Microsystems for Bioelectronics

Scaling and Performance Limits

2nd Edition - February 23, 2015
Authors: Victor V. Zhirnov, Ralph K. Cavin III
Language: English
Hardback ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 3 1 3 0 2 - 5
eBook ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 3 1 2 6 9 - 1

The advances in microsystems offer new opportunities and capabilities to develop systems for biomedical applications, such as diagnostics and therapy. There is a need for a co… Read more

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The advances in microsystems offer new opportunities and capabilities to develop systems for biomedical applications, such as diagnostics and therapy. There is a need for a comprehensive treatment of microsystems and in particular for an understanding of performance limits associated with the shrinking scale of microsystems. The new edition of Microsystems for Bioelectronics addresses those needs and represents a major revision, expansion and advancement of the previous edition.

This book considers physical principles and trends in extremely scaled autonomous microsystems such as integrated intelligent sensor systems, with a focus on energy minimization. It explores the implications of energy minimization on device and system architecture. It further details behavior of electronic components and its implications on system-level scaling and performance limits. In particular, fundamental scaling limits for energy sourcing, sensing, memory, computation and communication subsystems are developed and new applications such as optical, magnetic and mechanical sensors are presented.

The new edition of this well-proven book with its unique focus and interdisciplinary approach shows the complexities of the next generation of nanoelectronic microsystems in a simple and illuminating view, and is aimed for a broad audience within the engineering and biomedical community.

Preface—Second Edition
Chapter 1: The nanomorphic cell: atomic-level limits of computing
- Abstracts
- List of Acronyms
- 1.1. Introduction
- 1.2. Electronic Scaling
- 1.3. Nanomorphic Cell: Atomic Level Limits of Computing
- 1.4. The Nanomorphic Cell vis-à-vis the Living Cell
- 1.5. Cell Parameters: Mass, Size, and Energy
- 1.6. Current Status of Technologies for Autonomous Microsystems
- 1.7. Summary
- 1.8. Appendix
Chapter 2: Basic physics of ICT
- Abstract
- List of Acronyms
- 2.1. Introduction
- 2.2. A Central Concept: Energy Barrier
- 2.3. Physical Origin of The Barrier Potential in Materials Systems
- 2.4. Two-Sided Barrier
- 2.5. Model Case: An Electrical Capacitor
- 2.6. Barrier Transitions
- 2.7. Quantum Confinement
- 2.8. Quantum Conductance
- 2.9. Electron Transport in the Presence of Barriers
- 2.10. Barriers in Semiconductors
- 2.11. Summary
Chapter 3: Energy in the small: micro-scale energy sources
- Abstract
- List of Acronyms
- 3.1. Introduction
- 3.2. Storage Capacitor
- 3.3. Electrochemical Energy: Fundamentals of Galvanic Cells
- 3.4. Miniature Supercapacitors
- 3.5. Energy from Radioisotopes
- 3.6. Remarks on Energy Harvesting
- 3.7. Summary
- 3.8. Appendix. A Kinetic Model to Assess the Limits of Heat Removal
Chapter 4: Fundamental limits for logic and memory
- Abstract
- List of Acronyms
- 4.1. Introduction
- 4.2. Information and Information Processing
- 4.3. Basic Physics of Binary Elements
- 4.4. System-level Analysis
- 4.5. Summary
- 4.6. Appendix. Derivation of Electron Travel Time (Eq. 4.58)
Chapter 5: A severely scaled information processor
- Abstract
- List of Acronyms
- 5.1. Introduction
- 5.2. Information: a Quantitative Treatment
- 5.3. Abstract Information Processor
- 5.4. Concluding Remarks
- 5.5. Appendix: Choice of Probability Values to Maximize the Entropy Function
Chapter 6: Sensors at the micro-scale
- Abstract
- List of Acronyms
- 6.1. Introduction
- 6.2. Sensor Basics
- 6.3. Analog Signal
- 6.4. Fundamental Sensitivity Limit of Sensors: Thermal Noise
- 6.5. What Information can be Obtained from Cells?
- 6.6. Sensors of Bioelectricity
- 6.7. Chemical and Biochemical Sensors
- 6.8. Thermal Biosensors
- 6.9. Optical Biosensors
- 6.10. Summary
- 6.11. Glossary of Biological Terms
Chapter 7: Nanomorphic cell communication unit
- Abstract
- List of Acronyms
- 7.1. Introduction
- 7.2. EM Radiation
- 7.3. Basic RF Communication System
- 7.4. EM Transducer: A Linear Antenna
- 7.5. Free-space Single-Photon Limit for Energy in EM Communication
- 7.6. Thermal Noise Limit on Communication Spectrum
- 7.7. The THz Communication Option (λ 100 μm)
- 7.8. Wireless Communication for Biomedical Applications
- 7.9. Optical Wavelength Communication Option (λ ∼ 1 μm)
- 7.10. Status of μ-scaled LEDs and PDs
- 7.11. Summary
Chapter 8: Micron-sized systems: in carbo vs. in silico
- Abstract
- List of Acronyms
- 8.1. Introduction
- 8.2. The Living Cell as a Turing Machine
- 8.3. The Nanomorphic (in Silico) Cell
- 8.4. The Living (in Carbo) Cell
- 8.5. Benchmarks: in Carbo versus in Silico Processors
- 8.6. Operational Characteristics of a 10-μm ICT System
- 8.7. Design Secrets of an in Carbo System
- 8.8. ICT and Biology: Opportunities for Synergy
- 8.9. Summary
Concluding Remarks
Index

