Bernhard Boser (Advisor)

BEB16: Resonant Drive: Sense and High Voltage Electrostatic Drive Using Single MEMS Electrode

Baris Cagdaser
2004

A new technique for electrostatic drive and sense is developed. The main goal is to simplify the complexity of drive and sense circuitry. The new approach will alleviate the need for high voltage circuitry even in voltage demanding MEMS applications. Since only a single drive capacitor is needed for both drive and sense, resonant drive will also simplify the design of the physical device.

Project end date: 02/03/05

BEB18: MEMS Strain Gauges on Steel: Electronic Interfaces for Resonant Sensors

Kenneth Wojciechowski
2005

The objective of this research is to develop electronic interface circuits to measure strain in automobile machine elements with a silicon micromachined resonant sensor. The strain sensor is required to have a resolution of 0.1 microstrain over a range of +/- 1000 microstrain and a measurement bandwidth of 10kHz. The dimensions of the strained areas in the bearings are on the order of 100-200 microns and therefore gauge lengths of the strain sensor must be in this range. The smallest commercially available strain sensors have gauge lengths of around 1mm are too large and thus micro-...

BEB19: Low-Power High-Performance Analog-to-Digital Converters

Dimitrios Katsis
2006

Develop enabling circuit techniques to increase the compatibility of high performance analog-to-digital converters with deep sub-micron technologies.

Project end date: 08/01/06

BEB22: A Sub-mW Mode Matching Sigma-Delta Vibratory Gyroscope Readout Circuit

Chinwuba D. Ezekwe
2017

We present the design and experimental results of a low-power, high-resolution gyroscope readout circuit. Several techniques are combined to enable an unprecedented level of power savings. Chief among them are automatic mode-matching, positive position sigma-delta force-feedback, and current integrator based position sensing. Mode-matching relaxes the electronic noise budget of the front-end amplifier by the sense Q, resulting in a proportional reduction in front-end power dissipation. Unfortunately, it also results in an extremely narrow open-loop sensor bandwidth owing to the high...

BPN407: Modular-Based Integration of CMOS Chip with Microfluidics for Immunosensing

Amy Wu
Lisen Wang
2008

The project aims to develop an integration method for CMOS chip and microfluidics, specifically for immunosensing system with microfluidic system for sample preparation and CMOS magnetic sensor for detection. Solving the size mismatch between CMOS chip (typically mm scale) and microfluidics (cm scale) while maintaining the functionality and interconnect metallization of CMOS, as well as seamlessly delivery the fluid to the sensor surface on the CMOS chip through microfluidics are the key considerations for the integration. On the other hand, the integrated biosensor will be a...

BPN445: Lab-on-a-Chip with Integrated CMOS Detection for Complex Assays

Lisen Wang
Amy Wu
Paul Liu
Octavian Florescu
2008

The goal of this project is to develop a fully integrated lab-on-a-chip microdevice for performing complex immunological assays and to apply it to the sensitive detection of PAH-protein adducts produced by environmental exposure. The ultimate device will consist of a microfluidic cartridge with embedded sensors capable of performing a wide variety of assays. Specific steps that will be demonstrated include sample preparation, mixing with reagents, incubation, and multiple target detection. Although these capabilities will be demonstrated for the detection of PAH-protein adducts, the...

BPN483: High Z Materials for Nuclear Detection

Mitchell H. Kline
Igor I. Izyumin
2009

Homeland security requires development of cost-effective nuclear detection capability to distinguish threats from non- threats. High atomic number (Z) semiconductor devices with high efficiency, sufficient energy resolution, and room temperature operation offer the potential to meet this objective rapidly, reliably, and inexpensively, but have been challenging to realize, despite significant efforts spanning 30 years. To achieve this important goal, there is strong consensus that fundamental limitations on charge collection in high Z materials must be understood, material quality...

BEB17: Fully Integrated Immunosensor

Octavian Florescu
2009

The long range goals are to develop and verify diagnostic assays for infectious diseases currently presenting significant threats to public health, including Dengue, Malaria, and HIV. We intend to demonstrate improved protocol simplicity compared to ELISA, the current immunoassay standard, with special emphasis on the applicability of the assay in a point of care or at home setting, where the advents of a research laboratory are not available.

Project end date: 02/04/10

BPN386: CMOS-Integrated Nanowire-Based Molecular and Gas Sensors

Karl Skucha
2010

This project first aims to develop a process flow to integrate silicon nanowires onto a CMOS substrate, both via and top-down and bottom-up processes. Then, by carefully designing the underlying circuitry and functionalizing the nanowire transducers, we hope to demonstrate a fully functional integrated sensing platform for various molecular agents and/or gases. The overall goal and application is to create an easy-to-use CMOS-based sensing system for low-cost portable applications.

Project end date: 02/04/10

BPN563: LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) with MEMS

Erwin K. Lau
2010

Two-dimensional imaging is limited in that it cannot provide depth perception. One can view objects in the distance, but cannot determine how far away these images are. Three-dimensional imaging, such as RADAR, can accomplish this, but radio wavelengths are too long to provide detailed resolution. LIght Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) uses optical wavelengths, providing easily four orders of magnitude better resolution, allowing the imaging of sub-millimeter detail or better. However, the conventional LIDAR method employs short optical pulses that need high-speed, 2-D photodetection,...