Abstract: Circuitry and measurement approaches are described herein that can be used to reduce or suppress sensitivity to variation of sensor properties or characteristics over time for a respective monolithically integrated resistive temperature sensor. Such measurement approaches can also help to suppress measurement variations between sensors, such as to provide stable temperature measurement characteristics across locations and over time for the respective different temperature measurement sites on or within the integrated circuit package. The approaches described herein can also reduce or suppress sensitivity to variation in excitation source characteristics, such as using a relative indication (e.g., a ratio) of measured signal values corresponding to a respective temperature sensor and a co-integrated reference device. Calibration or absolute temperature measurements can be performed, such as using an off-chip (e.g., off-die or off-package) calibration reference.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices can include features to apply electrical stimulation to liquids in which material is present and to measure the response to the electrical stimulation.

Abstract: A microfabricated thermal platform can be formed over a substrate, such as a silicon wafer, that may form part of the platform. The substrate is coated in a thermally-insulating material, which may be an organic polymer such, as polyimide or SUS. The surface of the thermally-insulating material may include an arrangement of one or more thermal sites, with each site having a reaction plate (or thermal plate) over which chemical reactions may occur. A heating element may be positioned beneath each reaction plate. A fluidic medium, such as a liquid or a gas, may be disposed over the thermal sites. One application is in chemical and biological reactions. In such reactions, the fluidic medium may be an aqueous solution which comprises reagents for those reactions. The fluidic medium may be an ionically conducting fluid, organic solution or a gas. Precise temperature control enables the correct reactions.

Abstract: An enhanced auto-zero circuitry and technique for reducing the effective input offset voltage of an amplifier. The circuitry includes a multi-phase auto-zeroing amplifier circuitry including several capacitor and switch components and a switch controller circuit. The switch controller circuit is configured to provide control signals for controlling the switches, where during a first sub-phase of an auto-zero phase, multiple switches are turned on to store an amplifier input offset coarser compensation charge on the input capacitor, and where during a second sub-phase of the auto-zero phase, at least one switch is turned off before turning on another switch to store an amplifier input offset finer compensation charge on the input capacitor via the first auto-zero capacitor.

Abstract: A photometry device can include a first LED to emit light to a target in response to a first current through the first LED, a second LED to emit light to the target in response to a second current through the second LED, and an inductor, coupled to the first and second LEDs, to store energy associated with at least one of the first and second currents.

Abstract: A photometry device can include a first to emit light to a target in response to a first current through the first LED, a second LED to emit light to the target in response to a second current through the second LED, and an inductor, coupled to the first and second LEDs, to store energy associated with at least one of the first and second currents.

Abstract: An analog-to-digital (ADC) converter system and method of using the system that can be used in low power situations. The converter can periodically or recurrently turn off a reference standard in order to conserve power and instead using a stable supply source as a reference voltage. A precise conversion for signal from the analog to the digital domain while maintaining a low quiescent current.

Abstract: An analog-to-digital (ADC) converter system and method of using the system that can be used in low power situations. The converter can periodically or recurrently turn off a reference standard in order to conserve power and instead using a stable supply source as a reference voltage. A precise conversion for signal from the analog to the digital domain while maintaining a low quiescent current.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a microfabricated thermal platform. The platform is formed over a substrate, which may for example be a silicon wafer, and which may form part of the platform. The substrate is coated in a thermally-insulating material, which may be an organic polymer such, as polyimide or SU8. The thermally-insulating material may have a predetermined thermal conductivity, which is dependent on thickness, geometry and processing. The surface of the thermally-insulating material may include an arrangement of thermal sites, with each site having a reaction plate (or thermal plate) over which chemical reactions may occur. A heating element may be positioned beneath each reaction plate. The thermal platform may have a plurality of such thermal sites arranged over the upper surface of the thermally-insulating material. However, it will be appreciated that in practice, there could be a single thermal site.

Abstract: Optically isolated micromachined (MEMS) switches and related methods are described. The optically isolated MEMS switches described herein may be used to provide isolation between electronic devices. For example, the optically isolated MEMS switches of the types described herein can enable the use of separate grounds between the receiving electronic device and the control circuitry. Isolation of high-voltage signals and high-voltage power supplies can be achieved by using an optical isolator and a MEMS switch, where the optical isolator controls the state of the MEMS switch. In some embodiments, utilizing optical isolators to provide high voltages, the need for electric high-voltage sources such as high-voltage power supplies and charge pumps may be removed, thus removing the cause of potential damage to the receiving electronic device. In one example, the optical isolator and the MEMS switch may be co-packaged on the same substrate.

Abstract: Amplifier systems for measuring a wide range of current are provided herein. In certain embodiments, an amplifier system includes a controllable sensing circuit, a first amplifier including an output configured to drive a device under test (DUT) through the controllable sensing circuit, and a second amplifier including an input coupled to the controllable sensing circuit and operable to generate a measurement signal indicating an amount of measured current of the DUT. The amplifier system further includes a control circuit operable to control a configuration or mode of the controllable sensing circuit suitable for a particular type of DUT.

