On-chip Sources Research Articles

Operation of an Adiabatic Quantum-Flux-Parametron Gate Using an On-Chip AC Power Source

Adiabatic quantum-flux-parametron (AQFP) logic devices can operate under extremely low bit energy approaching the thermal limit by varying their potential energy adiabatically using ac bias currents. We have proposed an on-chip ac power source, which is composed of a Josephson relaxation oscillator and a superconducting LC resonator in order to drive AQFP circuits at 5 GHz or higher frequencies. We herein experimentally confirmed the correct switching operation of an AQFP gate at 4.94 GHz using the proposed on-chip ac power source. Furthermore, we confirmed that the ac power source can drive approximately 800 AQFP gates.

On-chip low loss heralded source of pure single photons

A key obstacle to the experimental realization of many photonic quantum-enhanced technologies is the lack of low-loss sources of single photons in pure quantum states. We demonstrate a promising solution: generation of heralded single photons in a silica photonic chip by spontaneous four-wave mixing. A heralding efficiency of 40%, corresponding to a preparation efficiency of 80% accounting for detector performance, is achieved due to efficient coupling of the low-loss source to optical fibers. A single photon purity of 0.86 is measured from the source number statistics without narrow spectral filtering, and confirmed by direct measurement of the joint spectral intensity. We calculate that similar high-heralded-purity output can be obtained from visible to telecom spectral regions using this approach. On-chip silica sources can have immediate application in a wide range of single-photon quantum optics applications which employ silica photonics.

Design and demonstration of an on-chip AC power source for adiabatic quantum-flux-parametron logic

Adiabatic quantum-flux-parametron (AQFP) logic is a promising technology for use in future high-end computers because its bit energy can be potentially reduced to the order of thermal energy. AQFP gates are driven by an AC bias current, which changes their potential energy adiabatically. In the present paper, we propose an on-chip AC power source, which is composed of a Josephson relaxation oscillator and a superconducting resonator, to drive the AQFP gates. We designed and implemented the AC power source using a Nb Josephson integrated circuit process. We confirmed that the AC power source can generate a 4.4 GHz sinusoidal current from a DC bias current and that the output amplitude of the AC power source can be controlled by varying the DC bias current.

Microfluidic oscillators with widely tunable periods

We present experiments and theory of a constant flow-driven microfluidic oscillator with widely tunable oscillation periods. This oscillator converts two constant input-flows from a syringe pump into an alternating, periodic output-flow with oscillation periods that can be adjusted to between 0.3 s to 4.1 h by tuning an external membrane capacitor. This capacitor allows multiple adjustable periods at a given input flow-rate, thus providing great flexibility in device operation. Also, we show that a sufficiently large external capacitance, relative to the internal capacitance of the microfluidic valve itself, is a critical requirement for oscillation. These widely tunable microfluidic oscillators are envisioned to be broadly useful for the study of biological rhythms, as on-chip timing sources for microfluidic logic circuits, and other applications that require variation in timed flow switching.

High-Performance Silicon-Nitride-Based Multiple-Wavelength Source

We demonstrate a stable CMOS-compatible on-chip multiple-wavelength source by filtering and modulating individual lines from a frequency comb generated by a microring resonator optical parametric oscillator.. We show comb operation in a low-noise state that is stable and usable for many hours. Bit-error rate measurements demonstrate negligible power penalty from six independent frequencies when compared to a tunable diode laser baseline. Open eye diagrams confirm the fidelity of the 10 Gb/s data transmitted at the comb frequencies and the suitability of this device for use as a fully integrated silicon-based WDM source.

Experimental methods of post-growth-tuning of the excitonic fine structure splitting in semiconductor quantum dots.

Deterministic sources of polarization entangled photon pairs on demand are considered as important building blocks for quantum communication technology. It has been demonstrated that semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), which exhibit a sufficiently small excitonic fine structure splitting (FSS) can be used as triggered, on-chip sources of polarization entangled photon pairs. As-grown QDs usually do not have the required values of the FSS, making the availability of post-growth tuning techniques highly desired. This article reviews the effect of different post-growth treatments and external fields on the FSS such as thermal annealing, magnetic fields, the optical Stark effect, electric fields, and anisotropic stress. As a consequence of the tuning of the FSS, for some tuning techniques a rotation of the polarization of the emitted light is observed. The joint modification of polarization orientation and FSS can be described by an anticrossing of the bright excitonic states.

