Internal Blocks Research Articles

Multivariate approach applied to phenotypic traits as a function of the selection of soybean cultivars

The objective of this work was to identify superior soybean cultivars through a multivariate approach applied to phenotypic traits. This study was developed in the 2023/2024 agricultural harvest, in the experimental area of ​​the Regional Institute for Rural Development, at UNIJUÍ. It is located in the municipality of Augusto Pestana, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The experimental design used was randomized blocks with internal blocks, with the treatment being ten cultivars and five replications. The trial of ten cultivars in the northwest of the state of Rio Grande do Sul demonstrated that the soybean cultivar with the highest yield was NS5922IPRO, with 5235.3 kg ha-1. The multivariate approaches formed two groups to explain the factors that influenced yield, where the first was discrepant for the variables Euschistus heros, phytotoxicity, Fusarium solanie, Macrophomina phaseolina, Conyza bonariensis, production zone area, number of total nodes in the branch, branch number, root length, number of vegetables with 4 grains, number of vegetables with 0 grains and vegetable grain weight of 2 grains. The second similar group for the variables Diabrotica speciosa, Caliothrips brasiliensis, Euschisthus heros, Phakopsora pachyrhizi and Cercospora sojina, area of ​​production zone, number of vegetables with zero grains. The trial of ten cultivars in the northwest of the state of Rio Grande do Sul demonstrated that the soybean cultivar with the highest yield was NS5922IPRO, with 5235.3 kg ha-1. The multivariate approaches formed two groups to explain the factors that influenced grain yield.

Conceptualizing the landscape of digital health entrepreneurship: a systematic review and research agenda

AbstractDigital health, which encompasses the use of digital technology to enhance and support healthcare, can potentially transform the healthcare industry. As healthcare systems struggle to provide high-quality care, entrepreneurs and startups have turned to digital health technology to create innovative products and services that aim at improving healthcare outcomes and reducing costs. This has made digital health entrepreneurship a major driving force for achieving good health and high-quality care. The study aims to analyze the current state of research in digital health entrepreneurship by identifying contributing disciplines and common research themes. A comprehensive literature review based on state-of-the-art definitions of digital health entrepreneurship was conducted to achieve this goal. A total of 164 articles met the final inclusion criteria, and the subsequent inductive analysis revealed the presence of three contributing disciplines and ten distinct themes: Academia Transfer and Education, Ecosystem and Stakeholder, Product and Business Development, Business Model, Classification, Management and Strategy, Regulation, Digital Technology, Implementation and Adoption, and Evaluation. These themes were organized into a conceptual framework depicting the internal and external building blocks of digital health entrepreneurship. The review highlights the importance of a structured understanding of the industry, including its business models and regulatory environment, as well as the role of the various healthcare stakeholders. This analysis can guide researchers and entrepreneurs seeking to navigate the digital health landscape and proposes further research avenues.

Field Sprayer with Application Rate Control Using Fast Response Proportional Valves under Variable Speed Conditions

In modern agriculture, which is characterised by dynamic field environments, challenges are faced in maintaining consistent application rates due to varying tractor speeds, field conditions, and certain calibration errors. Conventional control systems, which rely on slower valves, have difficulty adapting to these dynamic field conditions. By contrast, the integration of fast-acting proportional valves improves the precision and flexibility of flow rate adjustment during spraying applications. This research focused on evaluating the accuracy of spraying applications under different tractor speed conditions through field experiments and data analysis. This study involves a field sprayer with boom wings divided into right and left sections, where the flow rate of the liquid to each section is controlled by proportional valves with a 3 s full opening and closing time, dependent on speed information. Using a closed-loop control system consisting of a flow meter, proportional valve, and PLC, the valves are controlled by the PLC’s internal PID blocks. Observations reveal that as the tractor speed increases to a certain level, the system effectively adjusts the application rate close to the target value and maintains control against the changing ground speed during all field tests. The study included five different application tests, with target application rates of 100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 L ha−1, with each repeated three times, resulting in a total of 15 field tests at different ground speeds. During these tests, the data were meticulously recorded every second, covering the tractor speed, flow rate, and pressure values for both right and left boom sections, along with regulator pressure, proportional valve opening rates, and application rates. The durations for each application rate were documented alongside instances within specified periods where error boundaries of ±10% were exceeded. During the total test duration of 9734 s, the actual application rate value exceeded error boundaries during only 209 s. Within the application durations, the speed variation intervals ranged from 5.10 to 10.23 km h−1, 4.64 to 9.91 km h−1, 3.68 to 7.89 km h−1, 4.80 to 8.21 km h−1, and from 4.90 to 8.69 km h−1. The absolute percentage mean application errors were recorded as 2.81%, 2.68%, 2.28%, 2.14%, and 2.51% for respective application rates. Furthermore, statistically significant correlations (p < 0.01) were identified among the variables (speed, valve opening rate, flow rate, pressure) in both the right and left boom sections across all application rates.

