Zinc sulfide (ZnS) thin films prepared using the chemical bath deposition (CBD) method have demonstrated great viability in various uses, encompassing photonics, field emission devices, field emitters, sensors, electroluminescence devices, optoelectronic devices, and are crucial as buffer layers of solar cells. These semiconducting thin films for industrial and research applications are popular among researchers. CBD appears attractive due to its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, low energy consumption, low-temperature compatibility, and superior uniformity for large-area deposition. However, numerous parameters influence the CBD mechanism and the quality of the thin films. This study offers a comprehensive review of the impact of various parameters that can affect different properties of ZnS films grown on CBD. This paper provides an extensive review of the film growth and structural and optical properties of ZnS thin films influenced by various parameters, which include complexing agents, the concentration ratio of the reactants, stirring speed, humidity, deposition temperature, deposition time, pH value, precursor types, and annealing temperature environments. Various studies screened the key influences on the CBD parameters concerning the quality of the resulting films. This work will motivate researchers to provide additional insight into the preparation of ZnS thin films using CBD to optimize this deposition method to its fullest potential.

The memristor-based arbiter PUF (APUF) has great potential to be used for hardware security purposes. Its advantage is in its challenge-dependent delays, which cannot be modeled by machine learning algorithms. In this paper, further improvement is proposed, which are circuit configurations to the memristor-based APUF. Two configuration aspects were introduced namely varying the number of memristor per transistor, and the number of challenge and response bits. The purpose of the configurations is to introduce additional variation to the PUF, thereby improve PUF performance in terms of uniqueness, uniformity, and bit-aliasing; as well as resistance against support vector machine (SVM). Monte Carlo simulations were carried out on 180 nm and 130 nm, where both CMOS technologies have produced uniqueness, uniformity, and bit-aliasing values close to the ideal 50%; as well as SVM prediction accuracies no higher than 52.3%, therefore indicating excellent PUF performance.

The ring oscillator physically unclonable function (ROPUF) is one of the several types of PUF that has great potential to be used for security purposes. An alternative ROPUF design is proposed with two major differences. Firstly, the memristor is included in the ring oscillators as it is claimed to produce a more random oscillation frequency. Other reasons are its memory-like properties and variable memristance, relative compatibility with CMOS, and small size. Secondly, a different method of generating the response is implemented whereby a sequence of selection of ring oscillator pairs are used to generate a multiple bit response, rather than using only one ring oscillator pair to generate a single bit response. This method significantly expands the set of challenge-response pairs. The proposed memristor-based ROPUF shows 48.57%, 51.43%, and 51.43% for uniqueness, uniformity, and bit-aliasing, respectively. Also, modelling by support vector machine (SVM) on the proposed memristor-based ROPUF only shows 61.95% accuracy, thereby indicating strong resistance against SVM.

Cryptographic applications require numbers that are random and pseudorandom. Keys must be produced in a random manner in order to be used in common cryptosystems. Random or pseudorandom inputs at different terminals are also required in a lot of cryptographic protocols. For example, producing digital signatures using supporting quantities or in verification procedures that requires generating challenges. Random number generation is an important part of cryptography because there are flaws in random number generation that can be taken advantage by attackers that compromised encryption systems that are algorithmically secure. True random number generators (TRNGs) are the best in producing random numbers. This paper presents a True Random Number Generator that uses memristor based ring oscillators in the design. The designs are implemented in 0.18 µm complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology using LT SPICE IV. Different window functions for the memristor model was applied to the TRNG and compared. Statistical tests results of the output random numbers produced showed that the proposed TRNG design can produce random output regardless of the window function.

Engineering textbooks are specialized in nature, containing technical terminology which can be challenging to learners. For better comprehension of engineering concepts, there is a need for bridging the language gap by focusing on the frequently used and important engineering vocabulary. Most English Language Teaching (ELT) teachers do not necessary possess the specialist language in the field of engineering which can be rather confusing to them. It has been reported that Malaysian engineering textbooks (syllabus) were not written based on any word lists or corpora. Hence, learners require the language needed in the field of engineering – English for Engineering Purposes (EEP). To meet this requirement, specialised engineering textbooks were studied to specify the meaningful lexical components which can facilitate learners to assimilate into their discourse community. In the field of civil engineering, there is no exception that learners too need to understand the composition of words found in their textbooks. This study shows the exact word lists and suggests what learners and teachers can do to learn the “language of civil engineering”.

For the past few years, natural disaster has been the subject of debate in disaster management especially in flood disaster. Each year, natural disaster results in significant loss of life, destruction of homes and public infrastructure, and economic hardship. Hence, an effective and efficient flood disaster management would assure non-futile efforts for life saving. The aim of this article is to examine the relationship between approach, decision maker, influence factor, result, and ethic to decision making for flood disaster management in Malaysia. The key elements of decision making in the disaster management were studied based on the literature. Questionnaire surveys were administered among lead agencies at East Coast of Malaysia in the state of Kelantan and Pahang. A total of 307 valid responses had been obtained for further analysis. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were carried out to analyse the measurement model involved in the study. The CFA for second-order reflective and first-order reflective measurement model indicates that approach, decision maker, influence factor, result, and ethic have a significant and direct effect on decision making during disaster. The results from this study showed that decision- making during disaster is an important element for disaster management to necessitate a successful collaborative decision making. The measurement model is accepted to proceed with further analysis known as Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and can be assessed for the future research.