Retention of engineering students is a problem for many universities, especially during the first year. The problem of introducing students to engineering while increasing retention rates has recently been addressed by many different universities. Implementing novel lab structures, adjusting the lecture to incorporate more effective teaching techniques, and using orientation...
Digital-to-analog converters (DACs) with wide dynamic range and high
linearity are required for high-end audio applications. A multi-bit delta sigma
audio DAC, using a novel gain-correction technique, is described in this thesis. For
widely varying on-chip RC time constant, the DAC gain can be accurately
controlled by the correction circuitry....
Marine biofouling is a major problem in many industries. Shipping has been afflicted with reduced vessel speed and hindered maneuverability due to organisms attaching since the dawn of sailing. To date, the primary method developed to prevent fouling is the application of biocide laden coatings with various release mechanisms. Mass...
Most general purpose protocols are found to suffer from
inefficiency in an Ethernet LAN environment when used for large
volume data transfer. This is especially true with the TCP/IP family
which was designed for a wide area network. This research work
presents a proof of this inefficiency and proposes a...
This thesis examines substrate noise coupling for NMOS transistors in heavily doped substrates. The study begins with the analysis of an NMOS transistor switching noise in a digital inverter at the device level. A resistive substrate network for the NMOS transistor is proposed and verified. Coupling between N+- P+ contacts...
The brain has long attracted the interest of researchers. Some tasks, such as pattern
recognition and optimization, have proven to be exceptionally difficult for conventional
computing systems to perform, but are executed by the brain almost effortlessly. Due to
the large number of neurons and interconnections, it has proven impossible...
Natural durability remains one of the most attractive characteristics of wood, and helps wood obtain a premium price. A worldwide shift towards the use of younger trees from intensively managed forests has created greater concerns about wood quality, especially the wood’s resistance to fungi and insects. Wood durability is assessed...
The variegated aqueous chemistries of metal cations are applied to the design and synthesis of non-toxic solution precursors suitable for additive printing of large-area oxide electronics. Polycondensation behaviors of aqueous Al+3 and PO4 +3 are manipulated in the deposition of atomically smooth amorphous aluminum oxide phosphate (AlPO) dielectric films. AlPO...
The lower Columbia River (LCR) riparian zone is rich in habitat diversity. However, the natural beauty and species diversity along the river have increasingly become affected by human activity. This study quantifies the areal extent and degree of wetlands change and associated causes along the LCR over the past 44...
A digital phase locked loop (DPLL) and a statistical time-to-digital converter (STDC) were previously fabricated in a 0.35µm, 3.3V SOI CMOS process. This work summarizes these designs and characterizes the measured performance. Simulations supplement the measurements where applicable.
The DPLL was found to reach a locked state under a limited...