The conventional planar micro transformers presented very low quality-factor (Q<10) and very high insertion loss (-6 ~ -10 dB) at high operation frequency since most of the microwave power is dissipated through the silicon substrate. To increase the quality-factor and reduce the insertion loss of silicon-based transformers, this dissertation presents a two-port and three-port micro transformers with suspending structure utilizing the micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology. The proposed silicon-based transformers are constructed by two winding and suspending micro inductors. Each suspending micro inductor consists of a 0.32 &#x00B5;m-thick TaN/Ta/Cu bottom electrode, a 10 &#x00B5;m-height supporting copper vias and a 6 &#x00B5;m-thick spiral copper conducting layer. This research adopts the Taguchi method and commercial electromagnetic simulation software (Ansoft-HFSS) to optimize the dimensional specifications of the copper conducting layer. Many high frequency characteristics of the suspending micro transformers are simulated, including the inductance, the magnetic coupling factor, the quality-factor, the magnitude imbalance, the phase imbalance, the common mode rejection ratio (CMRR) and the insertion loss. In this research, the surface micromachining and electrochemical deposition techniques are used to implement the suspending micro transformers. The main fabrication steps include five photolithography and eight thin-film deposition processes. According to the simulation and measurement results from the commercial network analyzer (Agilent-E8364B) and software (Agilent-ADS), the implemented two-port transformer demonstrates a high magnetic coupling factor (0.78) and a very high quality-factor (Q=17.20) at 5.2 GHz. On the other hand, the proposed three-port transformer presents a low magnitude imbalance (-0.02 dB), a low phase imbalance (1.65¢X), a high CMRR (36.78 dB) and a very low insertion loss (-4.52 dB) under the same operation frequency. In this dissertation, a novel suspending micro transformer has been developed and characterized. The proposed micro transformer is very suitable for being used in the portable microwave communication system due to its small chip size (0.7 mm¡Ñ0.7 mm¡Ñ0.5 mm) and excellent high-frequency characterization.

Behavior is a complex process resulting from the integration of genetic and environmental information. Thus, the genetically tractable Drosophila melanogaster was utilized to better understand the interplay between these factors since Drosophila males and females exhibit sex-specific courtship behaviors that are innate yet modifiable. These sex-specific behaviors, as well as sexually dimorphic development, are regulated, in part, by the somatic sex-determination hierarchy. Since reproductive behaviors rely on the rapid integration of multiple sensory cues, it is likely that the perception and integration of such cues and mating-induced physiological changes are mediated in part by changes in gene expression. Therefore, it was hypothesized that assaying gene expression changes in response to courtship or mating in Drosophila males would uncover new targets of the sex-determination hierarchy and other behaviorally important loci. We took a novel approach to find these behaviorally-responsive loci by utilizing microarray technology to assess courtship- or mating-induced gene expression changes in Drosophila male whole bodies or heads. Mutations in candidate loci were tested for effects on reproductive behaviors and present the first data showing that egghead (egh) and female-specific independent of transformer (fit) affect male reproductive behavior. egh is up regulated in male heads 20 min after courting and is required post-developmentally in a subset of neurons for robust male courtship behavior. fit, a fat body-expressed sex-determination hierarchy target gene, is up regulated in male whole bodies after 5 min of courtship. fit is also up regulated in male heads after 20 min of courtship or 2 hrs after mating. Mutations in fit result in male-male courtship; more specifically, fit mutants direct courtship towards males and also elicit courtship from wild-type males. By analyzing fit's role in courtship behavior, we also shed light on the role the fat body plays in modulating behavior. These studies provide the first pieces of evidence that gene expression changes occur in Drosophila males performing reproductive behaviors. This novel approach identified behaviorally important loci that are expressed in the nervous system and the fat body, indicating that both tissues modulate behavior. Also identified were sex-determination hierarchy target genes and it is likely that further analysis of the remaining candidates will reveal more members of this genetic cascade.

