Cognitive radio is a low-cost communication system, which can choose the available frequencies and waveforms automatically on the premise of avoiding interfering the licensed users. The spectrum sensing is the key enabling technology in cognitive radio networks. It is able to fill voids in the wireless spectrum and can dramatically increase spectral efficiency.   In this thesis, the author use matlab to simulate the received signals from the cognitive radio networks and an energy detector to detect whether the spectrum is being used. The report also compares the theoretical value and the simulated result and then describes the relationship between the signal to noise ratio (SNR) and the detections. At last, the method, energy detection and simulation and result are discussed which is considered as the guidelines for the future work.

­^¤å´£­n¡G Two different topics associated with their respective applications are proposed in this thesis. The first topic is focused on the implementation of a 4-Kb 500MHz 4-T CMOS SRAM using low-Vthn bitline drivers and high-Vthp latches. The storage of data is realized by a pair of cross-coupled PMOS transistors, while the wordline is controlled by a pair of NMOS transistors. The advantages of dual threshold voltage transistors can be used to reduce the access time and maintain data retention at the same time. The second topic is the implementation of cascade address transition detector (ATD) design with high noise immunity. We employ a feedback loop to prevent interference of noise and false alarm signal to stabilize the generated CS (Chip Select) signal. Besides, we use one delay buffer to dynamically adjust the CS strobe.

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at the CERN laboratory was designed to study the elementary particles and forces and search for new physics.  Detectors at LHC were designed to observe proton-proton collisions with center of mass energies up to 14 TeV, seven times higher than previously possible. One of the largest of these is the general purpose detector ATLAS. After almost 20 years of planning and construction, LHC and its detectors were finished in 2008. Since then ATLAS has produced valuable data, which contributed to the discovery of the 1964 postulated Higgs-particle and thus to the Nobel prize in physics in 2013. To expand the searches, LHC and its detectors will undergo several upgrades to the increase luminosity at least by a factor of 5 and to exploit the full potential of the machine. In order to adapt the detector to the resulting increasing event rates and radiation levels, new electronics have to be developed. This thesis describes the development process of a new upgraded digital readout system for one of the sub-detectors in ATLAS, the scintillating Tile Calorimeter (TileCal), and more specifically one of its key components, the high-speed data link DaughterBoard. Starting from the idea of transferring all recorded information of the detector using high speed serial optical links and the concept of using re-programmable logic for the readout electronics, completely new on-detector electronics were designed to be used as a core component for communication, control and monitoring. The electronics was tested, electrical characterized and proven to work in a setup similar to the upgraded readout electronics. The DaughterBoard is the Stockholm University contribution to the ATLAS upgrade in 2023.

Development of wavelength selective detection, tunable multi-spectral capability with functionality in the infrared spectral region is highly desirable for a variety of applications such as thermography, chemical processing and environmental monitoring, spectroradiometry, medical diagnosis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, night vision, mine detection, military defense and astronomy. Infrared detector with wavelength selective functionality have emerged as next generation infrared detectors. This study presents fabrication and characterization of wavelength selective Germanium dielectric coated Salisbury screen and novel 3D stacked microbolometer for multispectral infrared detection. This novel fabrication process helps produce much flatter, more robust device structure by using an un-patterned sacrificial layer to produce device legs that hold the central structural layer above the reflective mirror supported by a completely flat sacrificial layer with sufficient thermal isolation to allow microbolometer operation. For the fabricated wavelength selective Germanium dielectric coated Salisbury screen microbolometer using self aligned process, the FTIR measured spectral responses and numerical simulation results show excellent agreement with wavelength selectivity (9[mu]m, 10[mu]m, 11[mu]m) in long wave infrared (LWIR) region. To achieve multicolor infrared detection, recently a few device concepts using uncooled detectors have been reported. However, none of the proposed device designs have demonstrated fabrication. Moreover, Commercial Fabry-perot resonant cavity based uncooled microbolometers (Air gap: 2 to 2.5μm) have limited design parameters due to multicolor narrow band spectral response. In this study, a feasible device fabrication method for novel 3D stacked microbolometer is demonstrated for multispectral uncooled infrared detector that can achieve tunable narrowband absorption in mid-wave infrared (MWIR) and long-wave infrared (LWIR) spectral regions. / text

