Electronic Processes Research Articles

All-Optical Signal Processing in Ultrafast Optical Communication

Optical communication technology plays a crucial role in today's information age, as a result of the continuous advancement of social informatization. An array of nascent technologies, encompassing edge computing, the Internet of Things, big data, and artificial intelligence, have grown rapidly, leading to an increased demand for information transmission, which in turn has resulted in higher requirements for the development of optical communication technology. The emergence of ultrafast optical communication, which uses all-optical signal processing technology, has made data transmission faster and more reliable. This article introduces three basic methods for implementing all-optical signal processing (optical modulation, regeneration, and interconnection) based on all-optical and electronic signal processing. It examines the issues and difficulties that arise within particular application contexts and explores the progression of several correlated technologies in the times ahead. The field of all-optical signal processing is experiencing rapid growth and has the potential to bring revolutionary changes to various industries. Anticipated outcomes entail the attainment of ultra-long distance and ultra-high-capacity transmission, as facilitated by the ongoing advancements in hardware and all-optical signal processing technology. Meanwhile, the relentless pursuit of high-performance goals drives the continuous progress of ultrafast optical communication.

Theory of isomeric excitation of 229Th via electronic processes

A unified theoretical framework is presented for the isomeric excitation of the 229Th nucleus via electronic processes. These processes include nuclear excitation by electron transition (NEET), nuclear excitation by electron capture (NEEC), and nuclear excitation by inelastic electron scattering (NEIES). Detailed calculation results on the excitation rate and the excitation cross section are presented.

FanoutNet: A Neuralized PCB Fanout Automation Method Using Deep Reinforcement Learning

In modern electronic manufacturing processes, multi-layer Printed Circuit Board (PCB) routing requires connecting more than hundreds of nets with perplexing topology under complex routing constraints and highly limited resources, so that takes intense effort and time of human engineers. PCB fanout as a pre-design of PCB routing has been proved to be an ideal technique to reduce the complexity of PCB routing by pre-allocating resources and pre-routing. However, current PCB fanout design heavily relies on the experience of human engineers, and there is no existing solution for PCB fanout automation in industry, which limits the quality of PCB routing automation. To address the problem, we propose a neuralized PCB fanout method by deep reinforcement learning. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first in the literature to propose the automation method for PCB fanout. We combine with Convolution Neural Network (CNN) and attention-based network to train our fanout policy model and value model. The models learn representations of PCB layout and netlist to make decisions and evaluations in place of human engineers. We employ Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) to update the parameters of the models. In addition, we apply our PCB fanout method to a PCB router to improve the quality of PCB routing. Extensive experimental results on real-world industrial PCB benchmarks demonstrate that our approach achieves 100% routability in all industrial cases and improves wire length by an average of 6.8%, which makes a significant improvement compared with the state-of-the-art methods.

Effective detection algorithm of electronic information and signal processing based on multi-sensor data fusion

Appropriate vibration diagnostics when cutting a variety of products is critical for cutting quality and scrap and consumables reduction. Collecting and combining data from various sensors allows for real-time data collection during processing for system monitoring. The purpose of this study is to develop a method for effectively diagnosing milling machine vibrations using multi-sensor data fusion. It is proposed that sound and frequency signals be preprocessed to isolate specific vibration features, and then classified and aggregated for a complete vibration diagnostics system. After preliminary wavelet signal conversion, a deep belief network has been developed for each sensor to classify vibration features. When combining classification results, the fuzzy Choquet integral algorithm is used. Thus, a comprehensive judgment is obtained. It has been demonstrated that for neural networks, 100 epochs are sufficient for learning to take place. It has been discovered that the accuracy of classification and inference of the correct solution increases from 75% to 98% as the number of vibration feature combinations increases. When compared to the Dempster-Schafer evidence theory, the fuzzy integral fusion algorithm provides a high level of vibration detection accuracy of up to 98.7%. The resulting diagnostic procedure is simple and effective. It can be used to control the cutting process on machine tools in industrial settings. Improvements to the scheme are suggested, including the use of intelligent technologies to automate the process.

Identifying Diagnostic Stewardship Mechanisms in the Electronic Test Result Management Process - Preliminary Findings from a Scoping Review.

Digital health can play a key role in diagnostic stewardship, which refers to the coordinated guidance and interventions to ensure the appropriate utilisation of diagnostic tests for therapeutic decision-making. Outcomes of test result management and the impacts of digital health are a result of the interaction between dimensions of a complex environment. This poster will present preliminary findings from a scoping review which identifies the stewardship mechanisms that facilitate safe and effective electronic management of test results.

