Bulletin of the Polish Academy of Sciences Technical Sciences

The concept of strong stability is extended for positive and compartmental linear systems. It is shown that: 1) the asymptotically stable positive and compartmental systems are strongly stable if the eigenvalues of the system matrix are distinct, 2) electrical circuits consisting of resistances, capacitances (inductances) and source voltages are strongly stable.

Evolutionary computing and algorithms are well known tools of optimisation that are utilized for various areas of analogue electronic circuits design and diagnosis. This paper presents the possibility of using two evolutionary algorithms - genetic algorithm and evolutionary strategies - for the purpose of analogue circuits yield and cost optimisation. Terms: technologic and parametric yield are defined. Procedures of parametric yield optimisation, such as a design centring, a design tolerancing, a design centring with tolerancing, are introduced. Basics of genetic algorithm and evolutionary strategies are presented, differences between these two algorithms are highlighted, certain aspects of implementation are discussed. Effectiveness of both algorithms in parametric yield optimisation has been tested on several examples and results have been presented. A share of evolutionary algorithms computation cost in a total optimisation cost is analyzed.

The increasing demands for miniaturization and better functionality of electronic components and devices have a significant effect on the requirements facing the printed circuit board (PCB) industry. PCB manufactures are driving for producing high density interconnect (HDI) boards at significantly reduced cost and reduced implementation time. The interconnection complexity of the PCB is still growing and today calls for 50/50 μm or 25/25 μm technology are real. Existing technologies are unable to offer acceptable solution. Recently the Laser Direct Imaging (LDI) technology is considered as an answer for these challenges. LDI is a process of imaging electric circuits directly on PCB without the use of a phototool or mask. Our laboratory system for Laser Direct Imaging is designed for tracks and spaces on PCB with minimum width distance of 50/50 μm. In comparison with conventional photolithography method, this technology is much better for 50/50 μm track and spaces. In our research we used photoresist with resolution 50 μm, but in case of using laser photoresists with better resolution (e.g. 25 μm) it will be possible to image tracks in super-fine-line technology (25/25 μm). The comparison between two technology of creating mosaic pattern tracks on PCB proved that laser imaging is promising technology in high density interconnects patterns, which are widely use in multilayered PCB and similar applications.

The aim of this paper is to present a new approach to the problem of silicon integrated spiral inductors modeling. First, an overview of models and modeling techniques is presented. Based on 3D simulations and published measurement results, a list of physical phenomena to be taken into account in the model is created and based on it, the spiral inductor modeling by frequency sampling method is presented. To verify the proposed method a test circuit, containing 6 spiral inductors was designed and integrated in a silicon technology. The parameters of the spiral inductors from the test circuit were next measured and compared with simulations results. The comparison for one of those six spiral inductors is presented in the article.

This paper presents methods for optimal test frequencies search with the use of heuristic approaches. It includes a short summary of the analogue circuits fault diagnosis and brief introductions to the soft computing techniques like evolutionary computation and the fuzzy set theory. The reduction of both, test time and signal complexity are the main goals of developed methods. At the before test stage, a heuristic engine is applied for the principal frequency search. The methods produce a frequency set which can be used in the SBT diagnosis procedure. At the after test stage, only a few frequencies can be assembled instead of full amplitude response characteristic. There are ambiguity sets provided to avoid a fault tolerance masking effect.

In modern microelectronics progress has been made towards low power ultra large-scale integration (ULSI), and nano-structure devices such as single electron transistors and quantum dots. In this technology application of new materials, which includes high-κ dielectrics for the MOSFET transistors, with extraordinary purity and uniformity is required. Failure analysis and reliability investigations of such films very often requires highresolution local measurements of electrical surface parameters. This kind of experiments can be performed using conductive atomic force microscopy, which provides simultaneous measurement of surface topography and current ?owing through the investigated layer. In order to acquire reliable data, there was designed a precise measurement and control system, which included a low-noise current-to-voltage converter of picoampere resolution, a scanning stage with control electronics and a data acquisition system. In the paper we describe the architecture of the designed and applied experimental set-up. We also present results of simultaneous measurements of topography and current on gold and highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG).

The phase composition of the cement paste phase of concrete containing fly ash from circulating fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) was studied. The motivation was to broaden the knowledge concerning the microstructure and the durability of concrete containing new by-products from the power industry. Several air-entrained concrete mixes were designed with constant water to binder ratio and with substitution of a part of the cement by CFBC fly ash (20%, 30% or 40% by weight). X-ray diffraction tests and thermal analysis (DTG, DTA and TG) were performed on cement paste specimens taken from concrete either stored in water at 18° C or subjected to aggressive freeze-thaw cyclic action. The evaluation of the phase composition as a function of CFBC fly ash content revealed significant changes in portlandite content and only slight changes in the content of ettringite. The cyclic freeze-thaw exposure did not have any significant influence on the phase composition of concrete with and without the CFBC fly ash.

The paper deals with a multiple fault diagnosis of DC transistor circuits with limited accessible terminals for measurements. An algorithm for identifying faulty elements and evaluating their parameters is proposed. The method belongs to the category of simulation before test methods. The dictionary is generated on the basis of the families of characteristics expressing voltages at test nodes in terms of circuit parameters. To build the fault dictionary the n-dimensional surfaces are approximated by means of section-wise piecewise-linear functions (SPLF). The faulty parameters are identified using the patterns stored in the fault dictionary, the measured voltages at the test nodes and simple computations. The approach is described in detail for a double and triple fault diagnosis. Two numerical examples illustrate the proposed method.

The course of design of an optocoupler's PSpice macromodel including noise sources is described. The PSpice macromodel is proposed for the low frequency range. The PSpice model of a MOSFET transistor was applied as the noise source type 1/fα in an optocoupler PSpice macromodel. In the enhanced macromodel the value of an exponent α can be changed in the range of 0.8-1.25.

The results presented here are twofold. First, a heuristic algorithm is proposed which, through removing some unnecessary arcs from a digraph, tends to reduce it into an adjoint and thus simplifies the search for a Hamiltonian cycle. Second, a heuristic algorithm for DNA sequence assembly is proposed, which uses a graph model of the problem instance, and incorporates two independent procedures of reducing the set of arcs - one of them being the former algorithm. Finally, results of tests of the assembly algorithm on parts of chromosome arm 2R of Drosophila melanogaster are presented.

The paper presents Gupta's relational decomposition technique expanded on linguistic level. It allows to reduce the hardware cost of the fuzzy system or the computing time of the final result, especially when referring to First Aggregation Then Inference (FATI) relational systems or First Inference Then Aggregation (FITA) rule systems. The inference result of the hierarchical system using decomposition technique is more fuzzy than of the classical system. The paper describes a linguistic decomposition technique based on partitioning the knowledge base of the fuzzy inference system. It allows to decrease or even totally remove a redundant fuzziness of the inference result.