This book describes the theory and design of high-accuracy CMOS smart temperature sensors. The major topic of the work is the realization of a smart temperature sensor that has an accuracy that is so high that it can be applied without any form of calibration. Integrated in a low-cost CMOS technology, this yields at the publication date of this book one of the most inexpensive intelligent general purpose temperature sensors in the world. The first thermometers could only be read by the human eye. The industrial revolution and the following computerization asked for more intelligent sensors, which could easily communicate to digital computers. This led to· the development of integrated temperature sensors that combine a bipolar temperature sensor and an A-to-D converter on the same chip. The implementation in CMOS technology reduces the processing costs to a minimum while having the best-suited technology to increase the (digital) intelligence. The accuracy of conventional CMOS smart temperature sensors is degraded by the offset of the read-out electronics. Calibration of these errors is quite expensive, however, dynamic offset-cancellation techniques can reduce the offset of amplifiers by a factor 100 to 1000 and do not need trimming. Chapter two gives an elaborate description of the different kinds of dynamic offset-cancellation techniques. Also a new technique is introduced called the nested chopper technique. An implementation of a CMOS nested-chopper instrumentation amplifier shows a residual offset of less than lOOn V, which is the best result reported to date.

This book describes the analysis and design of precision temperature sensors in CMOS IC technology, focusing on so-called smart temperature sensors, which provide a digital output signal that can be readily interpreted by a computer. The text shows how temperature characteristics can be used to obtain an accurate digital temperature reading. The book ends with a detailed description of three prototypes, one of which achieves the best performance reported to date.

This book describes the design and implementation of energy-efficient smart (digital output) temperature sensors in CMOS technology. To accomplish this, a new readout topology, namely the zoom-ADC, is presented. It combines a coarse SAR-ADC with a fine Sigma-Delta (SD) ADC. The digital result obtained from the coarse ADC is used to set the reference levels of the SD-ADC, thereby zooming its full-scale range into a small region around the input signal. This technique considerably reduces the SD-ADC’s full-scale range, and notably relaxes the number of clock cycles needed for a given resolution, as well as the DC-gain and swing of the loop-filter. Both conversion time and power-efficiency can be improved, which results in a substantial improvement in energy-efficiency. Two BJT-based sensor prototypes based on 1st-order and 2nd-order zoom-ADCs are presented. They both achieve inaccuracies of less than ±0.2°C over the military temperature range (-55°C to 125°C). A prototype capable of sensing temperatures up to 200°C is also presented. As an alternative to BJTs, sensors based on dynamic threshold MOSTs (DTMOSTs) are also presented. It is shown that DTMOSTs are capable of achieving low inaccuracy (±0.4°C over the military temperature range) as well as sub-1V operation, making them well suited for use in modern CMOS processes.

Thermal Sensors is intended as a comprehensive and accessible reference for designers and users of thermal sensors. Many different physical quantities can be converted easily and accurately into temperature differences using thermal techniques. These temperature differences can be detected with temperature and temperature-difference sensors. In a thermal sensor the thermal converter and the temperature sensor are combined in a single accurate device. This book gives an overview and deals with the design aspects of thermal and temperature sensors, with an emphasis on sensors based on silicon technology. The temperature sensors described are based on the use of various types of sensitive elements, such as platinum resistors, thermistors and special integrated circuits. The thermal sensors described include flow, conductivity, infrared, vacuum, humidity and calorimetric sensors, and ac-dc converters, thus providing a comprehensive overview of all thermal sensors, with practical examples of each type.

With contributions from an internationally-renowned group of experts, this book uses a multidisciplinary approach to review recent developments in the field of smart sensor systems, covering important system and design aspects. It examines topics over the whole range of sensor technology from the theory and constraints of basic elements, physics and electronics, up to the level of application-orientated issues. Developed as a complementary volume to ‘Smart Sensor Systems’ (Wiley 2008), which introduces the basics of smart sensor systems, this volume focuses on emerging sensing technologies and applications, including: State-of-the-art techniques for designing smart sensors and smart sensor systems, including measurement techniques at system level, such as dynamic error correction, calibration, self-calibration and trimming. Circuit design for sensor systems, such as the design of precision instrumentation amplifiers. Impedance sensors, and the associated measurement techniques and electronics, that measure electrical characteristics to derive physical and biomedical parameters, such as blood viscosity or growth of micro-organisms. Complete sensor systems-on-a-chip, such as CMOS optical imagers and microarrays for DNA detection, and the associated circuit and micro-fabrication techniques. Vibratory gyroscopes and the associated electronics, employing mechanical and electrical signal amplification to enable low-power angular-rate sensing. Implantable smart sensors for neural interfacing in bio-medical applications. Smart combinations of energy harvesters and energy-storage devices for autonomous wireless sensors. Smart Sensor Systems: Emerging Technologies and Applications will greatly benefit final-year undergraduate and postgraduate students in the areas of electrical, mechanical and chemical engineering, and physics. Professional engineers and researchers in the microelectronics industry, including microsystem developers, will also find this a thorough and useful volume.

Seven years have passed since the publication of the previous edition of this book. During that time, sensor technologies have made a remarkable leap forward. The sensitivity of the sensors became higher, the dimensions became smaller, the sel- tivity became better, and the prices became lower. What have not changed are the fundamental principles of the sensor design. They are still governed by the laws of Nature. Arguably one of the greatest geniuses who ever lived, Leonardo Da Vinci, had his own peculiar way of praying. He was saying, “Oh Lord, thanks for Thou do not violate your own laws. ” It is comforting indeed that the laws of Nature do not change as time goes by; it is just our appreciation of them that is being re?ned. Thus, this new edition examines the same good old laws of Nature that are employed in the designs of various sensors. This has not changed much since the previous edition. Yet, the sections that describe the practical designs are revised substantially. Recent ideas and developments have been added, and less important and nonessential designs were dropped. Probably the most dramatic recent progress in the sensor technologies relates to wide use of MEMS and MEOMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems and micro-electro-opto-mechanical systems). These are examined in this new edition with greater detail. This book is about devices commonly called sensors. The invention of a - croprocessor has brought highly sophisticated instruments into our everyday lives.