10,353 research outputs found
A handheld high-sensitivity micro-NMR CMOS platform with B-field stabilization for multi-type biological/chemical assays
We report a micro-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) system compatible with multi-type biological/chemical lab-on-a-chip assays. Unified in a handheld scale (dimension: 14 x 6 x 11 cm³, weight: 1.4 kg), the system is capable to detect<100 pM of Enterococcus faecalis derived DNA from a 2.5 μL sample. The key components are a portable magnet (0.46 T, 1.25 kg) for nucleus magnetization, a system PCB for I/O interface, an FPGA for system control, a current driver for trimming the magnetic (B) field, and a silicon chip fabricated in 0.18 μm CMOS. The latter, integrated with a current-mode vertical Hall sensor and a low-noise readout circuit, facilitates closed-loop B-field stabilization (2 mT → 0.15 mT), which otherwise fluctuates with temperature or sample displacement. Together with a dynamic-B-field transceiver with a planar coil for micro-NMR assay and thermal control, the system demonstrates: 1) selective biological target pinpointing; 2) protein state analysis; and 3) solvent-polymer dynamics, suitable for healthcare, food and colloidal applications, respectively. Compared to a commercial NMR-assay product (Bruker mq-20), this platform greatly reduces the sample consumption (120x), hardware volume (175x), and weight (96x)
Influence of the ESR saturation on the power sensitivity of cryogenic sapphire resonators
Here, we study the paramagnetic ions behavior in presence of a strong
microwave electromagnetic field sustained inside a cryogenic sapphire
whispering gallery mode resonator. The high frequency measurement resolution
that can be now achieved by comparing two CSOs permit for the first time to
observe clearly the non-linearity of the resonator power sensitivity. These
observations that in turn allow us to optimize the CSO operation, are well
explained by the Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) saturation of the paramagnetic
impurities contained in the sapphire crystal.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figure
Metrological characterization of the pulsed Rb clock with optical detection
We report on the implementation and the metrological characterization of a
vapor-cell Rb frequency standard working in pulsed regime. The three main parts
that compose the clock, physics package, optics and electronics, are described
in detail in the paper. The prototype is designed and optimized to detect the
clock transition in the optical domain. Specifically, the reference atomic
transition, excited with a Ramsey scheme, is detected by observing the
interference pattern on a laser absorption signal.
\ The metrological analysis includes the observation and characterization of
the clock signal and the measurement of frequency stability and drift. In terms
of Allan deviation, the measured frequency stability results as low as
, being the averaging time, and
reaches the value of few units of for s, an
unprecedent achievement for a vapor cell clock. We discuss in the paper the
physical effects leading to this result with particular care to laser and
microwave noises transferred to the clock signal. The frequency drift, probably
related to the temperature, stays below per day, and no evidence of
flicker floor is observed.
\ We also mention some possible improvements that in principle would lead to
a clock stability below the level at 1 s and to a drift of few units
of per day
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Ultra-Low-Power Sensors and Receivers for IoT Applications
The combination of ultra-low power analog front-ends and CMOS-compatible transducers enable new applications, such as environmental monitors, household appliances, health trackers, etc. that are seamlessly integrated into our daily lives. Furthermore, wireless connectivity allows many of these sensors to operate both independently and collectively. These techniques collectively fulfil the recent surge of internet-of-things (IoT) applications that have the potential to fundamentally change daily life for millions of people.In this dissertation, the circuit and system design of wireless receivers and sensors is presented that explores the challenges of implementing long lifespan, high accuracy, and large coverage range IoT sensor networks. The first is a wake-up receiver (WuRX), which continuously monitors the RF environment to wake up a higher-power radio upon detection of a predetermined RF signature. This work both improves sensitivity and reduces power over prior art through a multi-faceted design featuring an impedance transformation network with large passive voltage gain, an active envelope detector with high input impedance to facilitate large passive voltage gain, a low-power precision comparator, and a low-leakage digital baseband correlator.Although pushing the prior WuRX performance boundary by orders of magnitude, the first work shows moderate sensitivity, inferior temperature robustness, and large area with external lumped components. Thus, the second work shows a miniaturized WuRX that is temperature-compensated, yet still consumes only nano-watt power and millimeter area while operating at 9 GHz. To further reduce the area, a global common-mode feedback is utilized across the envelope detector and baseband amplifier that eliminates the need for off-chip ac-coupling components. Multiple temperature-compensation techniques are proposed to maintain constant bandwidth of the signal path and constant clock frequency. Both WuRXs operate at 0.4 V supply, consume near-zero power and achieve ~-70 dBm sensitivity.Lastly, the first reported CMOS 2-in-1 relative humidity and temperature sensor is presented. A unified analog front-end interfaces on-chip transducers and converts the inputs into a frequency vis a high-linearity frequency-locked loop. An incomplete-settling switched-capacitor-based Wheatstone bridge is proposed to sense the inputs in a power-efficient fashion
Stray Magnetic Field Compensation with a Scalar Atomic Magnetometer
We describe a system for the compensation of time-dependent stray magnetic
fields using a dual channel scalar magnetometer based on non-linear Faraday
rotation in synchronously optically pumped Cs vapour. We detail the active
control strategy, with an emphasis on the electronic circuitry, based on a
simple phase-locked-loop integrated circuit. The performance and limits of the
system developed are tested and discussed. The system was applied to
significantly improve the detection of free induction decay signals from
protons of remotely magnetized water precessing in an ultra-low magnetic field.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, 31 refs, v2 (with minor improvements) appearing
in Rev.Sc.Instr. June 201
Prototype laser-diode-pumped solid state laser transmitters
Monolithic, diode-pumped Nd:YAG ring lasers can provide diffraction-limited, single-frequency, narrow-linewidth, tunable output which is adequate for use as a local oscillator in a coherent communication system. A laser was built which had a linewidth of about 2 kHz, a power of 5 milliwatts, and which was tunable over a range of 30 MHz in a few microseconds. This laser was phase-locked to a second, similar laser. This demonstrates that the powerful technique of heterodyne detection is possible with a diode-pumped laser used as the local oscillator. Laser diode pumping of monolithic Nd:YAG rings can lead to output powers of hundreds of milliwatts from a single laser. A laser was built with a single-mode output of 310 mW. Several lasers can be chained together to sum their power, while maintaining diffraction-limited, single frequency operation. This technique was demonstrated with two lasers, with a total output of 340 mW, and is expected to be practical for up to about ten lasers. Thus with lasers of 310 mW, output of up to 3 W is possible. The chaining technique, if properly engineered, results in redundancy. The technique of resonant external modulation and doubling is designed to efficiently convert the continuous wave, infrared output of our lasers into low duty-cycle pulsed green output. This technique was verified through both computer modeling and experimentation. Further work would be necessary to develop a deliverable system using this technique
A STUDY ON DYNAMIC SYSTEMS RESPONSE OF THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF SOME MAJOR BIOPHYSICAL SYSTEMS
Dynamic responses of biophysical systems - performance characteristic
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