Pilot Domain NOMA for Grant-Free Massive Random Access in Massive MIMO Marine Communication System

We propose a pilot domain non-orthogonal multiple access(NOMA)for uplink massive devices grant-free random access scenarios in massive multiple-input multiple-output(MIMO)maritime communication systems.These scenarios are characterized by numerous devices with sporadic access behavior,and therefore only a subset of them are active.Due to massive potential devices in the network,it is infeasible to assign a unique orthogonal pilot to each device in advance.In such scenarios,pilot decontamination is a crucial problem.In this paper,the devices are randomly assigned non-orthogonal pilots which are constructed by a linear combination of some orthogonal pilots.We show that a bipartite graph can conveniently describe the interference cancellation(IC)processes of pilot decontamination.High spectrum efficiency(SE)and low outage probability can be obtained by selecting the numbers of orthogonal pilots according to the given probability distribution.Numerical evaluatioDs show that the proposed pilot domain NOMA decreases the outage probability from 20%to 2 e-12 at the SE of 4 bits/s/Hz for a single device,compared to the conventional method of slotted ALOHA with 1024 antennas at the BS,or increases the spectrum efficiency from 1.2 bits/s/Hz to 4 bit/s/Hz at the outage probability of2 e-12 in contrast with the Welch bound equality(WBE)non-orthogonal pilots.

OFDMA-Based Unsourced Random Access in LEO Satellite Internet of Things

This paper investigates the low earth orbit(LEO)satellite-enabled coded compressed sensing(CCS)unsourced random access(URA)in orthogonal frequency division multiple access(OFDMA)framework,where a massive uniform planar array(UPA)is equipped on the satellite.In LEO satellite communications,unavoidable timing and frequency offsets cause phase shifts in the transmitted signals,substantially diminishing the decoding performance of current terrestrial CCS URA receiver.To cope with this issue,we expand the inner codebook with predefined timing and frequency offsets and formulate the inner decoding as a tractable compressed sensing(CS)problem.Additionally,we leverage the inherent sparsity of the UPA-equipped LEO satellite angular domain channels,thereby enabling the outer decoder to support more active devices.Furthermore,the outputs of the outer decoder are used to reduce the search space of the inner decoder,which cuts down the computational complexity and accelerates the convergence of the inner decoding.Simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.

The study of lithographic variation in resistive random access memory

Reducing the process variation is a significant concern for resistive random access memory(RRAM).Due to its ultrahigh integration density,RRAM arrays are prone to lithographic variation during the lithography process,introducing electrical variation among different RRAM devices.In this work,an optical physical verification methodology for the RRAM array is developed,and the effects of different layout parameters on important electrical characteristics are systematically investigated.The results indicate that the RRAM devices can be categorized into three clusters according to their locations and lithography environments.The read resistance is more sensitive to the locations in the array(~30%)than SET/RESET voltage(<10%).The increase in the RRAM device length and the application of the optical proximity correction technique can help to reduce the variation to less than 10%,whereas it reduces RRAM read resistance by 4×,resulting in a higher power and area consumption.As such,we provide design guidelines to minimize the electrical variation of RRAM arrays due to the lithography process.

HetNets Under Decoupled Uplink and Downlink Access with UE Random Discontinuous Transmission: Local Delay and Energy Efficiency

Due to the limited uplink capability in heterogeneousnetworks (HetNets), the decoupled uplinkand downlink access (DUDA) mode has recently beenproposed to improve the uplink performance. In thispaper, the random discontinuous transmission (DTX)at user equipment (UE) is adopted to reduce the interferencecorrelation across different time slots. By utilizingstochastic geometry, we analytically derive themean local delay and energy efficiency (EE) of an uplinkHetNet with UE random DTX scheme under theDUDA mode. These expressions are further approximatedas closed forms under reasonable assumptions.Our results reveal that under the DUDA mode, there isan optimal EE with respect to mute probability underthe finite local delay constraint. In addition, with thesame finite mean local delay as under the coupled uplinkand downlink access (CUDA) mode, the HetNetsunder the DUDA mode can achieve a higher EE witha lower mute probability.

