Geometric Research Articles

Advancing high-volume GaN manufacturing: precision simulation of electrical and geometrical deviations through current spreading

Abstract Manufacturing process deviations pose significant challenges in GaN manufacturing especially when modern technologies demand extreme chip densities. More than a thousand of each of three distinct GaN-based flip-chips were manufactured where the standard deviations of the measured voltages ranged from 13 to 23 mV. By integrating Monte Carlo and finite element methods in the simulations which relies on the theoretical models, the results were validated by comparing the voltage measurements of the three thousand manufactured chips. Validation was even successful considering the voltage deviations of the three distinct designs equivalently, i.e., affected the geometrical and electrical properties in each wafer. In addition, comparing the three designs, Chip A emerged as the optimal choice for low current resistivity. Looking ahead, our theoretical modeling and simulation hold promise for high-accuracy predictions in high-volume GaN-based chip manufacturing, enhancing reliability and performance.

Regulating Atomically-Precise Pt Sites for Boosting Light-Driven Dry Reforming of Methane.

Light-driven dry reforming of methane is a promising and mild route to convert two greenhouse gas into valuable syngas. However, developing facile strategy to atomically-precise regulate the active sites and realize balanced and stable syngas production is still challenging. Herein, we developed a spatial confinement approach to precisely control over platinum species on TiO2 surfaces, from single atoms to nanoclusters. The configuration comprising single atoms and sub-nanoclusters engenders pronounced electronic metal-support interactions, with resultant interfacial states prompting surface charge rearrangement. The unique geometric and electronic properties of these atom-cluster assemblies facilitate effective activation of CH4 and CO2, accelerating intermediate coupling and minimizing side reactions. Our catalyst exhibits an outstanding syngas generation rate of 34.41 mol gPt -1 h-1 with superior durability, displaying high apparent quantum yield of 9.1 % at 365 nm and turnover frequency of 1289 h-1. This work provides insightful understanding for exploring more multi-molecule systems at an atomic scale.

Regulating Atomically‐Precise Pt Sites for Boosting Light‐Driven Dry Reforming of Methane

AbstractLight‐driven dry reforming of methane is a promising and mild route to convert two greenhouse gas into valuable syngas. However, developing facile strategy to atomically‐precise regulate the active sites and realize balanced and stable syngas production is still challenging. Herein, we developed a spatial confinement approach to precisely control over platinum species on TiO2 surfaces, from single atoms to nanoclusters. The configuration comprising single atoms and sub‐nanoclusters engenders pronounced electronic metal‐support interactions, with resultant interfacial states prompting surface charge rearrangement. The unique geometric and electronic properties of these atom‐cluster assemblies facilitate effective activation of CH4 and CO2, accelerating intermediate coupling and minimizing side reactions. Our catalyst exhibits an outstanding syngas generation rate of 34.41 mol gPt−1 h−1 with superior durability, displaying high apparent quantum yield of 9.1 % at 365 nm and turnover frequency of 1289 h−1. This work provides insightful understanding for exploring more multi‐molecule systems at an atomic scale.

Scaling of ultrashort-pulsed laser structuring processes for electromobility applications using a spatial light modulator

The structuring of lithium-ion battery (LIB) electrodes and the diffusion media (DM) for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) with ultrashort laser pulses enables improved performance characteristics of both technologies. However, the transfer of the approaches from a laboratory scale to a commercial use has previously been hindered by the low average output power of ultrashort-pulsed (USP) laser beam sources and the limited productivity of single-beam structuring using scanning optics. Recent advancements in the development of USP laser systems have led to a steady increase in the available output power, thereby enabling new fields of applications. This study aims at accelerating the USP laser structuring of LIB electrodes and DM for PEMFCs to industrially relevant processing rates by comparing a single-beam with a multibeam structuring process regarding ablation characteristics and quality. For the multibeam strategy, the shape of the laser beam was modified by a spatial light modulator (SLM). In addition to microholes, the insertion of microchannels was investigated to demonstrate the high flexibility of state-of-the-art SLMs. The geometry of the created structures was measured with a laser scanning microscope, and the different layers were tested for their geometrical and electrochemical properties to compare both technologies. The results confirmed that applying an SLM enables high-quality microstructures with significantly higher structuring rates. Furthermore, this contribution includes a theoretical analysis of the specifications required for a laser setup to reach an industrially relevant productivity of the structuring processes.

