A Computationally Efficient Compact Model for Ferroelectric FinFETs Switching with Asymmetric Non-Periodic Input Signals

<div>In this paper, we develop a Verilog-A implementable compact model for the dynamic switching of ferroelectric Fin-FETs (Fe-FinFETs) for asymmetric non-periodic input signals. We use the multi-domain Preisach Model to capture the saturated P-E loop of the ferroelectric capacitors. In addition to the saturation loop, we model the history dependent minor loop paths in the P-E by tracing input signals’ turning points. To capture the input signals’ turning points, we propose an R-C circuit based approach in this work. We calibrate our proposed model with the experimental data, and it accurately captures the history effect and minor loop paths of the ferroelectric capacitor. Furthermore, the elimination of storage of each turning point makes the proposed model computationally efficient compared with the previous implementations. We also demonstrate the unique electrical characteristics of Fe-FinFETs by integrating the developed compact model of Fe-Cap with the BSIM-CMG model of 7nm FinFET.</div>

A Computationally Efficient Compact Model for Ferroelectric FinFETs Switching with Asymmetric Non-Periodic Input Signals

<div>In this paper, we develop a Verilog-A implementable compact model for the dynamic switching of ferroelectric Fin-FETs (Fe-FinFETs) for asymmetric non-periodic input signals. We use the multi-domain Preisach Model to capture the saturated P-E loop of the ferroelectric capacitors. In addition to the saturation loop, we model the history dependent minor loop paths in the P-E by tracing input signals’ turning points. To capture the input signals’ turning points, we propose an R-C circuit based approach in this work. We calibrate our proposed model with the experimental data, and it accurately captures the history effect and minor loop paths of the ferroelectric capacitor. Furthermore, the elimination of storage of each turning point makes the proposed model computationally efficient compared with the previous implementations. We also demonstrate the unique electrical characteristics of Fe-FinFETs by integrating the developed compact model of Fe-Cap with the BSIM-CMG model of 7nm FinFET.</div>

Mantle control on magmatic flare-ups in the southern Coast Mountains batholith, British Columbia

The southern Coast Mountain batholith was episodically active from Jurassic to Eocene time and experienced four distinct high magmatic flux events during that period. Similar episodicity has been recognized in arcs worldwide, yet the mechanism(s) driving such punctuated magmatic behavior are debated. This study uses zircon Hf and O isotopes, with whole-rock and mineral geochemistry, to track spatiotemporal changes in southern Coast Mountains batholith melt sources and to evaluate models of flare-up behavior and crust formation in Cordilleran arc systems. Zircon Hf isotope analysis yielded consistently primitive values, with all zircon grains recording initial εHf between +6 and +16. The majority (97%) of zircons analyzed yielded δ18O values between 4.2‰ and 6.5‰, and only five grains recorded values of up to 8.3‰. These isotopic results are interpreted to reflect magmatism dominated by mantle melting during all time periods and across all areas of the southern batholith, which argues against the periodic input of more melt-fertile crustal materials as the driver of episodic arc magmatism. They also indicate that limited crustal recycling is needed to produce the large volumes of continental crust generated in the batholith. Although the isotopic character of intrusions is relatively invariant through time, magmas emplaced during flare-ups record higher Sr/Y and La/Yb(N) and lower zircon Ti and Yb concentrations, which is consistent with melting in thickened crust with garnet present as a fractionating phase. Flare-ups are also temporally associated with periods when the southern Coast Mountains batholith both widens and advances inboard. We suggest that the landward shift of the arc into more fertile lithospheric mantle domains triggers voluminous magmatism and is accompanied by magmatic and/or tectonic thickening. Overall, these results demonstrate that the magmatic growth of Cordilleran arcs can be spatially and temporally complex without requiring variability in the contributions of crust and/or mantle to the batholith.

Maximizing average throughput in oscillatory biochemical synthesis systems: an optimal control approach

A dynamical system entrains to a periodic input if its state converges globally to an attractor with the same period. In particular, for a constant input, the state converges to a unique equilibrium point for any initial condition. We consider the problem of maximizing a weighted average of the system’s output along the periodic attractor. The gain of entrainment is the benefit achieved by using a non-constant periodic input relative to a constant input with the same time average. Such a problem amounts to optimal allocation of resources in a periodic manner. We formulate this problem as a periodic optimal control problem, which can be analysed by means of the Pontryagin maximum principle or solved numerically via powerful software packages. We then apply our framework to a class of nonlinear occupancy models that appear frequently in biological synthesis systems and other applications. We show that, perhaps surprisingly, constant inputs are optimal for various architectures. This suggests that the presence of non-constant periodic signals, which frequently appear in biological occupancy systems, is a signature of an underlying time-varying objective functional being optimized.

