Sharif Digital Repository

Optical Neural Networks (ONNs) can be promising alternatives for conventional electrical neural networks as they offer ultra-fast data processing with low energy consumption. However, lack of suitable nonlinearity is standing in their way of achieving this goal. While this problem can be circumvented in feed-forward neural networks, the performance of the recurrent neural networks (RNNs) depends heavily on their nonlinearity. In this paper, we first propose and numerically demonstrate a novel reconfigurable optical activation function, named ROA, based on adding or subtracting the outputs of two saturable absorbers (SAs). RAO can provide both bounded and unbounded outputs by facilitating an... 

In this study, evolution of intermetallic layer of the cold roll bonded bilayer of Aluminum-Steel sheets, during severe plastic deformation (SPD) followed by annealing has been investigated. The effect of such evolution on mechanical properties has been discussed. For this purpose, Constrained Groove Pressing (CGP) was used as a SPD process. Field emission scanning electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy and optical microscopy were used for examination of intermetallic compounds morphology and composition. Meanwhile, tensile properties of the bilayer sheets were evaluated. According to microstructural observations, continuous intermetallic layer was formed during... 

Optical Neural Networks (ONNs) can be promising alternatives for conventional electrical neural networks as they offer ultra-fast data processing with low energy consumption. However, lack of suitable nonlinearity is standing in their road of achieving this goal. While this problem can be circumvented in feed-forward neural networks, the performance of the recurrent neural networks (RNNs) depends heavily on their nonlinearity. In this paper, we first propose and numerically demonstrate a novel reconfigurable optical activation function, named ROA, based on adding or subtracting the outputs of two saturable absorbers (SAs). RAO can provide both bounded and unbounded outputs by facilitating an... 

Orthogonal Nonnegative Matrix Factorization (ONMF) with orthogonality constraints on a matrix has been found to provide better clustering results over existing clustering problems. Because of the orthogonality constraint, this optimization problem is difficult to solve. Many of the existing constraint-preserving methods deal directly with the constraints using different techniques such as matrix decomposition or computing exponential matrices. Here, we propose an alternative formulation of the ONMF problem which converts the orthogonality constraints into non-convex constraints. To handle the non-convex constraints, a penalty function is applied. The penalized problem is a smooth nonlinear... 

Partitioning a given data-set into subsets based on similarity among the data is called clustering. Clustering is a major task in data mining and machine learning having many applications such as text retrieval, pattern recognition, and web mining. Here, we briefly review some clustering related problems (k-means, normalized k-cut, orthogonal non-negative matrix factorization, ONMF, and isoperimetry) and describe their connections. We formulate the relaxed mean version of the isoperimetry problem as an optimization problem with non-negative orthogonal constraints. We first make use of a gradient-based optimization algorithm to solve this kind of a problem, and then apply a post-processing... 

Partitioning a given data-set into subsets based on similarity among the data is called clustering. Clustering is a major task in data mining and machine learning having many applications such as text retrieval, pattern recognition, and web mining. Here, we briefly review some clustering related problems (k-means, normalized k-cut, orthogonal non-negative matrix factorization, ONMF, and isoperimetry) and describe their connections. We formulate the relaxed mean version of the isoperimetry problem as an optimization problem with non-negative orthogonal constraints. We first make use of a gradient-based optimization algorithm to solve this kind of a problem, and then apply a post-processing... 

The possibility of real-time tuning of optical devices has attracted a lot of interest over the last decade. At the same time, coming up with simple lithography-free structures has always been a challenge in the design of large-area compatible devices. In this work, we present the concept and the sample design of an electrically tunable, lithography-free, ultra-thin transmission-mode color filter, the spectrum of which continuously covers the whole visible region. A simple Metal-Insulator-Metal (MIM) cavity configuration is used. It is shown that using the electro-optic dielectric material of 4-dimethyl-amino-N-methyl-4-stilbazoliumtosylate (DAST) as the dielectric layer in this... 

