Adaptive programmable modulation techniques for miniaturized measurement devices

Inventors

Pamarti, Sudhakar • Erramilli, Shyamsunder • Mohanty, Pritiraj

Assignees

FemtoDx Inc

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure provide measurement devices and methods for detecting electrical characteristics of devices under test (DUTs), such as semiconductor nanowires. Techniques described herein provide programmable measurement devices that may be implemented in a compact form factor while being able to perform reliable measurements. In some embodiments, measurement devices described herein may be programmed to modulate signals for transmitting to a DUT, and may demodulate signals from the DUTs adaptively using self-programming techniques described herein. Such self-programming may include applying a programmable phase delay to oscillator signals used during demodulation. In some embodiments, such measurement devices may be implemented on a single circuit board, in a single integrated circuit package, or even on a single solid-state semiconductor die. Techniques described herein may enable reliable, inexpensive, and small-scale fluid sample measurement devices.

Core Innovation

The invention provides miniaturized programmable measurement devices and associated programming methods for detecting electrical characteristics of a device-under-test that includes at least one semiconductor nanowire. The approach uses demodulating received signals with oscillator signals, where the demodulation uses delayed versions of the oscillator signal to extract a component that is in-phase with the oscillator signal. A transmit-modulated signal can be applied to the semiconductor nanowire for measurement.

A self-programming technique uses a first delayed oscillator signal to demodulate a first received signal and generate a first baseband signal. Based on the first baseband signal, the device generates a second delayed version of the oscillator signal by determining a second delay, and then demodulates a second received signal using the second delayed version. The programming process can be iterative, using demodulation results and determining delays to maximize demodulated signal power by selecting delay settings based on baseband signal power.

The disclosed circuitry implements mixing to baseband and demodulation to extract the in-phase component, and processing circuitry detects electrical characteristics of the semiconductor nanowire using the extracted component. The disclosure further supports differential measurement and detection based on conductance or differential conductance for presence/absence of biological phenomena in a nanochannel-based sensing context.

Claims Coverage

The partial content includes two independent claims. The first covers a method of programming a measurement device using iterative demodulation with progressively determined delayed oscillator signals, including mixing to baseband and selecting a second delay based on baseband results. The second covers a measurement device that extracts an in-phase component using demodulation circuitry driven by an oscillator signal and then detects an electrical characteristic of a semiconductor nanowire using the extracted component.

Across the independent claims, the core coverage centers on programming via demodulation with delayed oscillator versions and determining delays from baseband signals, and a measurement device architecture that extracts an in-phase component from received signals using oscillator-referenced demodulation and uses that component to detect an electrical characteristic of semiconductor nanowires.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications