Abstract: An ultra-low field pre-pulse Magnetic Resonance Imaging (PMRI) system for a head includes RF coils defining a bore for head access, a pre-pulse coil outside the RF coils, and a coil assembly including a main magnetic field coil and gradient coils outside the pre-pulse coil. The PMRI system includes a first cylindrical shield concentric with the RF coils and made from conductive materials. The first cylindrical shield partially encloses the RF coils and inside the pre-pulse coil for shielding the RF coils from environmental electromagnetic disturbances.

Abstract: An ultra-low field pre-pulse Magnetic Resonance Imaging (PMRI) system for a head includes RF coils defining a bore for head access, a pre-pulse coil outside the RF coils, and a coil assembly including a main magnetic field coil and gradient coils outside the pre-pulse coil. The PMRI system includes a first cylindrical shield concentric with the RF coils and made from conductive materials. The first cylindrical shield partially encloses the RF coils and inside the pre-pulse coil for shielding the RF coils from environmental electromagnetic disturbances.

Abstract: A sensing and analysis system on a chip for sensing and analyzing chemical or biological analytes includes a chromatography column having an inlet and an outlet formed on the chip for temporal separation of components of analytes and at least one whispering gallery mode (WGM) optical resonator for sensing of the components. The chromatography column is formed on a first wafer layer. Each WGM optical resonator includes a hollow sealed enclosure formed at or over the inlet or the outlet of or elsewhere along the chromatography column such that a gas flowing through the chromatography column fills the hollow sealed enclosure. Each WGM optical resonator further includes an optical waveguide aligned with the sealed hollow enclosure for evanescent wave light coupling.

Abstract: A pressure sensor includes a piezoelectric substrate having a generally planar structure and an anchor location fixing the piezoelectric substrate at the periphery of the planar structure of the piezoelectric substrate. The planar structure of the piezoelectric substrate has a first region having a first characteristic thickness adjacent to the anchor location, and a second region have a second characteristic thickness at a middle region of the substrate. The second characteristic thickness is less than the first characteristic thickness such that the planar structure in the second region is displaced relative to the neutral axis of the planar structure such that while undergoing bending the second region has either mostly compressive or mostly tensile stress.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems to improve thermal sensitivity of resonant circuits. One aspect utilizes tracking near-resonance complex impedance for a quartz resonator based calorimeter sensor to derive ultra-sensitive temperature measurement from the sensor. Another aspect includes a quartz resonant or -based calorimetric sensor placed close to but not touching the analyte being measured to eliminate mass loading effect on the temperature measurement.

Abstract: A sensing and analysis system on a chip for sensing and analyzing chemical or biological analytes includes a chromatography column having an inlet and an outlet formed on the chip for temporal separation of components of analytes and at least one whispering gallery mode (WGM) optical resonator for sensing of the components. The chromatography column is formed on a first wafer layer. Each WGM optical resonator includes a hollow sealed enclosure formed at or over the inlet or the outlet of or elsewhere along the chromatography column such that a gas flowing through the chromatography column fills the hollow sealed enclosure. Each WGM optical resonator further includes an optical waveguide aligned with the sealed hollow enclosure for evanescent wave light coupling.

Abstract: A system and method for reactive ion etching (RIE) system of a material is provided. The system includes a plasma chamber comprising a plasma source and a gas inlet, a diffusion chamber comprising a substrate holder for supporting a substrate with a surface comprising the material and a gas diffuser, and a source of a processing gas coupled to the gas diffuser. In the system and method, at least one radical of the processing gas is reactive with the material to perform etching of the material, the gas diffuser is configured to introduce the processing gas into the processing region, and the substrate holder comprises an electrode that can be selectively biased to draw ions generated by the plasma source into the processing region to interact with the at least one processing gas to generate the at least one radical at the surface.

Abstract: A pressure sensor includes a piezoelectric substrate having a generally planar structure and an anchor location fixing the piezoelectric substrate at the periphery of the planar structure of the piezoelectric substrate. The planar structure of the piezoelectric substrate has a first region having a first characteristic thickness adjacent to the anchor location, and a second region have a second characteristic thickness at a middle region of the substrate. The second characteristic thickness is less than the first characteristic thickness such that the planar structure in the second region is displaced relative to the neutral axis of the planar structure such that while undergoing bending the second region has either mostly compressive or mostly tensile stress.

Abstract: A system and method for reactive ion etching (RIE) system of a material is provided. The system includes a plasma chamber comprising a plasma source and a gas inlet, a diffusion chamber comprising a substrate holder for supporting a substrate with a surface comprising the material and a gas diffuser, and a source of a processing gas coupled to the gas diffuser. In the system and method, at least one radical of the processing gas is reactive with the material to perform etching of the material, the gas diffuser is configured to introduce the processing gas into the processing region, and the substrate holder comprises an electrode that can be selectively biased to draw ions generated by the plasma source into the processing region to interact with the at least one processing gas to generate the at least one radical at the surface.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems to improve thermal sensitivity of resonant circuits. One aspect utilizes tracking near-resonance complex impedance for a quartz resonator based calorimeter sensor to derive ultra-sensitive temperature measurement from the sensor. Another aspect includes a quartz resonant or—based calorimetric sensor placed close to but not touching the analyte being measured to eliminate mass loading effect on the temperature measurement.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems to improve thermal sensitivity of resonant circuits. One aspect utilizes tracking near-resonance complex impedance for a quartz resonator based calorimeter sensor to derive ultra-sensitive temperature measurement from the sensor. Another aspect includes a quartz resonant or -based calorimetric sensor placed close to but not touching the analyte being measured to eliminate mass loading effect on the temperature measurement.

