X. Ma

Bio: X. Ma is an academic researcher from Microchip Technology. The author has contributed to research in topics: Aluminium & Extrusion. The author has an hindex of 4, co-authored 6 publications receiving 398 citations.

A CMOS smart temperature sensor with a 3/spl sigma/ inaccuracy of /spl plusmn/0.1/spl deg/C from -55/spl deg/C to 125/spl deg/C

Abstract: A low-cost temperature sensor with on-chip sigma-delta ADC and digital bus interface was realized in a 0.5 /spl mu/m CMOS process. Substrate PNP transistors are used for temperature sensing and for generating the ADC's reference voltage. To obtain a high initial accuracy in the readout circuitry, chopper amplifiers and dynamic element matching are used. High linearity is obtained by using second-order curvature correction. With these measures, the sensor's temperature error is dominated by spread on the base-emitter voltage of the PNP transistors. This is trimmed after packaging by comparing the sensor's output with the die temperature measured using an extra on-chip calibration transistor. Compared to traditional calibration techniques, this procedure is much faster and therefore reduces production costs. The sensor is accurate to within /spl plusmn/0.5/spl deg/C (3/spl sigma/) from -50/spl deg/C to 120/spl deg/C.

Surface quality prediction in aluminum extrusion

Abstract: The surface quality of aluminium extrusion products can be hampered by undesired surface features like die lines and pickups. In particular the presence of pickups is considered as undesirable. Surface pickups appear as intermittent torn marks on the aluminium extrusion products, often terminated with a protruding lump rising above the surface up to hundreds of microns in height. Using a model calculating initiation, growth as well as detachment of the lumps on the die bearing surface, the surface quality of aluminium extrusion products can be predicted. The results of the model can be presented in terms of surface quality diagrams, where contour lines of the (normalized) calculated number of lumps are presented in terms of exit speed and extrudate surface temperature. These diagrams are unique for a certain combination of geometry of the extrudate and the aluminium alloy and can be used to optimise process conditions with respect to surface quality within a certain process window. In order to validate the model, the size and number of pickups on the surface of a labscale extruded strip of AA6063 have been measured. The results of the model are being compared to the experiments and show good agreement. © (2012) Trans Tech Publications.

Bio-Integrated Wearable Systems: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract: Bio-integrated wearable systems can measure a broad range of biophysical, biochemical, and environmental signals to provide critical insights into overall health status and to quantify human performance. Recent advances in material science, chemical analysis techniques, device designs, and assembly methods form the foundations for a uniquely differentiated type of wearable technology, characterized by noninvasive, intimate integration with the soft, curved, time-dynamic surfaces of the body. This review summarizes the latest advances in this emerging field of “bio-integrated” technologies in a comprehensive manner that connects fundamental developments in chemistry, material science, and engineering with sensing technologies that have the potential for widespread deployment and societal benefit in human health care. An introduction to the chemistries and materials for the active components of these systems contextualizes essential design considerations for sensors and associated platforms that appear in f...

A CMOS smart temperature sensor with a 3/spl sigma/ inaccuracy of /spl plusmn/0.1/spl deg/C from -55/spl deg/C to 125/spl deg/C

Abstract: A low-cost temperature sensor with on-chip sigma-delta ADC and digital bus interface was realized in a 0.5 /spl mu/m CMOS process. Substrate PNP transistors are used for temperature sensing and for generating the ADC's reference voltage. To obtain a high initial accuracy in the readout circuitry, chopper amplifiers and dynamic element matching are used. High linearity is obtained by using second-order curvature correction. With these measures, the sensor's temperature error is dominated by spread on the base-emitter voltage of the PNP transistors. This is trimmed after packaging by comparing the sensor's output with the die temperature measured using an extra on-chip calibration transistor. Compared to traditional calibration techniques, this procedure is much faster and therefore reduces production costs. The sensor is accurate to within /spl plusmn/0.5/spl deg/C (3/spl sigma/) from -50/spl deg/C to 120/spl deg/C.

A time-to-digital-converter-based CMOS smart temperature sensor

Abstract: A time-to-digital-converter-based CMOS smart temperature sensor without a voltage/current analog-to-digital converter (ADC) or bandgap reference is proposed for high-accuracy portable applications. Conventional smart temperature sensors rely on voltage/current ADCs for digital output code conversion. For the purpose of cost reduction and power savings, the proposed smart temperature sensor first generates a pulse with a width proportional to the measured temperature. Then, a cyclic time-to-digital converter is utilized to convert the pulse into a corresponding digital code. The test chips have an extremely small area of 0.175 mm/sup 2/ and were fabricated in the TSMC CMOS 0.35-/spl mu/m 2P4M process. Due to the excellent linearity of the digital output, the achieved measurement error is merely -0.7/spl sim/+0.9/spl deg/C after two point calibration, but without any curvature correction or dynamic offset cancellation. The effective resolution is better than 0.16/spl deg/C, and the power consumption is under 10 /spl mu/W at a sample rate of 2 samples/s.

A CMOS Temperature Sensor With a Voltage-Calibrated Inaccuracy of $\pm$ 0.15 $ ^{\circ}$ C (3 $\sigma$ ) From $-$ 55 $^{\circ}$ C to 125 $^{\circ}$ C

Abstract: This paper describes the design of a low power, energy-efficient CMOS smart temperature sensor intended for RFID temperature sensing. The BJT-based sensor employs an energy- efficient 2nd-order zoom ADC, which combines a coarse 5-bit SAR conversion with a fine 10-bit ΔΣ conversion. Moreover, a new integration scheme is proposed that halves the conversion time, while requiring no extra supply current. To meet the stringent cost constraints on RFID tags, a fast voltage calibration technique is used, which can be carried out in only 200 msec. After batch calibration and an individual room-temperature calibration, the sensor achieves an inaccuracy of ±0.15°C (3σ) from -55°C to 125°C . Over the same range, devices from a second lot achieved an inaccuracy of ±0.25°C (3σ) in both ceramic and plastic packages. The sensor occupies 0.08 mm2 in a 0.16 μm CMOS process, draws 3.4 μA from a 1.5 V to 2 V supply, and achieves a resolution of 20 mK in a conversion time of 5.3 msec. This corresponds to a minimum energy dissipation of 27 nJ per conversion.

A Fully-Integrated 71 nW CMOS Temperature Sensor for Low Power Wireless Sensor Nodes

Abstract: We propose a fully-integrated temperature sensor for battery-operated, ultra-low power microsystems. Sensor operation is based on temperature independent/dependent current sources that are used with oscillators and counters to generate a digital temperature code. A conventional approach to generate these currents is to drop a temperature sensitive voltage across a resistor. Since a large resistance is required to achieve nWs of power consumption with typical voltage levels (100 s of mV to 1 V), we introduce a new sensing element that outputs only 75 mV to save both power and area. The sensor is implemented in 0.18 μm CMOS and occupies 0.09 mm 2 while consuming 71 nW. After 2-point calibration, an inaccuracy of + 1.5°C/-1.4°C is achieved across 0 °C to 100 °C. With a conversion time of 30 ms, 0.3 °C (rms) resolution is achieved. The sensor does not require any external references and consumes 2.2 nJ per conversion. The sensor is integrated into a wireless sensor node to demonstrate its operation at a system level.