In this thesis, the effects of Harmonics on the Top Oil and Hot Spot Temperatures of Power Transformers used in Turkish Electricity Transmission System have been investigated. Due to the solid state equipment, the harmonic levels increase. This effect raises the losses and temperatures in the transformer windings. None of the power transformers currently used in Turkey has measuring equipment suitable for measuring the Hot-Spot temperatures. In this study, a computer program is written in LABVIEW which measures the harmonics and calculates the temperatures in accordance with the methods recommended in IEEE Standards C57.110-1998 and C57.91-1995. Also for sample transformers the work has been verified by measuring the Top-Oil temperatures of the transformers and then comparing with the calculated results.

Estimating the temperature distribution in transformer components in the design stage and during the operation is crucial since temperatures above the thermal limits of these components might seriously damage them. Thermal models are used to predict this vital information prior to actual operations. In this study, a two-dimensional, steady-state model based on the Finite Difference Method (FDM) is proposed to estimate the temperature distribution in the three-phase, SF6 gas insulatedcooled power transformer. The model can predict the temperature distribution at the specific discredited locations in the transformer successfully. This study also compares predicted temperatures of the model proposed in this study with the results of the previous study which is based on Finite Element Method (FEM) and the results of the research performed by the designers of the transformer. The results show that FDM model proposed in this study can be used to estimate the temperature distribution in the transformer with an acceptable accuracy and can be an alternative of the previous study which is based on FEM.

To minimize the size of the electronic ballast, a half-bridge load- resonant inverter with a cascading Rosen-type piezoelectric transformer (PT) is designed for cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs). The electrical characteristics of the PT are investigated to obtain a higher voltage gain by adapting the load impedance to the interposed network. The circuit parameters are selected under the considerations of (1) the minimum inductor size, (2) the higher circuit efficiency, (3) the rated current of the PT, and (4) the stable lamp operation. The electronic ballasts are designed for operating the lamp at the rated lamp power and with dimming control by asymmetrical pulse-width-modulation (APWM),respectively. Laboratory circuits are assembled and, experimental tests are carried out to validate the theoretical analyse

High-efficiency performance is one of the most important requirements of power amplifiers (PAs) for wireless applications. However, the design of highly efficient CMOS PAs for watt-level applications is a challenging task. This dissertation focuses on the development of the design method for highly efficient CMOS PAs to overcome the fundamental difficulties presented by CMOS technology. In this dissertation, the design method and analysis for a high-power and highefficiency class-E CMOS PA with a fully integrated transformer have been presented. This work is the first effort to set up a comprehensive design methodology for a fully integrated class-E CMOS PA including effects of an integrated transformer, which is very crucial for watt-level power applications. In addition, to improve efficiency of cascode class-E CMOS PAs, a charging acceleration technique is developed. The method accelerates a charging speed to turn off the common-gate device in the off-state, thus reducing the power loss. To demonstrate the proposed cascode class-E PA, a prototype CMOS PA was implemented in a 0.18-μm CMOS process. Measurements show an improvement of approximately 6% in the power added efficiency. The proposed cascode class-E PA structure is suitable for the design of high-efficiency class-E PAs while it reduces the voltage stress across the device.

The contents of this work investigate the capability of integrating the PT in applications by invoking the ratio of the throughput power to volume represented by the term: power density. The fundamentals of the PT are introduced in chapter two. In chapter three, the fundamental limitations of the PT's capability of transferring power to the load are studied. There are three major limitations: temperature rise due to losses during operation, electromechanical limits of material, and interactions with output rectifier. The analysis and estimation are then verified by experiments and calculations implemented on three different PT samples fabricated from three different manufacturers. The subject of chapter four is the behavior of the PT's power amplifier. This chapter concentrates on two main amplifier topologies, optimized based on the simplicity of structure and minimization of components (passive and active): class D and class E amplifiers. The operational characteristics of these amplifiers with the PT are then comparison. Methods to track the optimum frequency and discontinuous working mode of the PT are proposed as the approaches to improve the energy transfer of the PT. In chapter five, prototypes of four devices using a PT are developed and introduced as illustrations of the integration of PTs into practical applications: an igniter for high intensity discharge (HID) lamps, high DC voltage power supplies, and electronic ballasts for LEDs, and stand-alone ionizers for food sterilizers. Some concluding statements and ideas for future works are located in the last chapter - chapter six.