Programming the mechanical properties of double-corrugated metamaterials by varying mountain-valley assignments.

Origami metamaterials have gained significant attention in recent years, with extensive analysis conducted on their mechanical properties. Previous studies have primarily focused on the effects of design angles, panel side lengths, folding angles or other geometric and material parameters. However, mountain-valley crease assignments of origami patterns, which significantly effect both the geometric and mechanical properties, have yet to be studied in depth. In this article, we create a series of double-corrugated metamaterials with diverse mountain-valley assignments and analyse their Poisson's ratios and mechanical properties under compression loading. The findings of our study demonstrate that varying the mountain-valley assignments allows for the construction of metamaterials with consistent or distinct Poisson's ratios. These assignments have the capability to program the magnitude and to vary the rate of the folding angles. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of the corresponding metamaterials, in particular the specific energy absorption (SEA) and normalized stiffness, exhibit positive correlations with the respective folding angles. Our study highlights the significance of varying mountain-valley assignments as a promising approach for designing origami metamaterials and programming their mechanical properties.This article is part of the theme issue 'Origami/Kirigami-inspired structures: from fundamentals to applications'.

DAPLSR: Data Augmentation Partial Least Squares Regression Model via Manifold Optimization

Traditional Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) models frequently underperform when handling data characterized by uneven categories. To address the issue, this paper proposes a Data Augmentation Partial Least Squares Regression (DAPLSR) model via manifold optimization. The DAPLSR model introduces the Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (SMOTE) to increase the number of samples and utilizes the Value Difference Metric (VDM) to select the nearest neighbor samples that closely resemble the original samples for generating synthetic samples. In solving the model, in order to obtain a more accurate numerical solution for PLSR, this paper proposes a manifold optimization method that uses the geometric properties of the constraint space to improve model degradation and optimization. Comprehensive experiments show that the proposed DAPLSR model achieves superior classification performance and outstanding evaluation metrics on various datasets, significantly outperforming existing methods.

Partitioning the projective plane into two incidence‐rich parts

AbstractAn internal or friendly partition of a vertex set of a graph is a partition to two nonempty sets such that every vertex has at least as many neighbours in its own class as in the other one. Motivated by Diwan's existence proof on internal partitions of graphs with high girth, we give constructive proofs for the existence of internal partitions in the incidence graph of projective planes and discuss its geometric properties. In addition, we determine exactly the maximum possible difference between the sizes of the neighbour set in its own class and the neighbour set of the other class that can be attained for all vertices at the same time for the incidence graphs of Desarguesian planes of square order.

Microstructure Evolution and Forming Characteristics of Post-Weld Composite Treatment of 6061 Aluminum Alloy Tailor Welded Blanks

The mechanical properties and cross-sectional geometric dimensions of the fusion zone (FZ), heat affected zone (HAZ), and base metal (BM) of 6xxx series aluminum alloys are inconsistent after filler wire welding, which reduces the formability of aluminum alloy tailor welded blanks (TWBs). This paper proposes a post-weld cold rolling-solution heat treatment (PWCR-SHT) composite process, and the effects of weld excess metal, plastic deformation, and SHT on the formability of aluminum alloy TWBs are studied. The results show that the PWCR-SHT composite process eliminates the weld excess metal and internal pores, reduces the stress concentration at the weld toe, eliminates the local strain hardening behavior, and causes recrystallization in the FZ region. The cupping value of aluminum alloy TWBs using SHT is 105% of BM, in comparison, the cupping value of aluminum alloy TWBs using the PWCR-SHT composite process is 119% of BM, which is the result of the combined effect of geometric dimensions consistency and mechanical properties consistency.