Flexible and Reconfigurable Mismatch-Tolerant Serial Clock Distribution Networks

We present a clock distribution network that emphasizes flexibility and layout independence. It suits a variety of applications, clock domain shapes and sizes using a modular, standard cell-based design approach that mitigates the effect of intra-die temperature and process variances. We route the clock line serially, using an averaging technique to eliminate skew between clock regions in a domain. Routing clock lines serially allows optimal wire usage for clock networks by eliminating the redundant wires required to match path delays. Our clock network provides control over regional clock skews, can be used in beneficial skew applications and facilitates silicon-debug. Serial clocking permits the use of routing switches in the clock network and allows post-silicon resizing and reshaping of clock domains. Defective sections of the clock network can be bypassed, providing post silicon repair capability. The system uses a closed-loop synchronization phase to combine the clock skew reduction of an actively synchronized clock network with an open-loop operating phase that minimizes power consumption like passive clock networks. Our clock network provides significant flexibility for application-specific integrated circuit, system-on-chip, and field-programmable gate-array designs, exhibiting good operating characteristics everywhere in the design envelope. Our silicon implementation achieves a maximum edge-to-edge uncertainty of 80 ps for regional clocks, which is roughly equal to the cycle-to-cycle jitter of the on-chip clock source.

Strongly Enhanced Molecular Fluorescence inside a Nanoscale Waveguide Gap

We experimentally demonstrate dramatically enhanced light-matter interaction for molecules placed inside the nanometer scale gap of a plasmonic waveguide. We observe spontaneous emission rate enhancements of up to about 60 times due to strong optical localization in two dimensions. This rate enhancement is a nonresonant nature of the plasmonic waveguide under study overcoming the fundamental bandwidth limitation of conventional devices. Moreover, we show that about 85% of molecular emission couples into the waveguide highlighting the dominance of the nanoscale optical mode in competing with quenching processes. Such optics at molecular length scales paves the way toward integrated on-chip photon source, rapid transfer of quantum information, and efficient light extraction for solid-state-lighting devices.

Proposal for on-chip generation and control of photon hyperentanglement

An on-chip waveguide-based source of entangled photons capable of switching between generating time-energy entangled and hyperentangled (entangled in both time energy and polarization) photon pairs is proposed. The switching can be done all-optically by rotating the pump polarization. The source is based on multichannel phase matching in Bragg reflection waveguides achieved by engineering the Fresnel reflection of photonic bandgap claddings for differently polarized modes. Analytical results are confirmed in fully vectorial numerical simulations.

Giant Spin-Hall Effect Induced by the Zeeman Interaction in Graphene

We propose a new approach to generate and detect spin currents in graphene, based on a large spin-Hall response arising near the neutrality point in the presence of an external magnetic field. Spin currents result from the imbalance of the Hall resistivity for the spin-up and spin-down carriers induced by the Zeeman interaction, and do not involve a spin-orbit interaction. Large values of the spin-Hall response achievable in moderate magnetic fields produced by on-chip sources, and up to room temperature, make the effect viable for spintronics applications.

Pre-programmable polymer transformers as on-chip microfluidic vacuum generators

This paper develops novel polymer transformers using thermally actuated shape memory polymer (SMP) materials. This paper applies SMPs with thermally induced shape memory effect to the proposed novel polymer transformers as on-chip microfluidic vacuum generators. In this type of SMPs, the morphology of the materials changes when the temperature of materials reaches its glass transition temperature (T g). The structure of the polymer transformer can be pre-programmed to define its functions, which the structure is reset to the temporary shape, using shape memory effects. When subjected to heat, the polymer transformer returns to its pre-memory morphology. The morphological change can produce a vacuum generation function in microfluidic channels. Vacuum pressure is generated to suck liquids into the microfluidic chip from fluidic inlets and drive liquids in the microchannel due to the morphological change of the polymer transformer. This study adopts a new smart polymer with high shape memory effects to achieve fluid movement using an on-chip vacuum generation source. Experimental measurements show that the polymer transformer, which uses SMP with a T g of 40°C, can deform 310 μm (recover to the permanent shape from the temporary shape) within 40 s at 65°C. The polymer transformer with an effective cavity volume of 155 μl achieved negative pressures of −0.98 psi. The maximum negative up to −1.8 psi can be achieved with an effective cavity volume of 268 μl. A maximum flow rate of 24 μl/min was produced in the microfluidic chip with a 180 mm long channel using this technique. The response times of the polymer transformers presented here are within 36 s for driving liquids to the end of the detection chamber. The proposed design has the advantages of compact size, ease of fabrication and integration, ease of actuation, and on-demand negative pressure generation. Thus, this design is suitable for disposable biochips that need two liquid samples control. The polymer transformer presented in this study is applicable to numerous disposable microfluidic biochips.