Abstract: Optically isolated micromachined (MEMS) switches and related methods are described. The optically isolated MEMS switches described herein may be used to provide isolation between electronic devices. For example, the optically isolated MEMS switches of the types described herein can enable the use of separate grounds between the receiving electronic device and the control circuitry. Isolation of high-voltage signals and high-voltage power supplies can be achieved by using an optical isolator and a MEMS switch, where the optical isolator controls the state of the MEMS switch. In some embodiments, utilizing optical isolators to provide high voltages, the need for electric high-voltage sources such as high-voltage power supplies and charge pumps may be removed, thus removing the cause of potential damage to the receiving electronic device. In one example, the optical isolator and the MEMS switch may be co-packaged on the same substrate.

Abstract: A successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter (SAR ADC) circuit comprises N weighted bit capacitors, wherein N is a positive integer greater than one; a sampling circuit configured to sample an input voltage onto the N weighted bit capacitors; and logic circuitry. The logic circuitry is configured to enable sampling of the input voltage onto the N weighted bit capacitors in a high-resolution mode; enable sampling of the input voltage onto N?M of the weighted bit capacitors in a low-resolution mode and sampling a common mode voltage onto the most significant M weighted bit capacitors, wherein M is a positive integer greater than zero and less than N; and initiate successive bit trials using the weighted bit capacitors to convert the sampled input voltage to a digital value.

Abstract: Various examples are directed to configuring a configurable hardware module to perform a measurement of a physical quantity. A configuration manager may receive an indication of the physical quantity and performance factor data describing the measurement of the physical quantity. The configuration manager may generate a hardware configuration of the hardware based at least in part on the indication of the physical quantity and the performance factor data. The hardware configuration may comprise instruction data to configure the hardware module to execute a dynamic measurement of the physical quantity. The configuration manager may also generate configuration data describing the hardware configuration, wherein the configuration data comprises simulation data comprising input parameters for a simulation of the hardware configuration and hardware configuration data for configuring a hardware module to implement at least a portion of the hardware configuration.

Abstract: Optically isolated micromachined (MEMS) switches and related methods are described. The optically isolated MEMS switches described herein may be used to provide isolation between electronic devices. For example, the optically isolated MEMS switches of the types described herein can enable the use of separate grounds between the receiving electronic device and the control circuitry. Isolation of high-voltage signals and high-voltage power supplies can be achieved by using an optical isolator and a MEMS switch, where the optical isolator controls the state of the MEMS switch. In some embodiments, utilizing optical isolators to provide high voltages, the need for electric high-voltage sources such as high-voltage power supplies and charge pumps may be removed, thus removing the cause of potential damage to the receiving electronic device. In one example, the optical isolator and the MEMS switch may be co-packaged on the same substrate.

Abstract: A signal acquisition or conditioning amplifier can be configured and controlled to use correlated doubling sampling (CDS) of a differential input signal, and a storage capacitor in a capacitive or other feedback network, a low power operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) capable of being powered down between CDS samplings, and which can be operated in a manner that provides good performance characteristics while still providing low or efficient power consumption. The amplifier and other signal processing circuitry can allow power to be scaled down, when less signal measurement throughput is needed, and to be scaled up, when more signal measurement throughput is needed. Such flexibility can help make the present approach useful for a wide range of signal acquisition and measurement applications. Precharging via buffer amplifiers can provide improved signal acquisition circuitry effective input impedance.

Abstract: Amplifier systems for driving a wide range of loads are provided herein. In certain embodiments, an amplifier system includes a voltage output amplifier and a current output amplifier that are electrically coupled in parallel with one another between an input terminal and an output terminal. The amplifier system further includes a control circuit operable to control whether or not the voltage output amplifier and/or current output amplifier drive the output terminal.

Abstract: A photometry device can include a first to emit light to a target in response to a first current through the first LED, a second LED to emit light to the target in response to a second current through the second LED, and an inductor, coupled to the first and second LEDs, to store energy associated with at least one of the first and second currents.

Abstract: Amplifier systems for driving a wide range of loads are provided herein. In certain embodiments, an amplifier system includes a voltage output amplifier and a current output amplifier that are electrically coupled in parallel with one another between an input terminal and an output terminal. The amplifier system further includes a control circuit operable to control whether or not the voltage output amplifier and/or current output amplifier drive the output terminal.

Abstract: Amplifier systems for measuring a wide range of current are provided herein. In certain embodiments, an amplifier system includes a controllable sensing circuit, a first amplifier including an output configured to drive a device under test (DUT) through the controllable sensing circuit, and a second amplifier including an input coupled to the controllable sensing circuit and operable to generate a measurement signal indicating an amount of measured current of the DUT. The amplifier system further includes a control circuit operable to control a configuration or mode of the controllable sensing circuit suitable for a particular type of DUT.