Readout Amplifier Research Articles

Design and preliminary test results of the charge sensitive amplifier for gain-less charge readout in high-pressure TPC

This paper presents the design and electrical test results of a low-noise front-end chip (named Topmetal-S) in a High-pressure Time Projection Chamber (TPC) for searching the neutrinoless double beta decay. The Topmetal-S has been fabricated in a 130 nm CMOS technology. The proposed front-end chip consists of a charge collection electrode, a Charge Sensitive Amplifier (CSA) and peripheral circuits. The test results indicate that the CSA features an input linear dynamic range of approximately 6.64 fC, a charge-conversion gain of about 220 mV/fC and an Equivalent Noise Charge (ENC) of approximately 115 e - after a digital trapezoidal pulse shaper.

Rydberg-atom-based single-photon detection for haloscope axion searches

We propose a Rydberg-atom-based single-photon detector for signal readout in dark matter haloscope experiments between 40 μeV and 200 μeV (10 GHz and 50 GHz). At these frequencies, standard haloscope readout using linear amplifiers is limited by quantum measurement noise, which can be avoided by using a single-photon detector. Our single-photon detection scheme can offer scan rate enhancements up to a factor of 104 over traditional linear amplifier readout, and is compatible with many different haloscope cavities. We identify multiple haloscope designs that could use our Rydberg-atom-based single-photon detector to search for QCD axions with masses above 40 μeV (10 GHz), currently a minimally explored parameter space. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

A low-cost, portable, dual-function readout device for amplification-based point-of-need diagnostics.

The first critical step in timely disease management is rapid disease identification, which is ideally on-site detection. Of all the technologies available for disease identification, nucleic acid amplification-based diagnostics are often used due to their specificity, sensitivity, adaptability, and speed. However, the modules to interpret amplification results rapidly, reliably, and easily in resource-limited settings at point-of-need (PON) are in high demand. Therefore, we developed a portable, low-cost, and easy-to-perform device that can be used for amplification readout at PON to enable rapid yet reliable disease identification by users with minimal training.

A diamond double-sided strip detector for alpha-tagging in associated particle imaging

- In associated particle imaging, neutrons from deuterium-tritium fusion are used to interrogate objects of interest. The associated particle imaging technique utilizes an alpha-tagging sensor in the neutron generator to detect the alpha particle that is emitted antiparallel to the neutron, providing neutron birth time and direction. This technique of neutron imaging and induced fission imaging can provide higher contrast image reconstructions and better estimations of fissile material mass than passive measurement techniques. The performance goals of an alpha-tagging sensor in associated particle imaging are a 700-ps timing resolution, a 0.5 mm spatial resolution, high level of radiation hardness, low sensitivity to X-rays, high signal-to-noise ratio, and survivability in the high temperature bake out of the neutron generator. Currently employed YAP scintillators are overwhelmed by the intense X-ray field in the neutron generator, requiring a new alpha tagging sensor design to be developed. We have developed and tested a diamond double-sided strip detector as a proposed sensor for associated particle imaging. Diamond is radiation hard, has a low sensitivity to X-rays, fast timing capabilities, high signal-to-noise ratio, and can withstand the temperatures of bake-out. The spatial resolution can be accomplished with a charge division readout and double-sided strip design. We measured the timing resolution of a single crystal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamond with a Cividec C6 charge amplifier readout by measuring the time-of-flight of 241Am alpha particles between a thin plastic scintillator and the diamond. We also fabricated a polycrystalline CVD diamond double-sided strip detector with charge division readout to test the spatial resolution of the design. We found that the detector met both the 700-ps timing resolution and the 0.5 mm spatial resolution goals (both reported as FWHM resolution).

Design and Simulation Analysis of a 3TnC MLC FeRAM Using a Nondestructive Readout and Offset-Canceled Sense Amplifier for High-Density Storage Applications.

Hf0.5Zr0.5O2-based multi-level cell (MLC) ferroelectric random-access memory (FeRAM) has great potential for high-density storage applications. However, it is usually limited by the issues of a small operation margin and a large input offset. The study of circuit design and optimization for MLC FeRAM is necessary to solve these problems. In this work, we propose and simulate a configuration for a Hf0.5Zr0.5O2-based 3TnC MLC FeRAM macro circuit, which also presents a high area efficiency of 12F2 for each bit. Eight polarization states can be distinguished in a single fabricated Hf0.5Zr0.5O2-based memory device for potential MLC application, which is also simulated by a SPICE model for the subsequent circuit design. Therein, a nondestructive readout approach is adopted to expand the reading margin to 450 mV between adjacent storage levels, while a capacitorless offset-canceled sense amplifier (SA) is designed to reduce the offset voltage to 20 mV, which improves the readout reliability of multi-level states. Finally, a 4 Mb MLC FeRAM macro is simulated and verified using a GSMC 130 nm CMOS process. This study provides the foundation of circuit design for the practical fabrication of a Hf0.5Zr0.5O2-based MLC FeRAM chip in the future, which also suggests its potential for high-density storage applications.