Image enhancement for dichromatic vision by geometric approach in RGB color space

AbstractThe goal of this study is to process digital images to facilitate color discrimination in dichromatic vision without changing their appearances in trichromatic vision as much as possible. Therefore, we propose a simple and effective image enhancement method using the geometric properties of the RGB color space. Concretely, a novel image representation that clarifies the relationship between dichromatic and trichromatic visions in the RGB color space, and an image enhancement method based on this representation are presented. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by experiments using several digital images.

Experimental validation of vibration similitude laws for stiffened panels excited by a turbulent boundary layer

Stiffened structures excited by a turbulent boundary layer (TBL) occur in many engineering applications, particularly in the aerospace and naval sectors. The structures encountered in these applications are generally large and complex, and carrying out experiments in order to characterize their vibration response can be costly, time-consuming and difficult. To overcome these constraints, the similitude theory can be used to estimate the response of a full scale structure from the response of a reduced scale structure. A simplifying step to determine these similitude laws for stiffened panels consists in modeling the panel as an equivalent orthotropic panel. Then, using the governing equation of the orthotropic panel and considering the TBL excitation, the vibration similitude laws are derived implying similitude conditions to be respected on geometrical and material properties of the structure as well as flow velocity. In this paper, we present the developments of these similitude laws and an experimental validation for panels in air. The similitude conditions are discussed to adequately choose the properties of scaled stiffened panels. Experimental results are presented to show that the structural response of the reference panel can be recovered from the response of the reduced scale panel using the related scaling laws.

Experimental and numerical investigation of the seismic behavior of reinforced concrete frames with restricted ductility

In recent decades, the concept of special ductility has been commonly used to design reinforced concrete frames to resist strong earthquakes. There are numerous situations where strong earthquakes impose restricted ductility demands, e.g., structures governed by gravity loads or wind loads rather than seismic loads, and frames with geometric properties such that the dimensions prevent formation of plastic hinges at the ends of beams. To evaluate performance of such structures, this study has been conducted and emphasis is placed on intermediate reinforced concrete frames with code-conforming details. Shake table tests are conducted on a 3-story intermediate frame under a sequence of 9 incremental excitation records varying from 0.10 g to 0.60 g, representing minor to severe ground motions. A relatively satisfactory performance is observed: the maximum interstory drift ratio does not exceed 1.57 %, cracks are not localized at the ends of members but distributed along the spans of both beams and columns, and joints remain almost uncracked. To examine the effects of different parameters, a numerical model is developed and verified against the test results. Three essential parameters are considered: seismic event profile, span-to-depth ratio of the beam, and joint aspect ratio. The results show that the effects of different factors may be ranked from highest to lowest as follows: seismic event profile, aspect ratio of the beam-column joint, and span-to-depth ratio of the beam. The numerical analyses show that the frame will not exceed life safety limit under far field excitations and for joint aspect ratios larger than 0.9, but it may reach the threshold of collapse prevention limit under near fault earthquakes. Overall, the study sheds some light on seismic response of RC frames with restricted ductility and provides some indications of their feasibility as well as their limits in high seismic zones.

