35.Semiconductor Process Interpreter for OptoElectronic Device Layout
Sponsor: Dr. Richard Clayton, Nortel Networks
Outline of Project:
The objective of this project is to develop
a software application that models the
process of laying out an optoelectronic device.
It would make an interesting project for
someone with good software skills, and it
would be possible to combine some good
physics into it as well.
The basic idea is to be able to virtually 'process'
a wafer, based on the geometrical
mask layout information (ideally in GDSII
format) and a process description table.
The output from the model will show the structure
at any point in the process to find
processing difficulties and/or design tradeoffs.
The model will include factors such as the
growth, deposition, etching etc. The zero
order model will just assume uniform, vertical,
processing (vertical sides, flat bottoms,
etc.) Once the most rudimentary model runs,
the modules would be enhanced to
provide more realistic behaviour: a mix of
phenomenological and physics based effects
(transport limited etching or thickness variations
in selective area epitaxy, anisotropic
or crystal orientation dependent etching,
etc.)
38.High Speed Digital NMR Receiver/Digitizer
Sponsor: Dr. Carl Michal, Physics
Outline of Project:
This project will involve the design and construction
of a receiver/digitizer system to
capture transient RF signals. The system will
consist of analog input
conditioning/protection, a high speed analog
to digital converter, a DSP to perform
down-conversion, digital filtering, and quadrature
detection and finally a digital
interface to a personal computer. The system
will be based upon an ADC/DSP chipset
such as Analog Devices 6620/6640 and will
involve analog and digital circuit design, as
well as integration with an existing NMR spectrometer.
This project will provide experience with state
of the art analog and digital signal
processing techniques applied to instrumentation
used in physics, chemistry, life
sciences and communications.
59.Building 3D Models from Range Images
Sponsor: Dr. Dinesh Pai, Computer Science
Outline of Project:
The goal of this project to reconstruct the
3D shape of an object using range data
acquired using a stereo vision system in the
UBC Active Measurement Facility. The
task is to implement the volumetric reconstruction
method developed by Curless and
Levoy (SIGGRAPH '96) and described in detail
at the web site [1]. See also [2] for
more images and resources. The implementation
can be in Java (preferred) or C++.
Strong software skills and interest in 3D
computer graphics and geometry will be
helpful.
[1] http://graphics.stanford.EDU/papers/volrange/paper_1_level/paper.html
[2] http://www.graphics.stanford.edu/papers/volrange
17.Shaker Retrofit for Uniform Disruption of Precipitates in DNA Purification
Sponsor: Dr. Andre Marziali, Physics and Astronomy
Outline of Project:
The BC Cancer Agency's Genome Sequencing Center
(GSC) routinely performs DNA
BAC (Bacterial artificial chromosomes) purification
by a method known as alkaline
lysis. During this process, a precipitate
forms in the presence of bacterial genomic
DNA. At this point, the precipitate must be
broken up into small pieces without
damaging the long strands of genomic DNA.
To perform this, a vigorous (but not too
violent) shaking motion must be applied to
the samples. This is presently done using a
device that does not provide good uniformity
across the entire set of samples. A more
uniform device is available but cannot reach
the RPM or orbit size required to disrupt
the precipitate. It would be very useful if
the latter device could be redesigned to
provide strong, uniform shaking, and sufficient
load capacity to handle 400 samples.
This redesign will involve both electrical
and mechanical design and fabrication, as
well as substantial testing using standard
molecular biology protocols (with assistance
from the GSC). This project needs to be completed
by Jan 2001.
For more information: Andre Marziali , andre@sequence.stanford.edu
18.Sub-Microliter Thermal Cycler
Sponsor: Dr. Andre Marziali, Physics and Astronomy
Outline of Project:
A second generation version of our automated
thermal cycler for DNA duplication is
being constructed. Several engineering projects
need to be tackled to complete this
instrument including design and construction
of a thermoelectric temperature control
system, and similar projects. These projects
are time-critical and will only be available
after consultation with the project supervisor.
Only students with substantial ability in
mechanical design, electrical design, or software
design should apply. For more detailed
information please contact Andre Marziali.
These projects need to be completed by
Jan 2001.
For more information: Andre Marziali , andre@sequence.stanford.edu
34.Application of Principle Components to Vector Quantized Imagery
Sponsor: Dr. Melanie Dutkiewicz, MacDonald Dettwiler
Outline of Project:
Statement of the Problem:
Principal Components (PC) is a transform commonly
applied in image processing.
Vector Quantization (VQ) is an image compression
technique. This project will
examine how the compression affects the PC
transformed image.
Objectives:
The objectives of this project are for the
student to: (a) understand PC as applied to 3
dimensional imagery (2 spatial and 1 spectral
dimension), (b) understand VQ as
applied in the spectral domain to the same
3 dimensional image, (c) compare the
effect of applying PC to (i) the original
image, and (ii) the compressed image. This will
require you to obtain the code to run the
PC transform (available in standard packages
like Matlab or idl). Then you need to obtain
or write code to implement the
Lind-Buzo-Grey (LBG) VQ algorithm in the spectral
domain on 3d spatial/spectral
data. You should be able to read in the 3d
imagery and apply the above routines.