Resource allocation for uplink grant-free access in beam-hopping based LEO satellite systems

The low earth orbit(LEO) satellite system provides a promising solution for the global coverage of Internet of Things(IoT) services.Confronted with the sporadic uplink transmission from massive IoT terminals, this work investigates the grant-free access scheme and resource allocation algorithm for the beam-hopping(BH) based LEO satellite systems.To improve the packet success rate, the time slots are pre-allocated to each cell according to the number of terrestrial terminals and the probability of packet arrival.When the packets arrive, the terrestrial terminals perform contention-free or contention-based grant-free access with packet repetition in the time slots allocated to their cells.The analytical expression of the packet collision probability for the grant-free access scheme is derived to provide reference for the resource allocation.To reduce the computational complexity, a heuristic resource allocation algorithm is proposed to minimize the maximum cell packet collision probability in the system.Simulation results show that the proposed resource allocation scheme achieves lower packet collision probability and higher resource utilization ratio when compared with the uniform resource allocation scheme.

Help from space:grant-free massive access for satellite-based IoT in the 6G era

The Sixth-Generation(6G)standard for wireless communications is expected to realize ubiquitous coverage for massive Internet of Things(IoT)networks by 2030.Satellite-based communications are recognized as a highly promising technical enabler to satisfy IoT service requirements in the 6G era.This study analyzes multiple access technologies,which are essential for the effective deployment of satellite-based IoT.First,we thoroughly investigate the existing research related to massive access,including information-theory considerations as well as Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access(NOMA)and Random Access(RA)technologies.Then,we explore the influence of the satellite transmission environment on multiple access technologies.Based on this study,a Non-orthogonal Massive Grant-Free Access(NoMaGFA)scheme,which reaps the joint benefits of RA and NOMA,is proposed for asynchronous transmissions in satellite-based IoT to achieve improved system throughput and enhance the system robustness under varying traffics.Finally,we identify some important and interesting future developments for satellite-based IoT,including waveform design,transceiver design,resource allocation,and artificial intelligence-enhanced design.

Cluster-Based Massive Access for Massive MIMO Systems

Massive machine type communication aims to support the connection of massive devices,which is still an important scenario in 6G.In this paper,a novel cluster-based massive access method is proposed for massive multiple input multiple output systems.By exploiting the angular domain characteristics,devices are separated into multiple clusters with a learned cluster-specific dictionary,which enhances the identification of active devices.For detected active devices whose data recovery fails,power domain nonorthogonal multiple access with successive interference cancellation is employed to recover their data via re-transmission.Simulation results show that the proposed scheme and algorithm achieve improved performance on active user detection and data recovery.

Recovery of single event upset in advanced complementary metal-oxide semiconductor static random access memory cells

Using computer-aided design three-dimensional （3D） simulation technology, the recovery mechanism of single event upset and the effects of spacing and hit angle on the recovery are studied. It is found that the multi-node charge collection plays a key role in recovery and shielding the charge sharing by adding guard rings. It cannot exhibit the recovery effect. It is also indicated that the upset linear energy transfer （LET） threshold is kept constant while the recovery LET threshold increases as the spacing increases. Additionally, the effect of incident angle on recovery is analysed and it is shown that a larger angle can bring about a stronger charge sharing effect, thus strengthening the recovery ability.

Performance Characterization and Receiver Design for Random Temporal Multiple Access in Non-Coordinated Networks

Random access is a well-known multiple access method for uncoordinated communication nodes.Existing work mainly focuses on optimizing iterative access protocols,assuming that packets are corrupted once they are collided,or that feedback is available and can be exploited.In practice,a packet may still be able to be recovered successfully even when collided with other packets.System design and performance analysis under such a situation,particularly when the details of collision are taken into consideration,are less known.In this paper,we provide a framework for analytically evaluating the actual detection performance in a random temporal multiple access system where nodes can only transmit.Explicit expressions are provided for collision probability and signal to interference and noise ratio(SINR)when different numbers of packets are collided.We then discuss and compare two receiver options for the AP,and provide detailed receiver design for the premium one.In particular,we propose a synchronization scheme which can largely reduce the preamble length.We also demonstrate that system performance could be a convex function of preamble length both analytically and via simulation,as well as the forward error correction(FEC)coding rate.

Si1Sb2Te3 phase change material for chalcogenide random access memory

This paper investigated phase change Si1Sb2Te3 material for application of chalcogenide random access memory. Current-voltage performance was conducted to determine threshold current of phase change from amorphous phase to polycrystalline phase. The film holds a threshold current about 0.155 mA, which is smaller than the value 0.31 mA of Ge2Sb2Te5 film. Amorphous Si1Sb2Te3 changes to face-centred-cubic structure at ~ 180℃ and changes to hexagonal structure at ~ 270℃. Annealing temperature dependent electric resistivity of Si1Sb2Te3 film was studied by four-point probe method. Data retention of the films was characterized as well.