Design and Analysis of a 4.2 mW 4 K 6–8 GHz CMOS LNA for Superconducting Qubit Readout

This article proposes a cryogenic inverter-based low noise amplifier (LNA) for qubit readout. Its input impedance matching is realized by a high- <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$Q$</tex-math> </inline-formula> on-chip gate inductor and capacitive load through the gate-to-drain feedback capacitance of the input transistors. Cascode transistors are used to optimize the impedance matching, which results in a larger gate inductor and smaller load capacitor and hence a higher passive and inverter gain. Owing to the high passive gain and <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$Q$</tex-math> </inline-formula> -factor of the gate inductor at 4 K, the noise of the active stages is substantially suppressed with a negligible noise contribution of the gate inductor. Moreover, with the current re-use in the inverter topology, less power consumption is achieved for the given transconductance of transistors. The input impedance, gain, and noise analyses of the proposed LNA are performed for room temperature (RT) operation, and its noise optimization is done by taking the cryogenic operation of the devices into account. We demonstrate with the circuit analysis and measurement results that the input impedance of the LNA has a low sensitivity to variations on device parameters at cryogenic temperatures. The LNA is implemented in a 28 nm CMOS technology. It achieves 0.4–0.7 dB noise figure (NF) with 4.2 mW power consumption at 4 K, and its operating frequency is between 6–8 GHz. The LNA consumes very low power compared to the state-of-the-art cryogenic CMOS LNAs while providing similar NF performance at 4 K, which makes it suitable for dilution refrigerators.

High comprehensive performance superconducting nanowire single photon detector

Superconducting nanowire single photon detector (SNSPD) has been widely used in quantum communication, quantum computing and other fields because of its excellent timing jitter and response speed. However, due to the mutual restraint of the technical parameters of SNSPD nanowires, there are technical challenges to further improve the comprehensive performance of SNSPD, and thus limiting its application on a large scale. Combining high detection efficiency with high timing performance is still an outstanding challenge. In this work, we report the SNSPD with 12-μm small active area, which has high speed, high efficiency, low jitter and broadband absorption. Au/SiO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; membrane cavity, which is determined by finite element analysis simulation, is used to widen the optical response bandwidth. And it is easier to process and improve the alignment accuracy at the same time. The flat substrate is more conducive to the growth of superconducting thin films, so flattening process is introduced. Device package is also optimized to match smaller detector. Self-aligned packaging makes optical alignment more convenient and time-saving. Special optical fibers with small mode-field diameters can reduce the negative effect of the detector on optical coupling. The detector can achieve a maximum SDE of 82% at the central wavelength of 1310 nm and the temperature of 2.2 K, and the SDE of more than 65% in the wavelength range of 1200–1600 nm, with DCR of 70 cps. The detector also exhibits a count rate of 40 MHz@3 dB and a timing jitter of 38 ps, which is significantly improved compared with 23-μm active area detector. Furthermore, the minimum timing jitter of 22 ps can be obtained by using cryogenic amplifier readout. In this work, high comprehensive performance detector is developed, which provides an important technical reference for practical and product SNSPD.

A novel front-end amplifier for gain-less charge readout in high-pressure gas TPC

This paper presents a novel low-noise front-end amplifier manufactured in a standard 130 nm CMOS process. The front-end amplifier is part of an integrated sensor, with an array of which, forms a charge readout plane in a high-pressure gaseous Time Projection Chamber (TPC) for 0νββ search. The novel front-end amplifier composed of a source-drain follower and a common-source amplifier is proposed. The potential of both the source and drain node of the input transistor follows its gate. Hence the effective input capacitance contributed by the input transistor is significantly reduced. A hexagon charge collection electrode with a diameter of 1 mm is connected to the input node of the front-end amplifier. The shielding technique is applied and the shielding metal is connected to the source or drain node of the input transistor. Therefore, the effective input capacitance contributed by the charge collection electrode is decreased. The extraction result shows that the input capacitance is decreased from the 4 pf down to 7.4 fF. A test chip has been designed and an equivalent noise charge of 33 e− is achieved from the simulations.

