Search results for "CMOS"
showing 10 items of 120 documents
Monolithic integration of GMR sensors for standard CMOS-IC current sensing
2017
Abstract In this work we report on the development of Giant Magnetoresistive (GMR) sensors for off-line current measurements in standard integrated circuits. An ASIC has been specifically designed and fabricated in the well-known AMS-0.35 μm CMOS technology, including the electronic circuitry for sensor interfacing. It implements an oscillating circuit performing a voltage-to-frequency conversion. Subsequently, a fully CMOS-compatible low temperature post-process has been applied for depositing the GMR sensing devices in a full-bridge configuration onto the buried current straps. Sensitivity and resolution of these sensors have been investigated achieving experimental results that show a de…
Quasi-digital conversion for resistive devices: application in GMR-based IC current sensors
2013
Resistive devices, including sensors, are used in a huge range of applications within different scenarios. When a complete system is considered, a quasi-digital output is often recommendable. If the conversion is operated at device level, some problems such as noise disturbs, insertion losses and so on, can be reduced. In this work, we describe a resistance-tofrequency (R-f) converter with a suggested application in low current monitoring by means of GiantMagnetoResistance (GMR) sensors. Specific devices have been designed and microfabricated. The system has been tested by means of discrete components with a PCB. The complete microsystem monolithic integration in a standard CMOS technology …
Reconfigurable dualband antenna module with integrated high voltage charge pump and digital analog converter
2014
Integration of a reconfigurable antenna module for handheld applications employing a set of novel technologies is demonstrated. A low profile dualband hybrid dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) based on glass-ceramics and a tunable matching network (TMN) based on ferroelectric varactors with a maximum biasing of 90V form a reconfigurable antenna module. The control of the antenna module is performed by a 120V CMOS high voltage (HV) charge pump with an 8-bit digital analog (D/A) converter generated from a 3.7V battery. Adaptive impedance matching at the lower band of 1.9 GHz is carried out by the TMN when the dualband antenna is exposed to different operation scenarios. Meanwhile, the upper b…
Magnetic Field Sensors Based on Giant Magnetoresistance (GMR) Technology: Applications in Electrical Current Sensing
2009
The 2007 Nobel Prize in Physics can be understood as a global recognition to the rapid development of the Giant Magnetoresistance (GMR), from both the physics and engineering points of view. Behind the utilization of GMR structures as read heads for massive storage magnetic hard disks, important applications as solid state magnetic sensors have emerged. Low cost, compatibility with standard CMOS technologies and high sensitivity are common advantages of these sensors. This way, they have been successfully applied in a lot different environments. In this work, we are trying to collect the Spanish contributions to the progress of the research related to the GMR based sensors covering, among o…
Synergistic Use of Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy and Photoelectrochemical Measurements for Studying Solid State Properties of Anodic HfO2
2017
Within the past years, intense research has been carried out on HfO2 as high k material, promising candidate to replace SiO2 as gate dielectric in CMOS based devices (1), and as metal oxide for resistive random access memory (ReRAM) (2). For both technological applications compact, uniform and flat oxides are necessary, and a detailed understanding of their physical properties as a function of the fabrication conditions is strongly. Hafnia performance can be significantly influenced by carrier trapping taking place at pre-existing precursors states (induced by oxygen vacancies, interstitial ions, impurities acting as dopants), or by self-trapping in a perfect lattice, where the potential we…
Sub-mA current measurement by means of GMR sensors and state of the art lock-in amplifiers
2015
Electric current measurement at the range of μA in integrated circuit has been traditionally carried out by micro-electronically engineered systems, such as current mirrors or charging capacitors. However, off-line, i.e., non-intrusive methods provide advantages related to size and power consumption. In this sense, giant magnetoresistance (GMR) magnetic sensors are optimal due to their sensitivity and CMOS compatibility. In this work, we make use of specifically designed CMOS GMR-based current sensors in combination with a custom electronic interface based on a low-voltage low-power lock-in amplifier, demonstrating the capability of this combination for current measurement in the range of μ…
Optimum design of two-level MCML gates
2008
In this paper, we address the problem of the optimum design of two-level MOS Current Mode Logic (MCML) gates. In particular, we describe a design methodology based on the concept of crossing-point current already introduced for the optimum design of single-level MCML gates. This methodology is suited both for automated implementation and graphic estimate of the optimum design. Moreover, it clearly shows how some important design parameters affect the optimum values of delay and power consumption. Several gates were designed in an IBM 130 nm CMOS technology. The results of SPICE simulations, reported here, demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed design methodology.
Low-Power Design of Delay Interpolating VCO
2008
In this paper, a design methodology for low-power MCML based delay interpolating VCOs is presented. The methodology allows a fast and accurate graphical evaluation of the optimum design. It utilizes two closed form expressions for the upper and lower oscillation frequencies of the VCO. An expression of the tuning range is also derived. The effectiveness of the proposed design methodology has been tested by simulating several VCOs in an IBM 0.13 mum CMOS technology.
Taking Advantage of Selective Change Driven Processing for 3D Scanning
2013
This article deals with the application of the principles of SCD (Selective Change Driven) vision to 3D laser scanning. Two experimental sets have been implemented: one with a classical CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) sensor, and the other one with a recently developed CMOS SCD sensor for comparative purposes, both using the technique known as Active Triangulation. An SCD sensor only delivers the pixels that have changed most, ordered by the magnitude of their change since their last readout. The 3D scanning method is based on the systematic search through the entire image to detect pixels that exceed a certain threshold, showing the SCD approach to be ideal for this applicat…
Giant Magnetoresistance (GMR) sensors for 0.35µm CMOS technology sub-mA current sensing
2014
This paper reports on the design and fabrication of microelectronic structures for non-invasive indirect electric current sensing at the IC level. A 0.35 ?m CMOS ASIC has been specifically developed for this purpose. Then, a low temperature post-process, fully compatible with the CMOS technology, has been applied for depositing Giant Magnetoresistive (GMR) sensors. Preliminary experimental results for obtaining the sensitivity of the devices are presented. The detection limit is estimated to be about 5 ?A.