A robust approach to transformer fault diagnosis: integrating time-current loci analysis with statistical feature extraction

The accurate differentiation of inrush currents and inter-turn faults in power transformers is critical for ensuring the reliability and safety of electrical power systems. Traditional methods often face challenges in distinguishing between these conditions due to their overlapping characteristics, leading to potential misoperations and system instability. This paper presents a novel solution through the introduction of the time-current loci (TIL) method, which effectively addresses this critical issue by providing a robust mechanism for classifying normal operating conditions, inrush currents, and inter-turn faults. The TIL method involves plotting time against current over a single cycle, generating distinct loci patterns that serve as a visual and analytical foundation for classification. By extracting and analyzing key statistical features from these loci, the method enhances the accuracy of fault detection. Specifically, the rate of change in time and current is used to determine the orientation of the TIL curve, with additional features such as the mean orientation and skewness being computed to capture the unique geometric properties associated with each operating condition. This approach simplifies the analysis process, eliminating the need for complex machine learning algorithms and reducing computational demands, making it highly suitable for real-time implementation. Experimental validation was carried out using a 1 kVA, 230 V/230 V transformer under various operating conditions, and the results demonstrated the effectiveness of the TIL method in reliably distinguishing between normal conditions, inrush currents, and inter-turn faults. The visual nature of the loci plots not only aids in accurate classification but also provides an intuitive understanding of transformer behavior, facilitating quick and informed decision-making by operators. This advancement addresses a critical challenge in transformer protection, offering a more reliable and efficient solution compared to traditional techniques.

A real-time dual NURBS interpolator with optimised control of flexible acceleration and deceleration for five-axis CNC machining

The limited computing capacity makes it difficult to plan a suitable feedrate profile in real-time for high speed and high accuracy machining of five-axis parametric toolpaths. In this paper, a real-time interpolation algorithm with optimised control of flexible acceleration and deceleration (acc-dec) for the dual NURBS toolpath is proposed. The toolpath is marked as subsegments with similar geometric properties by introducing the five-axis curvature. Machine kinematic and toolpath geometry constraints are considered in the kinematic parameter constraint model. Initial feedrate profiles are solved in a dynamic 3D window which preserves the motion performance of machine tools to a great extent. Convolution is used to smooth the initial feedrate profile to achieve a higher order continuity over the global range. Feedrate fluctuations caused by imprecise parameter interpolation are eliminated through modifying each interpolation periods. Resampling adjusts the position of interpolation points and unify the interpolation periods. All operations mentioned are in series and real-time is strictly guaranteed. Effectiveness of the developed algorithm is validated in simulations and also experimentally on a Self-developed-NC controlled 5-axis machine tool.

A specialized inclusive road dataset with elevation profiles for realistic pedestrian navigation using open geospatial data and deep learning

Built environment characteristics can greatly influence pedestrians' route choices with factors beyond distance, such as accessibility, convenience, safety, and aesthetics, playing crucial roles. Although current navigation apps, such as Google Maps and Waze, have successfully provided driving directions, their navigation services are insufficient and sometimes unrealistic for addressing pedestrians' needs, largely due to the lack of dedicated pedestrian networks and the associated navigation algorithms. To address the research gaps, this paper proposes a novel approach that integrates freely available geospatial data and computer vision technology to create a specialized inclusive network dataset for outdoor pedestrian navigation. Moreover, a pedestrian navigation algorithm is developed to generate more practical “shortest” and “alternative” paths by incorporating various sidewalk attributes. We applied the method to create a pedestrian navigation network in Las Vegas. SpaceNet's open imagery dataset was used to extract Las Vegas's road networks. A virtual audit process assessed the visual and operational properties of the sidewalk networks using Google street-level images, evaluating factors including sidewalk presence, widths, surface types and conditions, missing curb ramps, greenery, protection from weather conditions, and lighting. Google Earth's open elevation data were used to analyze road elevation profiles as meaningful 3D indicators of sidewalk accessibility for wheelchair users. Further, additional geometric properties of the network, including road curviness, proximity to road intersections, and directional changes, were detected and analyzed. A navigation experiment conducted with individuals having varying mobility abilities, including regular pedestrians, older adults, and wheelchair users demonstrated the effectiveness of the newly developed network and algorithm in meeting the diverse needs of pedestrians.