A 130dB SPL 72dB SNR MEMS Microphone Using a Sealed-Dual Membrane Transducer and a Power-Scaling Read-Out ASIC

This work describes a microphone system featuring a new MEMS transducer based on a sealed-dual membrane (SDM) design paired with the latest generation of digital read-out ASIC. State-of-the-art noise performance is achieved thanks to significant optimizations both on the MEMS as well as on the ASIC side. The SDM design reduces significantly the magnitude of one of the main noise contributors by moving the air gaps to a sealed low-pressure chamber. The ASIC features an unconventional read-out amplifier based on a power-scalable current-feedback architecture as well as a reconfigurable <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\Delta \Sigma $ </tex-math></inline-formula> modulator allowing to trade-off signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) versus power consumption. The microphone system achieves an SNR of 72dB(A) supporting an acoustical overload point (AOP) of 130dB SPL. This represents a significant improvement to current state-of-the-art digital microphones.

Measurement-based extrapolation of spectral responsivity by using a low-NEP pyroelectric detector

In case the primary realization of the spectral responsivity scale is not conducted at all target wavelengths but at only a small part of them, one needs to extrapolate values at the specific wavelengths to an extended range. In this work, we present a fully experimental procedure to extrapolate a single value of spectral responsivity at 633 nm into the whole working wavelength range (250–1100) nm of Si photodiodes. It is based on spectral responsivity comparison between a Si trap detector and a low-noise equivalent power pyroelectric detector of nearly flat spectral response. For this purpose, we developed a setup specialized to compare a Si-trap detector of dc-current output with a pyroelectric detector of ac-voltage output by using a modulated probing light source and a monitoring technique. To keep the probing light chopped even for the dc-photocurrent readout, we adopted a low chopping frequency of 4 Hz and a triggered readout for the Si-trap detector, which leads to a speedy comparison between the Si-trap detector and the pyroelectric detector. For the reference pyroelectric detector, we characterized the spectral absorptivity of the black-coating and the nonlinearity of the lock-in amplifier readout. Compiling all the required information, the spectral responsivity of the Si trap detector could be measured with the minimum uncertainty of 0.3% (k = 2), which was validated by comparing with that of our previous method based on a numerical extrapolation.

Квазісинхронна термокомпенсація в іонометрії із застосуванням ІСПТ. Частина 2: Практична реалізація

This paper is a continuation of the previously published work by the same authors, where general principles of the ionometric transducer design utilizing solid-state ion-sensitive electrodes (ion-sensitive field effect transistors, ISFETs) that can simultaneously serve as temperature sensors were laid out. In that part of the work, a possibility of using such transducer as a basis for ionometric device that performs automatic compensation of the temperature dependence of electrode potential without the need for a dedicated thermometric measuring path in the device structure was demonstrated with the circuit simulation results. Combination of the two functions (ionometric and thermometric) in a single sensor is achieved by separating the sensor operation modes in time, and dynamically switching between them by controlling the ISFET bias voltage. In the present part, a practical implementation of the secondary transducer for ionometric sensors based on ISFET is considered and described. The proposed transducer provides the possibility of programmatic control of the ISFET bias voltage magnitude and polarity, thus allowing to use the ISFET as a temperature sensor. Consecutive switching between ionometric and thermometric modes of sensor operation, along with subsequent algorithmic processing of the obtained data by a microprocessor incorporated into the transducer structure, allows to compensate the temperature dependence of the ISFET electrode potential. Circuit diagrams for the main components of transducer — namely, the programmable voltage source for ISFET biasing and the transimpedance amplifier for the sensor output readout — are presented, as well as the experimental estimation of the ISFET sensor thermometric properties and the efficiency of thermocompensation.

A unipolar thin‐film transistor‐based amplifier with enhanced DC offset suppression

This letter proposes a unipolar thin-film transistor (TFT)-based amplifier design that can provide enhanced DC offset suppression. The amplifier consists of an input AC coupling network and a capacitor bootstrap amplifier. By making the first pole of the input AC-coupling network coincide with that of the capacitor bootstrap amplifier, a DC offset suppression capability of 40 dB/dec, which is 2× higher than that of the prior arts, can be obtained. An implementation is also proposed and a Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) TFT model whose parameters are turned to fit the measured data of our metal-oxide TFT is used to simulate the circuit. Simulation results show that the implementation has 31 dB midband gain, 0.5 Hz–5 kHz bandwidth, 300 μW power consumptions, and the expected 40 dB/dec DC offset suppression. This design is suitable for applications that need to block large DC interference, such as sensor readout amplifiers.

