NATIONAL M D I O SCIENCE CONFERENCE Feb.

24-26,1998 Helwan Cairo ,Egypt,

A El-Hennawj *, E Yousry **, A Ramadan**>H Abd El-hanieed"", NI abd El-Fatah** Am Shams Uruversity-Fac Of Erig -Dept -oi'Electronics ** H @er Technological Lnslttute -Dept or Electronics and Computer, 10"' of Rariiadan ciQ
Abstract - Many ~nstruments and devices are in use and satisfying performance requirements. However, most are neither cost effective nor reliable They are bulky, heavy and sophisticated Moreover, they can't be integrated using MOSFE'T technology on single chip The paper presents a new detector for precise detection of microwave signals The new detector is constructed of a short channel MOSFET (L-2pm1, acting as a hot carrier injector, surrounded by four diffused collectors, which are topologically, arranged so as to detect the magnitude of the magnetic field to be measured or monitored and determine its orientation A current cross-coupling technique is used to compensate for the sensor leakage currents (60 dB smaller) A negative feedback IS introduced to improve the detector linearity (better than 2%) and stability Magnetic field as sinal1 as 10 nT have been measured ovei a wide dynamic range (-120 dB) of measurement

A gre,zt attention has been, recently given to the development and realization of precise MOSFET IC microwave signals detector This is relei red to the remarkable advances in the device concepts and technology and because precision microwave signals detector found wide fields of application qlthough, a variety of seimconductor microwave signals detector have been investigated, the new device proposed in this paper has not introduced before The construction and operation of which as shown in Figs (1) and ( 2 ) is based on lateral injection of carriers from a central injectx into four diffused collectors which are topologically arranged so as to detect the magnitude arid direction of the magnetic field component of the electromagnetic wave to be measured or monitored It i s entirely integrated using the standard 2pm, single-gate monochannel MOSFET Technology It employs two leakage compensation techniques one with the sensor and the second with the detector L t is quite simple, easy to construct and realize and compatible with the MOSFET scalingdown trends It is idso provided by supplementary circuitries to perform automatic scale changement Detailed analysis and experimental characterization of the present device is given - sections 2 and 3 - where the device construction is investigated with a description of its mechanism of operation

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NATIONAL RADIO SCIENCE CONFENL. Feb. 24-26,1998, )-Pelwan, Cairo, Egypt.

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2- DEVICE CONSTRUCTION

Figure (1) shows the block diagram of the proposed bulked MOSFET 1C microwave signal detector It is constructed of two basic building blocks, the sensor and the detector Supplementary circuitries are introduced to compensate for the sensor and detector leakage currents and facilitate the zero adjustment, to expand the dynamic scale of measurement and to indicate the Geld orientation
2.1- Sensor

Figure (2) shows a top view and cross section of the sensor It is constructed of a squarelooped source MOSFET surrounded by four lateral MOSFETs whose sources act as current collectors Two of them are axially located along the x - direction while the other two are located The first two collectors are responsible of detecting the y - oriented along the y -direction magnetic fields while the other two are responsible of detecting the x - field components IF a magnetic field acting in the x-y plane is to be detected, the two pairs of lateral collectors cooperatively fiinction to measure the field intensity and indicate its direction of operation The square-looped source structure provides a trapezoidal formed channel which enhances carrier heating even at small biasing voltages ,Ks 2 5 V) without need for scaling down the device geometry (Z r20 pin, Le4 pm j [ 3 , 5 ] In the absence ofthe magnetic field ( R = 0 j , the hot carrier substrate current penet1ates into the bulh and the four lateral collectors accumulate equal currents , and a portion of this current ( depending on the substrate bias ) goes to the substrate terminal Sb In the presence of the magnetic field excursion caused by the presence of microwave signal, the symmetry of the substrate current flux is upset in such a manner that one or two collectors (depending on the orientation of B) accumulate more currents than the others This current difference +ai, even being vety sinal1 , is converted into proportional voltage +6V using the lateral MOSFET (1; , Ti j shown in Fig ( 3)

(Y),

2.2- Detector

It performs two principle functions, the first is to convert the variations i-6V of the sensor output voltage into a proportional output frequency f 'The second is to expand the dynamic scale of measurement so as to accommodate variations of B from 10 T up to 1 0 T at a very good resolution ( -1 ppm) and linearity (better than 2%) As shown in Fig (3), two MOSFET schemes (72 ,T3, T4, TS and Ti , 73, T'q T3j are used to cross couple the sensor output to the Detector input. 2 and ?i' into their threshold region of These MOSFET schemes are designed so as to switch T operation (I exp SV) [ i,2,3] , and senre therefore , to convert the sensor voltage 6V into DS exponentially-proportional current which is converted into a proportional output frequency.