A unified confinement-based direct design approach for novel double-skin composite columns

Concrete-filled stiffened steel tubular short columns, with cold-formed stiffened steel tubes for the outer section, have been widely used in Asia in large commercial facilities and warehouses. This paper focuses on the response of concrete-filled double-skin stiffened steel tubular (CFDSST) short columns and concrete-filled dual stiffened steel tubular (CFDST) short columns, with either square or circular inner tubes. A detailed database of existing information is assembled and presented, as well as a thorough analysis of existing design expressions. Additional examination of the concrete confinement has been undertaken which highlight the differences in behaviour between CFDSST and CFDST cross-sections. The major aim in this work is to provide a unified design approach, which accounts for concrete confinement and accounts for the material and geometric properties of the section, and offers improved accuracy over the existing approaches given in the European, American, British and Chinese design codes. The newly proposed unified confinement-based direct design approach for axially-loaded CFDSST and CFDST short columns is discussed, including the consideration given to the lateral confining pressure provided by the steel tubes. This method is shown to provide more accurate depictions of the load resistances of CFDSST and CFDST short columns relative to the international specifications, with lower scatter and greater range of applicability. It has also been shown that the CFDSST sections with a stiffened outer steel tube provides greater confinement and additional strength compared with equivalent unstiffened circular tubes of high relative tube slenderness. Given the easier fabrication and installation of beam-to-square column joints compared with circular columns, this is likely to extend their range of application in the future.

Cirrus cloud occurrence and its geometrical and optical properties during the transient monsoon conditions

Knowledge of variation in the percentage occurrence of the cirrus clouds (POC) during transient monsoon conditions is essential for understanding the role of the monsoon in transporting the water vapor into the lower stratosphere which is vital in quantifying the radiation budget of the earth–atmosphere system. In this paper, we present the spatial structure of the POC, the geometrical properties such as cloud top and base height (CTH & CBH), cloud thickness (CTH-CBH), optical properties such as optically thick, thin, and subvisible cirrus clouds during the active and break phases of the Asian summer monsoon using Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) during July–August 2006–2018. The active and break phases are identified based on the central India rainfall from the India Meteorological Department dataset. The POC is found to be higher by 10–30 % over central India and some parts of the eastern Arabian Sea (AS) and Bay of Bengal (BoB) during the active phase compared to the break phase which shows enhancement in POC over the foothill of Himalaya and southern part of BoB and AS. The higher POC is attributed to the increase in the convective activities associated with the increase in tropical easterly jet during the active phase. The CTH and CBH range ~14–18 km and 12–16 km, respectively during the active phase compared to the break phase. The contributions of optically thick and thin clouds are higher in POC during both phases compared to subvisible clouds. Both convectively generated and in situ-formed cirrus clouds dominate during the active phase compared to the break phase indicating the dominance of the freeze-drying processes during the active phase.

Natural geometrical variations of Italian Phyllostachys edulis bamboo culms for construction purposes

Amid the increasing scarcity of raw materials, utilizing bamboo as a renewable building material offers significant environmental and economic benefits for the European construction sector. However, in Europe, the use of bamboo for construction remains limited due to a lack of studies on geometrical and material characteristics of European-cultivated bamboo species. Although bamboo is not typically grown in Europe, the number of bamboo plantations is steadily increasing in countries like Spain, France and Italy. Bamboos growing in temperate climates, however, are exposed to different environmental conditions during growth compared to bamboos from subtropical and tropical climates, such as those in China or Vietnam. As bamboo’s geometric properties are strongly influenced by the environmental conditions during growth, it is essential to investigate how bamboo culms of the same species grown in Europe compare to those from other regions. The present article reports findings on the geometry and geometric imperfections of 90 four-meter Italian bamboo culms. First, the Italian Phyllostachys edulis bamboo culms examined in this study are briefly introduced. Following, geometric imperfections of bamboo culms are defined, and the geometry measurement concept is presented. Subsequently, variations in internode lengths, diameters, wall thicknesses, ovalities, stem tapers and pre-deflections are described and analyzed. Finally, the findings from the Italian culms are compared with those from Asian Phyllostachys edulis. In summary, this article enhances the understanding of the geometric properties of bamboo grown in Europe, thereby advancing the use of cultivated bamboo culms in Europe and improving the overall understanding of bamboo characteristics across different climatic zones.