The potential of Hudson Valley glacial floods to drive abrupt climate change

The periodic input of meltwater into the ocean from a retreating Laurentide Ice Sheet is often hypothesized to have weakened the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) and triggered several cold periods during the last deglaciation (21,000 to 8,000 years before present). Here, we use a numerical model to investigate whether the Intra-Allerød Cold Period was triggered by the drainage of Glacial Lake Iroquois, ~13,300 years ago. Performing a large suite of experiments with various combinations of single and successive, short (1 month) and long (1 year) duration flood events, we were unable to find any significant weakening of the AMOC. This result suggests that although the Hudson Valley floods occurred close to the beginning of the Intra-Allerød Cold Period, they were unlikely the sole cause. Our results have implications for re-evaluating the relationship of meltwater flood events (past and future) to periods of climatic cooling, particularly with regards to flood input location, volume, frequency, and duration.

A new kind of locked circuit: the Quasi-Periodic Locked Loop (Q-PLL)

A new nonlinear circuit with frequency locking capability in the case of a generic quasi-periodic input, is presented. Due to this capability the circuit is called a Quasi-Periodic Locked Loop (Q-PLL). The locked frequency is parametrically selected from among those prescribed by the theory of resonances in dynamical systems. In particular, the locked frequency forms a three-frequency resonance with the frequencies of the quasi-periodic input. The circuit is able to lock also in case of deterministic perturbation (additional frequency components) and stochastic perturbation (wide-band noise). The circuit is closely related to the pitch perception of complex sound in humans and, as such, can be considered a bio-inspired device. From the point of view of applications, it may be considered as an extension of the Phase Locked Loop (PLL) with the additional ability of locking simultaneously to more than one frequency. Due to the dynamical and structural robustness of the locked states, the Q-PLL represents a tangible advance for the development of specific applications, for example, in medicine (hearing aids, and cochlear implants), in robotics (artificial senses), and in industrial and consumer electronics (improvement of speech intelligibility, pitch-based processing, etc.).<br>

Bifurcations and Chaos in a Minimal Neural Network: Forced Coupled Neurons

The bifurcations and chaos in a system of two coupled sigmoidal neurons with periodic input are revisited. The system has no self-coupling and no inherent limit cycles in contrast to the previous studies and shows simple bifurcations qualitatively different from the previous results. A symmetric periodic solution generated by the periodic input underdoes a pitchfork bifurcation so that a pair of asymmetric periodic solutions is generated. A chaotic attractor is generated through a cascade of period-doubling bifurcations of the asymmetric periodic solutions. However, a symmetric periodic solution repeats saddle-node bifurcations many times and the bifurcations of periodic solutions become complicated as the output gain of neurons is increasing. Then, the analysis of border collision bifurcations is carried out by using a piecewise constant output function of neurons and a rectangular wave as periodic input. The saddle-node, the pitchfork and the period-doubling bifurcations in the coupled sigmoidal neurons are replaced by various kinds of border collision bifurcations in the coupled piecewise constant neurons. Qualitatively the same structure of the bifurcations of periodic solutions in the coupled sigmoidal neurons is derived analytically. Further, it is shown that another period-doubling route to chaos exists when the output function of neurons is asymmetric.

Periodic unitary synaptic currents in the mouse globus pallidus during spontaneous firing in slices

Neurons in the external globus pallidus (GPe) are autonomous pacemakers, but their spontaneous firing is continually perturbed by synaptic input. Because GPe neurons fire rhythmically in slices, spontaneous inhibitory synaptic currents (IPSCs) should be evident there. We identified periodic series of IPSCs in slices, each corresponding to unitary synaptic currents from one presynaptic cell. Optogenetic stimulation of the striatal indirect pathway axons caused a pause and temporal resetting of the periodic input, confirming that it arose from local neurons subject to striatal inhibition. We determined the firing statistics of the presynaptic neurons from the unitary IPSC statistics and estimated their frequencies, peak amplitudes, and reliabilities. To determine what types of GPe neurons received the spontaneous inhibition, we recorded from genetically labeled parvalbumin (PV) and Npas1 expressing neurons. Both cell types received periodic spontaneous IPSCs with similar frequencies. Optogenetic inhibition of PV neurons reduced the spontaneous IPSC rate in almost all neurons with active unitary inputs, whereas inhibition of Npas1 neurons rarely affected the spontaneous IPSC rate in any neurons. These results suggest that PV neurons provided most of the active unitary inputs to both cell types. Optogenetic pulse stimulation of PV neurons at light levels that can activate cut axons yielded an estimate of connectivity in the fully connected network. The local network is a powerful source of inhibition to both PV and Npas1 neurons, that contributes to irregular firing and may influence the responses to external synaptic inputs.