Renavikar, Ajit Anand.

Software simulations of a scaleable VLSI implementable architecture and algorithm for character recognition by a research group at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) have shown encouraging results. We address here hardware implementation issues pertinent to the classification phase of character recognition. Using the digit classification techniques developed at FAU as a foundation, we have designed and simulated general purpose building blocks useful for a possible implementation of a Digital & Analog CMOS VLSI chip that is suitable for a variety of artificial neural network (ANN) architectures. HSPICE was used to perform circuit-level simulations of the building blocks. We present here the details of implementation of the recognition chip including the architecture, circuit design and the simulation results.

A study of the stress distribution in and fracture behavior of the hermetic glass seal in a typical Integrated Circuit package is presented herein. Finite Element Analysis and Fracture Mechanics approaches were found effective for this investigation. A prescribed load or displacement applied at the tip of the lead protruding from the package causes high stresses at the lead-glass interface, which can lead to cracking and fracture of the seal. An approach for finding the value of the allowable load or displacement applicable at the lead tip is discussed. A correlation with a standard crack shape is presented for the 3-D model of the package. An extension of the problem revealing the effects of crack propagation on the stress intensity factor for the glass material is presented in later chapters. The J-integral method from Fracture Mechanics is found to be extremely useful for this investigation. A decline in the stress intensity factor with crack growth was observed from this study.