Larry Epp

Bio: Larry Epp is an academic researcher from California Institute of Technology. The author has contributed to research in topics: Carbon nanotube & Resonator. The author has an hindex of 14, co-authored 36 publications receiving 1002 citations. Previous affiliations of Larry Epp include Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

A hybrid symmetric FEM/MOM formulation applied to scattering by inhomogeneous bodies of revolution

Abstract: A new symmetric formulation of the hybrid finite element method (HFEM) is described which combines elements of the electric field integral equation (EFIE) and the magnetic field integral equation (MFIE) for the exterior region along with the finite element solution for the interior region. The formulation is applied to scattering by inhomogeneous bodies of revolution. To avoid spurious modes in the interior region a combination of vector and nodal based finite elements are used. Integral equations in the exterior region are used to enforce the Sommerfeld radiation condition by matching both the tangential electric and magnetic fields between interior and exterior regions. Results from this symmetric formulation as well as formulations based solely on the EFIE or MFIE are compared to exact series solutions and integral equation solutions for a number of examples. The behaviors of the symmetric, EFIE, and MFIE solutions are examined at potential resonant frequencies of the interior and exterior regions, demonstrating the advantage of this symmetric formulation. >

Carbon nanotube switches for memory, rf communications and sensing applications, and methods of making the same

Abstract: Switches having an in situ grown carbon nanotube as an element thereof, and methods of fabricating such switches. A carbon nanotube is grown in situ in mechanical connection with a conductive substrate, such as a heavily doped silicon wafer or an SOI wafer. The carbon nanotube is electrically connected at one location to a terminal. At another location of the carbon nanotube there is situated a pull electrode that can be used to electrostatically displace the carbon nanotube so that it selectively makes contact with either the pull electrode or with a contact electrode. Connection to the pull electrode is sufficient to operate the device as a simple switch, while connection to a contact electrode is useful to operate the device in a manner analogous to a relay. In various embodiments, the devices disclosed are useful as at least switches for various signals, multi-state memory, computational devices, and multiplexers.

High-Q mechanical resonator arrays based on carbon nanotubes

Abstract: We present results of the characterization of a nanoelectromechanical signal-processing device based on arrays of carbon nanotubes embedded in RF waveguides. The design, fabrication, and operation of the device will be discussed, including initial RF measurements. Preliminary tests suggest that transmission of an RF signal through the array is associated with the mechanical resonance of the carbon nanotubes.

Wideband radial power combiner/divider fed by a mode transducer

Abstract: A radial power combiner/divider capable of a higher order (for example, N=24) of power combining/dividing and a 15% bandwidth (31 to 36 GHz). The radial power combiner/divider generally comprises an axially-oriented mode transducer coupled to a radial base. The mode transducer transduces circular TE01 waveguide into rectangular TE10 waveguide, and the unique radial base combines/divides a plurality of peripheral rectangular waveguide ports into a single circular TE01 waveguide end of the transducer. The radial base incorporates full-height waveguides that are stepped down to reduced-height waveguides to form a stepped-impedance configuration, thereby reducing the height of the waveguides inside the base and increasing the order N of combining/dividing. The reduced-height waveguides in the base converge radially to a matching post at the bottom center of the radial base which matches the reduced height rectangular waveguides into the circular waveguide that feeds the mode transducer.

Generalized scattering matrices for unit cell characterization of grid amplifiers and device de-embedding

Abstract: Amplifying grid arrays, consisting of periodic unit cells loaded with active devices such as HEMTs, are currently being developed for high frequency quasi-optical use. Motivation for their development includes the inherent advantages of an approach that employs spatial power combining and spatial amplification. Thus, losses between multistage amplifiers are virtually eliminated. Also due to the spatial combining, the phase of the array is determined by the phase of the incident wave which is then amplified by the planar circuit. This eliminates the need for complex phase shifters and the associated lines for independent element control. Other advantages include the existence of graceful degradation when failures occur. Typically, a unit cell of these planar arrays has been analyzed using quasi-static transmission line approaches. This approach is used due to its simplicity and the easy addition of the port locations required by the active devices. The benefit of a grid amplifier design at high frequency is limited by this approach which may ignore strong mutual coupling or surface waves present at higher frequencies. Based on more conventional periodic array analysis, the method described extended the generalized scattering matrix approach to include the port locations of the device. This allows accurate inclusion of the effects of the mutual coupling between elements, the presence of bias lines, ground planes, and superstrates/substrates. In addition this numerically generated scattering matrix can be combined with the conventional scattering matrix of the device to form a composite matrix of a grid amplifier.