Mathematical Model of an Automated System for Learning to Play the Piano

Purpose of research. Nowadays, the automation of the distance learning process or self-study is relevant. However, to increase its effectiveness, there is a need for a personality-oriented approach to the student. The creation of adaptive learning technologies is becoming a priority. Development of a mathematical model of an automated system for learning to play the piano was the purpose of this work.Methods. The article discusses one of the approaches to modeling educational processes and systems - the cybernetic approach. The use of this approach allows us to consider the model of the educational system from the point of view of internal blocks and their functions, it allows us to identify sets of input and output data and internal relationships of various components of the system. The mathematical model is based on the operations of the algebra of logic and set theory.Resalts. Based on the cybernetic approach, the article provides a functional diagram of the system, which clearly demonstrates the sequence of actions performed, as well as the flow of various sets of input and output data. The functionality of the blocks is described in the terminology of operators, which determine the sequence and the required number of questionnaire questions to determine the initial knowledge, skills, and abilities of the trainee and his goals, select the most optimal initial training plan, assess progress and adjust the initial training plan depending on the results of the student. For each operator, sets of inputs and outputs are defined. The description of the data shows what information the system must operate in order for it to work correctly and efficiently. Another significant result of the work was the mathematical model of the system obtained as a result of research, which determines the relationship between input and output data.Conclusion. The cybernetic approach to modeling educational activities, including in the system of additional education, allows you to structure complex logical connections in the educational system, to determine the sequence and options for the system. The model will form the basis of the information system for piano playing teaching.

Quantitative Measurement and Analysis of Powder Holdups in a Packed Bed in the Presence of Internal Blocks and Raceway

Quantitative Measurement and Analysis of Powder Holdups in a Packed Bed in the Presence of Internal Blocks and Raceway

КОУЧИНГОВЕ КОНСУЛЬТУВАННЯ МЕНЕДЖЕРІВ В УМОВАХ ПРОФЕСІЙНОЇ КРИЗИ

The article highlights the essence of the professional crisis of managers in the current circumstances of the war in Ukraine. The general causes of professional crises are described (dissatisfaction with one's position and status; dissatisfaction with socio-economic conditions; age and psychological changes of a specialist; professional deformation; life situation problems). The coaching process related to the career difficulties of managers is considered. The effects that can be achieved in the process of coaching counseling are described, namely: get rid of uncertainty in actions, remove internal blocks and work out existing explicit and implicit contradictions; objectively assess the situation and one's capabilities; be realized in professional activity; find internal motivation to achieve career goals; get rid of illusions and pseudo-goals; identify your strengths and weaknesses, unlock your potential; to realize their own true professional values. Here is an approximate list of questions, the answers to which will help the manager to better understand the specifics of the current situation, his capabilities and prospects as a specialist. This is a question about the level of professional competence; questions about the team of employees and the manager's place in it; questions regarding a possible change of job to another and possible problems that may arise in this case, and others. The expected results of career coaching are highlighted: a new career goal is formed; finding new resources and opportunities for career growth in new conditions; strengthening of personal motivation in achieving career goals; action plan for solving strategic and tactical career problems; found individual tools for solving current professional tasks; determined development of the manager's set of competencies in the changed conditions.

An Analysis of ASEAN’s Cyclone Nargis 2008 Disaster Diplomacy

Abstract Cyclone Nargis in 2008 is remembered as one of the deadliest disasters of modern Southeast Asia. Myanmar suffered the greatest losses of the states in the region, with more than a hundred thousand deaths and millions affected. The present research examines the events of the storm in a disaster diplomacy context. The methodological framework of the study is the Complex Adaptive System, which is applied through four properties and three mechanisms. According to the results, Cyclone Nargis hit the region in a cold international environment, and its treatment ended with a (to some extent) successful regional diplomatic outcome after easing the initial abstention. Among the variables of the CAS method, nonlinearity and aggregation, as well as internal model and building blocks, determined regional cooperation. The present case study shows that an extremely severe natural disaster is capable of promoting regional cooperation despite the actual cold political environment.

A 90 nm area and power efficient Carry Select Adder using 2–1 multiplexer based Excess-1 block

This paper proposes a novel architecture of excess-1 adder-based Carry Select Adder (M2CSA) using single leaf cell i.e., 2–1 Multiplexer. M2CSA is designed using a new type of Excess-1 block. The Excess-1 block is designed in a distinct way using 2–1 multiplexers. The architectures of the proposed carry select adder and its internal excess-1 blocks are completely distinct when compared to existing carry select adders. The proposed 4-, 8-, 16-, 32-, and 64-bit M2CSAs use a 2–1 multiplexer only. The complex gates such as XOR gates are eliminated which exist in existing Carry Select Adders (CaSeAs). A 64-bit M2CSA that utilises one kind of 2-1 Mux cell is clearly decomposed to retain outstanding cell regularity. In previous designs, ripple carry adder blocks are substituted with half adders by limiting carry propagation to a particular degree. By avoiding carry propagation over adder blocks, particularly in 32- and 64-bit adders, the performance of M2CSA is initially increased. For CaSeAs, the area is of primary significance; for M2CSAs, it is also diminished by preserving cell regularity. Verilog HDL is utilised in the design of the M2CSA and current CaSeAs. Using Cadence NCLaunch, all of the designs are functionally tested. At a 90nm technology node, all of the designs are generated and executed using Genus and Innovus tools, respectively. As a comparison to prior designs, the 64-bit M2CSA final ASIC architecture is on average 17% less in terms of space. The comparison and result analysis show that 64-bit M2CSA performs 20% and 19% faster than 64-bit SQCSC in terms of performance and power dissipation, respectively.. The proposed 4-, 8-, 16-, 32-, 64- bit M2CSA exhibits less PDP (Power-Delay Product) ranging from 25%–30% concerning SQCSCs. Similarly, EDP (Energy- Delay Product) values for all the designs are calculated. The improvement in EDP for the 4-, 8-, 16-, 32-, 64- bit M2CSA is 41, 38, 42, 43, and 45 percentages compared to 4-, 8-, 16-, 32-, 64- bit SQCSC respectively. Therefore, the M2CSAs outperform the existing designs in terms of EDP by 38%–45%.

Investigating flexible and semi-flexible polymers using solid-state nanopores.

Following the rise of nanopore DNA sequencing, nanopore sensors are showing great potential for characterizing and ultimately decoding information from other types of biotic and abiotic polymers. In particular, nanostructured DNA molecules are being proposed to store digital information for archival applications or as barcodes for multiplexed biomarker detection and solid-state nanopores are being used to decode them. However, progress in this area requires better understanding of the molecular mechanisms for translocation both at the theoretical and experimental level to optimize these applications, even with recent progress. Here we investigate the influence of polymer flexibility on translocation times and folding dynamics during polymer translocation through solid-state nanopores ranging in size from 5 to 15 nm on 10–15-nm-thick SiN membranes. We design DNA with modulated flexibilities by leaving gaps in one of the strands making up the DNA double helix. In doing so we create block-polymers consisting of rigid double stranded pieces held together by flexible single stranded parts of DNA. As expected, we observe that folding happens preferentially on these ssDNA sections in the structured polymer and propose this as a mechanism to control the folding of longer polymers by restricting folding to the ends of the molecule, leaving large internal blocks of the polymer unfolded. This strategy to limit polymer folding inside a pore can be used to tackle one of the major challenges of data storage and barcode readout using solid-state nanopores.