The growing concern regarding regulation and accountability of plutonium and SNM produced in commercial and research nuclear reactor fuel has driven the need for new spent nuclear fuel characterization methods to enable quantification and qualification of radioisotopes contained in used fuel in a reliable, quick, and inexpensive manner, with little to no impact on normal reactor operating procedures. This research aims to meet these objectives by employing advanced computational radiation transport methods incorporated into an algorithm to post process scintillator detector data gathered from used nuclear fuel in a spent fuel pool or in air. An existing, novel post processing algorithm, SmartID, has been updated to extract and identify unique photopeaks represented in the underwater environment for pool cooled used fuel. The resulting spectral data will be post-processed using an updated SmartID algorithm folded with deterministic adjoint results to render both qualitative and quantitative fuel content and irradiation estimates. This work has much significance to the nuclear power industry, safeguards, and forensics communities, since it yields this information at room temperature for a relatively low cost.

The development of new technologies and the advancement of existing technical expertise can allow for dramatic improvements to be realized in analytical instrumentation. The development of an integrating solid-state ion detector, designed to have a high sensitivity as well as maintaining a high-level of stability, is described and evaluated. Several versions of the charge-transimpedance amplifier (CTIA) technology were constructed with different operating features. The CTIA-1 is a 32-pixel array detector designed for mass spectrometry. It has the capability to simultaneously detect multiple ion channels with a detection limit less than 100 ions. The CTIA-2 detector features an independent selectable gain for each detection channel. The CTIA-2 is a 4-channel device designed for ion mobility. Further design features were built into the CTIA-5 such as differential noise reduction capabilities.The CTIA-1 technology was evaluated for use in isotope ratio mass spectrometry on a custom-built Mattauch-Herzog mass spectrometer. An evaluation was conducted in terms of the detector sensitivity, stability, accuracy, precision, resolution, and mass bias. The CTIA-2 was tested on a sector mass spectrometer for its response to low ion currents of both positive and negative ions. The detector stability, its accuracy, and its precision were studied.The technique of ion mobility spectrometry is rapidly growing, as it is the main technology used for the detection of explosives at security checkpoints. The need to improve the sensitivity of existing ion mobility instruments has led to the exploration of using the CTIA detector in ion mobility instruments. Improvements in sensitivity of two to three orders of magnitude have been demonstrated using the described CTIA detectors. Additional applications that use ion mobility instruments for the detection of analytes have been presented, the chemical mapping of a halogen-contaminated sand bed, the detection of pesticides, as well as the detection of TNT in drinking water.Results indicate that the CTIA detector technology is well suited for use in both mass spectrometry and ion mobility. The sensitive and stable multi-array CTIA detectors perform well in isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Ion mobility instruments of all types can benefit from the added sensitivity supplied by this technology.

With an increase in the capabilities and sophistication of terrorist networks worldwide comes a corresponding increase in the probability of a radiological or nuclear device being detonated within the borders of the United States. One method to decrease the risk associated with this threat is to interdict the material during transport into the US. Current RPMS have limitations in their ability to detect shielded nuclear materials. It was proposed that directionally sensitive neutron detectors might be able to overcome many of these limitations. This thesis presents a method to create a directionally sensitive neutron detector using a unique characteristic of 10B. This characteristic is the Doppler broadening of the de-excitation gamma-ray from the 10B(n, alpha) reaction. Using conservation principles and the method of cone superposition, the mathematics for determining the incoming neutron direction vector from counts in a boron loaded cloud chamber and boron loaded semiconductor were derived. An external routine for MCNPX was developed to calculate the Doppler broaden de-excitation gamma-rays. The calculated spectrum of Doppler broadened de-excitation gamma-rays was then compared to measured and analytical spectrums and matched with a high degree of accuracy. MCNPX simulations were performed for both a prototype 10B loaded cloud chamber and prototype 10B loaded semiconductor detector. These simulations assessed the detectors' abilities to determine incoming neutron direction vectors using simulated particle reactant data. A sensitivity analysis was also performed by modifying the energy and direction vector of the simulated output data for 7Li* particles. Deviation coefficients showed a respective angular uncertainty of 1.86 degrees and 6.07 degrees for the boron loaded cloud chamber and a boron loaded semiconductor detectors. These capabilities were used to propose a possible RPM design that could be implemented.

