according to the various densities of the energy-absorbing foam that was inserted between the panel and structure. Consequently, the optimum density of the impact-absorbing material differed depending on the type of structure damage to reduce (i.e., the displacement or acceleration of the structure). Highlights: Concrete blast-proof panel was designed considering economic and constructability. Protection performance of panel was numerically and experimentally evaluated. The panel significantly reduced displacement and acceleration of structure against internal explosion. Density of energy-absorbing foam in panels should be designed based on protective target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dielectric materials are foundational to our modern-day communications, defense, and commerce needs. Although dielectric breakdown is a primary cause of failure of these systems, we do not fully understand this process. We analyzed the dielectric breakdown channel propagation dynamics of two distinct types of electrical trees. One type of these electrical trees has not been formally classified. We observed the propagation speed of this electrical tree type to exceed 10 million meters per second. These results identify substantial gaps in the understanding of dielectric breakdown, and filling these gaps is paramount to the design and engineering of dielectric materials that are less susceptible to electrostatic discharge failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wave active filter (WAF) based on a differential difference current conveyor (DDCC) is presented in this paper. An active filter formation depends entirely on wave quantity processing. The wave method is demonstrated for the basic wave active elements (WAEs) of active filters such as a series inductor and a shunt capacitor. The novelty of the proposed work is that the mathematical operations required to implement the wave active components, such as lossy integration-subtraction; subtraction; summation and inverter, are performed using the DDCC as an analog building block (ABB). Designing WAFs of lower to higher-order is extremely challenging, i.e., great motivation to propose a WFA using a CMOS-based DDCC for lower and higher-order low-pass Butterworth filter topologies. Additionally, the filter performances are verified through noise analysis, percentage total harmonic distortion (%THD) and Monte Carlo analysis. The proposed WFA is theoretically verified for n th order low-pass Butterworth filter designs (n = 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6) using DDCC-based WAEs and validated using SPICE simulations with 0. 1 8 μ m TSMC CMOS technology parameters for DDCC, operating on ± 0. 9 0 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the mutual coupling of multiple physical fields in the microwave heating process and the generation of thermal runaway phenomenon, in this paper, a cooperative variable power heating strategy with multi-microwave source clusters under dynamic switching topology is proposed in order to improve the temperature uniformity. Firstly, an algebraic graph theory is used to establish a communication topology for complete information transfer, which is used to construct a distributed structure among multiple microwave source intelligences. Secondly, the dynamic topology switching algorithm under event triggering is introduced, and the real-time temperature distribution of the heated materials is considered to achieve the dynamic switching of the topology connection mode between microwave source clusters in order to synchronously coordinate the power consistency output between different clusters. On this basis, a numerical calculation model is constructed to solve the mixed optimization of integer and continuum variables by means of the finite element method. Finally, the effectiveness of the heating strategy to improve temperature uniformity is verified by microwave heating SiC media simulation calculation. The numerical calculation results show that the temperature uniformity indexes are improved by 34.1%–50.4% and 28.1%–55.2% in each horizontal and vertical section for single materials, and by 59.1%–59.7% and 46.5%–63.4% in each horizontal and vertical section for multi-materials, respectively, in comparison with the general heating method. This strategy effectively avoids the residence of hot and cold spots in the material, which in turn optimizes the temperature distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicone elastomers are continuously gaining importance in a variety of industrial applications, including strain gauges, electrical heaters, electromagnetic interference, and electrostatic discharge protection coatings. But these materials have certain drawbacks such as high cost, poor resistance to solvents, low tear strength, limited high-temperature resistance, difficulty in bonding and limited abrasion resistance. Therefore, unique nanocomposites of organosilicon elastomers with metals have been prepared using MWCNTs. The prepared nanocomposites demonstrated nano-diameter structures (15–60 nm) with micron-sized fibrous