Analysis and Design of RF Energy-Harvesting Systems With Impedance-Aware Rectifier Sizing

Because of the interaction between the internal blocks of an RF energy harvesting (RFEH) system, sizing a rectifier only for high power conversion efficiency (PCE) is insufficient for improving global power harvesting efficiency (PHE). This brief analyzes and sizes the rectifier by taking its input and output impedances into account with a two-port model that combines the rectifier AC and DC characteristics. The AC characteristic in this model is used for impedance-aware rectifier sizing. We target a low input-impedance rectifier for better impedance matching between the receiver antenna and the rectifier. The DC characteristic describes the rectifier power loss allocation and estimates its maximum power point. A proposed parasitic-aware matching network sizing methodology predicts the PHE is finally limited by Ohmic loss in the matching network at a low incident power level. For overcoming this limitation, this brief also analyzes the impact of multiple rectifier stages on RFEH with a high peak-to-average power ratio (high-PAPR) incident waveform for improving the PHE. We design an RFEH prototype with a sized 28nm CMOS two-stage cross-coupled rectifier. Measurement results show sensitivity as low as −28.3 dBm with a peak PHE of 31.1% at −16.5 dBm 2.45-GHz high-PAPR incident power. It has sufficient high output impedance to prevent reverse leakage without the need for an additional self-gating circuit.

Deep Learning Based Successive Interference Cancellation for the Non-Orthogonal Downlink

Non-orthogonal communications are expected to play a key role in future wireless systems. In downlink transmissions, the data symbols are broadcast from a base station to different users, which are superimposed with different power to facilitate high-integrity detection using successive interference cancellation (SIC). However, SIC requires accurate knowledge of both the channel model and channel state information (CSI), which may be difficult to acquire. We propose a deep learning-aided SIC detector termed SICNet, which replaces the interference cancellation blocks of SIC by deep neural networks (DNNs). Explicitly, SICNet jointly trains its internal DNN-aided blocks for inferring the soft information representing the interfering symbols in a data-driven fashion, rather than using hard-decision decoders as in classical SIC. As a result, SICNet reliably detects the superimposed symbols in the downlink of non-orthogonal systems without requiring any prior knowledge of the channel model, while being less sensitive to CSI uncertainty than its model-based counterpart. SICNet is also robust to changes in the number of users and to their power allocation. Furthermore, SICNet learns to produce accurate soft outputs, which facilitates improved soft-input error correction decoding compared to model-based SIC. Finally, we propose an online training method for SICNet under block fading, which exploits the channel decoding for accurately recovering online data labels for retraining, hence, allowing it to smoothly track the fading envelope without requiring dedicated pilots. Our numerical results show that SICNet approaches the performance of classical SIC under perfect CSI, while outperforming it under realistic CSI uncertainty.

Efficient histogram for region based image retrieval in the discrete cosine transform domain

<p>Recently, several approaches of content based-image retrieval (CBIR), based on the characteristics of discrete cosine transform (DCT), such as decorrelation and concentration of energy in only a few coefficients, have been proposed. To reduce the semantic gap between high level search and low level patterns, a new concept based on region based search region-based image retrieval (RBIR) has been proposed. Recently, we proposed to use shape-adaptive (SA) DCT in a new RBIR system. In this paper, we propose an efficient histogram optimization suited to our region-based concept. This histogram takes into account the pattern’s from the SA-DCT of the border blocks as well as the DCT coefficients of the internal blocks. Our proposed scheme has greatly improved the results compared to region-based reference methods. Regionbased search is limited to the object of interest only, i.e. a region of the query image can only match a region of another image in the database.</p>

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria and nitrogen fertilization on economic feasibility of tomato