Effect of an Inquiry-Based Blended Learning Module on Electronics Technology Students' Academic Achievement

Technological advances have led to a change in teaching strategies applied inTechnical and Vocational settings.Aneffective teaching strategyisneededto addressissues encountered in the traditional learning processof Electronics TechnologyStudentsatMalaysian Vocational College.Blendedlearning is one of the best teaching strategies for Electronic Technologycoursesas itis in line with the 21st-centurylearning,especially in promoting student-centredand life-long learning. This study looksat the impact of an Inquiry-BasedBlended Learning (IBBL) moduleon the students’ achievement inthe Industrial ElectronicsEquipment Problem Solving (IEEPS)Course,inan Electronic Technology Program. This study uses an experimental study designthroughthe quasi-experimentalmethod to evaluate the effectiveness of the module. The comparison of achievement between anexperimental group and a control group was conducted based on the pre-test and post-testprotocol.The findings of the evaluation phase through the t-test showed that there was a significant difference (p<.05) between the experimental group and the control group. This indicated that using anInquiry-Based Blended LearningModule was effective to help the studentto improve their achievement in Industrial Electronics Equipment Problem Solving Course. Therefore, theinquiry-basedblended learning module has thepotential to be applied by instructors and students in the Vocational Collegesetting.

AGATA phase 2 advancements in front-end electronics

The AGATA collaboration has a long-standing leadership in the development of front-end electronics for high resolution gamma -ray spectroscopy using large volume high purity germanium detectors. For two decades, the AGATA collaboration has been developing state-of-the-art digital electronics processing with high resolution sampling ADC, high-speed signal transfer and fast readout to a high throughput computing (HTC) farm for on-line pulse shape analysis. The collaboration is presently addressing the next challenge of equipping a 4pi array with more than 6000 channels in high resolution mode, generating approximately 10 MHz of total trigger requests, coupled to a large variety of complementary instruments. A next generation of front-end electronics, presently under design, is based on industrial products (System on Module FPGA’s), has higher integration and lower power consumption. In this contribution, the conceptual design of the new electronics is presented. The results of the very first tests of the pre-production electronics are presented as well as future perspectives.

Electron beams near surfaces: the concept of partial intensities for surface analysis and perspective on the low energy regime

Electron beam techniques are indispensable tools for the analysis of surfaces in fundamental as well as applied fields of science and technology. Significant improvements have been made in the past decades in the quantitative understanding of electron spectra, particularly with respect to the near-surface transport of signal electrons. The concept of partial intensities is a simple approach providing physical insight into transport of electrons in solids, a numerically convenient means for spectrum modelling and an essential ingredient for spectrum interpretation. The energy-dissipation process of energetic electrons in solids is discussed from the perspective of the partial intensities, offering a unified model for any type of electron beam technique, be it in the quasi-elastic (QE) or the continuous slowing down (CSD) regime. Examples are given for modelling and analysis of electron spectra such as X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), Elastic peak electron spectra (EPES) and electron energy-loss spectra (EELS). The physical model as well as the quantities for electron beam interaction with solids are reviewed, and methods for spectrum modelling and analysis are presented. The examples considered demonstrate the high level of accuracy nowadays attainable for characterisation of surfaces and nanostructures employing techniques using medium energy electrons (>100 eV). This is in contrast to the low energy regime, where a number of problems prevent a similar level of understanding. The topic of low energy electrons (LEEs) is rapidly gaining importance since in this energy range the involved electrons not only act as signal carriers, but also actively participate in electrochemical processes of importance in fields ranging from nanotechnology to life sciences. Issues of future importance in the field of LEEs are discussed and recent developments such as the 2-dimensional electron cascade in the scanning field electron microscope are highlighted.

Features of the Relaxation Process in an RC Circuit under the Influence of a Sinusoidal Voltage

The article is devoted to the study of the properties of the relaxation process in a nonlinear electrical circuit under the sinusoidal voltage influence. Electronic devices and processes the operation of which is based on relaxation principles are sources of specific series of pulses, the monitoring of which allows one to draw conclusions about the technical parameters of these devices and processes. The occurrence of a series of partial discharges in a high-voltage device can serve as an example. An essential factor of partial discharges is their multiplicity both in time and in space, which are dispersed in an a priori unknown number of defects. The aim is to determine the number of defects and to perform appropriate grouping of the entire set of partial discharges by defects. Internal deterministic correlations derived as a result of solving the problem and presented in terms of the classical theory of electrical circuits should be regarded as a key to solving the problem that was set forth. Analytical correlations for the deterministic component of partial discharges in potential electrical insulation defects are revealed. The obtained correlations characterize the time intervals between individual discharges inside the insulation defect. These time intervals are uniquely related to the defect parameters and can serve as a basis for identifying this defect against the background of other partial discharges. As an example, the result of mathematically modeling a relaxation process with the specified parameters is given.