NATIONAL RAD1 SCIENCE CQNFEmNCE 98 ,Helwan , Cairo Egypt.

2.3 Response 1Jpgrading

The opmtion proposed microwave sensor, as shown from the above discussion, is based on direct propagation of electrons from the central source to the surrounding collectors. This propss is limited only by the propagation delay which is shorter than 20 p sec (L=2 pm and V 10 c d s e c ) Such delay never limits the response to microwave signals The circuitries used to process the sensor output is operated in the ultra low power exponential region o f operation [3] In this region MQSFET current can grow up from 10 pA to 0 1 mA abruptly with a very short delay (about 10 sec ) which allows the detector to respond to the microwave signals Moreover the circuit configuration of Fig (3) is actually replaced by cascade connected MOSFET's which reject the Miller effect and greatly push up the detector speed of operation

2.4- Leakage-Currents Compensation

There are two main leakage components, the first is created within the sensor and is related to the collector-junction leakage arid to the device proximity currents [2,3,5]. The second is created within the detector and i s I elated to the switches and capacitor leakage currents These leakage components limit the detector sensitivity, reduce the dynamic range of measurement and degrade its resolution The fir st component is compensated using the current cross-coupling technique shown in Fig.(3) In which the voltage signal 6V of a certain collector ( the source of T, ) is created due to magnetic currI2nt +61 together with the branch leakage current I,,while 6V'of the other collector ( the source of TJ') is created due to magnetic current- 61 together with a leakage current ][',which equals to I,,

NATIONAI, RADIO SCIENCE CONFEKENCE Feb. 2 4 2 6 , 1 9 9 8 , Helwan ,Cairo, Egypt.

3- PFUNCIPLE OF OPERATION AND MODELING

Understanding of the device operation needs good knowledge of carrier substrate current
3.1- Hot Carrier Substrate Current Generation

This current results from the carrier heating occurring in MOSFET channel. It is sensitive to the biasing voltage and device geometry It is also dependent on the surface doping profile ~ 4 1 When a large channel electric field E, is applied, some oftbe primary electrons gain enough energy and exercise collisions with the lattice causing impact ionization and creating therefore new electron-hole pairs The secondary electrons are collected by the positively biased drain The secondary holes are injected into the channel depletion region (as shown in Fig (4)), by the action source-substrate junction potential and the substrate bias VBand are collected by the substrate to constitute the substrate current k
3.2- Formulating and modeling

Straight forward treatment of Eq's (1 -a> and (1 -b) shows that the exponential currents (Iexpi, 1 ) can be formed by [2,4]

Where k', k and a are constants respectively equal to 10 , 3x10 and 10 I is the source fimction reverse current (- 10 PA). The currents Iespl, 1 are converted again into voltages, and these voltages are compared and amplified using the circuit configuration shown in fig (9,

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taking R I ,R sand R z so as to make R R d R 2= 10,8and adjusting the injection biasing condition so that B = l o , =3000 cm2/ V.sec and IFO. 1 pA, then,

10.8.10-L.B,

(4 - b )

If v is allowed to vary from 1mv to 2v , then &,cm be measured within a dynamic range extending from 10 mT up to 20 T

ATIONAL RADIO SCIENCE CONFERENCE Feb. 2 4 2 6 , 1 9 9 8 , Helwan , Cairo, Egypt.

This technique is only suitable for high level field measurements sirice it allows a narrow dynamic range of measirrements but it compensates further all leakage and parasitics. Scale changement is allowed via vaiiation of K, and/or 4.However alternative technique allowing wider dynamic is required
3.3- Wide Range Detector

Figure (6) shows the block diagram of this alternative technique which fulfills two services; a) en1argement of the dynamic range of measurement and pronouncely improving the resolution and b) compensate further all leakage currents and parasitics caused due to the device mismatching and offset voltage in this stage

In this technique two current to frequency converters CFCl and CFC2 are used to convert the exponential currents Zexpl , I exp2 into propoitional frequencies VI and F,[2,3,5]

A third one CFC3 which is only sensitive to leakage current and parasitics. Therefore, the output frequency E j s proportional LO these leakage and parasitics and their excursion with ambient temperature ,
F3
1
2
1

C.AV

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( 5 - c)

This frequency 5 is used to monitor the two MOSFET 7; and T2 and forces them to sink a current I from each of the inputs of CFCl and CFC2. This action modifies 7 and F2 and makes them leakage free Combining Eq's (2) and ( 5 ) yields,
F1
10 .I3
3

F7

10 .E3

For F to vary ffom 1Hz to 10 ME-lz, magnetic field excursion as small as 1nT can be detected over a dynamic range of operation extending from 1nT up to ImT with a better than 2% linearity of response.