A precious-metal free micro fuel cell accumulator

In recent years, integrated fuel cell (FC) type primary and secondary batteries attracted a great deal of attention as integrated on-chip power sources due to their high theoretical power densities. Unfortunately, the costs of these devices have been rather high. This is partially due to the involved clean-room processes, but also due to the fact that these devices generally rely on expensive precious-metals such as Pd and Pt. Therefore we developed a novel integrated FC type accumulator that is based on non-precious-metals only. The key component of the presented accumulator is its alkaline polymer electrolyte membrane that allows not only the usage of a low-cost AB5 type hydrogen storage electrode, but also the usage of La0.6Ca0.4CoO3 as a precious-metal free bifunctional catalyst for the air-breathing electrode. Additionally the presented design requires only comparatively few cleanroom processes which further reduces the overall production costs. Although abdicating precious-metals, the presented accumulator shows an open circuit voltage of 0.81V and a maximum power density of 0.66mWcm−2 which is comparable or even superior to former precious-metal based cells.

SRAM Write-Ability Improvement With Transient Negative Bit-Line Voltage

Increasing variations in device parameters significantly degrades the write-ability of SRAM cells in deep sub-100 nm CMOS technology. In this paper, a transient negative bit-line voltage technique is presented to improve write-ability of SRAM cell. Capacitive coupling is used to generate a transient negative voltage at the low-going bit-line during Write operation without using any on-chip or off-chip negative voltage source. Statistical simulations in a 45-nm PD/SOI technology show a 103X reduction in the Write-failure probability with the proposed method.

Microfluidic Biochips and Plastic-Antibody Biosensors for Point-of-Care Diagnostics

Microfluidic biochips have been studied since the 1990s. The research area continues to have an increase important role in biological fundamental research and medical diagnostics. In future, microfuidic biochips will continue to play a critical role in genomics, proteomics, and cellulomics, as evidenced by the increased demand for biochips and tissue chips capable of handling personal medicine, toxicity analysis, and point-of-care diagnostics. Microfluidic biochips are becoming inexpensive, multifunctional, reliable, sample/reagent-saving, and process-parallel. Increasing miniaturization of biochips has led to the realization of micro total analysis systems and lab-on-a-chip systems. Traditional biochemical instruments require large amount of fluidic samples, large space occupation, complex procedures and long time for operation, and professional operators. In these years, biomedical microinstrumentation is applying MEMS and microfluidic technologies with biosensors and bioelectronics to speed up the detection and improve the accuracy instead of traditional instruments. However, most of biochips or lab chips are using syringe pumps or off-chip gas tanks with pressure regulators to handle fluidic samples. It will cause the loss of the fluidic samples, contaminations, and difficulties in minimization and portability. It has large demands on developing on-chip pressure or vacuum sources for disposable lab-on-chip systems for multiple steps or multiple samples suction to precisely deliver tiny fluidic samples into the microchannels for biosensing.

Extraction of the β-factor for single quantum dots coupled to a photonic crystal waveguide

We present measurements of the β-factor, describing the coupling efficiency of light emitted by single InAs/GaAs semiconductor quantum dots into a photonic crystal waveguide mode. The β-factor is evaluated by means of time-resolved frequency-dependent photoluminescence spectroscopy. The emission wavelength of single quantum dots is temperature tuned across the band edge of a photonic crystal waveguide and the spontaneous emission rate is recorded. Decay rates up to 5.7 ns−1, corresponding to a Purcell factor of 5.2, are measured and β-factors up to 85% are extracted. These results prove the potential of photonic crystal waveguides in the realization of on-chip single-photon sources.