Impact of Fluid Flow on CMOS-MEMS Resonators Oriented to Gas Sensing.

Based on experimental data, this paper thoroughly investigates the impact of a gas fluid flow on the behavior of a MEMS resonator specifically oriented to gas sensing. It is demonstrated that the gas stream action itself modifies the device resonance frequency in a way that depends on the resonator clamp shape with a corresponding non-negligible impact on the gravimetric sensor resolution. Results indicate that such an effect must be accounted when designing MEMS resonators with potential applications in the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In addition, the impact of thermal perturbations was also investigated. Two types of four-anchored CMOS-MEMS plate resonators were designed and fabricated: one with straight anchors, while the other was sustained through folded flexure clamps. The mechanical structures were monolithically integrated together with an embedded readout amplifier to operate as a self-sustained fully integrated oscillator on a commercial CMOS technology, featuring low-cost batch production and easy integration. The folded flexure anchor resonator provided a flow impact reduction of 5× compared to the straight anchor resonator, while the temperature sensitivity was enhanced to −115 ppm/°C, an outstanding result compared to the −2403 ppm/°C measured for the straight anchored structure.

Quality factor tuning of micromechanical resonators via electrical dissipation

Sensitive capacitive transduction of micromechanical resonators can contribute significant electrical dissipation, which degrades the quality factor of the eigenmodes. We theoretically and experimentally demonstrate a scheme for isolating the electrical damping of a mechanical resonator due to Ohmic dissipation in the readout amplifier. The quality factor suppression arising from the amplifier is strongly dependent on the amplifier feedback resistance and parasitic capacitance. By studying the thermomechanical displacement noise spectrum of a doubly clamped micromechanical beam, we confirm that electrical dissipation tunes the actual, not effective, quality factor. Electrical dissipation is an important consideration in the design of sensitive capacitive displacement transducers, which are a key component in resonant sensors and oscillators.

Fully Differential Chopper-Stabilized Multipath Current-Feedback Instrumentation Amplifier with R-2R DAC Offset Adjustment for Resistive Bridge Sensors

A fully differential multipath current-feedback instrumentation amplifier (CFIA) for a resistive bridge sensor readout integrated circuit (IC) is proposed. To reduce the CFIA’s own offset and 1/f noise, a chopper stabilization technique is implemented. To attenuate the output ripple caused by chopper up-modulation, a ripple reduction loop (RRL) is employed. A multipath architecture is implemented to compensate for the notch in the chopping frequency band of the transfer function. To prevent performance degradation resulting from external offset, a 12-bit R-2R digital-to-analog converter (DAC) is employed. The proposed CFIA has an adjustable gain of 16–44 dB with 5-bit programmable resistors. The proposed resistive sensor readout IC is implemented in a 0.18 μm complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process. The CFIA draws 169 μA currents from a 3.3 V supply. The simulated input-referred noise and noise efficiency factor (NEF) are 28.3 nV/√Hz and 14.2, respectively. The simulated common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR) is 162 dB, and the power supply rejection ratio (PSRR) is 112 dB.

Trimetallic hybrid nanodendrites and magnetic nanocomposites-based electrochemical immunosensor for ultrasensitive detection of serum human epididymis protein 4

Alloy nanomaterials with various morphologies have showed their potential application in electrochemical signal amplification. However, it is still challenging to fabricate stable multimetallic nanomaterials with large surface area and strong electrochemical activity for the further enhancement of electrochemical sensors’ performance. Here, the trimetallic AgPtCo nanodendrites (NDs) were synthesized as powerful redox probe and highly efficient signal amplifier for electrochemical signal readout. A robust and ultrasensitive electrochemical immunosensor, based on AgPtCo NDs and magnetic nanocomposites (Fe3O4@SiO2@Au MNCs), was successfully developed to detect serum human epididymis protein 4 (HE4). The established method, drawing upon the strong electrochemical activity of AgPtCo NDs and the enrichment and separation effect of MNCs, exhibited a wide linear range (0.001–50 ng mL−1) and a low detection limit (0.487 pg mL−1). Besides, the developed sensor was applied to analyze the concentration of HE4 in real samples and the results achieved were consistent with those of clinical methods. Thus, this AgPtCo NDs and MNCs based electrochemical immunosensor might become a powerful alternative approach for ultrasensitive detection of various serum biomarkers associated with early diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

Nanoparticle-Based LDI-MS Immunoassay for the Multiple Diagnosis of Viral Infections.