Intrinsic Piezoelectricity in Two-Dimensional Materials

Abstract: We discovered that many of the commonly studied two-dimensional monolayer transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) nanoscale materials are piezoelectric, unlike their bulk parent crystals. On the macroscopic scale, piezoelectricity is widely used to achieve robust electromechanical coupling in a rich variety of sensors and actuators. Remarkably, our density-functional theory calculations of the piezoelectric coefficients of monolayer BN, MoS2, MoSe2, MoTe2, WS2, WSe2, and WTe2 reveal that some of these materials exhibit stronger piezoelectric coupling than traditionally employed bulk wurtzite structures. We find that the piezoelectric coefficients span more than 1 order of magnitude, and exhibit monotonic periodic trends. The discovery of this property in many two-dimensional materials enables active sensing, actuating, and new electronic components for nanoscale devices based on the familiar piezoelectric effect.

Harvesting Wireless Power: Survey of Energy-Harvester Conversion Efficiency in Far-Field, Wireless Power Transfer Systems

Abstract: The idea of wireless power transfer (WPT) has been around since the inception of electricity. In the late 19th century, Nikola Tesla described the freedom to transfer energy between two points without the need for a physical connection to a power source as an ?all-surpassing importance to man? [1]. A truly wireless device, capable of being remotely powered, not only allows the obvious freedom of movement but also enables devices to be more compact by removing the necessity of a large battery. Applications could leverage this reduction in size and weight to increase the feasibility of concepts such as paper-thin, flexible displays [2], contact-lens-based augmented reality [3], and smart dust [4], among traditional point-to-point power transfer applications. While several methods of wireless power have been introduced since Tesla?s work, including near-field magnetic resonance and inductive coupling, laser-based optical power transmission, and far-field RF/microwave energy transmission, only RF/microwave and laser-based systems are truly long-range methods. While optical power transmission certainly has merit, its mechanisms are outside of the scope of this article and will not be discussed.

Recycling ambient microwave energy with broad-band rectenna arrays

Abstract: This paper presents a study of reception and rectification of broad-band statistically time-varying low-power-density microwave radiation. The applications are in wireless powering of industrial sensors and recycling of ambient RF energy. A 64-element dual-circularly-polarized spiral rectenna array is designed and characterized over a frequency range of 2-18 GHz with single-tone and multitone incident waves. The integrated design of the antenna and rectifier, using a combination of full-wave electromagnetic field analysis and harmonic balance nonlinear circuit analysis, eliminates matching and filtering circuits, allowing for a compact element design. The rectified dc power and efficiency is characterized as a function of dc load and dc circuit topology, RF frequency, polarization, and incidence angle for power densities between 10/sup -5/-10/sup -1/ mW/cm/sup 2/. In addition, the increase in rectenna efficiency for multitone input waves is presented.

Nanoscale wires and related devices

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to sub-microelectronic circuitry, and more particularly to nanometer-scale articles, including nanoscale wires which can be selectively doped at various locations and at various levels. In some cases, the articles may be single crystals. The nanoscale wires can be doped, for example, differentially along their length, or radially, and either in terms of identity of dopant, concentration of dopant, or both. This may be used to provide both n-type and p-type conductivity in a single item, or in different items in close proximity to each other, such as in a crossbar array. The fabrication and growth of such articles is described, and the arrangement of such articles to fabricate electronic, optoelectronic, or spintronic devices and components. For example, semiconductor materials can be doped to form n-type and p-type semiconductor regions for making a variety of devices such as field effect transistors, bipolar transistors, complementary inverters, tunnel diodes, light emitting diodes, sensors, and the like.