To increase the availability of nutrients and improve crop productivity, chemical fertilizers are introduced to the soil, although the biological fixation of nitrogen contributes globally with 180 million metric tons of ammonia per year, which is comparable to current contribution of anthropogenic nitrogen. In this way, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of the interaction of Azospyrillum brasilense and Bradyrhizobium japonicum with different levels of nitrogen on the yield and economic viability of the tomato crop. An experimental design of divided plots was used, with the nitrogen fertilization dose being the largest plot (100% of the dose, 50% of the dose and 0% of the dose) and the minor plot of nitrogen-fixing bacteria (100 cc ha-1, 200 cc ha-1, 300 cc ha-1) with four random internal blocks and five plants as experimental unit. The variables evaluated were: production per plant, yield/ha, number of fruits/plant and average fruit weight. Finally, the economic analysis was performed according to the combination of the treatments. The results obtained showed that the mixture of nitrogen-fixing bacteria (BFN) (Azospyrillum brasilense and Bradyrhizobium japonicum) at a dose of 100 cc ha-1, significantly increased tomato production when nitrogen (urea) was not applied. The application of BFN in combination with adequate levels of nitrogen favors the sustainability of the tomato.

The Use of Palynology in Sequence Stratigrafy Analysis a Case Study, The Eocene Nanggulan Formation

This paper is a part of palynological investigationon The Eocene Nanggulan Formation, Yogjakarta Central Java. The Nanggulan Formation containing rich palynomorph assemblage provider excellent data to support sequence stratigraphy analysis. The palynomorph assemblage changes (especially between mangrove and freshwater palynomorphs) may reflect sea level changes whitch can be used to interpret system tracts, which are the internal building blocks of sequences.

Application of artificial neural network for mixed convection in a square lid-driven cavity with double vertical or horizontal oriented rectangular blocks

The practicability of using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to predict the thermal behaviour due to mixed convection is established. Numerical simulations are conducted first for a laminar mixed convection problem in a lid-driven square cavity with two internal rectangular blocks, oriented vertically or horizontally. CFD results are used for training and testing the ANN to predict new cases; thus, saving effort and computation time and validate the obtained numerical results of Nusselt number. A wide range of Reynolds (100 ≤ Re ≤ 1500), Grashof numbers (1.5 × 104 ≤ Gr ≤ 105), Richardson number (0.00667 ≤ Ri ≤ 10) and the distance between the two blocks (0.2 ≤ W/L ≤ 0.8) are considered. Results indicated that varying the distance W/L has an important influence on the Nusselt number. It was observed that increasing Re and Gr numbers magnitudes leads to an increased Nusselt number and that Nusselt number obtained for the case of vertical blocks is higher than the case of horizontal blocks. Furthermore, the maximum Nu number obtained for the vertical blocks was at W/L = 0.5 and Ri = 0.044 and for the horizontal blocks case was at W/L = 0.2 and Ri = 0.044. Finally, new correlations of Nu number versus Re, Gr and the spacing ratio between the two blocks W/L are derived for possible utilization in engineering design.

Asymmetric polymersomes, from the formation of asymmetric membranes to the application on drug delivery

Nano drug delivery systems have attracted researchers' growing attention and are gradually emerging into the public views. More and more nano-formulations are being approved for marketing or clinical use, representing the field's booming development. Copolymer self-assembly systems such as micelles, nanoparticles, polymersomes occupy a prominent position in the field of nano-drug delivery carriers. Among them, polymersomes, unlike micelles or nanoparticles, resemble liposomes' structure and possess large internal hollow hydrophilic reservoirs, allowing them to carry hydrophilic drugs. Nevertheless, their insufficient drug loading efficiency and unruly self-assembly morphology have somewhat constrained their applications. Especially for the delivery of biomacromolecule such as peptides, the encapsulation efficiency is always considered to be a formidable obstacle, even if the enormous hydrophilic core would render the polymersomes to have considerable potential in this regard. Reassuringly, the emergence of asymmetric polymersomes holds the prospect of solving this problem. With the development of synthetic technology and a deeper understanding of the self-assembly process, the asymmetric polymersomes which are with different inner and outer shell composition have been gradually recognized by researchers. It has made possible elevated drug loading, more controllable assembly processes and release performance. The internal hydrophilic blocks different from the outer shell could be engineered to have a more remarkable affinity to the cargos or could contain a non-watery aqueous phase to enable the thermodynamically preferred encapsulation of cargos, which would allow for a substantial improvement in drug encapsulation efficiency compared to the conventional approach. In this paper, we aim to deepen the understanding to asymmetric polymersomes and lay the foundation for the development of this field by describing four main elements: the mechanism of their preparation and asymmetric membrane formation process, the characterization of asymmetric membranes, the efficient drug loading, and the special stimulus-responsive release mechanism.

