Novel Built-In Current-Sensor-Based $I_{rm DDQ}$ Testing Scheme for CMOS Integrated Circuits

This paper presents a new built-in current sensor (BICS)-based $I_{rm DDQ}$ testing scheme for complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuits (ICs). The proposed BICS will employ short detection times and low power dissipation to effectively ensure the reliability of the BICS and reduce the impact of the circuit under test (CUT) during testing. In addition, an $I_{rm DDQ}$ testing scheme based on the proposed BICS for detecting the abnormal quiescent current is presented. A 16-kB CMOS static random access memory (SRAM) is used as the CUT in this paper to discuss the testing considerations, including fault models and the $I_{rm DDQ}$ testing strategy. The simulation results show that the proposed BICS has a much improved performance compared with that in previous works. In addition, the physical chip design of the proposed BICS-based $I_{rm DDQ}$ testing scheme for SRAM testing applications is also implemented using the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) 0.18-$mu hbox{m}$ CMOS technology. The test results show that 100% fault coverage can be achieved with only a 1.23% area overhead penalty.      

A 1.2-V CMOS $RC$ Oscillator for Capacitive and Resistive Sensor Applications

An accurate self-adjusting CMOS $RC$ oscillator for capacitive and resistive sensor applications has been designed and manufactured. The oscillator operates with supply voltages from 1.2 to 3 V and achieves an internal accuracy of $pm$ 0.7% with a temperature range from $-20 ^{circ}hbox{C}$ to 60 $^{circ}hbox{C}$. The $RC$ oscillator was fabricated in a 0.35- $muhbox{m}$ standard n-well CMOS process with threshold voltages of 0.5 and $-$0.65 V. Its design and operation are described, and results of measurements performed on the fabricated chips are presented.      

Novel Carbon Dioxide Microsensor Based on Tin Oxide Nanomaterial Doped With Copper Oxide

Carbon dioxide $({rm CO}_{2})$ is one of the major indicators of fire and therefore its measurement is very important for low-false-alarm fire detection and emissions monitoring. However, only a limited number of ${rm CO}_{2}$ sensing materials exist due to the high chemical stability of ${rm CO}_{2}$. In this work, a novel ${rm CO}_{2}$ microsensor based on nanocrystalline tin oxide $({rm SnO}_{2})$ doped with copper oxide (CuO) has been successfully demonstrated. The ${rm CuO}hbox{-}{rm SnO}_{2}$ based ${rm CO}_{2}$ microsensors are fabricated by means of microelectromechanical systems technology and sol-gel nanomaterial-synthesis processes. At a doping level of ${rm CuO}:{rm SnO}_{2} =1:8$ (molar ratio), the resistance of the sensor has a linear response to ${rm CO}_{2}$ concentrations for the range of 1% to 4% ${rm CO}_{2}$ in air at 450$^{circ}{rm C}$. This approach has demonstrated the use of ${rm SnO}_{2}$, typically used for the detection of reducing gases, in the detection of an oxidizing gas.      

On-Chip Voltage Reference-Based Time-to-Digital Converter for Pulsed Time-of-Flight Laser Radar Measurements

A fully integrated time-to-digital converter (TDC) for a pulsed time-of-flight laser rangefinder has been designed and fabricated by a standard 0.18-$muhbox{m}$ CMOS process. The time-to-digital conversion is realized by counting the full clock cycles of an on-chip ring oscillator between timing signals and by recording the state of its 12 phases at the moment of arrival of the timing signals and their delayed replicas. The frequency of the oscillator is stabilized to an on-chip voltage reference by means of a frequency-to-voltage-converter-based feedback loop. The resolution and single-shot precision (standard deviation) of the TDC are $sim$60 ps and less than $sim$50 ps, respectively, in a range of 80 ns. The worst-case temperature dependence of the TDC is less than 50 $hbox{ppm}/^{circ}hbox{C}$ in the temperature range of 0 $^{circ}hbox{C}$ to 70 $^{circ}hbox{C}$, corresponding to 0.6 $hbox{mm}/^{circ}hbox{C}$ at a distance of 12 m (80 ns). The power consumption of the TDC is less than 18 mW.      