Inductors and transformers are electrical devices critical to power conversion systems. The current-voltage (I-V) behavior of these devices is very nonlinear as a result of the magnetic cores used in their construction. However, in the design of these power conversion systems the present state of Spice-based models is limited to low frequency and room temperature effects. An addition to the present model found in many Spice type environments, Jiles-Atherton, is the subject of this work. Chapter 1 of this dissertation introduces the source of these nonlinearities as being a result of the relationship between the magnetic flux density, B, and the applied magnetic field, H. Chapter two then derives the original mathematical model used in the Spice, Jiles-Atherton, to provide a physical basis of the addition to the model. The original derivation as it can be found in the referenced literature shows that a temperature and frequency dependence on the model does not exist. This work will seek to add such a dependence on temperature first followed by frequency. Using this approach, the temperature dependence can be modeled without the core experiencing self-heating. The model therefore must be capable of being further modified after the temperature dependence is added.

Šiame darbe nagrinėjamos Akmenės transformatorių pastotės elektros tinklo gedimų bei patikimumo didinimo problemos, remiantis mokslinės literatūros analize ir praktinio darbo patirties apibendrinimu. Nustatomi Akmenės transformatorių pastotės elektros tinklo 0,4-10 kV linijų gedimų skaičius, atjungtų vartotojų skaičius, atjungimų trukmės ir priežastys. Apskaičiuojami Akmenės transformatorių pastotės elektros tinklo patikimumo rodikliai, daugiausiai gendančios elektros linijos parengties ir priverstinės prastovos koeficientai bei gedimo ir veikimo tikimybės per 12 mėnesių. / This paper deals with Akmenės transformer substation power supply failure, and increase the robustness of the problem based on the scientific literature and practical experience summary. Setting Akmenės transformer substation power supply 0.4-10 kV line number of faults, the number of disconnection, disconnection times and causes. Calculate Akmenės transformer substation power supply reliability indicators, mostly perishable standby power lines and forced inactivity rates and the probability of failure and operational within 12 months.

Increased pressure on high voltage power distribution components has been created in recent years by a demand to lower costs and extend equipment lifetimes. This has led to a need for condition based maintenance, which requires a continuous knowledge of equipment health. Power transformers are a vital component in a power distribution network. However, there are currently no established techniques to accurately monitor and diagnose faults in real-time while the transformer is on-line. A major factor in the degradation of power transformer insulation is partial discharging. Left unattended, partial discharges (PDs) will eventually cause complete insulation failure. PDs generate a variety of signals, including electrical pulses that travel through the windings of the transformer to the terminals. A difficulty with detecting these pulses in an on-line environment is that they can be masked by external electrical interference. This thesis develops a method for identifying PD pulses and determining the number of PD sources while the transformer is on-line and subject to external interference. The partial discharge detection system (PDDS) acquires electrical signals with current and voltage transducers that are placed on the transformer bushings, making it unnecessary to disconnect or open the transformer. These signals are filtered to prevent aliasing and to attenuate the power frequency, and then digitised and analysed in Matlab, a numerical processing software package. Arbitrary narrowband interference is removed with an automated Fourier domain threshold filter. Internal PD pulses are separated from stochastic wideband pulse interference using directional coupling, which is a technique that simultaneously analyses the current and voltage signals from a bushing. To improve performance of this stage, the continuous wavelet transform is used to discriminate time and frequency information. This provides the additional advantage of preserving the waveshapes of the PD pulses for later analysis. PD pulses originating within the transformer have their waveshapes distorted when travelling though the windings. The differentiation of waveshape distortion of pulses from multiple physical sources is used as an input to a neural network to group pulses from the same source. This allows phase resolved PD analysis to be presented for each PD source, for instance, as phase/magnitude/count plots. The neural network requires no prior knowledge of the transformer or pulse waveshapes. The thesis begins with a review of current techniques and trends for power transformer monitoring and diagnosis. The description of transducers and filters is followed by an explanation of each of the signal processing steps. Two transformers were used to conduct testing of the PDDS. The first transformer was opened and modified so that internal PDs could be simulated by injecting artificial pulses. Two test scenarios were created and the performance of the PDDS was recorded. The PDDS identified and extracted a high rate of simulated PDs and correctly allocated the pulses into PD source groups. A second identically constructed transformer was energised and analysed for any natural PDs while external interference was present. It was found to have a significant natural PD source.