Abstract: The various technologies presented herein relate to measuring a signal generated by a die-based test circuit incorporated into an IC, and utilizing the measured signal to authenticate the IC. The signal can be based upon a sensor response generated by the test circuit fabricated into the die, wherein the sensor response is based upon a property of the die material. The signal can be compared with a reference value obtained from one or more test circuit(s) respectively located on one or more reference dies, wherein the reference dies are respectively cut from different wafers, and the location at which the reference dies were cut is known. If the measured signal matches the reference value, the die is deemed to be from the same cut location as the dies from which the reference value was obtained. If the measured signal does not match the reference value, the die is not authenticated.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to devices, systems, and methods for cooling and/or heating a medium as well as cooling and/or heating an environment containing the medium. More specifically, at least one embodiment includes a heat pump that may heat and/or cool a medium and, in some instances, may transfer heat from one location to another location.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an in situ testing system, which includes a wear tester and an enclosure. The wear tester is configured to apply a normal load, by way of a tip, to a surface of the test sample. Use of an enclosure allows such wear testing to be conducted in a controlled environment.

Abstract: Various technologies pertaining to a transistor having a variable-conductance channel with a non-volatile tunable conductance are described herein. The transistor comprises source and drain electrodes separated by a conducting channel layer. The conducting channel layer is separated from an electrochemical gate (ECG) layer by an electrolyte layer that prevents migration of electrons between the channel and the ECG but allows ion migration. When a voltage is applied between the channel and the ECG, electrons flow from one to the other, which causes a migration of ions from the channel to the ECG or vice versa. As ions move into or out of the channel layer, the conductance of the channel changes. When the voltage is removed, the channel maintains its conductance state.

Abstract: A ferroelectric opening switch is enabled by controlled polarization switching via nucleation in a ferroelectric material, such as BaTiO3, Pb(Zr,Ti)O3, LiNbO3, LiTaO3, or variants thereof. For example, nucleation sites can be provided by mechanical seeding, grain boundaries, or optical illumination. The invention can be used as an opening switch in large scale pulsed-power systems. However, the switch can also be used in compact pulsed-power systems (e.g., as drivers for high power microwave systems), as passive fault limiters for high voltage dc (HVDC) systems, and/or in other high power applications.

Abstract: The present invention provides for novel protic ionic liquids (PIL) or phosphate-based ionic liquid (PBIL) useful for lignocellulosic processing described herein. The novel protic ionic liquids are capable of pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass over a wide range of pH.

Abstract: Technologies pertaining to a centrifuge that comprises a vector-seeking linkage are disclosed herein. In a general embodiment, the centrifuge comprises a spindle that is rotatable about an axis of rotation. The centrifuge also has an arm that is coupled to the spindle, and a vector-seeking linkage that is coupled to the arm. The vector-seeking linkage provides two rotational degrees of freedom with respect to a load coupled to the vector-seeking linkage. The centrifuge is well-suited for a variety of applications, including sensor testing, solution separation, and producing accelerations expected to be experienced during flight.

Abstract: The various technologies presented herein relate to fabrication and operation of a heat exchanger that is configured to extract heat from an underlying substrate. Heat can be extracted by way of an air gap formed between an impeller and a baseplate. By utilizing a pump to create an initial air gap that is further maintained by rotation of the impeller relative to the baseplate, a spring can be utilized that can apply a force of greater magnitude to the impeller than is used in a conventional approach, thus enabling the weight of the impeller to be negligible with respect to a width of the air gap, thereby conferring the desirable feature of orientation independence with respect to gravity with no performance degradation.

Abstract: A multi-resonant wide band controller decomposes the wave energy converter control problem into sub-problems; an independent single-frequency controller is used for each sub-problem. Thus, each sub-problem controller can be optimized independently. The feedback control enables actual time-domain realization of multi-frequency complex conjugate control. The feedback strategy requires only measurements of the buoy position and velocity. No knowledge of excitation force, wave measurements, nor wave prediction is needed. As an example, the feedback signal processing can be carried out using Fast Fourier Transform with Hanning windows and optimization of amplitudes and phases. Given that the output signal is decomposed into individual frequencies, the implementation of the control is very simple, yet generates energy similar to the complex conjugate control.

Abstract: Ion implantation can be used to define a thermal dissipation path that allows for better thermal isolation between devices in close proximity on a microelectronics chip, thus providing a means for higher device density combined with better performance.

Abstract: A parametric excitation dynamic model is used for a three degrees-of-freedom (3-DOF) wave energy converter. Since the heave motion is uncoupled from the pitch and surge modes, the pitch-surge equations of motion can be treated as a linear time varying system, or a linear system with parametric excitation. In such case the parametric exciting frequency can be tuned to twice the natural frequency of the system for higher energy harvesting. A parametric excited 3-DOF wave energy converter can harvest more power, for both regular and irregular waves, compared to the linear 3-DOF. For example, in a Bretschneider wave, the harvested energy in the three modes is about 3.8 times the energy harvested in the heave mode alone; while the same device produces about 3.1 times the heave mode energy when using a linear 3-DOF model.