No description available.

A theoretical model with experimental verification is presented to enhance the quantum efficiency of a superconducting single-photon detector without increasing the length or thickness of the active element. The basic enhancement framework is based on: (1) Utilizing the plasmonic nature of a superconducting layer to increase the surface absorption of the input optical signal. (2) Enhancing the critical current of the nanowires by reducing the current crowding at the bend areas through optimally rounded-bend implementation. The experimental system quantum efficiency and fluctuation rates per second are assessed and compared to the proposed theoretical model. The model originated from an accurate description of the different liberation mechanisms of the nano-patterned superconducting films (vortex hopping and vortex-antivortex pairing). It is built complimentary to the existing, well-established models by considering the effects of quantum confinement on the singularities' energy states. The proposed model explains the dynamics of singularities for a wide range of temperatures and widths and describe an accurate count rate behavior for the structure. Furthermore, it explains the abnormal behaviors of the measured fluctuation rates occurring in wide nano-patterned superconducting structures below the critical temperature. In accordance to this model, it has been shown that for a typical strip width, not only is the vortex-antivortex liberation higher than the predicted rate, but also quantum tunneling is significant in certain conditions, and cannot be neglected as it has been in previous models. Also it is concluded that to satisfy both optical guiding and photon detection considerations of the design, the width and the thickness of the superconducting wires should be carefully determined in order to maintain the device sensitivity while crossing over from the current crowding to vortex-based detection mechanisms.

El presente trabajo de tesis se enmarca dentro de las actividades de investigación del Observatorio Pierre Auger. En particular, se estudió la posibilidad de utilizar un nuevo parámetro sensible a composición, que surge del estudio de las distribuciones de tiempos de arribo de las partículas secundarias en los detectores de superficie. La idea general consiste en utilizar el valor del risetime de las señales en los detectores de superficie a 1000 metros del punto de impacto de la lluvia (R<SUB>1000</SUB>), estudiando la forma de las distribuciones obtenidas a partir de dicho parámetro. En el proceso de construcción del nuevo parámetro que describe la forma de las distribuciones de R<SUB>1000</SUB>, se ha contribuido también a la optimización del cálculo del risetime y sus incertezas. En el capítulo 1 del presente trabajo se introduce el marco teórico relacionado a los rayos cósmicos ultraenergéticos. Se presentar a la física relacionada con las cascadas de partículas secundarias destacando las propiedades sensibles a composición primaria. En los capítulos 2 y 3 se describe el Observatorio Pierre Auger y el modo en que son detectadas las lluvias de partículas, dando una explicación detallada del funcionamiento del detector. En el capítulo 4 se mostrarán los resultados más relevantes obtenidos por la colaboración del Observatorio Pierre Auger. A partir del capítulo 5 se describen los estudios específicos y originales realizados en el marco del presente trabajo de tesis. En el capítulo 5 se presentan los resultados de estudios de estabilidad a largo plazo del detector de superficie, fundamentales para todo análisis basado en los datos de dicho detector. En el capítulo 6, se presentan los resultados obtenidos para la optimización en el cálculo del risetime a 1000 metros así como las modificaciones que a partir de estos estudios se han incluido en el software de reconstrucción de las lluvias. El capítulo 7 contiene los estudios realizados sobre la distribución del risetime a 1000 metros y los parámetros que describen su forma, analizando su evolución en función de la energía. Se discuten también los resultados obtenidos. Finalmente en el capítulo 8 se presentan los resultados del análisis estadístico efectuado sobre las distribuciones completas de R<SUB>1000</SUB>, y su discusión. Finalmente se presentan las conclusiones y perspectivas futuras a partir de esta tesis.