ITC/USA 2013 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-Ninth Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 21-24, 2013 / Bally's Hotel & Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV / The CNES (French Space Agency) has studied memoryless predistortion techniques for power amplifier nonlinearity of satellite payload telemetry. These techniques are applied to high order modulations taken from the DVB-S2 standard and the associated CCSDS blue book. An easy-to-implement calibration method was also developed. The predistortion was implemented at two times the symbol rate after Square Root Raised Cosine shaping on a breadboard model of a 16APSK modulator associated to a Solid State Power Amplifier. It allows to reduce the amplifier back-off and thus to increase the power added efficiency for an equivalent signal quality.

Design of the next generation (4G) systems is one of the most active and important area of research and development in wireless communications. The 2G and 3G technologies will still co-exist with the 4G for a certain period of time. Other applications such as wireless LAN (Local Area Network) and RFID are also widely used. As a result, there emerges a trend towards integrating multiple wireless functionalities into a single mobile device. Low noise amplifier (LNA), the most critical component of the receiver front-end, determines the sensitivity and noise figure of the receiver and is indispensable for the complete system. To satisfy the need for higher performance and diversity of wireless communication systems, three LNAs with different structures and techniques are proposed in the thesis based on the 4G applications. The first LNA is designed and optimized specifically for LTE applications, which could be easily added to the existing system to support different standards. In this cascode LNA, the nonlinearity coming from the common source (CS) and common gate (CG) stages are analyzed in detail, and a novel linear structure is proposed to enhance the linearity in a relatively wide bandwidth. The LNA has a bandwidth of 900MHz with the linearity of greater than 7.5dBm at the central frequency of 1.2GHz. Testing results show that the proposed structure effectively increases and maintains linearity of the LNA in a wide bandwidth. However, a broadband LNA that covers multiple frequency ranges appears more attractive due to system simplicity and low cost. The second design, a wideband LNA, is proposed to cover multiple wireless standards, such as LTE, RFID, GSM, and CDMA. A novel input-matching network is proposed to relax the tradeoff among noise figure and bandwidth. A high gain (>10dB) in a wide frequency range (1-3GHz) and a minimum NF of 2.5dB are achieved. The LNA consumes only 7mW on a 1.2V supply. The first and second LNAs are designed mainly for the LTE standard because it is the most widely used standard in the 4G communication systems. However, WiMAX, another 4G standard, is also being widely used in many applications. The third design targets on covering both the LTE and the WiMAX. An improved noise cancelling technique with gain enhancing structure is proposed in this design and the bandwidth is enlarged to 8GHz. In this frequency range, a maximum power gain of 14.5dB and a NF of 2.6-4.3dB are achieved. The core area of this LNA is 0.46x0.67mm2 and it consumes 17mW from a 1.2V supply. The three designs in the thesis work are proposed for the multi-standard applications based on the realization of the 4G technologies. The performance tradeoff among noise, linearity, and broadband impedance matching are explored and three new techniques are proposed for the tradeoff relaxation. The measurement results indicate the techniques effectively extend the bandwidth and suppress the increase of the NF and nonlinearity at high frequencies. The three proposed structures can be easily applied to the wideband and multi-standard LNA design.

One of the most challenging topics in financial time series analysis is the modeling of conditional variances of asset returns. Although conditional variances are not directly observable there are numerous approaches in the literature to overcome this problem and to predict volatilities on the basis of historical asset returns. The most prominent approach is the class of GARCH models where conditional variances are governed by a linear autoregressive process of past squared returns and variances. Recent research in this field, however, has focused on modeling asymmetries of conditional variances by means of non-linear models. While there is evidence that such an approach improves the fit to empirical asset returns, most non-linear specifications assume conditional normal distributions and ignore the importance of alternative models. Concentrating on the distributional assumptions is, however, essential since asset returns are characterized by excess kurtosis and hence fat tails that cannot be explained by models with suffcient heteroskedasticity. In this paper we take up the issue of returns' distributions and contrast it with the specification of non-linear GARCH models. We use daily returns for the Dow Jones Industrial Average over a large period of time and evaluate the predictive power of different linear and non-linear volatility specifications under alternative distributional assumptions. Our empirical analysis suggests that while non-linearities do play a role in explaining the dynamics of conditional variances, the predictive power of the models does also depend on the distributional assumptions. (author's abstract) / Series: Report Series SFB "Adaptive Information Systems and Modelling in Economics and Management Science"

abstract: The existing compact models can reproduce the characteristics of MOSFETs in the temperature range of -40oC to 125oC. Some applications require circuits to operate over a wide temperature range consisting of temperatures below the specified range of existing compact models, requiring wide temperature range compact models for the design of such circuits. In order to develop wide temperature range compact models, fourteen different geometries of n-channel and p-channel MOSFETs manufactured in a 0.18μm mixed-signal process were electrically characterized over a temperature range of 40 K to 298 K. Electrical characterization included ID-VG and ID-VD under different drain, body and gate biases respectively. The effects of low-temperature operation on the performance of 0.18μm MOSFETs have been studied and discussed in terms of sub-threshold characteristics, threshold voltage, the effect of the body bias and linearity of the device. As it is well understood, the subthreshold slope, the threshold voltage, drive currents of the MOSFETs increase when the temperature of the MOSFETs is lowered, which makes it advantageous to operate the MOSFETs at low-temperatures. However the internal linearity gm1/gm3 of the MOSFETs degrades as the temperature of the MOSFETs is lowered, and the performance of the MOSFETs can be affected by the interface traps that exist in higher density close to conduction band and valence band energy levels, as the Fermi-level moves closer to bandgap edges when MOSFETs are operated at cryogenic temperatures. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Electrical Engineering 2010