4- EXPERIMENTAL AND SIMULATION RESULTS

The test specimens are realized and supplied by the French - society Thomson EFCIS. HMOs I and 11technologies are used The measurements are achieved as follows Magnetic fields ranging from 1 nT to 0.01 'r are applied and the corresponding CFC output frequencies are measured with and without compensation Magnetic fields in the same range (1 nT to 0 01 T) itre replaced by equivalent proportional currents which are fed to the CFC active loop input while no current is fed to the input of the CFC compensation loop

NATIONAL RADIO SCIENCE CONFERENCE Feb. 24-26,1998, Helwan ,Cairo, Egypt.

Figures (7) and (8) show the experimental F/B transfer characteristics of the Sb MOSFET microwave signal detector with and with compensation We notice that, the compensation allows to decrease the value ofthe smallest measurable magnetic field B to 10 nT at a very good linearity (better than 2 percent) and excellent resolution (1 ppm) over a very wide A) Moreover this detector provides a powerhl solution to a serious dynamic range ( 106 problem which has received continuous challenge and given great effort during the lastten years This problem of inability to determine the direction of the magnetic field in all the existing detectors They are only capable of detecting the no detection is performed and no alarm is 8' wen The original sensor configuration used with this detector enable us to give a 360' polar indication of the B directions When no compeqsation is inserted, the smallest tneasurable magnetic field is raised to about 5x0 1 pT and minimum output frequency to nearly 10Hz

5- CONCLUSION
A novel substrate hot-carrier based microwave signal detector in HMOs technology has been investigated It employs new techniques to compensate for the sensor and detector leakage currents and ensure that the detector has a linear response to the magnetic field B to be measured An analytical modeling was presented, and verified by experimental examination and characterization of the device The device is seen to have a very high sensitivity (10 Hz / MT ) , a very good linearity (better than 2 % ) , a very wide dynamic range of measurement (10 nT to 0 01 T) , excellent resolution , a capability to give a 360 polar indication of B direction , and a sensitivity enhancement without need to scale down the device geometry

REFERENCES [ I ] L, TISTIC , T SHY , PI BALTES, A Lateral Magneto Transistor Structure With a Linear Response to Magnetic Field IEEE Tran Elec Dev , Vol 36, No 26, pp 1076 -1989 [2] A EL-HENNAWY and F AL-MARZOUKI, (' Study And Characterizatlon Of MOSFET IC Magnetodetector Based On Hot Carrier Injection IEE Proc C Vol 139, No 21, pp 119 - 125, 1992
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[3]A E L - " N A W Y and M ABDEL-FATTAH, A RAMADAV and H ABDEL-HAMEED. "Design and Investigation of a Very Wide Dynamic Microwave Electronic Counter Entirely Integrated Using Traditional MOSFET Technology ( - IE4 Hz TO 1El1 Hz ) 4fhInt IEEE ECS conf, Cairo EGYPT 1997
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NTH NATIONAL I U D 1 0 SCIENCE CONFERENCE Feb. 24-26, 1998 Helwan , Cairo, Egypt.

[ 4 ] A E L 4 IENNAWY, G AL-BARAKATl and T AL-FLAIIBI, ''Study Arid Investigation

Of the Threshold Voltage Instability Caused By 'The HC Substrate Current" ,Itit J Elect ,VoI N O I , PP 49-55, I093 [SI A EL-HENNAWY M EL-SAEED, E YOIJSRY, A RAMADAN Study and realization of a New MOSFET FIigIi Precision Viscometer 10'" Int ICM conf , Cairo. EGYPT 1996
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1-1 NATIONAL RADIO SCIENCE CONFEIUNCE Feb. 24-26 , 1995 , Hellwan ,Cairo , Egypt.

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Circuit coilfiguration orcurreiik to vol~age conversion

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