structures (12–60 μm). Aluminum elongated inclusions (60 µm in size) and bronze spherical inclusions (12–30 µm) were observed in the nanocomposites. The composites containing MWCNTs, Co-Mo/Al2O3-MgO catalyst and bronze (3 wt. %) had the maximum thermal and electrical conductivity. The prepared nanocomposites were used to make the heaters. The heating of the heaters was carried out by applying a voltage of 12–24 V. The Highest temperature achieved was more than 50 °C in all the heaters. By supplying 12–24 V electricity to the heaters in the ventilation and heat recirculation system, the interior of a minibus or living space can be heated. The developed electric heater has another important economic application in temperature-controlled materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Deafness autosomal dominant 2A (DFNA2A) is related to non‐syndromic genetic hearing impairment. The KCNQ4 (Potassium Voltage‐Gated Channel Subfamily Q Member 4) can lead to DFNA2A. In this study, we report a case of autosomal dominant non‐syndromic hearing loss with six family members as caused by a novel variant in the KCNQ4 gene. Methods: The whole‐exome sequencing (WES) and pure tone audiometry were performed on the proband of the family. Sanger sequencing was conducted on family members to determine if the novel variant in the KCNQ4 gene was present. Evolutionary conservation analysis and computational tertiary structure protein prediction of the wild‐type KCNQ4 protein and its variant were then performed. In addition, voltage‐gated channel activity of the wild‐type KCNQ4 protein and its variant were tested using whole‐cell patch clamp. Results: It was observed that the proband had inherited autosomal dominant, non‐syndromic sensorineural hearing loss as a trait. A novel co‐segregating heterozygous missense variant (c.902C>A, p.Ala301Asp) of the KCNQ4 gene was identified in the proband and other five affected family members. This variant was predicted to cause an alanine‐to‐aspartic acid substitution at position 301 in the KCNQ4 protein. The alanine at position 301 is well conserved across different species. Whole‐cell patch clamp showed that there was a significant difference between the WT protein currents and the mutant protein currents in the voltage‐gated channel activity. Conclusion: In the present study, performing WES in conjunction with Sanger sequencing enhanced the detection of a novel, potentially causative variant (c301 A>G; p.Ala301Asp) in exon 6 of the KCNQ4 gene. Therefore, our findings contributed to the mutation spectrum of the KCNQ4 gene and may be useful in the diagnosis and gene therapy of deafness autosomal dominant 2A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work discusses the voltage difference as a measure for electrostatic charge generated from the contact‐separation and sliding of polymeric textiles on polyamide textile. It is proposed to blend polyester by carbon fiber to decrease the electrostatic charge generated on the contact surfaces. Because polyester acquires a negative charge and polyamide gains a positive one, carbon fiber is proposed to conduct the negative electrostatic charge from polyester to polyamide and conducts the positive one from polyamide to polyester, so that the resultant electrostatic charge decreased. The effect of carbon fiber to decrease the electrostatic charge depends on its area of contact, interaction, and distribution with polyester. Polyester double weaved by carbon fiber showed the lowest voltage. Based on those observations, it can be recommended to use double weaves of carbon fiber with polyester. The reduction in voltage was relatively lower for braided polyester by carbon fiber than that detected for double‐weaved polyester by carbon fiber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chua's circuit is a well-established model for studying chaotic phenomena and is extensively implemented in fields like encrypted communication. However, a traditional Chua's circuit has large volume, high component precision requirements and limited adjustable parameter range, which are not conducive to application. In order to solve these problems, we propose an improved implementation of Chua's circuit on an active inductor and non-autonomous system. First, we adopt the strategy of using active inductors instead of traditional passive inductors, achieving the miniaturization of the circuit and improving the accuracy of inductance. In addition, we present the theory of substituting non-autonomous systems for classical autonomous systems to reduce the requirements for the accuracy of components and improve the robustness of the circuit. Lastly, we connect the extension resistor in parallel with Chua's diode to optimize circuit structure, thereby increasing the range of the adjustable parameter. Based on the three improvements above, experiments have shown that the average maximum error tolerance of components of our improved design has been increased from 1.88% to 7.38% when generating a single vortex, and from 4.73% to 12.61% when generating a double vortex, compared with the traditional Chua's circuit. The