Design, analysis and optimization of random access inter-satellite ranging system

In this paper, a random access inter-satellite ranging(RAISR) system is designed. The ranging accuracy is optimized by an algorithm to greatly improve the ranging accuracy. This paper verifies the feasibility of the RAISR system through a series of theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, hardware system design and testing. The research work brings the solution to the design and accuracy optimization problem of the RAISR system,which eliminates the main error caused by the satellite dynamic characteristics and frequency source drift of the RAISR system.The accuracy of the measurement system has been significantly improved.

Total ionizing dose and synergistic effects of magnetoresistive random-access memory

A magnetoresistive random-access memory(MRAM) device was irradiated by ^(60) Co c-rays and an electron beam.The synergistic effect of this on the MRAM was tested with an additional magnetic field during irradiation,from which the total ionizing dose(TID) and the synergistic damage mechanism of MRAM were analyzed.In addition,DC,AC,and functional parameters of the memory were tested under irradiation and annealing via a very large-scale integrated circuit test system.The radiation-sensitive parameters were obtained through analyzing the data.Because of the magnetic field applied on the MRAM while testing the synergistic effects,shallow trench isolation leakage and Frenkel–Poole emission due to synergistic effects were smaller than that of TID,and hence radiation damage of the synergistic effects was also lower.

Perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction and its application in magnetic random access memory

Recent progresses in magnetic tunnel junctions with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy （PMA） are reviewed and summarized. At first, the concept and source of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy （PMA） are introduced. Next, a historical overview of PMA materials as magnetic electrodes, such as the RE-TM alloys TbFeCo and GdFeCo, novel tetragonal manganese alloys Mn-Ga, L10-ordered （Co, Fe）/Pt alloy, multilayer film [Co, Fe, CoFe/Pt, Pd, Ni, AU]N, and ultra-thin magnetic metal/oxidized barrier is offered. The other part of the article focuses on the optimization and fabrication of CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB p-MTJs, which is thought to have high potential to meet the main demands for non-volatile magnetic random access memory.

Delay-Optimal Random Access in Large-Scale Energy Harvesting IoT Networks Based on Mean Field Game

With energy harvesting capability, the Internet of things(IoT) devices transmit data depending on their available energy, which leads to a more complicated coupling and brings new technical challenges to delay optimization. In this paper,we study the delay-optimal random access(RA) in large-scale energy harvesting IoT networks. We model a two-dimensional Markov decision process(MDP)to address the coupling between the data and energy queues, and adopt the mean field game(MFG) theory to reveal the coupling among the devices by utilizing the large-scale property. Specifically, to obtain the optimal access strategy for each device, we derive the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman(HJB) equation which requires the statistical information of other devices.Moreover, to model the evolution of the states distribution in the system, we derive the Fokker-PlanckKolmogorov(FPK) equation based on the access strategy of devices. By solving the two coupled equations,we obtain the delay-optimal random access solution in an iterative manner with Lax-Friedrichs method. Finally, the simulation results show that the proposed scheme achieves significant performance gain compared with the conventional schemes.

Three-Dimensional Simulations of RESET Operation in Phase-Change Random Access Memory with Blade-Type Like Phase Change Layer by Finite Element Modeling

An optimized device structure for reducing the RESET current of phase-change random access memory （PCRAM） with blade-type like （BTL） phase change layer is proposed. The electrical thermal analysis of the BTL cell and the blade heater contactor structure by three-dimensional finite element modeling are compared with each other during RESET operation. The simulation results show that the programming region of the phase change layer in the BTL cell is much smaller, and thermal electrical distributions of the BTL cell are more concentrated on the TiN/GST interface. The results indicate that the BTL cell has the superiorities of increasing the heating efficiency, decreasing the power consumption and reducing the RESET current from 0.67mA to 0.32mA. Therefore, the BTL cell will be appropriate for high performance PCRAM device with lower power consumption and lower RESET current.

Universal memory based on phase-change materials:From phase-change random access memory to optoelectronic hybrid storage

The era of information explosion is coming and information need to be continuously stored and randomly accessed over long-term periods,which constitute an insurmountable challenge for existing data centers.At present,computing devices use the von Neumann architecture with separate computing and memory units,which exposes the shortcomings of“memory bottleneck”.Nonvolatile memristor can realize data storage and in-memory computing at the same time and promises to overcome this bottleneck.Phase-change random access memory(PCRAM)is called one of the best solutions for next generation non-volatile memory.Due to its high speed,good data retention,high density,low power consumption,PCRAM has the broad commercial prospects in the in-memory computing application.In this review,the research progress of phase-change materials and device structures for PCRAM,as well as the most critical performances for a universal memory,such as speed,capacity,and power consumption,are reviewed.By comparing the advantages and disadvantages of phase-change optical disk and PCRAM,a new concept of optoelectronic hybrid storage based on phase-change material is proposed.Furthermore,its feasibility to replace existing memory technologies as a universal memory is also discussed as well.