Abstract: Described herein is an apparatus for characterizing an analyte in breath and related method. The apparatus comprises an interactant that is configured to interact with the analyte in breath to generate a change in thermal energy relative to a base thermal energy. The apparatus further comprises a piezoelectric system that is coupled to the interactant, comprises at least one piezoelectric material having a material property, and generates a signal that comprises information useful in characterizing the analyte in breath. The signal is in response to a change in a material property of the piezoelectric material. The change in the material property is in response to the change in thermal energy. The apparatus may be used for a variety of applications such as, for example, personal health monitoring, clinical diagnostics, safety and law enforcement monitoring, and others.

Abstract: A system and method for reactive ion etching (RIE) system of a material is provided. The system includes a plasma chamber comprising a plasma source and a gas inlet, a diffusion chamber comprising a substrate holder for supporting a substrate with a surface comprising the material and a gas diffuser, and a source of a processing gas coupled to the gas diffuser. In the system and method, at least one radical of the processing gas is reactive with the material to perform etching of the material, the gas diffuser is configured to introduce the processing gas into the processing region, and the substrate holder comprises an electrode that can be selectively biased to draw ions generated by the plasma source into the processing region to interact with the at least one processing gas to generate the at least one radical at the surface.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems to improve thermal sensitivity of resonant circuits. One aspect utilizes tracking near-resonance complex impedance for a quartz resonator based calorimeter sensor to derive ultra-sensitive temperature measurement from the sensor. Another aspect includes a quartz resonant or -based calorimetric sensor placed close to but not touching the analyte being measured to eliminate mass loading effect on the temperature measurement.

Abstract: Methods for sensing and building sensors provide for adding nanotubes to a sensor to improve characteristics such as the Q-factor associated with the sensor. Mass loading and damping characteristics of micromachined quartz crystal resonators on which a thin film of debundled single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) has been deposited are disclosed. An absolute mass sensitivity of ˜100 fg was experimentally measured by monitoring the continuous desorption of gases from SWNT surfaces in a vacuum ambient.

Abstract: Methods for sensing and building sensors provide for adding nanotubes to a sensor to improve characteristics such as the Q-factor associated with the sensor. Mass loading and damping characteristics of micromachined quartz crystal resonators on which a thin film of debundled single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) has been deposited are disclosed. An absolute mass sensitivity of ˜100 fg was experimentally measured by monitoring the continuous desorption of gases from SWNT surfaces in a vacuum ambient.

Abstract: Micromachine fluidic apparatus incorporates a free-standing tube section and electrodes to actuate or control the movement of the tube section, or to sense the movement of the tube section, or both. Electronic circuitry, which may be disposed on the same substrate as the fluidic portion of the apparatus, is used in conjunction with the tube and electrodes in conjunction with a variety of different applications, including fluid flow measurement, fluid density measurement, fluid viscosity measurement, fluid transport, separation and/or mixing. According to a particular embodiment, the free-standing section of the tube is resonated for fluid flow and density measurements according to the Coriolis effect. Capacitive/electrostatic actuation techniques are used to control or resonate the free-standing section of the tube, and to detect variations in tube movement.

Abstract: Micromachine fluidic apparatus incorporates a free-standing tube section and electrodes to actuate or control the movement of the tube section, or to sense the movement of the tube section, or both. Electronic circuitry, which may be disposed on the same substrate as the fluidic portion of the apparatus, is used in conjunction with the tube and electrodes in conjunction with a variety of different applications, including fluid flow measurement, fluid density measurement, fluid viscosity measurement, fluid transport, separation and/or mixing. According to a particular embodiment, the freestanding section of the tube is resonated for fluid flow and density measurements according to the Coriolis effect. Capacitive/electrostatic actuation techniques are used to control or resonate the free-standing section of the tube, and to detect variations in tube movement.

Abstract: Unwanted gasses created during bonding within micromachined vacuum cavities are reduced in a manner conducive to mass manufacturing. Two broad approaches may be applied separately or in combination according to the invention. One method is to deposit a barrier layer within the cavity (for example, on an exposed surface of the substrate). Such a layer not only provides a barrier against gases diffusing out of the substrate, but is also chosen so as to not outgas by itself. Another approach is to use a material which, instead of, or in addition to, acting as a barrier layer, acts as a getterer, such that it reacts with and traps unwanted gases. Incorporation of a getterer according to the invention can be as straightforward as depositing a thin metal layer on the substrate, which reacts to remove the impurities, or can be more elaborate through the use of a non-evaporable getter in a separate cavity in gaseous communication with the cavity.

Abstract: Micromachine fluidic apparatus incorporates a free-standing tube section and electrodes to actuate or control the movement of the tube section, or to sense the movement of the tube section, or both. Electronic circuitry, which may be disposed on the same substrate as the fluidic portion of the apparatus, is used in conjunction with the tube and electrodes in conjunction with a variety of different applications, including fluid flow measurement, fluid density measurement, fluid viscosity measurement, fluid transport, separation and/or mixing. According to a particular embodiment, the free-standing section of the tube is resonated for fluid flow and density measurements according to the Coriolis effect. Capacitive/electrostatic actuation techniques are used to control or resonate the free-standing section of the tube, and to detect variations in tube movement.