Electrical Transport in a Semimetal–Semiconductor Nanocomposite

Measurements are presented on the low-field electrical conductivity and moderate-field current–voltage characteristics in a nanocomposite structure of ErAs particles in an $hbox{In}_{0.53}hbox{Ga}_{0.47}hbox{As}$ host with Be compensation. The electrical conductivity displays strong temperature dependence with two types of transport mechanisms. At ${sim}hbox{205}$ K and above, the low-field conductivity appears to be dominated by free electrons in $hbox{In}_{0.53}hbox{Ga}_{0.47}hbox{As}$. Between 55 and 205 K, the conductivity is well explained by variable-range hopping, $sigma = A exp(-B/T^{1/4}$), via Mott's law. The transport displays a soft breakdown effect at moderate bias fields that grows in threshold field with decreasing temperature. This is attributed to impact ionization of the Be dopants.      

Improvement of Electrical Properties of $hbox{Ba}_{{bf 0.7}}hbox{Sr}_{bf 0.3}hbox{TiO}_{bf 3}$ Capacitors With an Inserted Nano-Cr Interlayer

The metal–insulator–metal (MIM) capacitors were prepared with $hbox{Ba}_{0.7}hbox{Sr}_{0.3}hbox{TiO}_{3}hbox{/Cr/Ba}_{0.7}hbox{Sr}_{0.3}hbox{TiO}_{3}$ (BST/Cr/BST) dielectric and Pt electrode. The multilayer BST/Cr/BST was sputtered onto $hbox{Pt/Ti/SiO}_{2}hbox{/Si}$ substrate. The presence of nano-Cr interlayer affects the electrical properties of the capacitors. The temperature coefficient of capacitance (TCC) of capacitors with 2 nm Cr is about 69% of that of capacitors without Cr. In a previous work, the formation of the $hbox{TiO}_{2}$ secondary phase was found after the BST/Cr/BST dielectrics were annealed at 1023 K in $hbox{O}_{2}$ atmosphere for 1 h. It is suggested that the nano-Cr interlayer as a catalyst leads to the $hbox{TiO}_{2}$ formation during the annealing in $hbox{O}_{2}$ atmosphere. The negative value of TCC of BST can be compensated by the positive TCC of $hbox{TiO}_{2}$, and the temperature stability in the dielectric constant can be realized for capacitors with nano-Cr interlayer. The voltage stability of BST is also improved with the insertion of nano-Cr interlayer, and the quadratic coefficient in voltage coefficient of capacitance (VCC) of Pt/BST/Cr(2 nm)/BST/Pt is about 30% of that of the BST capacitor without Cr. The effects of Cr thickness on TCC, VCC, dissipation factor, and leakage current density of Pt/BST/Cr/BST/Pt parallel plate capacitors are investigated.      

Establishment of All Digital Closed-Loop Interferometric Fiber-Optic Gyroscope and Scale Factor Comparison for Open-Loop and All Digital Closed-Loop Configurations

This paper covers the design details of an all digital closed-loop interferometric fiber-optic gyroscope (ADCL-IFOG) prototype, constructed in TUBITAK UME, and scale factor comparison between open-loop and ADCL-IFOG prototypes with sine wave biasing modulation. The output of demodulation circuit, proportional to the applied rotation rate, was sampled by AD7714YN analog-to-digital converter (ADC), operated in 16 bit resolution. Error voltage, generated by microcomputer – controlled LTC 1667CG, 14 bit digital to analog converter (DAC), was sent to the phase modulator through a linear summing circuit to make Sagnac Phase Shift zero, depending on the rotation direction. For this implementation, the ultimate rotation rate of 1.84 ($^{circ}/{hbox{h}}$ ) was nullified. The averaged sensitivity of the proposed closed-loop IFOG in unit of error voltage applied to the phase modulator was determined as 132.65 $mu hbox{V}/(^{circ}/{hbox{h}}$ ). The scale factors of both the open-loop and ADCL-IFOG prototypes were compared in a range of 1–15270 ( $^{circ}/hbox{h}$) rotation rate, corresponding to Sagnac Phase Shifts varying from 0.00115 ( $^{circ}$) to 17.57448 ( $^{circ}$). The maximum peak to peak noise and the bias stability of ADCL-IFOG prototype were determined as 4.97 ($^{circ}/hbox{h}$ ) and 1.48 ($^{circ}/hbox{h}$ ) at 23.0$~^{circ}hbox{C}$ , respectively.      

