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An extension of the Schwarz‐Christoffel transformation is described to formally map polygons which contain curved boundaries. The curved boundaries are divided into small ‘curved elements’ and each element is approximated by a second degree polynomial (higher degree polynomials can also be used). The iterative algorithm of evaluating the unknown constants of the basic S‐C transformation described in a companion paper is applied to the extended S‐C transformation to compute its unknown constants, including the coefficients of the polynomials. Excellent results are achieved as far as accuracy and convergence are concerned. Examples including a practical application, are provided. The mapping of curved polygons is important because they provide a better model of a physical device.

An iterative algorithm is described to compute Schwarz‐Christoffel transformations which map the upper half of a complex plane into the interior of a polygon in another complex plane. An efficient method of numerically integrating the S‐C integral over the singularities is presented. The algorithm is easily programmable in FORTRAN. Convergence rate is high and accuracy is excellent. Examples are provided and wherever possible, analytically obtained results are also presented for comparison. The importance of the algorithm is described and a brief comparison with some of the existing algorithms is made. Potential application of the S‐C transformation are in the solution of Laplace's and Poisson's equation in two‐dimensional domains with polygonal boundary.

Finite difference and finite element methods have serious limitations when applied to unbounded regions. This paper describes a hybrid method which uses a conformal transformation to map the original boundaries, including those at infinity, to a bounded region and only then applies a numerical method based on finite differences or finite elements when no direct solution is obvious. Testing this approach by means of examples for which exact solutions are obtainable, the hybrid method is applied to determine the electrical potential at specific points in the field of a capacitor with long plates that in their cross‐sectional view are parallel to each other, and in the field of a microstrip line at some distance from it. In both the cases, the results are in agreement with analytically derived results. The method is simple, readily applied by undergraduate students, yet accurate and thus of use in professional engineering work as well.

Finite difference method (FDM) is a very useful and simple tool in determining electrical potential field of two‐dimensional geometries, such as integrated circuit (IC) planar resistors. It is very accurate and its accuracy can be easily controlled by changing the grid size. One limitation of the FDM, however, is that it computes potentials at predetermined grid points only. Unlike the finite element method (FEM), it does not compute potential functions that can be used to interpolate potentials at the points that are not located at the grid, or to use these functions in determining other quantities based upon the computed potential such as electric field intensity. This paper describes a method that is a combination of the FDM and FEM. It retains the simplicity and accuracy of the FDM. Yet, like the FEM, it provides potential functions that can be used for interpolation and post‐processing of potential. The combined FDM‐FEM method is used to determine the potential functions of an IC planar resistor. The results are in agreement with analytically derived results. The approach we have developed is simple yet accurate and thus of use in professional engineering work.

The problem of determining the optimal location and length of a slit to obtain a desired value of resistance in polygonal integrated circuit thin‐film resistors prior to laser trimming them has applications in IC fabrication technology. The optimal location of the slit can be determined which gives minimum changes in the value of the resistance for small variations in the length of the slit. This can lead to fabrication of highly accurate resistors. Another criterion for optimality can be the location of the slit which will result in the smallest length of the slit. This can lead to a faster and cheaper IC fabrication process. In this paper, the author describes a method of numerical conformal mapping for computing the length of a slit to obtain the desired value of resistance and the near optimal location of the slit when the shape of the polygon is given. Depending upon the optimality criterion chosen, the near optimal location of the slit will either reduce the variations in the value of resistance for small variations in the length of the slit which may be caused by tolerance in the laser trimming system or will give a smaller length of the slit. The extended Schwarz‐Christoffel transformation developed by the author and others will be used when polygons with curved segments are encountered.

In this paper, we study the effect on the performance of a single supply low voltage operational amplifier due to such a mismatch.

We start with a given set of specifications and design a MOSFET based operational amplifier meeting those specifications. We then compute various parameters of the operational amplifier using PSPICE to verify that the amplifier meets the specifications. We create mismatch in three characteristics of differential pair MOSFETs: zero biased threshold voltage (V_th0), channel length (L) and process transconductance parameter (K). The effect of the mismatch on two performance parameters: (a) differential mode gain and (b) output DC voltage is then studied.

The effects of mismatch in MOSFET characteristics on the performance of single supply low voltage operational amplifiers are studied. Circuit designers can use the results to design operational amplifiers and other analog circuits to minimize the effects of such a mismatch on the performance of their circuits. In some cases, such a mismatch may even be desirable to obtain a desired performance from the circuit.