The Effects of Hot Blocks Geometry and Particle Migration on Heat Transfer and Entropy Generation of a Novel I-Shaped Porous Enclosure

This paper studied the cooling performance of a hot electronic chip using nanofluids (NF) mixed convection, implementing Buongiorno’s model of the NF simulation. The NF were assumed water-Al2O3 nanoparticles (NP) in the range of 0 to 4% of volume concentration. Six different problems of the combinations of three internal hot blocks, including triangular, square, and circular geometries, and two porous media, including sand and compact metallic powder, were numerically solved. To discretize the governing equations, a finite control volume method was applied. As most of the proposed correlations for the thermophysical properties of the NF were inaccurate, especially for thermal conductivity, a new predictive correlation was proposed using the multi-variable regression method with acceptable accuracy. It was found that the cooling performance improved with any increase in the NP loading. A higher nanoparticle concentration yielded better cooling characteristics, which was 11.93% for 4% volume. The sand porous medium also yielded a much higher value of the normalized Nusselt number (Nu) compared to the other medium. The entropy generation (EG) enhancement was maximum for the triangular hot block in a sand porous cavity.

Intercalated Iron Chalcogenides: Phase Separation Phenomena and Superconducting Properties.

Organic molecule-intercalated layered iron-based monochalcogenides are presently the subject of intense research studies due to the linkage of their fascinating magnetic and superconducting properties to the chemical nature of guests present in the structure. Iron chalcogenides have the ability to host various organic species (i.e., solvates of alkali metals and the selected Lewis bases or long-chain alkylammonium cations) between the weakly bound inorganic layers, which opens up the possibility for fine tuning the magnetic and electrical properties of the intercalated phases by controlling both the doping level and the type/shape and orientation of the organic molecules. In recent years, significant progress has been made in the field of intercalation chemistry, expanding the gallery of intercalated superconductors with new hybrid inorganic–organic phases characterized by transition temperatures to a superconducting state as high as 46 K. A typical synthetic approach involves the low-temperature intercalation of layered precursors in the presence of liquid amines, and other methods, such as electrochemical intercalation, intercalant or ion exchange, and direct solvothermal growths from anhydrous amine-based media, are also being developed. Large organic guests, while entering a layered structure on intercalation, push off the inorganic slabs and modify the geometry of their internal building blocks (edge-sharing iron chalcogenide tetrahedrons) through chemical pressure. The chemical nature and orientation of organic molecules between the inorganic layers play an important role in structural modification and may serve as a tool for the alteration of the superconducting properties. A variety of donor species well-matched with the selected alkali metals enables the adjustment of electron doping in a host structure offering a broad range of new materials with tunable electric and magnetic properties. In this review, the main aspects of intercalation chemistry are discussed, involving the influence of the chemical and electrochemical nature of intercalating species on the crystal structure and critical issues related to the superconducting properties of the hybrid inorganic–organic phases. Mutual relations between the host and organic guests lead to a specific ordering of molecular species between the host layers, and their effect on the electronic structure of the host will be also argued. A brief description of a critical assessment of the association of the most effective chemical and electrochemical methods, which lead to the preparation of nanosized/microsized powders and single crystals of molecularly intercalated phases, with the ease of preparation of phase pure materials, crystal sizes, and the morphology of final products is given together with a discussion of the stability of the intercalated materials connected with the volatility of organic solvents and a possible degradation of host materials.