Development of a High-k Pr $_{2}$O $_{3}$ Sensing Membrane for pH-ISFET Application

In order to develop a pH sensor having a good pH-sensing characteristic, electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor capacitors using a high-k Pr$_{2}$O$_{3}$ thin film as the sensing membrane were fabricated on silicon substrates by reactive radio frequency sputtering. The structural and morphological features of these films with annealing at various temperatures were studied by X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The Pr$_{2}$O $_{3}$ sensing film after annealing at 900$;^{circ}$C is suggested to the increase in the interfacial SiO $_{2}$ and silicate formation, and the high surface roughness. Therefore, a physical vapor deposition Pr$_{2}$O $_{3}$ film is adopted as a new pH-sensing layer. The result produces a pH response of 52.9 mV/pH $({rm pH}=2hbox{--}12)$, a hysteresis voltage of 17.5 mV $({rm pH}=7 to 4 to 7to 10 to 7)$, and a drift rate of 2.15 mV/h (${rm pH}=7$ buffer solution).      

Optimization of Spin-Valve Structure NiFe/Cu/NiFe/IrMn for Planar Hall Effect Based Biochips

This paper deals with the planar Hall effect (PHE) of Ta(5)/NiFe$(t_{rm F})$/Cu(1.2)/NiFe$(t_{rm P})$/IrMn(15)/Ta(5) (nm) spin-valve structures. Experimental investigations are performed for 50 $mu$m$times hbox{50} mu$m junctions with various thicknesses of free layer ( $t_{rm F} = 4, 8, 10, 12, 16, 26$ nm) and pinned layer ($t_{rm P} = 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 12$ nm). The results show that the thicker free layers, the higher PHE signal is observed. In addition, the thicker pinned layers lower PHE signal. The highest PHE sensitivity $S$ of 196 $mu$V/(kA/m) is obtained in the spin-valve configuration with $t_{rm F} = 26$ nm and $t_{bf P} = 1$ nm. The results are discussed in terms of the spin twist as well as to the coherent rotation of the magnetization in the individual ferromagnetic layers. This optimization is rather promising for the spintronic biochip developments.      

Comparison of Alternative Techniques for Characterizing Magnetostriction and Inverse Magnetostriction in Magnetic Thin Films

We compare the direct and inverse techniques of measuring magnetostriction in magnetic thin films. We chose a set of four magnetic thin film samples (Co$_{95}$Fe$_5$, Co$_{60}$Fe$_{20}$B$_{20}$, Ni$_{65}$Fe$_{15}$Co$_{20}$, and Ni$_{80}$Fe$_{20}$) for the measurements, representing positive and negative magnetostriction and having saturation magnetostriction of magnitudes ranging from $10^{-7}$ to $10^{-5}$. We made the direct measurements on a high-precision optical cantilever beam system, and we carried out the inverse magnetostriction measurements on a nondestructive inductive $Bhbox{-}H$ looper with three-point bending stage.      

A Study of the Electrochemical Behavior of Poly [N-Vinyl Carbazole] Formed on Carbon-Fiber Microelectrodes and Its Response to Dopamine

N-vinyl carbazole (NVCz) random polymers were electrochemically coated onto micron-size carbon fibers in lithium perchlorate/acetonitrile $({hbox {LiClO}}_{4} /{hbox {ACN}})$, sodium perchlorate/acetonitrile $({hbox {NaClO}}_{4} /{hbox {ACN}})$, and tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate/acetonitrile $({hbox {TEABF}}_{4} /{hbox {ACN}})$ solutions in order to form dopamine-sensing layers on the carbon fiber microelectrodes (CFMEs). The resulting micron-thick polymer films were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared reflectance spectroscopy. Electrocoating of polymeric film was performed by three different electrochemical methods such as cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometric and chronopotentiometric polarizations. These modified CFMEs were tested against dopamine by applying only cyclovoltammetric techniques. Under optimum experimental conditions, the electrode shows a reversible and stable behavior during 24 days in a 0.1-M ${hbox {TEABF}}_{4} /{hbox {ACN}}$ solution and, hence, can be considered as a promising sensor for dopamine detection. The dopamine detection limit as low as 0.01 nM (3S/N) was obtained for the polymer film formed among applied cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and chronopotentiometry. The polymer film was demonstrated to offer high selectivity toward dopamine detection in the presence of ascorbic acid.      

Measurement of Rapid Temperature Profiles Using Thermoluminescent Microparticles

The thermal history of a material with initially filled trap states may be probed using thermoluminescence. Since luminescent microparticles are composed of robust oxides, they are viable candidates for sensing temperature under conditions where all other types of direct-contact sensors fail. ${rm Mg}_{2}{rm SiO}_{4}:{rm Tb},{rm Co}$ particles with two thermoluminescent peaks have been heated using micromachined heaters over a 232 $~^{circ} hbox{C}$ to 313 $~^{circ} hbox{C}$ range on time scales of less than 200 ms. The effect of maximum temperature during excitation on the intensity ratio of the two luminescent peaks has been compared with first-order kinetics theory and shown to match within an average error of 4.4%.      