Fourier transform-based electronic logic information processing architecture design

Abstract To better develop the electronic information industry and make the electronic logic information processing architecture more widely used in production life. This paper uses the Fourier transform model based on the discrete Fourier transform and fast Fourier transform data simulation, for the electronic logic information architecture of single-signal and dual-signal signal spectrum analysis for simulation analysis. The electronic logic signal, whether it contains whole harmonics, non-harmonics, or attenuated DC components, can be accurately decomposed even when the system frequency deviates from 50 Hz, and the error value is guaranteed to be around 0.0016%. It is also pointed out that the presence of the attenuated DC component does not affect the results. The simulation results show that the design of electronic logic information processing architecture based on Fourier transform is better than other models under the sample data conditions. And the Fourier transform model can effectively guarantee the probability strength of logic information transfer and enhance the reliable line of results, which provides a research direction for the design of electronic logic information processing architecture.

Intrinsic spin shielding effect in platinum-rare-earth alloy boosts oxygen reduction activity.

Oxygen reduction reactions (ORRs) involve a multistep proton-coupled electron process accompanied by the conversion of the apodictic spin configuration. Understanding the role of spin configurations of metals in the adsorption and desorption of oxygen intermediates during ORRs is critical for the design of efficient ORR catalysts. Herein, a platinum-rare-earth-metal-based alloy catalyst, Pt2Gd, is introduced to reveal the role of spin configurations in the catalytic activity of materials. The catalyst exhibits a unique intrinsic spin reconfiguration because of interactions between the Gd-4f and Pt-5d orbitals. The adsorption and desorption of the oxygen species are optimized by modifying the spin symmetry and electronic structures of the material for increased ORR efficiency. The Pt2Gd alloy exhibits a half-wave potential of 0.95V and a superior mass activity of 1.5 A·mgPt-1 in a 0.1M HClO4 electrolyte, as well as higher durability than conventional Pt/C catalysts. Theoretical calculations have proven that the spin shielding effect of Gd pairs increases the spin symmetry of Pt-5d orbitals and adsorption preferences toward spin-polarized intermediates to facilitate ORR. This work clarifies the impact of modulating the intrinsic spin state of Pt through the interaction with the local high spin 4f orbital electrons in rare-earth metals, with the aim of boosting the spin-related oxygen reduction reaction, thus fundamentally contributing to the understanding of new descriptors that control ORR activity.

Multicomponent Hybridization Transition Metal Oxide ElectrodeEnriched with Oxygen Vacancy for Ultralong-Life Supercapacitor.

Transition metal oxide electrode materials for supercapacitors suffer from poor electrical conductivity and stability, which are the research focus of the energy storage field. Herein, multicomponent hybridization Ni-Cu oxide (NCO-Ar/H2 -10) electrode enriched with oxygen vacancy and high electrical conductivity including the Cu0.2 Ni0.8 O, Cu2 O and CuO is prepared by introducing Cu element into Ni metal oxide with hydrothermal, annealing, and plasma treatment. The NCO-Ar/H2 -10 electrode exhibits high specific capacity (1524Fg-1 at 3Ag-1 ), good rate performance (72%) and outstanding cyclic stability (109% after 40,000 cycles). The NCO-Ar/H2 -10//AC asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) achieves high energy density of 48.6Whkg-1 at 799.6Wkg-1 while exhibiting good cycle life (117.5% after 10,000 cycles). The excellent electrochemical performance mainly comes from the round-trip valence change of Cu+ /Cu2+ in the multicomponent hybridization enhance the surface capacitance during the redox process, and the change of electronic microstructure triggered by a large number of oxygen vacancies reduce the adsorption energy of OH- ions of thin nanosheet with crack of surface edge, ensuring electron and ion-transport processes and remitting the structural collapse of material. This work provides a new strategy for improving the cycling stability of transition metal oxide electrode materials.

Influence of the charge transport layers on charge extraction and interface recombination in quasi-two-dimensional perovskite solar cells

The identification of electronic processes at the charge-selective contact buried interface is very important for photovoltaic research. The main loss of perovskite solar cell (PeSCs) is generally bound up with its charge transfer layer. Especially, the current record for the highest power conversion efficiency of quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) PeSCs is achieved by inverted device configurations, compared with the efficiency of upright structures. This study investigated, the carrier recombination and charge extraction in quasi-2D PeSCs by leveraging scanning probe microscope technology, steady-state photoluminescence (PL) measurements, and time-resolved PL spectroscopy. The built-in potential in quasi-2D bulk perovskite can be regarded as a budget to hinder energy loss in inverted device configurations. Interface photogenerated recombination in quasi-2D PeSCs can be fully comprehended only when the complete device is under consideration. Our work underlines the significance of considering restructuring loss from the perspective of the complete device instead of individual layers or interfaces in quasi-2D PeSCs.