Many serious public health emergencies around the globe are caused by viral epidemics. Thus, developing a reliable method for viral screening is in high demand. Multiplex assays for simultaneous detection and fast screening of high-risk pathogens are especially needed. This study employs metal nanoparticles to generate specific mass spectral signals for different RNA viruses, which enables simultaneous detection of whole viruses by laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS). We developed a nanoparticle-based sandwich immunosorbent assay as a sensing platform for the detection of viruses and viral nonstructural protein by LDI-MS. Cellulose acetate membrane (CAM) serves as the substrate for the fabrication of the sandwich immunosorbent assay with the advantages of clean mass spectra and high enrichment of analytes. Antibody-modified metal nanoparticles (Ab-MNPs; M = Au or Ag) act as metallic biocodes for the LDI-MS detection. The signal amplification readout for the virus is through the pulsed laser-induced formation of metal cluster ions ([M n]+; n = 1-3) from the Ab-MNPs which specifically bind on the CAM. Our sensing system is effective for the detection of intact viruses [Enterovirus 71 (EV71) and Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV)], nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) of Zika virus (ZIKV), EV71-spiked human serum samples, and the simultaneous detection of EV71 and ZIKV. Our probe efficiently detects EV71 in real clinical serum samples with >95% agreement with RT-qPCR results. This high-throughput LDI-MS viral detection system is simple, reliable, and high-throughput. We believe this platform has the potential to be employed for the routine screening of patients with viral infections.

A simple, robust and equipment-free DNA amplification readout in less than 30 seconds.

Molecular based diagnostic methods rely on the amplification of pathogen DNA but naked eye visualization of results is still challenging. We present here a simple and highly reliable DNA amplification readout system for naked eye detection of isothermally or PCR amplified DNA in less than 30 seconds. This system utilizes spermine to precipitate DNA amplicons and initiate bridging flocculation of a mix of charcoal and diatomaceous earth particles in suspension. In the absence of amplification, the charcoal particles remain suspended resulting in a black, non-transparent colloid solution while positive samples in which DNA amplification has occurred can be identified within seconds as the particles flocculate and settle leaving a transparent liquid phase. We have coupled this method with our rapid dipstick DNA purification method and isothermal DNA amplification to create a simple four-step diagnostic system that can be preassembled to reduce unnecessary manipulation in the field. The method's simplicity, low cost, minimal equipment and clear presence/absence readout makes it ideal for rapid diagnostic testing in the laboratory and in situations where users have limited technical training or resources including high school science classes and field-based research.

A Coherent Receiver Based on SIM for Quantum Communication

In this letter, we propose theoretically a coherent receiver based on solid-state impact-ionization multiplier (SIM) for quantum communication. In the newly proposed coherent receiver, the balanced photodetector (BPD) is used as a current source connected to the SIM. The signal from the BPD is fed into the SIM, where it is amplified through a desirable avalanche process, which is similar to the avalanche photodiodes, and can then be fed into a transimpedance amplifier for voltage readout. Compared with the conventional coherent receiver with only coherent gain, the signal gain of the proposed coherent receiver consists of two parts, the coherent gain produced by the local oscillator (LO) and the avalanche gain produced by the SIM, so the LO power can be decreased to avoid the saturation of the BPD without sacrificing the signal gain. What is more, the proposed receiver can operate at a higher bandwidth by optimizing the structure of the coherent receiving end and redesigning the geometry of the SIM.

Cryo-CMOS Circuits and Systems for Quantum Computing Applications

A fault-tolerant quantum computer with millions of quantum bits (qubits) requires massive yet very precise control electronics for the manipulation and readout of individual qubits. CMOS operating at cryogenic temperatures down to 4 K (cryo-CMOS) allows for closer system integration, thus promising a scalable solution to enable future quantum computers. In this paper, a cryogenic control system is proposed, along with the required specifications, for the interface of the classical electronics with the quantum processor. To prove the advantages of such a system, the functionality of key circuit blocks is experimentally demonstrated. The characteristic properties of cryo-CMOS are exploited to design a noise-canceling low-noise amplifier for spin-qubit RF-reflectometry readout and a class-F2,3 digitally controlled oscillator required to manipulate the state of qubits.