Effect of Factors on Coercivity in Sr–La–Co Sintered Ferrite Magnets

We varied the composition and sintering temperature of Sr–La–Co ferrite magnets to analyze the effects of various important factors on coercivity $(H_{rm cJ})$. We examined the effects of crystal grain size and distribution, the mechanism of magnetization reversal, the degree of crystal grain orientation (OD), and the anisotropy field $(H_{rm A})$ on $H_{rm cJ}$. We proposed an equation based on the experimental results that expresses the measured $H_{rm cJ}$ and considers these effects as $H_{rm cJ} = C_{rm t}(0.4/R_{rm h})$ OD $(H_{rm A} - H_{rm d} - H_{rm in})$, where $C_{rm t}, R_{rm h}, H_{rm d}$, and $H_{rm in}$ are the crystal grain size effects on $H_{rm cJ}$ of sintered magnet, rotational hysteresis integral corresponding to the mechanism of magnetization reversal, demagnetizing field of shape anisotropy, and interaction field between crystal grains, respectively. We found that apart from the volume ratio for single-domain crystal grains and $H_{rm A}$, the mechanism of magnetization reversal had significant effects on $H_{rm cJ}$ for Sr–La–Co sintered ferrite magnets.      

Comparison of a Multichip 10-V Programmable Josephson Voltage Standard System With a Superconductor–Insulator–Superconductor-Based Conventional System

We developed a 10-V dc programmable Josephson voltage standard (PJVS) using a multichip technique. The PJVS was based on $hbox{NbN/TiN}_{x}/hbox{NbN}$ junctions and operated using a 10-K compact cryocooler. We carried out an indirect comparison with a superconductor–insulator–superconductor-based conventional Josephson voltage standard (JVS) by measuring the voltage of a 10-V zener diode reference standard. The combined standard uncertainty of the comparison was $u_{c} = 0.03 muhbox{V}(k = 1)$, and the relative combined standard uncertainty was $3 times 10^{-9}$.      

Synthesis and Characterization of Double-layer Quantum-Dots-Tagged Microspheres

Quantum-dots-tagged poly (styrene-acrylamide-acrylic acid) microspheres (QDsAAMs) were synthesized and modified with hydrazine hydrate through hydrazinolysis. Azidocarbonyl groups, which can be rapidly coupled with proteins under mild conditions, were introduced onto the surface of QDsAAM using azido reaction. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was selected as model protein to be covalently immobilized on the azidocarbonyl QDsAAM. Instruments such as fluorescence microscope, optical microscope, confocal laser scanning microscope, UV–visible spectrometer, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, size analyzer, and fluorescence spectrophotometer were used to characterize QDsAAM. Results showed that QDsAAM had a regular double-layer spherical shape and an average diameter of 11.2  $mu$m. It also displayed high fluorescence intensity ( ${lambda}_{{rm ex}}/{lambda}_{{rm em}} = hbox{250}$ nm/370 nm), which showed linearity with concentrations ranging from $hbox{3.0} timeshbox{10}^{-3}$ to $hbox{90.0} times hbox{10}^{-3} hbox{g}{cdot}hbox{L}^{-1}$. In addition, external factors such as pH and ionic strength exerted little influence on fluorescent characteristic. BSA immobilization indicated that QDsAAM with azidocarbonyl groups could be covalently coupled with BSA at the rate of $hbox{40} times hbox{10}^{-3}$ g/g (BSA/QDsAAM), while fluorescence linearity correlation was also found. This functional azidocarbonyl QDsAAM with sensitive fluorescence and active azidocarbonyl groups could be used as a promising fluorescent probe for quantitative detection, protein immobilization, and early rapid clinical diagnostics.      

