Abstract: A current steering folding circuit is provided. The current steering folding circuit includes a load and at least one current source for drawing a current from the load. The current steering folding circuit also includes a first output signal terminal for providing a first output signal, and a second output signal terminal for providing a second output signal. A current steering section is also provided. The current steering section steers the current between the first output signal terminal and the second output signal terminal based on an input signal. The first output signal is substantially equal to the second output signal for N values of the input signal. Advantageously, the number of current sources does not exceed N.

Abstract: A current steering folding circuit is provided. The current steering folding circuit includes a load and at least one current source for drawing a current from the load. The current steering folding circuit also includes a first output signal terminal for providing a first output signal, and a second output signal terminal for providing a second output signal. A current steering section is also provided. The current steering section steers the current between the first output signal terminal and the second output signal terminal based on an input signal. The first output signal is substantially equal to the second output signal for N values of the input signal. Advantageously, the number of current sources does not exceed N.

Abstract: A dual-mass microelectromechanical (MEM) resonator structure is disclosed in which a first mass is suspended above a substrate and driven to move along a linear or curved path by a parallel-plate electrostatic actuator. A second mass, which is also suspended and coupled to the first mass by a plurality of springs is driven by motion of the first mass. Various modes of operation of the MEM structure are possible, including resonant and antiresonant modes, and a contacting mode. In each mode of operation, the motion induced in the second mass can be in the range of several microns up to more than 50 &mgr;m while the first mass has a much smaller displacement on the order of one micron or less. The MEM structure has applications for forming microsensors that detect strain, acceleration, rotation or movement.

Abstract: A combustible gas sensor that uses a resistively heated, noble metal-coated, micromachined polycrystalline Si filament to calorimetrically detect the presence and concentration of combustible gases. The filaments tested to date are 2 .mu.m thick.times.10 .mu.m wide.times.100, 250, 500, or 1000 .mu.m-long polycrystalline Si; some are overcoated with a 0.25 .mu.m-thick protective CVD Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 layer. A thin catalytic Pt film was deposited by CVD from the precursor Pt(acac).sub.2 onto microfilaments resistively heated to approximately 500.degree. C.; Pt deposits only on the hot filament. Using a constant-resistance-mode feedback circuit, Pt-coated filaments operating at ca. 300.degree. C. (35 mW input power) respond linearly, in terms of the change in supply current required to maintain constant resistance (temperature), to H.sub.2 concentrations between 100 ppm and 1% in an 80/20 N.sub.2 /O.sub.2 mixture. Other catalytic materials can also be used.

Abstract: A combustible gas sensor that uses a resistively heated, noble metal-coated, micromachined polycrystalline Si filament to calorimetrically detect the presence and concentration of combustible gases. A thin catalytic Pt film was deposited by CVD from the precursor Pt(acac).sub.2 onto microfilaments resistively heated to approximately 500 .degree. C.; Pt deposits only on the hot filament. The filaments tested to date are 2 .mu.m thick .times.10 .mu.m wide .times.100, 250, 500, or 1000 .mu.m-long polycrystalline Si; some are overcoated with a 0.25 .mu.m-thick protective CVD Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 layer.

Abstract: A silicon substrate with a drain area formed therein is used for the base of the device. A first polysilicon gate is disposed above the substrate with a layer of gate oxide therebetween. Adjacent to the first gate and contiguous to the same plane is a second polysilicon gate. The second gate and the substrate are separated by a layer of tunnel oxide and silicon nitride. The silicon nitride being used to store a charge. The state of the device is determined by the presence of a capacitance in the substrate generated by the charge on the silicon nitride. This device may function as a nonvolatile memory or a dynamic random access memory with the capability of capturing its DRAM state.

Abstract: A chemical selective sensor system utilizes admittance modulated to detect the presence of chemicals or chemical species in a fluid. The sensor system includes a film or membrane adapted to pass ions when selected chemicals which are to be detected are present at the membrane surface. The membrane is attached to a hydrophilic layer of material which, in turn, is attached to a transformed layer which is deposited on a base substrate. When the selected chamicals are present in the fluid, the membrane interacts with the chemicals to allow ions, also in the fluid, to permeate the membrane. This ion current in the membrane is transformed or converted by the transformer layer to an electronic current which is measured by an electrical circuit coupled to the transformer layer of material. An alternating current source is coupled at one terminal to the transformer layer and to the measuring circuit, and at another terminal to a circuit return electrode.

Abstract: A solid state chemically sensitive integrated circuit includes three field-effect transistors (FETs) fabricated on a single semiconductor substrate. The gate of a first FET is overlaid with a chemically sensitive element that is adapted to create an electrochemical potential at the gate when exposed to selected chemical substances. This gate is also electrically connected to the source of a second FET and the drain of a third FET. The second and third FETs are used as switches to selectively connect the gate of the first FET to ground, to an external reference potential, or to isolate it from all external signals. In the latter case, only the interaction between the chemically sensitive element and external chemical substances may affect the first FET's operation thus allowing the first FET, when so isolated, to provide a measure of the chemical properties of the substance to which its chemically sensitive element is exposed.