Abstract: A method of luminance lifetime imaging includes receiving incident photons at an integrated photodetector from luminescent molecules. The incident photons being received through one or more optical components of a point-of-care device. The method also includes detecting arrival times of the incident photons using the integrated photodetector. A method of analyzing blood glucose includes detecting luminance lifetime characteristics of tissue using, at least in part, an integrated circuit that detects arrival times of incident photons from the tissue. The method also includes analyzing blood glucose based upon the luminance lifetime characteristics.

Abstract: Vertical packaging configurations for ultrasound chips are described. Vertical packaging may involve use of integrated interconnects other than wires for wire bonding. Examples of such integrated interconnects include edge-contact vias, through silicon vias and conductive pillars. Edge-contact vias are vias defined in a trench formed in the ultrasound chip. Multiple vias may be provided for each trench, thus increasing the density of vias. Such vias enable electric access to the ultrasound transducers. Through silicon vias are formed through the silicon handle and provide access from the bottom surface of the ultrasound chip. Conductive pillars, including copper pillars, are disposed around the perimeter of an ultrasound chip and provide access to the ultrasound transducers from the top surface of the chip. Use of these types of packaging techniques can enable a substantial reduction in the dimensions of an ultrasound device.

Abstract: System and methods for analyzing single molecules and performing nucleic acid sequencing. An integrated device may include multiple pixels with sample wells configured to receive a sample, which when excited, emits radiation. The integrated device includes a surface having a trench region recessed from a portion of the surface and an array of sample wells, disposed in the trench region. The integrated device also includes a waveguide configured to couple excitation energy to at least one sample well in the array and positioned at a first distance from a surface of the trench region and at a second distance from the surface in a region separate from the trench region. The first distance is smaller than the second distance. The system also includes an instrument that interfaces with the integrated device. The instrument may include an excitation energy source for providing excitation energy to the integrated device by coupling to an excitation energy coupling region of the integrated device.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for producing ultrashort optical pulses are described. A high-power, solid-state, passively mode-locked laser can be manufactured in a compact module that can be incorporated into a portable instrument for biological or chemical analyses. The pulsed laser may produce sub-100-ps optical pulses at a repetition rate commensurate with electronic data-acquisition rates. The optical pulses may excite samples in reaction chambers of the instrument, and be used to generate a reference clock for operating signal-acquisition and signal-processing electronics of the instrument.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a photodetection region configured to receive incident photons. The photodetection region is configured to produce a plurality of charge carriers in response to the incident photons. The integrated circuit includes a charge carrier storage region. The integrated circuit also includes a charge carrier segregation structure configured to selectively direct charge carriers of the plurality of charge carriers directly into the at least one charge carrier storage region based upon times at which the charge carriers are produced.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure described herein related to packaging an ultrasound-on-a-chip. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes an ultrasound-on-a-chip that has through-silicon vias (TSVs) and an interposer coupled to the ultrasound-on-a-chip and including vias, where the ultrasound-on-a-chip is coupled to the interposer such that the TSVs in the ultrasound-on-a-chip are electrically connected to the vias in the interposer. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes an ultrasound-on-a-chip having bond pads, an interposer that has bond pads and that is coupled to the ultrasound-on-a-chip, and wirebonds extending from the bond pads on the ultrasound-on-a-chip to the bond pads on the interposer.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to ultrasound circuits that employ a differential ultrasonic transducer element, such as a differential micromachined ultrasonic transducer (MUT) element. The differential ultrasonic transducer element may be coupled to an integrated circuit that is configured to operate the differential ultrasonic transducer element in one or more modes of operation, such as a differential receive mode, a differential transmit mode, a single-ended receive mode, and a single-ended transmit mode.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to an ultrasound device including a first die that includes an ultrasonic transducer, a first application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that is bonded to the first die and includes a pulser, and a second ASIC in communication with the second ASIC that includes integrated digital receive circuitry. In some embodiments, the first ASIC may be bonded to the second ASIC and the second ASIC may include analog processing circuitry and an analog-to-digital converter. In such embodiments, the second ASIC may include a through-silicon via (TSV) facilitating communication between the first ASIC and the second ASIC. In some embodiments, SERDES circuitry facilitates communication between the first ASIC and the second ASIC and the first ASIC includes analog processing circuitry and an analog-to-digital converter. In some embodiments, the technology node of the first ASIC is different from the technology node of the second ASIC.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for producing ultrashort optical pulses are described. A high-power, solid-state, passively mode-locked laser can be manufactured in a compact module that can be incorporated into a portable instrument. The mode-locked laser can produce sub-50-ps optical pulses at a repetition rates between 200 MHz and 50 MHz, rates suitable for massively parallel data-acquisition. The optical pulses can be used to generate a reference clock signal for synchronizing data-acquisition and signal-processing electronics of the portable instrument.