Effects of Post-Deposition Annealing and Oxygen Content on the Structural and pH-Sensitive Properties of Thin Nd $_{2}$O $_{3}$ Films

This paper describes the structural properties and sensing characteristics of thin Nd$_{2}$O$_{3}$ sensing membranes deposited on silicon substrates by means of reactive sputtering. X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic-force microscopy were used to study the chemical and morphological features of these films as functions of the growth conditions (argon-to-oxygen flow ratios of $20/5, 15/10$ and $10/15$; temperatures ranging from 600$~^{circ}$C to 800$~^{circ}$C). The thin Nd$_{2}$O$_{3}$ electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor devices prepared under a 15/10 flow ratio with subsequent annealing at 700$~^{circ}$C exhibited a higher sensitivity (56.01 mV/pH, in the solutions from pH 2 to 12), a smaller hysteresis voltage (4.7 mV in the pH loop $7 to 4 to 7to 10 to 7$), and a lower drift rate (0.41 mV/h in the pH 7 buffer solution) than did those prepared at the other conditions. We attribute this behavior to the optimal oxygen content in this oxide film forming a high density of binding sites and a small surface roughness.      

Harmonic Power Standard at NIM and Its Compensation Algorithm

A new harmonic power standard has been developed at the National Institute of Metrology (NIM), Beijing, China, for the calibration of harmonic power analyzers under nonsinusoidal conditions at fundamental frequencies of 50 and 60 Hz. The standard is based on digital sampling techniques that do not require synchronization. A compensation algorithm is presented in this paper. A new definition of the uncertainty for harmonic measurement is proposed that is referred to the fundamental. A characterization signal and its application are introduced. Results have shown that over its operating range of up to 50 A, 500 V, and the sixtieth-order harmonic, the harmonic power standard has uncertainties $(k =2)$ of less than 30 $muhbox{V/V}$, 36 $mu hbox{A/A}$, and 42 $muhbox{W/VA}$ for voltage, current, and power measurements, respectively.      

Modeling and Simulation of a Single Tin Dioxide Nanobelt FET for Chemical Sensors

This paper presents the modeling and simulation of a tin dioxide (${rm SnO}_{2}$) field-effect transistor (FET)-based nanobelt gas sensor. The model results are compared to numerical simulations and experimental data obtained from published results describing the fabrication of single crystal nanobelts grown through thermal evaporation techniques. The fabricated sensor shows good response when exposed to oxygen (${rm O} _{2}$) and hydrogen (${rm H} _{2}$) at room temperature. Gas adsorption causes changes in the electrical contacts due to oxygen vacancies in the bulk. As a result, the ${rm I}$ -${rm V}$ characteristics are very different when the device is exposed to (${rm O} _{2}$) versus (${rm H} _{2}$ ). In the presence of ${rm H} _{2}$, the behavior of the contacts is ohmic and saturation is caused by pinch-off of the channel at the drain contact. However, in the presence of ${rm O} _{2}$ , the behavior of the contacts is Schottky, and device saturation occurs at the source end of the device. Our model is based on a depletion mode MOSFET and it accounts for both ohmic and Schottky contacts when the device is exposed to oxygen or hydrogen. It also provides a possible explanation for the gate bias dependence of the saturation current seen in some published characterization data.      

Structural and Magnetic Properties of Amorphous and Nanocrystalline CoFeSiB Thin Films

This study examined the structural, magnetic, and transport properties of CoFeSiB films with various Co compositions. The main focus was on two samples, amorphous $hbox{Co}_{74}hbox{Fe}_{4}hbox{Si}_{14}hbox{B}_{8}$ and nanocrystalline $hbox{Co}_{78}hbox{Fe}_{2}hbox{Si}_{12}hbox{B}_{8}$ thin films. The results show that the amorphous film is a typical soft magnetic material, while the nanocrystalline film has a large saturation field. It is believed that in a nanocrystalline thin film, a large saturation field is caused by antiferromagnetic exchange at the boundary between the amorphous and nanocrystalline phases.      

A Single-Chip CMOS Smoke and Temperature Sensor for an Intelligent Fire Detector

A single-chip CMOS smoke and temperature sensor for use as an intelligent fire detector is proposed. The proposed smoke sensor measures smoke density based on the light-scattering method. The temperature sensor is integrated with the smoke sensor not only to sense heat from a fire but also to compensate for the temperature dependency of the smoke sensor. The prototype chip includes an on-chip photodiode (PD), pixel circuit, correlated double sampling (CDS) circuit, and analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The prototype chip was fabricated using a 0.35-$mu$ m CMOS process and was placed inside the smoke detection chamber, while the thermistor for the temperature sensor is placed outside the chamber. The measurement results show $pm$ 1% smoke detection accuracy over the range 4% $sim$ 25% and $pm 1~^{circ}hbox{C}$ temperature-sensing accuracy over the range $25~^{circ}hbox{C}sim 95~^{circ}hbox{C}$. The power consumption of the prototype chip is 220 nW, excluding the infrared light-emitting diode (IR LED).