range of the adjustable parameter has been increased by 195.83% and 36.98%, respectively, when generating a single vortex and double vortex. In summary, our improved circuit is more practical than the traditional Chua's circuit and has good application value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been an increase in the use of high energy photon beam for container scanners in many countries for multi purposes such as detecting high atomic number materials which might be nuclear materials, drugs, high explosive materials and other contrabands etc. High energy photon beams generally 6 and 9 MV can be used for scanning such materials. However, it is important to ensure that radiation level beyond the container scanner installation is within the permissible dose limit specified by the national competent authority for the protection of public and radiation workers. In this paper, challenges in the biological shielding during the installation of high energy X-ray system for scanning vehicles containing suspected materials are discussed. The purpose of the present study is to develop a methodology for shielding design and evaluation for container scanner installations. The basic concept pertaining to shielding evaluation of radiotherapy installations provided in National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP)/International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports are referred, and appropriately used to calculate optimized shielding thicknesses requirements for container scanner installation. Workload is estimated based on number of containers scanned, machine ON time and dose rate at 1 m. The shielding evaluation includes use of beam stopper in the primary beam, scattering by heterogeneous metallic scrap materials or any other suspected materials contained in the vehicle and their impact on the thickness of shielding walls. A model lay out plan to be used for installation of container scanner is developed. A methodology for shielding evaluation for various protective walls and ceiling of this model is also discussed. The study provides basic requirement for designing a structural room for installing 9MV container scanner from radiological safety view point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the excitation-dependent photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield (QY) of monolayer MoS2 (1L-MoS2) with various flake areas grown on SiO2/Si substrates. The PL measurements were carried out by 532, 488, and 325 nm excitations which fulfill the conditions of quasi-resonant excitation of A-exciton, above bandgap, and far above the bandgap excitations, respectively. The PL QY was found to be reduced by decreasing the excitation wavelength, and it is attributed to variation in the thermal energy dissipated to the lattice. PL emission from 1L-MoS2 was observed with 325 nm excitation in large-area flakes (≥532 μm2) because of efficient heat dissipation. In the literature, PL emission of 1L-MoS2 is hardly reported with 325 nm laser excitations. Under 325 nm laser irradiation, 50% of excitation energy is converted to heat, which substantially increases the local temperature. From the temperature-dependent Raman analysis, the rise in the local temperature is approximated to be ∼382 K in the case of a small-area flake, whereas such an effect is alleviated in large-area flakes. Moreover, inter-valley exciton scattering dominates as the excitation wavelength decreases because of a substantial rise in the phonon population for small-area flakes. As a consequence of inter-valley exciton scattering, dark excitons (K-Σ) dominate over the bright excitons (K-K) under the 325 nm excitation. Hence, total suppression of PL emission was observed for small-area flakes because of dark exciton recombination. The noticeable PL emission of large-area flakes is attributed to the improved bright exciton recombination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional 5-level active neutral-point-clamped (5L-ANPC) topology and state-of-the-art 5-level hybrid active neutral-point-clamped (5L-HANPC) topology are popular for inverter applications. However, their dc-link voltage utilization is limited to only 50%. With the maximum voltage level generated by only half dc-link voltage, these inverters are not capable of boosting voltage in their ac output. To resolve these drawbacks, this paper proposes a family of four novel 5-level boost-active neutral-point-clamped (5L-BANPC) inverters. Without requiring any flying capacitors, the proposed topologies can generate five voltage levels by effectively using the dc-link capacitors. The dc-link voltage utilization of the proposed 5L-BANPC inverters is twice that of the 5L-ANPC and 5L-HANPC topologies. While generating the five-level ac output voltage, natural voltage balancing of both dc-link capacitors and voltage boosting are achieved. Ease of implementation is another noteworthy merit of the proposed 5L-BANPC inverters because they can be implemented using six widely available commercial half-bridge modules without requiring a dedicated circuit design. The operation of the proposed topologies is analyzed. Experimental results are presented for verification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligent and diversified development of modern detection technology greatly affects the battlefield survivability of military targets, especially infrared, acoustic wave, and radar detection expose targets by capturing their unavoidable infrared radiation, acoustic wave, and electromagnetic wave information, greatly affecting their battlefield survival and penetration capabilities. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop stealth-protective materials that can suppress infrared radiation, reduce acoustic characteristics, and weaken electromagnetic signals. Fibrous three-dimensional porous materials, with their high porosity, excellent structural adjustability, and superior mechanical properties, possess strong potential for development in the field of stealth protection. This article introduced and reviewed the characteristics and development process of fibrous three-dimensional porous materials at both the micrometer and nanometer scales. Then, the process and characteristics of preparing fibrous three-dimensional porous materials through vacuum forming, gel solidification, freeze-casting, and impregnation stacking methods were analyzed and discussed. Meanwhile, their current application status in infrared, acoustic wave, and radar stealth fields was summarized and their existing problems and development trends in these areas from the perspectives of preparation processes and applicability were analyzed. Finally, several prospects for the current challenges faced by fibrous three-dimensional porous materials were proposed as follows: functionally modifying fibers to enhance their applicability through self-cross-linking; establishing theoretical models for the transmission of thermal energy, acoustic waves, and electromagnetic waves within fibrous porous materials; constructing fibrous porous materials resistant to impact, shear, and fracture to meet the needs of practical applications; developing multifunctional stealth fibrous porous materials to confer full-spectrum broadband stealth capability; and exploring the relationship between material size and mechanical properties as a basis for preparing large-scale samples that meet the application's requirement. This review is very timely and aims to focus researchers' attention on the importance and research progress of fibrous porous materials in the field of stealth protection, so as to solve the problems and challenges of fibrous porous materials in the field of stealth protection and to promote the further innovation of fibrous porous materials in terms of structure and function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthquakes (mainshocks) trigger sequences of aftershocks, the frequency of which diminishes following a power-law decay, while the spatial domain of these aftershocks extends logarithmically over time. The delineation of the aftershock zone can be modulated by variables beyond the magnitude of the mainshock, encompassing the location of the fault (whether the fault is at a plate boundary), the depth at which the event occurs, and the prevailing local stress conditions. Here, we evaluate the expansion rate of aftershock zones by analyzing earthquakes of magnitude-7 class in the vicinity of the Japanese archipelago. Prior studies have offered approximate assessments of expansion rates; however, our approach involves the utilization of a straightforward algorithm for the automated estimation of this metric, facilitating the compilation of a catalog. Across the dataset, no pronounced correlations were discerned between the expansion rate and other examined parameters. Yet, an inverse relationship is identified between the expansion rate and the b value of aftershocks for mainshocks occurring at plate boundaries. This observation suggests that the expansion rate of aftershock zones predominantly mirrors the stress field following the mainshock. Such a pattern is not detected in mainshocks occurring within the plate's interior. While the expansion rate of aftershock zones is likely influenced by various factors, aftershock zones may expand more rapidly with higher differential stress in areas surrounding hypocenters of major interplate earthquakes of magnitude 8 or 9. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) failure is a major reliability problem for all forms of microelectronics products. ESD protection is required for all integrated circuits (ICs). As dimension scaling-down approaches its physical limit, heterogeneous integration (HI) emerges as a main pathway towards the age beyond Moore's Law to facilitate advanced microsystem chips with extreme performance and rich functionalities. Advanced packaging is a key requirement for HI-enabled integrated systems-on-chiplets (SoIC) that require robust ESD protection solutions. This article outlines key emerging technical challenges associated with smart future SoIC microsystem superchips in the context of advanced packaging technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]