Catalyzing Random Access at Physical Layer for Internet of Things:An Intelligence Enabled User Signature Code Acquisition Approach

Exploiting random access for the underlying connectivity provisioning has great potential to incorporate massive machine-type communication(MTC)devices in an Internet of Things(Io T)network.However,massive access attempts from versatile MTC devices may bring congestion to the IIo T network,thereby hindering service increasing of IIo T applications.In this paper,an intelligence enabled physical(PHY-)layer user signature code acquisition(USCA)algorithm is proposed to overcome the random access congestion problem with reduced signaling and control overhead.In the proposed scheme,the detector aims at approximating the optimal observation on both active user detection and user data reception by iteratively learning and predicting the convergence of the user signature codes that are in active.The crossentropy based low-complexity iterative updating rule is present to guarantee that the proposed USCA algorithm is computational feasible.A closed-form bit error rate(BER)performance analysis is carried out to show the efficiency of the proposed intelligence USCA algorithm.Simulation results confirm that the proposed USCA algorithm provides an inherent tradeoff between performance and complexity and allows the detector achieves an approximate optimal performance with a reasonable computational complexity.

An Improved Random Access Scheme for M2M Communications

In this study, an improved random access(RA) scheme for Machine-to-Machine(M2M) communications is proposed. The improved RA scheme is realized by two steps. First, the improved RA scheme achieves a reasonable resource tradeoff between physical random access channel(PRACH) and physical uplink shared channel(PUSCH). To realize a low-complexity resource allocation between PRACH and PUSCH, a boundary of traffic load is derived to divide the number of active M2 M users(UEs) into multiple intervals. The corresponding resource allocation for these intervals is determined by e NB. Then the resource allocation for other number of UEs can be obtained from the allocation of these intervals with less computation. Second, the access barring on arrival rate of new UEs is introduced in the improved RA scheme to reduce the expected delay. Numerical results show that the proposed improved RA scheme can realize a low-complexity resource allocation between PRACH and PUSCH. Meanwhile, the expected delay can be effectively reduced by access barring on arriving rate of new M2 M UEs.

Random Access and Resource Allocation for the Coexistence of NOMA-Based and OMA-Based M2M Communications

In the future fifth generation(5G) systems,non-orthogonal multiple access(NOMA) is a promising technology that can greatly enhance the network capacity compared to orthogonal multiple access(OMA) .In this paper,we propose a novel random access(RA) and resource allocation scheme for the coexistence of NOMA-based and OMAbased machine-to-machine(M2M) communications,which aims at improving the number of successful data packet transmissions and guaranteeing the quality of service(Qo S) (e.g.,the minimum data rate requirement) for M2 M communications.The algorithm of joint user equipment(UE) paring and power allocation is proposed for the coexisting RA(i.e.,the coexistence of NOMA-based RA and OMA-based RA) .The resource allocation for the coexisting RA is investigated,thus improving the number of successful data packet transmissions by more efficiently using the radio resources.Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed RA and resource allocation scheme outperforms the conventional RA in terms of the number of successful data packet transmissions,thus is a promising technology in future M2 M communications.

Total ionizing radiation-induced read bit-errors in toggle magnetoresistive random-access memory devices

The 1-Mb and 4-Mb commercial toggle magnetoresistive random-access memories（MRAMs） with 0.13 μm and 0.18-μm complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor（CMOS） process respectively and different magnetic tunneling junctions（MTJs） are irradiated with a Cobalt-60 gamma source. The electrical functions of devices during the irradiation and the room temperature annealing behavior are measured. Electrical failures are observed until the dose accumulates to 120-krad（Si） in 4-Mb MRAM while the 1-Mb MRAM keeps normal. Thus, the 0.13-μm process circuit exhibits better radiation tolerance than the 0.18-μm process circuit. However, a small quantity of read bit-errors randomly occurs only in 1-Mb MRAM during the irradiation while their electrical function is normal. It indicates that the store states of MTJ may be influenced by gamma radiation, although the electrical transport and magnetic properties are inherently immune to the radiation. We propose that the magnetic Compton scattering in the interaction of gamma ray with magnetic free layer may be the origin of the read bit-errors. Our results are useful for MRAM toward space application.