Victor V. Zhirnov

Victor Zhirnov is Chief Scientist at the Semiconductor Research Corporation. He is responsible for envisioning new long-term research directions in semiconductor information and communication technologies for industry and academia. His semiconductor experience spans over 30 years in the areas of materials, processes, device physics and fundamental limits. Victor served as the Chair for the Emerging Research Device (ERD) Working Group for the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) and for the 2030 Decadal Plan for Semiconductors. Currently, he is Chair of the Microelectronics and Advanced Packaging Technologies Roadmap. Victor received the M.S. in applied physics from the Ural Polytechnic Institute, Yekaterinburg, Russia, and the Ph.D. in solid state electronics and microelectronics from the Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, in 1989 and 1992, respectively.

Affiliations and expertise

Chief Scientist, Semiconductor Research Corporation, USA

Ralph K. Cavin III

Dr. Cavin received his BSEE (1961) and MSEE (1962) from Mississippi State University and his PhD in Electrical Engineering from Auburn University in 1968. He served as a Senior Engineer at the Martin-Marietta Company in Orlando, Florida, from 1962 to 1965. While he was at Martin, Dr. Cavin was responsible for the design and manufacture of tactical missile guidance and control systems.

After taking his Ph.D., Dr. Cavin joined the faculty of the Department of Electrical Engineering at Texas A&M University where he obtained the rank of Full Professor and also served the department as Assistant Head for Research.

In 1983, he joined the Semiconductor Research Corporation as Director of Design Sciences research programs until 1989. He became Head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at North Carolina State University from 1989 - 1994 and was Dean of Engineering at North Carolina State University from 1994 - 1995. He was the Semiconductor Research Corporation Vice President for Research Operations from 1996 to 2007 and SRC Chief Scientist from 2007 to 2012. Dr. Cavin retired in 2012 and has remained engaged as a consultant and advisor in the semiconductor and signal processing sectors.

His technical interests span VLSI design, advanced information processing technologies, semiconductor device and technology limits, control and signal processing theories, and engineering education. He has authored or co-authored over 100 refereed technical papers and contributions to books. Dr. Cavin is a Life Fellow of the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and has participated actively in a wide variety of society programs. He has served as a consultant to several government, industrial, and academic institutions.

Affiliations and expertise

Chief Scientist (Retired), Semiconductor Research Corporation, USA

Life sciences

Physical sciences & Engineering

Social sciences & Humanities

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