pH Sensing Device Calibration via Potential Well Capacitance Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Highly-integrated pH detecting devices face sensitivity variations due to charging of sensing films, leading to increased computational burden for calibration, especially when the number of sensing sections increases.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a hardware calibration method by adjusting the capacitance of potential wells and/or the potential of the TG section to ensure consistent charge transfer across all sensing sections, reducing the computational load and enabling real-time data processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the number of sensing sections is increased to achieve high integration, then productivity and detection coverage are improved, but sensitivity variations and computational burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calibrating each sensing section during manufacturing to determine its unique sensitivity characteristics. These calibration parameters are stored in memory, allowing the system to compensate for sensitivity variations without real-time computational complexity. This preliminary calibration step enables high integration with multiple sensing sections while avoiding the computational burden that would otherwise arise from processing sensitivity variations during operation.
2Productivity
If the number of sensing sections is increased to achieve high integration, then productivity and detection coverage are improved, but sensitivity variations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by using the pre-determined calibration parameters to adjust and normalize the output signals from each sensing section. The system continuously references these calibration values to compensate for sensitivity variations, ensuring consistent measurement precision across all sensing sections even when highly integrated. This feedback mechanism maintains measurement accuracy without limiting the number of sensing sections that can be integrated.
3Measurement precision
If hardware calibration is implemented to maintain sensitivity consistency, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the electrical parameters (capacitance of potential wells and potential of transfer gates) during hardware calibration to achieve consistent charge transfer across all sensing sections. By adjusting these physical parameters during manufacturing, the system establishes uniform sensitivity characteristics without requiring complex hardware circuits. The calibration information is then stored digitally, allowing precision improvement through simple data lookup rather than complex hardware implementation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for efficient calibration of pH detecting devices, maintaining sensitivity and integration levels even with multiple sensing sections, by standardizing charge transfer through hardware adjustments, thereby reducing the computational burden and enabling real-time data processing.
Implementation Method 1
the depth of the potential well 15 is changed in a region, namely a p-type diffusion region 72 of a silicon substrate 71 faced with the sensing film 12
Implementation Method 2
the charge in the ID section 21 is transferred to the potential well 15 of the sensing section 10
Implementation Method 3
the charge charged in the potential well 15 of the sensing section 10 is transferred to the FD section 33 and stored in the FD section 33
Implementation Method 4
the charge stored in the FD section 33 is transferred to the RD section 53 and discharged from the RD section 53
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a device adapted for detecting chemical and physical phenomena and suitable for high integration, and a method for controlling the detection device. When a plurality of pH-detecting devices are used, a variation in sensitivity occurs in each of the sensing units. The variation in sensitivity can be calibrated using a simple method. The amount of charge (output signal) delivered by each of the sensing units to a standard solution is determined, and the difference between the delivered charge amount and a standard charge amount (standard output signal) delivered by a standard sensing unit is determined. The capacity of the potential well of the sensing unit is changed, or the potential of a TG unit when a charge is delivered is changed, so as to cancel out the difference.