Germanium speciation study in soil from an electronic waste processing plant area

PurposeGermanium (Ge) is known as a Technology Critical Element (TCE) and has been widely used in electronic and industrial products. Waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE) containing germanium goes to WEEE treatment plants. The transfer of Ge in the environment makes it necessary to get to know its mobility, reactivity, and chemical transformations in soil. The objective of this research was to develop a methodology for germanium speciation in soil under pressure from storage, processing, and recovery from electrowaste.Materials and methodsThirty soil cores (30 cm long) were collected from an area around a WEEE plant, using a Humax soil sampler. Soil magnetometry methods were used for the first time during the determination of soil sampling points for germanium. After basic physicochemical analysis (pH, Eh, total element concentration using the ICP-MS technique), soil samples were prepared for germanium speciation. The optimisation and validation of a methodology for determining Ge species in easily-leached fractions of soil collected from areas around an electrowaste plant, was studied using Ion Chromatography-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (IC-ICP-MS). Chromatographic conditions were optimised, taking soil matrix effects into account. Optimised Ge extraction from the soil included: extraction time, type of extractants, extraction support using shaking, and ultrasound.Results and discussionThe Ge species (Ge(IV), monomethylgermanium (MMGe), and dimethylgermanium (DMGe)) were successfully separated after 12 min on a Dionex IonPac AS9-HC column with ammonium nitrate and potassium sodium tartrate as an elution phase. The highest extraction efficiency was achieved by using 100 mM NH4NO3 with 1 mM potassium sodium tartrate as an extractant, that washes out Ge from soils within 4 h. In most cases, the soils contained a Ge(IV) form. Germanium methyl derivatives were only found in a few soil samples. Our research showed that germanium concentration in the studied area was as high as 7.64 mg.kg−1, with an average concentration of 3.51 mg.kg−1. The results allowed the creation of a correlation matrix, which identified many strong correlations.ConclusionThis research confirmed the impact of a WEEE plant on the increase of the Ge content in topsoil, when in direct proximity. Increased germanium content occurred in soil samples located north of the emitter, which is consistent with the prevailing wind direction. The study confirmed that the soil magnetometry method is applicable for detecting TCE. Soil samples with the highest content of germanium had a very high magnetic susceptibility and there is a correlation between these parameters.

The Effect of E-Learning on Academic Achievement among Students of the Accounting Program in Public Universities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

This research aimed to understand the impact of e-accounting education on the academic achievement of students of the Bachelor of Accounting Program at The College of Business and Economics at Qassim University. The importance of this research lies in the need to understand the effects of e-learning, its contribution to accounting education, and its effect on the academic achievement of accounting students. This research was conducted by analyzing the academic data of the students for the period from 2019 to 2020. In addition, the research used the academic reports to evaluate the electronic teaching process in accounting department, to understand the impact of e-learning on the educational process. A descriptive analytical approach was employed through the review of previous studies in the fields of e-learning and accounting education. Moreover, a comparison was conducted between the students' achievement in traditional learning in 2019 and in e-learning in 2020 using the analysis obtained from Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The results of the research proved that e-learning has positive effect on the academic achievement of students of the Bachelor of Accounting Program at Qassim University. The research recommends to include the e-learning system in the accounting department at Qassim University, and to integrate it with traditional education in order to develop the accounting education.

Catalytic Boosting by Surface-Plasmon-Driven Hot Electrons on Antenna-Reactor Schottky Nanodiodes.

Significant research has focused on enhancing catalytic performance through solar energy conversion, and the design of photocatalysis incorporating surface plasmons is drawing considerable attention as a highly competitive catalyst system. Although the hot electron process is the primary mechanism in plasmonic photocatalysis, the precise function of hot electron transport in catalytic reactions remains unclear due to the absence of direct measurement. Here, we demonstrate the intrinsic relationship between surface-plasmon-driven hot electrons and catalytic activity during hydrogen oxidation, utilizing catalytic Schottky nanodiodes (Pt/Ag/TiO2) for antenna-reactor plasmonic photocatalysis. The simultaneous and independent measurements of hot electron flow and catalytic turnover rate show that the plasmonic effect amplifies the flow of reaction-induced hot electrons (chemicurrent), leading to enhanced catalytic activity. Plasmonic photocatalytic performance can be controlled with light wavelengths, intensity, surface temperature, and structures. These results elucidate the hot electron flow on photocatalysis and offer improved strategies for efficient catalytic devices.