Circuit designers can use the results to design operational amplifiers and other analog circuits to minimize the effects of such a mismatch on the performance of their circuits.

Effect of mismatch of the transistor characteristics on the performance of circuits rarely reported in literature. This study is presented to aid circuit designers in designing circuits with enhanced performance.

This paper aims to present a design of a single power supply, low voltage (1.2) high performance operational amplifier using 0.13 μm technology whose characteristics are superior compared to the other designs available in the literature.

The authors set out to design an operational amplifier whose characteristics will be superior to the current available designs in the literature. Because of potential applications, a single 1.2 V supply was used. The layout was obtained using Microwind 0.13 μm technology. The design was tested using PSPICE Version 10.0. Various amplifier parameters were obtained and are compared with the other single supply, low voltage amplifiers available in the literature.

The presented amplifier has better characteristics such as open loop gain, power supply rejection ratio, common mode rejection ratio, etc.

Since, 0.13 μm, 1.2 V technology has become standard in digital VLSI design, there is a great need for high performance operational amplifiers that operate off of 1.2 V for mixed signal applications in such areas as mobile phones.

The presented amplifier has better characteristics compared to few 1.2 V supply voltage amplifiers available in the literature.

This study aimed to determine the indirect effects of transformational leadership and transactional leadership on innovation performance through the serial mediation of climate for innovation and individual creativity.

Data was collected from 139 employees working in various ICT and telecommunication industries in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The analysis results revealed positive and significant relationships between transactional leadership and the creation of a climate for innovation for individuals' creativity and innovation performance. The results also indicated employees' perceptions of a supportive climate for innovation mediation, the transformational and transactional leadership and individual’ creativity relationships.

This research suggests that investing in organizational climate improvement provides a dynamic platform for creativity and innovation in the workplace.

This study is one of the first to investigate the relationships in ICT and telecommunication organizations in a developing country, the UAE. The study includes associations between transformational and transactional leaderships and employees' sense of creativity and innovation performance and the impact of employees' perceptions of a supportive climate for innovation.

The philosophy of the conservation resource theory, this paper aims to evaluate the relationship between humble leadership on project success by integrating the mediating role of psychological empowerment and the interacting effect of top management support on the direct relationship (humble leadership and project success), as well as indirect relationships through psychological empowerment.

Time lag data were gained from 337 persons working in the project-based organization across the information technology industry. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were used in this study.

By using the structural equation modelling method, the confirmatory factor analysis verified the uniqueness of the variable used in this research. The outcomes exhibited that humble leadership raised project success both directly and indirectly through mediation (psychological empowerment). Furthermore, Top management support was expected to have a moderating effect on the direct but not on the indirect relationship (via psychological empowerment).

This study demonstrates how top management support is essential for the project manager and project team members for the successful execution of the project. Particularly, minimal empirical research examines the interacting effect of top management support on humble leadership and employee psychological empowerment.

This paper aims to understand the religio-spiritual insights of the consumers and investigate their relationship with the consumers’ attitude towards advertising and its antecedents. Religious festivals, such as Ramadan, are celebrated with high religio-spiritual contemplations, which are often targeted by intensive marketing campaigns. During these religious festivals, consumers’ attitude toward advertising is influenced when television commercials contain “unnecessary” entertainment, “inappropriate casting” of celebrities with less credibility, “cluttered” information, “phony claims” related to good for economy and “annoying content” increasing consumers’ irritation.

This study developed a higher-order construct of religio-spiritual insights and used “Theory of Reasoned Action” for measuring the effect of religio-spiritual insights on consumers’ attitude toward advertising. Exploratory sequential mixed methods research design was used to develop and validate the instrument. A total of 30 semi-structured interviews were conducted during i-depth analysis phase to generate themes and questionnaire. During instrument validation phase, 839 Muslim consumers were surveyed by using the questionnaire, and instrument was validated by using the co-variance-based structural equation modeling approach.

This study develops and validates the instrument of religio-spiritual insights and identifies its significant direct and mediating effects between the consumer’s attitude toward advertising and its determinants.

The newly developed instrument of religio-spiritual insights is based on six dimensions, namely, “beliefs and practices,” “association with higher power,” “interconnectedness,” “self-actualization,” “heart and mind involvement,” “knowledge and meanings.” This instrument of religio-spiritual insights was validated and then tested by using a conceptual framework based on the several variables, such as attitude toward advertising, irritation, good for economy, entertainment, credibility and information.