Abstract: Aluminum and its alloys are the main metallization materials. With an increase in degree of integration the role of interconnections rises: they occupy a growing area of the crystal, the density of the package increases, which leads to a decrease in the thickness and width of the conductive tracks. In nanodimensional structures the value of the current density sufficient for the development of electromigration effects occurs at currents of 50-100 mA. The article explores the factors affecting the mechanism of destruction of the integrated circuits' metallization due to electromigration. The author studies metallization lines at different stages of their destruction by electromigration with the help of raster scanning and transmission electron microscopes. In general, the main problem associated with high-temperature application of aluminum metallization is the large grain size and surface roughness, which makes alignment on such a metal layer difficult. The results of the experiments lead to the conclusion that geometric factors play a dominant role in the mechanism of destruction of metallization of integrated circuits due to electromigration.

Keywords: metallization, integrated circuit, electromigration, semiconductor, contact, reliability, aluminum, silicon, deposition, current noise

Abstract: The authors consider the processes occurring in heat engines, including internal combustion engines, in terms of their self-organization during the regenerative (generalized) Carnot cycle. The article shows that the heat engines that implement the Stirling cycle as well as other ones are a particular instance of the generalized Carnot cycle, but due to unitarity of the processes they cannot even approximate its coefficient of efficiency. The fundamental fact is that the fuel in these engines must be burned using oxygen, not air. The work proposes a synergetic approach to implementation of the generalized Carnot cycle by creating a model of the differential screw-rotor machine with separate thermal sections. The scientific novelty of the proposed methodology is that the resulting process in a multi-process machine is the sum of a set of different processes organized simultaneously in a set of different operating chambers in relation to a set of different portions of the working medium. The connection of the proposed machine with a thermomagnetic air separator will ensure the complete elimination of toxic emissions.

Keywords: thermal machine, isothermal process, adiabatic curve, differential screw machine, thermomagnetic separator of air, unitarity of processes, plurality of processes, self-organization, Stirling engine, the generalized Carnot cycle

Abstract: The subject of the study is the transformation of information obtained from discrete sensors that are part of the float level indicators. When measuring the liquid level with a certain accuracy, it is necessary to use numerous discrete sensors the number of which depends on the measurement accuracy required. The number can reach about 150... 200 sensors and more. The resulting unitary code will contain the same number of digits. The code length must be reduced to allow further use of this information. The code must be transformed for this purpose. The methodology of the study is that the information obtained in the process of liquid level measuring must be compressed to reduce the length of the unitary code. Upon converting the information obtained from the discrete sensors using the method proposed in the article the information can be fed to a programmable logic controller for further processing or to the elements of digital indication for displaying the level value. The main conclusion of the study is that the use of digital chips for conversion of the measurement information obtained from the float level indicator allows us to simplify and reduce the cost of circuit design solutions.

Keywords: level, discrete sensor, reed switch, encoder, binary code, unitary code, binary-decimal code, conversion, digital seven-segment indicator, float level indicator

Abstract: The subject of the study is ultrasonic equipment for processing in liquid media (cleaning, application of galvanic coatings, etc.) of internal cylindrical surfaces of objects for various purposes, including the thick-walled and long-length ones. The purpose of the study is improvement of the effectiveness of its functioning. The author pays particular attention to the development of designs of ultrasonic magnetostrictive batch transducers of thee ring type with external radiation for processing objects of large diameters; to methods of its calculation, as well as to the effect of powerful ultrasonic vibrations on physical and mechanical properties of the treated steel surfaces. The article proposes a diagram of the ultrasonic unit on the basis of interaction of electric and magnetic fields, metallographic and x-ray diffraction studies, modeling of the nodes of magnetostrictive transducers of the ring type with external radiation, a study of the topology of the generated acoustic field. The scientific novelty of the study lies in organization of the process of ultrasonic treatment with the provision for resonance properties of the system: generator - tool - technological environment - object as well as in the development of methods of calculation of the corresponding ultrasonic tool. The scope of application of the results of the work is processing of internal surfaces of the products of general and special engineering nomenclature in a wide range of their mass-dimensional values.

Keywords: unit, cleaning, galvanic deposition, automatization, effectiveness, quality, microhardness, management, tool, ultrasound

Abstract: Due to reorganization of the Russian Academy of Sciences and preparation of the program of innovative development of Russia till 2030, the relevance of error analysis increases in organization and conduction of basic and applied researches. The present review analyzes a situation in which a multidisciplinary project in the field of physical chemistry, galvanochemistry and physical methods of the research of chemical compounds nominated in a competition of search and scientific research and development operations within the federal target program "Scientific and Research and Educational Human Resourcces of Innovative Russia" for 2009-2013 remained unchosen, because of the system mistakes committed while developing and applying the tender documentation. As a result of the methodological errors, for 10 years the work on creation and application of the method and automated complex of BETA-spectrometry is suspended, and also there has been a vacuum in research and educational human resources in the specified sphere. The scientific novelty is confirmed with three patents of the Russian Federation and two applications for inventions, and also creation of a laboratory sample of the BETA-analyzer awarded "A gold medal" at the Xth Moscow international salon in 2010. However, so far, because of the "market" in science which has required a "changeover" for a long time, the BETA-analyzer has not been produced.

Keywords: acoustic emission, electrometry of materials, vector function of life cycle, defect formation, similitude parameters, thermodynamic potentials, tender documentation, conductometry, aging of materials, method of baro-electro-thermo-acoustic measurement