(Invited) Impact of the Substrate Specifications on the Extended Defects Induced by the Deep Trench Isolation

STMicroelectronics invented and is a leader in BCD technology, which integrates analog, digital and power technologies to address a broad range of power management, data acquisition and actuator applications for automotive and other uses. The silicon wafers of the BCD technology are epitaxial, (100)-oriented, p-/p+ silicon wafers. The epitaxial layer has a boron doping in the order of 1015cm-3, whereas the substrate has a boron doping in the order of 1018cm-3. Starting with the technology node of 0.16μm the Deep Trench Isolation (DTI) is integrated to improve the isolation between internal blocks and to reduce interferences among them. The DTIs are trenches of several tenth of microns, filled by silicon dioxide and polycrystalline silicon. However, the DTI induces a certain crystal defectivity because of the mechanical stress generated during the thermal processes. Architectural and process changes can mitigate the mechanical stress, but it cannot be enough in case the DTI reaches the bulk silicon that is highly boron-doped and where the Bulk Micro Defects (BMDs) are present. Indeed, under stress, these defects facilitate the generation of dislocations and reduce the mechanical resistance of the silicon. This work find out that the depletion of BMDs in the silicon area around the bottom of DTI to be crucial in reducing the dislocation nucleation, expansion and propagation. In other words, the creation of a Denuded Zone in the top part of the p+ bulk beneath the p- epitaxy gets crucial.According to the literature, the thermal history of the first part of the process flow is key in shaping a Denuded Zone. So, the first high temperature treatments denude the superficial silicon layer from the oxygen, whereas some of the following thermal treatments, ones at lower temperatures, lead to the nucleation of BMDs and the last operations at high temperature in the process flow increases the BMDs size. By acting on the substrate resistivity and on the content of interstitial oxygen (Oi), it is possible to modulate the BMD generation, for a fixed process flow. Indeed, as the boron doping and the Oi decrease, the BMDs formation is hindered and the oxygen denuding is promoted. Therefore, the substrate specifications of Oi and resistivity impact the crystal defectivity generated by the interaction of the DTIs with the BMDs.All through this work the measurement of the Denuded Zone is carried out by means of the preferential chemical etching, i.e Secco d’Aragona, but also Micro-photoluminescence technique at room temperature, as implemented in the tool EnVision by Semilab. The effectiveness of the decreasing of boron and Oi content in reducing the dislocation generation is tested with a dedicated test structure. This structure is a collection of Power MOS on buried layer with a DTI layout prone to dislocation generation. The design has been developed in order to maximize the silicon area dedicated to the Power devices, characterize the performances of Power devices of different architectures (Drift MOS with Buried Layer, Drain extension), create DTI with spacing, shape and number compatible with our device requirements but critical in mechanical stress generation. The breakdown voltage and the leakage current that are sensitive to the crystal defect are measured on this power MOS structures.It will be shown that a moderate boron decrease and a small decrease of Oi increases the Denuded Zone by a huge amount and reduces the BV failure rate by decades (from 8% to the baseline of 0.2%), thus a huge gain resulting from narrower wafer specifications.

Directed Data-Processing Inequalities for Systems with Feedback.

We present novel data-processing inequalities relating the mutual information and the directed information in systems with feedback. The internal deterministic blocks within such systems are restricted only to be causal mappings, but are allowed to be non-linear and time varying, and randomized by their own external random input, can yield any stochastic mapping. These randomized blocks can for example represent source encoders, decoders, or even communication channels. Moreover, the involved signals can be arbitrarily distributed. Our first main result relates mutual and directed information and can be interpreted as a law of conservation of information flow. Our second main result is a pair of data-processing inequalities (one the conditional version of the other) between nested pairs of random sequences entirely within the closed loop. Our third main result introduces and characterizes the notion of in-the-loop (ITL) transmission rate for channel coding scenarios in which the messages are internal to the loop. Interestingly, in this case the conventional notions of transmission rate associated with the entropy of the messages and of channel capacity based on maximizing the mutual information between the messages and the output turn out to be inadequate. Instead, as we show, the ITL transmission rate is the unique notion of rate for which a channel code attains zero error probability if and only if such an ITL rate does not exceed the corresponding directed information rate from messages to decoded messages. We apply our data-processing inequalities to show that the supremum of achievable (in the usual channel coding sense) ITL transmission rates is upper bounded by the supremum of the directed information rate across the communication channel. Moreover, we present an example in which this upper bound is attained. Finally, we further illustrate the applicability of our results by discussing how they make possible the generalization of two fundamental inequalities known in networked control literature.