Parameter-Free Data Reduction for Short-Time Hypersonic Heat Flux Measurements

High-speed flows associated with hypersonics require significant, diverse, and successful ground-test campaigns before engaging in a flight test program. The present investigation focuses on demonstrating a new data reduction pathway for estimating the source heat flux using an elegant, though fragile, thin-film temperature gauge. The rapid response time of such sensors makes them well-suited for shock tunnel experiments. In such experiments, contaminated flow, composed of diaphragm debris, can often damage the sensing element. For the moment, the existence of an ideal coating (or even a hardened sensing element) is presumed that preserves the sensor’s survivability and accuracy over several test runs. A dynamic, physics-based data reduction methodology is proposed that accounts for the protective coating and that is applicable to millisecond testing times. This paper addresses three critical issues for acquiring the best estimate of the source heat flux. These issues include a) the formation of a baseline data reduction view that accounts for thin coatings; b) the development of a dynamic calibration method that removes the need for specifying thermophysical or geometrical properties; and c) the introduction of a time-scaling that allows for calibration to be performed in alternative and convenient time frames. This last point demonstrates the concept of the dimensionless time map and its novel consequences. The procedure is demonstrated on a reduced formulation, illustrating the merit of the concepts.

Interpass temperature impact on bead geometry of mild steel in wire-arc additive manufacturing

In wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), melt pool dynamics produce variations in bead geometry that create undesired part geometries and can also lead to material defects. In the current state of the art, reducing melt pool and bead variation is still an aspect of WAAM that is underdeveloped. Several factors influence the bead geometry including the type of material that is being deposited and process inputs. In this study, ER70S-3 mild steel was deposited onto steel build plates using a cold metal transfer (CMT) deposition process. Varying plate preheat surface temperatures were used from ambient temperature to 300 °C using different welding travel speeds. To control build plate surface temperature, a preheat stage was designed and implemented to simulate different interpass temperatures. Beads were deposited and subsequently measured to determine their geometric properties such as bead height and bead width. Initial results indicate that as the preheat temperature increases, resulting bead height decreases, bead height variation decreases, and bead width increases. Initial microstructural data also indicates that as preheat temperature increases, the microstructure becomes more equiaxed with decreasing grain sizes.

Numerical study on the mechanical and deformation behavior of a shield tunnel under different geological conditions

Investigating the mechanical and deformation response of a shield tunnel to nearby cavities has a significant importance on the structural safety assessment and protection. Limited to the laborious modelling and analysis barriers, the refined structural model including lining segments and connecting bolts are proposed by the BIM-based parametric modelling technology, using which the geometric properties can be adjusted through one-click operation. The pretreatment algorithm has also been developed to impose springs on the numeric nodes effectively and accurately, forming an elaborate numerical simulation method. Numerical analysis has been exerted and verified considering the homogeneity of the excavation geological condition. Results show that for the shield tunnel excavated in the homogeneous stratum, the mechanical and deformation responses of the lining structure are symmetrical about the vertical central plane. The lining ring deforms from a circle to an elliptic shape. To inquire the effect of the geological cavity, three sceneries for cavity at various positions are studied. Numerical results reveal that the lining segments deform towards the cavity side significantly, leading to over 100 times the deformation increment at the vault and invert, even over 1000 times at the cavity side for the unilateral cavity. At the cavity(ies) side(s), the internal forces of the lining segments increase, and the stress states change from compression on the outer surface to tension. The stress of connecting bolts also indicates the stress concentration for the supporting structures at the cavity side. Reinforced supports are needed for the concrete linings near the geological defects.