Strength in numbers: Utilization of an innovative electronic audit to enhance the completion of central line maintenance audits

Healthcare systems use auditing processes to monitor compliance with evidence-based practices. The auditing process for a bundle targeting central line-associated bloodstream infectionprevention at a large children's hospital was suboptimal. The purpose of this project was to implement a revised audit and feedback data collection process. The specific aims of the project were to evaluate(1) the number of completed audits and, (2) central line maintenance bundle compliance rates before and after implementing a new process. An innovative, electronic audit process was developed to allow data entry in real-time as central line-associated bloodstream infection prevention champions conducted audits. Data were fed into a robust electronic dashboard, allowing units to readily visualize their performance. Data was analyzed over a 52-month period (26 months pre- and post-implementation). The number of central line maintenance bundle audits significantly increased post-implementation from an average of 36 to 64 per month, P=.001. Central line maintenance bundle compliance scores also increased from an average compliance score of 76.3% to 89.3%, P=.001. Special cause variation was also noted in the statistical process control charts. This project demonstrated the effectiveness of using an electronic process to capture audit data to assist with quality improvement efforts. Other institutions may consider implementing a similar electronic audit process to capture infection prevention compliance data.

Theoretical Description of Attosecond X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy of Frenkel Exciton Dynamics.

Frenkel excitons are responsible for the transport of light energy in many molecular systems. Coherent electron dynamics govern the initial stage of Frenkel-exciton transfer. Capability to follow coherent exciton dynamics in real time will help to reveal their actual contribution to the efficiency of light-harvesting. Attosecond X-ray pulses are the tool with the necessary temporal resolution to resolve pure electronic processes with atomic sensitivity. We describe how attosecond X-ray pulses can probe coherent electronic processes during Frenkel-exciton transport in molecular aggregates. We analyze time-resolved absorption cross section taking broad spectral bandwidth of an attosecond pulse into account. We demonstrate that attosecond X-ray absorption spectra can reveal delocalization degree of coherent exciton transfer dynamics.

Advances in ultrafast plasmonics

In the past 20 years, we have reached a broad understanding of many light-driven phenomena in nanoscale systems. The temporal dynamics of the excited states are instead quite challenging to explore, and, at the same time, crucial to study for understanding the origin of fundamental physical and chemical processes. In this review, we examine the current state and prospects of ultrafast phenomena driven by plasmons both from a fundamental and applied point of view. This research area is referred to as ultrafast plasmonics and represents an outstanding playground to tailor and control fast optical and electronic processes at the nanoscale, such as ultrafast optical switching, single photon emission, and strong coupling interactions to tailor photochemical reactions. Here, we provide an overview of the field and describe the methodologies to monitor and control nanoscale phenomena with plasmons at ultrafast timescales in terms of both modeling and experimental characterization. Various directions are showcased, among others recent advances in ultrafast plasmon-driven chemistry and multi-functional plasmonics, in which charge, spin, and lattice degrees of freedom are exploited to provide active control of the optical and electronic properties of nanoscale materials. As the focus shifts to the development of practical devices, such as all-optical transistors, we also emphasize new materials and applications in ultrafast plasmonics and highlight recent development in the relativistic realm. The latter is a promising research field with potential applications in fusion research or particle and light sources providing properties such as attosecond duration.

Investigation of Characteristics and Parameters of Plasma of an Overstressed Nanosecond Discharge in Krypton between Electrodes Made of a Superionic Conductor – Silver Sulfide

The results of a study of the electrical and optical characteristics of an overvoltage nanosecond atmospheric pressure discharge between electrodes made of a superionic conductor (Ag2S) in krypton are presented. The destruction of electrodes in the discharge and the introduction of Ag2S vapor into the interelectrode gap occurred due to microexplosions of inhomogeneities on the working surfaces of polycrystalline electrodes (the formation of ectons) in order to synthesize thin films based on this compound on the surface of a dielectric substrate which was installed near the electrodes. By numerically solving the Boltzmann kinetic equation for the electron energy distribution function, the temperature and the electron density in the discharge, the specific discharge power losses for the main electronic processes, and the rate constants of the electronic processes depending on the parameter E/N for the plasma of vapor-gas mixtures based on krypton and silver sulfide have been calculated. Homogeneous thin films based on silver sulfide were synthesized on the quartz substrates by the gas-discharge method under conditions of ultraviolet assisted discharge plasma.