A large-signal analysis of sub-harmonic parametric oscillations in Power Amplifiers (PAs) is presented in this paper. Simplified models for current-voltage and channel charge characteristics of short-channel pseudomorphic High Electron Mobility Transistors (pHEMTs) are adopted to investigate the effects of the device transconductance and gate-source capacitance nonlinearities on the amplifier stability. A 5-W Ku-band PA is designed to demonstrate the application of the presented analysis. MMIC PA is implemented in a 0.25-μm GaAs pHEMT process. According to the measurements, the PA provides 37.5 dBm (5.6 W) of output power, 36% of Power Added Efficiency (PAE), and small-signal gain of 18 dB... 

This paper addresses scheduling a set of weighted jobs on a single machine in presence of release date for delivery in batches to customers or to other machines for further processing. The problem is a natural extension of minimizing the sum of weighted flow times by considering the possibility of delivering jobs in batches and introducing batch delivery costs. The classical problem is NP-hard and then the extended version of the problem is NP-hard. The objective function is that of minimizing the sum of weighted flow times and delivery costs. The extended problem arises in a real supply chain network by cooperation between two layers of chain. Structural properties of the problem are... 

In this paper, a route to ultra-broadband absorption is suggested and demonstrated by a feasible design. The high absorption regime (absorption above 90%) for the suggested structure ranges from visible to mid-infrared (MIR), i.e., for the wavelength varying from 478 to 3278 nm that yields an ultra-wide band with the width of 2800 nm. The structure consists of a top-layer-patterned metal-insulator-metal (MIM) configuration, into the insulator layer of which, an ultra-thin 5 nm layer of manganese (Mn) is embedded. The MIM configuration represents a Ti-Al2O3-Ti tri-layer. It is shown that, without the ultra-thin layer of Mn, the absorption bandwidth is reduced to 274 nm. Therefore, adding only... 

Mechanical properties and microstructural analysis of Expanded Perlite Aggregate (EPA) concretes are presented. Using 10% EPA, the effects of using various types of fibre were investigated. For all specimens, fibrous and non-fibrous, the compressive and the splitting tensile strengths were obtained. Complete stress–strain curves for fibre-reinforced specimens were obtained. A new index for representing the toughness of fibre-reinforced Perlite concretes is introduced. The addition of fibres substantially increased the splitting tensile strength. Steel fibres with “indentations” had the best performance in this regard. Regarding the toughness, specimens with “hooked” steel fibres performed... 

We use holographic methods to study the entanglement entropy for excited states in a two dimensional conformal field theory. The entangling area is a single interval and the excitations are produced by in and out vertex operators with given scaling dimensions. On the gravity side we provide the excitations by turning on a scalar field with an appropriate mass. The calculation amounts to using the gravitational background, with a singular boundary, to find the one point function of the vertex operators. The singular boundary is taken care of by introducing a nontrivial UV regulator surface to calculate gravitational partition functions. By means of holographic methods we reproduce the field... 

Abstract: We propose a holographic model for local quench in 1 + 1 dimensional Conformal Field Theory (CFT). The local quench is produced by joining two identical CFT’s on semi-infinite lines. When these theories have a zero boundary entropy, we use the AdS/Boundary CFT proposal to describe this process in terms of bulk physics. Boundaries of the original CFT’s are extended in AdS as dynamical surfaces. In our holographic picture these surfaces detach from the boundary and form a closed folded string which can propagate in the bulk. The dynamics of this string is governed by the tensionless Yo-Yo string solution and its subsequent evolution determines the time dependence after quench. We use... 

This study presents a new method called FCSMM (Fuzzy Customer Satisfaction Measurement Method) for measuring individual customer satisfaction using a fuzzy inference system. The main advantage of this method is its simplification in evaluation of Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) based on simple linguistic statements collected from experienced people. In contrast with assumptions used in other methods such as linear regression principles and predefined criteria weights, the aforementioned statements form the FCSMM computational structure. Since the drivers of satisfaction and dissatisfaction and performance indexes can be simultaneously applied, concurrent direct and indirect customer...