The COVID-19 pandemic evolution is accurately described by the new Pandemic Equation, which is the generalized rate equation describing the pandemic curve flattening and accounting for the mitigation measures, such as the introduction or removal of the quarantine, and for the effect of vaccination or drugs, when and if introduced. The Pandemic Equation model allows for an easy parameter extraction amenable to training Artificial Intelligence model for the automatic parameter extraction. The predictive capabilities of the Pandemic Equation are based on the parameter ranges extracted from multiple localities with well advanced pandemic evolution correlated with the mitigation measures.

Sensing applications of THz technology include applications for space exploration, detection of concealed objects, explosive identification, and THz cancer detection. This paper will review these and other emerging applications and existing and potential THz sources and detectors, including photonic and electronic THz devices, such as plasmonic field effect transistors capable of detecting and emitting THz radiation. Plasma wave electronics devices demonstrated THz detection using GaAs-based and GaN-based HEMTs, Si MOS, SOI, and FINFETs and FET arrays. This technology has potential to become a dominant THz electronics technology.

Solid-state lighting technology is now emerging as a cost-competitive,energy-efficient alternative to conventional electrical lighting. We review the history of lighting, discuss the benefits and challenges of the solid-state lighting technologies, and compare two approaches for generating white light from solid-state sources based on phosphor LEDs (which could be considered as solid-state replacement of fluorescent tubes) and multichip LED lamps,which offer many advantages, such as chromaticity control, better light quality,and higher efficiency.

Recently, the artificial "sensitive skin" concept, which incorporates intelligent, flexible large area sensor arrays along with software and data processing capabilities, has been proposed. In this paper, we report on fabrication, characterization and properties of polycrystalline semiconductor and metal films and thin-film structures chemically deposited on large area flexible substrates at low temperatures (close to room temperature). This technology will find applications for the development of the "sensitive skin". Examples are discussed using CdSe and Cu/sub x/S films.

The deposition of silicon carbide thin films and the associated technologies of impurity incorporation, etching, surface chemistry, and electrical contacts for fabrication of solid-state devices capable of operation at temperatures to 925 K are addressed. The results of several research programs in the United States, Japan and the Soviet Union, and the remaining challenges related to the development of silicon carbide for microelectronics are presented and discussed. It is concluded that the combination of alpha -SiC on alpha -SiC appears especially viable for device fabrication. In addition, considerable progress in the understanding of the surface science, ohmic and Schottky contacts, and dry etching have recently been made. The combination of these advances has allowed continual improvement in Schottky diode p-n junction, MESFET, MOSFET, HBT, and LED devices.>

A new (AlGa)As/GaAs MODFET integrated circuit simulator is described. Our simulator is a customized version of SPICE incorporating the extended charge control model for MODFET's and the velocity saturation model for ungated FET's used as the load devices. Comparison of our simulator results with the measured data show good agreement for both dc and transient responses. We also propose a set of analytically derived design guidelines for MODFET inverter stages. Design parameters such as the optimum ratio of driver to load saturation currents, noise margins and switching delays can be readily related to the device process parameters. Our simulation results indicate that the inverter speed increases with increasing driver threshold voltages but there is an optimum threshold voltage, of approximately 0.4 V for our devices, which provide the highest noise margin.

Parameters of a DCFL inverter, such as propagation delay, inverter gain, switching voltage, output voltage levels and noise margins, are related (in an analytical form) to the parameters of the switching transistor and load transistor, such as the load saturation current, the switching transistor threshold voltage, the load and switching transistor output conductances, etc., and to the gate fan-in and fan-out. The results demonstrate tradeoffs between the noise margins, propagation delay and power consumption and are in reasonable agreement with experimental data for GaAs self-aligned inverters and with the results of circuit simulation of DCFL inverters and ring oscillators.