L'étude des systèmes non-linéaires ouvre un large champ d'investigation en recherche fondamentale, dans cette optique les Systèmes Nano-Electro-Mécanique (NEMS) sont des outils de premier choix. Ce manuscrit met en avant l'utilisation des propriétés non-linéaires de nano-résonateurs pour la physique fondamentale. À la suite d'une calibration rigoureuse de notre dispositif expérimental, nous avons caractérisé les principaux paramètres associés à la résonance de nos structures avec, en particulier, la non-linéarité de Duffing qui est à la source des mécanismes de couplage entre les différents modes de notre système. Une nouvelle procédure expérimentale utilisant une excitation à deux tons est présentée, émergeant du couplage entre modes mais en stimulant un seul mode résonant : un système de détection à haute précision de la résonance de la structure. Le régime de Duffing engendre également l'ouverture d'une hystérésis au sein de la courbe de résonance du NEMS, configuration qui est alors utilisée comme système modèle pour le phénomène de bifurcation. Nous démontrons, numériquement et expérimentalement, que le comportement non-linéaire et les lois de puissances universelles décrites par la théorie sont valides au-delà des prédictions attendues. Différentes techniques expérimentales sont finalement présentées, utilisant les NEMS afin de détecter des caractéristiques fondamentales de la matière condensée, comme les signatures des systèmes à deux niveaux présents au sein des nano-résonateurs ou les propriétés de glissement dans un gaz raréfié. / The investigation of non-linear dynamics intrinsically opens access to a broad field of researches, and Nano-Electro-Mechanical Systems (NEMS) are valuable tools for this purpose. In the present manuscript, we emphasize the fundamental applications of non-linear nano-resonators for condensed matter. After a careful calibration of our peculiar experimental set-up, we characterize the relevant parameters associated to the resonance of our devices, notably the Duffing non-linearity which is the essence of coupling mechanisms between distinct modes of the system. We present a new scheme emerging from the mode-coupling technique, using a two-tone drive but actuating a single flexural mode: a high precision detection procedure of the initial resonator's response. The Duffing regime also opens an hysteresis within the resonance line of the NEMS, and the device is then employed as a model system for the associated bifurcation process. We explored numerically and experimentally this physical phenomenon and found that both the non-linear behaviour and the universal power laws described in the general theory are still valid far beyond any analytical predictions. We finally describe different techniques using NEMS as sensors to measure fundamental features of condensed matter physics, like signatures of two level systems within the resonator's material or slippage in a rarefied gas.

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The final thesis „Explicit and Implicit methods in nonlinear dynamics“ deals with the issue of geometrical and physical nonlinear analysis of structures exposed to seismic loading by the methods of direct integration of equations of motion. Solution by the explicit and the implicit method is compared for three material models. While the differences between the results of the explicit method and the implicit Newmark method are small as expected, the differences are substantial between the results of different material models. However, these differences are explained and they are in full concordance with the theoretical assumptions for the pertinent material models. The conclusion of the final thesis is check of correctness of the results of the new module of the program system RFEM for both tested numerical methods and all three analyzed material models. (linear elastic, plastic Drucker-Prager and the Mazars damage model). With sufficient precision of results, both explicit and implicit numerical methods showed to be suitable for seismic analysis. The implicit method can provide several times faster calculation than the explicit one, but the determination of the optimal time step is problematic and time consuming, so the suitability of use of both methods for seismic analysis is comparable.

Este trabalho consiste no estudo dos fatores envolvidos no projeto estrutural de pontes, mais especificamente aqueles relacionados com o comportamento dos seus pilares. A análise é efetuada mediante uma modelagem única da estrutura integrada ao maciço de solos, onde as não-linearidades física e geométricas e interação solo-estrutura são consideradas. Inicialmente é feita uma abordagem sobre a concepção do projeto dos pilares e seus arranjos, destacando os problemas diretamente envolvidos no seu cálculo. É apresentada uma formulação simples, baseada em uma só fibra ativa, para levar em consideração a não linearidade física do concreto armado. A não-linearidade geométrica é tratada quanto aos seus aspectos e critérios de utilização, e também é apresentada uma formulação baseada na Energia Potencial Total para a obtenção da matriz de rigidez tangente da estrutura. O maciço de solos é modelado com dispositivos discretos parametrizados através de curvas de resistência lateral p-y. Os aparelhos de apoio são modelados através de elementos de contato devidamente parametrizados. Finalmente, são incluídos alguns exemplos numéricos de casos típicos de pontes / This work deals with the study of factories involved in bridge structural design, specifically in regards with column behavior. The analysis is made by a unique model integrated in the soil massy, where the geometric and physics non-linearity and soil-structure interactions are taken into account. At first, it is made an approach about criteria and details of bridge column design. It is showed a simple formulation; based in one unique active fiber discretization, to consider the physics non-linearity of reinforced concrete Main aspects of geometrical non-linearity are presented. Also it is showed a formulation based in Total Potential Energy in order to obtain the structure tangent stuffiness matrix. The soil massy is modeled with discrete mechanisms by p-y lateral resistance curves. The bearing cushion pads are modeled by contact elements. At end, they are included some numerical examples of bridge typical structures