Abstract: A platform for trapping atomic ions includes a substrate and a plurality of metallization layers that overlie the substrate. The metallization layer farthest from the substrate is a top layer patterned with electrostatic control trap electrodes and radio-frequency trap electrodes. Another metallization layer is a microwave layer patterned to define a microwave circuit. The microwave layer lies below the top layer. The microwave circuit is adapted to generate, in use, a microwave magnetic field above the electrostatic control and radio-frequency trap electrodes. The top metallization layer includes slots that, in use, are penetrated by microwave energy from the microwave circuit.

Abstract: A suppression module, a suppression assembly, and a drilling tool are disclosed. The suppression module includes a spindle having a first end and a second end, an ear plate slideably disposed between the first end and the second end, a spring positioned between the ear plate and the first end, and an activation mechanism coaxially disposed around the second end of the spindle. The activation mechanism engages the ear plate, activating the spring, or disengages the ear plate, deactivating the spring. The suppression assembly includes at least two suppression modules in series coupled to a processor. The suppression modules are activated or deactivated by the processor, each of the suppression modules being activated or deactivated independent of the other suppression modules. The drilling tool includes a drill pipe, a drill bit, a vibration sensor, and a suppression assembly between the drill pipe and the drill bit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a temperature control system for a microfluidic device. The system allows for non-contact heating by employing an infrared emitter. In some instances, the system can be used in conjunction with a centrifugal microfluidic device. Optionally, a mask can be implemented to provide selective heating of desired assay areas of the device.

Abstract: The tris(trimethylsilyl)silanol (H-SST) ligand can be reacted with a Group 4 or 5 metal alkoxides in a solvent to form an SST-modified metal alkoxide precursor. Exemplary Group 4 precursors include [Ti(SST)2(OR)2] (OR=OPri, OBut, ONep); [Ti(SST)3(OBun)]; [Zr(SST)2(OBut)2(py)]; [Zr(SST)3(OR)] (OR=OBut, ONep); [Hf(SST)2(OBut)2]; and [Hf(SST)2(ONep)2(py)n] (n=1, 2), where OPri=OCH(CH3)2, OBut=OC(CH3)3, OBun=O(CH2)3CH3, ONep=OCH2C(CH3)3, and py=pyridine. Exemplary Group 5 precursors include [V(SST)3(py)2]; [Nb(SST)3(OEt)2]; [Nb(O)(SST)3(py)]; 2[H][(Nb(?-O)2(SST))6(?6-O)]; [Nb8O10(OEt)18(SST)2.?Na2O]; [Ta(SST)(?-OEt)(OEt)3]2; and [Ta(SST)3(OEt)2]; where OEt=OCH2CH3. When thermally processed, the precursors can form unusual core-shell nanoparticles. For example, HfO2/SiO2 core/shell nanoparticles have demonstrated resistance to damage in extreme irradiation and thermal environments.

Abstract: Described herein are various technologies related to secure generation of tokens and secure inversion of tokens. A tokenization system executes in a secure execution environment, and is configured to receive a string and an encrypted tokenization function. The tokenization system decrypts the encrypted tokenization function, and executes the tokenization function over the string to generate a token. The token is transmitted to a logically separate computing environment, and the tokenization system deletes the tokenization function and the string.

Abstract: Described herein are various technologies for monitoring the backplane of a control system and detecting modifications of the control system (e.g., removal of modules, firmware updates, etc.). A monitoring device includes a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and is connected to the backplane of the control system. The monitoring device receives signals, by way of the backplane, that are communicated among modules connected to the backplane. The monitoring device detects a modification to the control system based upon the received signals.

Abstract: Described herein are various technologies for detection and mitigation of rogue terminal attacks on multiplex data buses. An intrusion detection device is incorporated between a bus controller and a bus of a multiplex data bus. The intrusion detection device receives message that are communicated among the bus controller and a plurality of remote terminals (by way of the bus). The intrusion detection device determines whether messages are unauthorized based upon origins of the messages and predefined rules. When a message is determined to be unauthorized, the intrusion detection device outputs a notification that the unauthorized message has been detected and can block the unauthorized message.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inspecting an object in a virtual reality environment. Computed tomography scan data for the object is identified. A first group of dimensions for a model of the object and a second group of dimensions for the computed tomography scan data for the object are adjusted such that the first group of dimensions for a first group of features in the model corresponds to the second group of dimensions for a second group of features in the computed tomography scan data. The model and the computed tomography scan data are displayed by a game engine in the virtual reality environment on a display system. Graphical indicators in the virtual reality environment are displayed when a difference is present between features in the model and the features in the computed tomography scan data, enabling identifying the difference between the object and the model of the object.

Abstract: A novel lithium battery cathode, a lithium ion battery using the same and processes and preparation thereof are disclosed. The battery cathode is formed by force spinning. Fiber spinning allows for the formation of core-shell materials using material chemistries that would be incompatible with prior spinning techniques. A fiber spinning apparatus for forming a coated fiber and a method of forming a coated fiber are also disclosed.