Supercontinuum generation in a high index doped silica glass spiral waveguide

We demonstrate supercontinuum (SC) generation at both 1550 nm and 1288 nm in a compact (< 5mm(2)) 45 cm spiral waveguide composed of CMOS-compatible doped high-index glass. While both wavelengths have weak dispersion and are near zero dispersion points, they present different symmetries. At 1550 nm, the normal dispersion regime takes place at longer wavelengths, whereas at 1290 nm it is at shorter wavelengths, and we observe features in the SC spectra that clearly reflect this. In particular, the spectrum at 1550 nm is more than 300 nm wide (limited by detection) and is well reproduced by simulations based on the measured dispersion. This work represents a practical on-chip broadband wavelength source with potential use in many important applications.

On-Chip Source-Follower Readout Performance With Sub-Picofarad Detector Capacitance

The direct integration on the high-resistivity substrate of a source-follower stage significantly improves the overall detector performance as the detector capacitance is buffered from the capacitive load of the external preamplifier. In principle this would allow full exploitation of the benefits of sub-picofarad anode capacitance (e.g., down to few tens of fF for Silicon Drift Detectors) in terms of spectroscopic resolution and processing speed. However, as the product of transconductance and output resistance of on-chip JFETs is typically limited to about 10 or even less due to technological constraints, the signal transfer of the JFET source-follower stage significantly departs from the ideal behavior, especially at sub-picofarad detector capacitances. In this paper we analyze in detail the actual performance of the on-chip source follower stage and its impact on the achievable noise and time performance of the detection system.

A Current Injection Built-In Test Technique for RF Low-Noise Amplifiers

In this paper, a practical current injection based built-in test (BIT) technique for impedance-matched RF low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) is proposed. A current generation circuit injects the RF test current at the gate of the LNA; this approach has the advantage that the matching network is not affected by the test circuitry. The technique can be used without design changes to measure the voltage gain during on-wafer test and to measure S21 during final test in the presence of gate inductance and package parasitics. Furthermore, the current injection testing technique enables accurate gain measurements in order to detect faulty impedance matching networks. The proposed current-based BIT requires an on-chip voltage source, two on-chip power detectors (PDs), and an accurate external resistor. On-chip or external equipment resources are only required to measure the dc output of the PDs. As a proof of concept, a 2.1-GHz inductor-degenerated common-source LNA with a gain of 23.9 dB was designed in 0.13-mum CMOS technology together with the BIT circuitry (14% area overhead). The gain predicted by the current injection RF BIT agrees with the simulated gain using corner models within 0.8-dB error.

On-Chip Fuel Cell: Micro Direct Methanol Fuel Cell of an Air-Breathing, Membraneless, and Monolithic Design

This paper proposes a novel design for a microfuel cell as an on-chip power source and demonstrates its fabrication and operation to prove the concept. Its simple design is important from the viewpoints of fabrication (e.g., replication), integration, and compatibility with other microdevices. In testing, the prototype cell was able to generate electric power (maximum: ca. 1.4 microW) on methanol without pumps under both neutral and acidic conditions. As for the size, the electrode part of the cell (two cathodes and one anode) is 400 microns in width and 6 mm in length. The evaluation demonstrated that the proposed design is a promising on-chip power source for miniature devices.

Rapid fabrication of microfluidic polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell in PDMS by surface patterning of perfluorinated ion-exchange resin

In this paper we demonstrate a simple and rapid fabrication method for a microfluidic polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), which has become the de facto standard material in BioMEMS. Instead of integrating a Nafion sheet film between two layers of a PDMS device in a traditional “sandwich format,” we pattern a perfluorinated ion-exchange resin such as a Nafion resin on a glass substrate using a reversibly bonded PDMS microchannel to generate an ion-selective membrane between the fuel-cell electrodes. After this patterning step, the assembly of the microfluidic fuel cell is accomplished by simple oxygen plasma bonding between the PDMS chip and the glass substrate. In an example implementation, the planar PEM microfluidic fuel cell generates an open circuit voltage of 600–800 mV and delivers a maximum current output of nearly 4 μA. To enhance the power output of the fuel cell we utilize self-assembled colloidal arrays as a support matrix for the Nafion resin. Such arrays allow us to increase the thickness of the ion-selective membrane to 20 μm and increase the current output by 166%. Our novel fabrication method enables rapid prototyping of microfluidic fuel cells to study various ion-exchange resins for the polymer electrolyte membrane. Our work will facilitate the development of miniature, implantable, on-chip power sources for biomedical applications.