Abstract: Circuitry for ultrasound devices is described. A multilevel pulser is described, which can provide bipolar pulses of multiple levels. The multilevel pulser includes a pulsing circuit and pulser and feedback circuit. Symmetric switches are also described. The symmetric switches can be positioned as inputs to ultrasound receiving circuitry to block signals from the receiving circuitry.

Abstract: A time gain compensation (TGC) circuit for an ultrasound device includes a first amplifier having an integrating capacitor and a control circuit configured to generate a TGC control signal that controls an integration time of the integrating capacitor, thereby controlling a gain of the first amplifier. The integration time is an amount of time an input signal is coupled to the first amplifier before the input signal is isolated from the first amplifier.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein relate to sensing a fingerprint of a subject via an ultrasound fingerprint sensor. Certain aspects relate to transmitting and receiving ultrasound data at multiple different frequencies to provide sensing data from different depths within the skin of the subject. Since different ultrasound frequencies are expected to penetrate a subject's skin to different degrees, sensing a finger at multiple ultrasound frequencies may provide information on different physical aspects of the finger. For instance, sound ultrasound frequencies may sense a surface of the skin, whereas other ultrasound frequencies may penetrate through one or more of the epidermal, dermal or subcutaneous layers. The ultrasound fingerprint apparatus may have utility in various applications, including but not limited to mobile electronic devices, such as mobile phones or tablet computers, a laptop computer or biometric access equipment.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for implementing a coding scheme on ultrasound signals received by a plurality of ultrasonic transducers. The coding, and subsequent decoding, may allow for multiple ultrasonic transducers to be operated in a receive mode simultaneously while still differentiating the contribution of the individual ultrasonic transducers. Improved signal characteristics may result, including improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).

Abstract: A method of luminance lifetime imaging includes receiving incident photons at an integrated photodetector from luminescent molecules. The incident photons being received through one or more optical components of a point-of-care device. The method also includes detecting arrival times of the incident photons using the integrated photodetector. A method of analyzing blood glucose includes detecting luminance lifetime characteristics of tissue using, at least in part, an integrated circuit that detects arrival times of incident photons from the tissue. The method also includes analyzing blood glucose based upon the luminance lifetime characteristics.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a photodetection region configured to receive incident photons. The photodetection region is configured to produce a plurality of charge carriers in response to the incident photons. The integrated circuit also includes at least one charge carrier storage region. The integrated circuit also includes a charge carrier segregation structure configured to selectively direct charge carriers of the plurality of charge carriers into the at least one charge carrier storage region based upon times at which the charge carriers are produced.

Abstract: To implement a single-chip ultrasonic imaging solution, on-chip signal processing may be employed in the receive signal path to reduce data bandwidth and a high-speed serial data module may be used to move data for all received channels off-chip as digital data stream. The digitization of received signals on-chip allows advanced digital signal processing to be performed on-chip, and thus permits the full integration of an entire ultrasonic imaging system on a single semiconductor substrate. Various novel waveform generation techniques, transducer configuration and biasing methodologies, etc., are likewise disclosed. HIFU methods may additionally or alternatively be employed as a component of the “ultrasound-on-a-chip” solution disclosed herein.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for producing ultrashort optical pulses are described. A high-power, solid-state, passively mode-locked laser can be manufactured in a compact module that can be incorporated into a portable instrument. The mode-locked laser can produce sub-50-ps optical pulses at a repetition rates between 200 MHz and 50 MHz, rates suitable for massively parallel data-acquisition. The optical pulses can be used to generate a reference clock signal for synchronizing data-acquisition and signal-processing electronics of the portable instrument.

Abstract: A system comprising a multi-modal ultrasound probe configured to operate in a plurality of operating modes associated with a respective plurality of configuration profiles; and a computing device coupled to the handheld multi-modal ultrasound probe and configured to, in response to receiving input indicating an operating mode selected by a user, cause the multi-modal ultrasound probe to operate in the selected operating mode.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for analyzing single molecule and performing nucleic acid sequencing. An apparatus can include an assay chip that includes multiple pixels with sample wells configured to receive a sample, which, when excited, emits emission energy; at least one element for directing the emission energy in a particular direction; and a light path along which the emission energy travels from the sample well toward a sensor. The apparatus also includes an instrument that interfaces with the assay chip. The instrument includes an excitation light source for exciting the sample in each sample well; a plurality of sensors corresponding the sample wells. Each sensor may detect emission energy from a sample in a respective sample well. The instrument includes at least one optical element that directs the emission energy from each sample well towards a respective sensor of the plurality of sensors.

Abstract: The described embodiments may provide a chemical detection circuit. The chemical detection circuit may comprise a column of chemically-sensitive pixels. Each chemically-sensitive pixel may comprise a chemically-sensitive transistor, and a row selection device. The chemical detection circuit may further comprise a column interface circuit coupled to the column of chemically-sensitive pixels and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) coupled to the column interface circuit. Each column interface circuit and column-level ADC may be arrayed with other identical circuits and share critical resources such as biasing and voltage references, thereby saving area and power.