Finally, you will analyse the results.
For more information, contact Melanie Dutkiewicz at 278-3411 (mel@mda.ca)
54.Minority Carriers Lifetime Study
Sponsor: Steve McCoy, Vortex Industries Inc.
Outline of Project:
Vortek Industries is a world leader in the
delivery of radiant energy. One application
for the Vortek Arc Lamp radiant energy source
is in high temperature (~1100°C)
anneals for the manufacture of semiconductors.
The ability to determine the lifetime
of electron-hole pairs within the silicon
lattice is fundamental to understanding the
properties of the semiconductor device. An
apparatus capable of measuring this
important semiconductor characteristic is
required.
This project will improve the design of a system
based around a flash lamp and a pick
up coil that will be used in a study of minority
carrier lifetime in semiconductor crystals
to be performed by the student. The object
of this project is to improve the existing
design, build, and test a minority-carrier
lifetime measurement device. This apparatus
will be used by Vortek Industries at their
facility upon completion of the project. An
initial design was constructed in a previous
project lab.
Once the equipment has been developed it will
be used in a study of lifetime. The
design of various thermal processes and dopant
profiles/concentrations using our rapid
thermal processing units and their impact
on lifetime will be studied.
Basic knowledge of optics, electronics and
material sciences are considered to be an
asset.
55.Implementation of a Distributed High Availability Database
Sponsor: Luca Filipozzi, ECE UBC
Outline of Project:
Using the Erlang language (www.erlang.org)
and, specifically, the "mnesia" distributed
database component of Erlang, develop a distributed
database for use with the
Dynamic DNS Tools (www.ddts.org). The code
developed under this project will need
to be licensed under the GPL so that the DDT
community can use it. You will need a
PC running Linux (preferably Debian)
DDT is a project to develop Dynamic DNS Tools
(and Services). The project is a
volunteer effort and all code is licensed
under the GPL. Please go to www.ddts.org for
more information.
56.Modification of ISC's "Bind" Daemon to Use a Database Backend
Sponsor: Luca Filipozzi, ECE UBC
Outline of Project:
The latest version of the Internet Software
Consortium's (www.isc.org) domain name
system daemon known as "bind" includes support
for alternate database backends. The
objective of this project is to implement
the C-interface necessary to have bind use the
"mnesia" distributed database component of
Erlang developed in the project #53. The
code developed under this project will need
to be licensed under the GPL so that the
DDT community can use it. The resource requirements
are one PC running Linux
DDT is a project to develop Dynamic DNS Tools
(and Services). The project is a
volunteer effort and all code is licensed
under the GPL. Please go to www.ddts.org for
more information.
5.Bioelectrode Design for Brain-Computer Interface Headset
Sponsor: Dr. Gary Birch, Dr. Steven Mason, Neil Squire Foundation
Outline of Project:
We have developed a direct brain-computer switch
for asynchronous control
environments. For this research, we are recording
and analyzing EEG (brainwaves)
related to finger, hand and foot movement
from multiple locations on the scalp.
Unfortunately, current bio-electrode caps
are awkward to apply and require a
conductive gel to complete the application.
These will not be suitable for end users. We
would like to develop a headset that supports
an electrode array, which would be easy
to apply and remove. For this project we want
to develop a special bio-electrode that
make good electrical contact (<5kohms)
to an individual?s scalp without the need for
conductive gels or pastes. We would also like
an array of these electrodes designed into
a headset that is easy to put on and take
off (something possibly like the older
Walkman earphones). We have not seen any bio-electrodes
that are suitable for this
headset, although our research has not been
exhaustive.
The student will research into existing electrode
designs, propose an adapted or new
bio-electrode design that can measure the
desired electromagnetic brain activity. If
time allows, the students will propose a design
for headset, prototype this headset and
evaluate their design.
12.Low-Cost Optoelectronic Localizer Development
Sponsor: Dr. Antony Hodgson, Mechanical Engineering
Outline of Project:
A localizer is a 3D metrology instrument which
measures the position of light or
infrared emitting diodes in space to an accuracy
as high as 0.1mm. They are commonly
used in biomechanical and ergonomic research,
medical robotics, gait analysis labs,
and robot calibration. Existing instruments
sell for $35,000-$100,000 and are
generally overdesigned for biomechanical and
ergonomic research and gait analysis
labs where lower accuracy would be acceptable,
a larger workspace would be desirable,
and the high purchase price is often prohibitive.
Students last year designed a prototype low-cost
(~$2000!), moderately accurate
localizer with a comparatively large workspace
and a scanning rate comparable to the
lower-end existing instruments. There are
three main directions the project can take
now: (1) refining the existing design into
a low-volume production model (with the
possibility of building and selling units
as an entrepreneurial venture after the end of
the project; this project would involve both
mechanical packaging and electronics
design), (2) redesigning the device to improve
accuracy and scanning rate, and (3)
developing small wireless emitters to allow
the subject to move freely.