A robust single device MOSFET series resistance extraction method considering horizontal-field-dependent mobility

A simple MOSFET series resistance extraction method using multiple drain current vs. gate voltage curves of a single device is proposed, where mobility modulation by horizontal electric field (i.e., weak velocity saturation) is taken into account. The method is validated using TCAD, where series resistance determined from internal potential distributions was used as reliable reference. Measurement results were also obtained which further support the validity of the method.

Optimizing Available Tools for Achieving Result Standardization: Value Added by Joint Committee on Traceability in Laboratory Medicine (JCTLM)

Background The JCTLM created a Task Force on Reference Measurement System Implementation (TF-RMSI) to provide guidance on metrological traceability implementation for the in vitro diagnostics (IVD) community. Content TF-RMSI investigated the reference measurement systems (RMS) for 13 common measurands by applying the following procedural steps: (a) extracting data from the JCTLM database of available certified reference materials (CRMs) and reference measurement procedures (RMPs); (b) describing the RMS to which each recruited CRM or RMP belongs; (c) identifying the intended use of the CRMs, and, if used as a common calibrator for IVD measuring systems and/or trueness assessment of field methods was included, checking the CRM’s certificate for information about commutability with clinical samples; and (d) checking if the CRM or RMP measurement uncertainty (MU) has the potential to be small enough to avoid significantly affecting the analytical performance specifications (APS) for MU of clinical sample results when the MU from the IVD calibrator and from the end-user measuring system were combined. Summary We produced a synopsis of JCTLM-listed higher-order CRMs and RMPs for the selected measurands, including their main characteristics for implementing traceability and fulfilling (or not) the APS for suitable MU. Results showed that traceability to higher-order references can be established by IVD manufacturers within the defined APS for most of the 13 selected measurands. However, some measurands do not yet have suitable CRMs for use as common calibrators. For these measurands, splitting clinical samples with a laboratory performing the RMP may provide a practical alternative for establishing a calibration hierarchy.

Reference Measurement of Roundwood by Fringe Projection

The metrological verification of log scanners requires logs with accurately known dimensions as test objects. The measurement of the lengths and diameters must be traceable back to the SI (International System of Units) unit of length. The results have to be reported with the corresponding measurement uncertainties. The uncertainties are required to be 5 to 10 times lower than the corresponding maximum permissible errors allowed for the log scanner under test. This article presents a procedure for the reference measurement of logs using an off-the-shelf fringe projection system along with uncertainty budgets for the measured dimensions. The length and diameters are determined from the highly resolved mesh obtained by fringe projection using techniques from computational geometry and coordinate metrology. Corrections are applied to the length and diameter values to remove the systematic effect caused by scattering of projected light below the partially transparent log surface. The influence of the fringe projection system on the measured dimensions is determined by measurements of calibrated artifacts, which also provide the traceability back to the SI unit of length. The measurement is illustrated by the example of a log with a length of 2 m and a diameter of 280 mm. The corresponding uncertainty budgets, confirmed by repeat measurements, result in expanded uncertainties (confidence interval 95%) of 6 mm and 0.13 mm for length and diameter, respectively. These low values qualify the fringe projection measurement along with accompanying evaluation procedure to provide logs as reference objects for the verification of log scanners.

Preparation of Three New Certified Reference Materials for Food and Environmental Analysis and Certification Using Laboratory Intercomparison as well as Primary Reference Measurement Procedures

Three new reference materials: MODAS-3 Herring Tissue (M-3 HerTis), MODAS-4 Cormorant Tissue (M-4 CormTis), and MODAS-5 Cod Tissue (M-5 CodTis) were prepared and certified on the basis of results of a worldwide intercomparison exercise. Independently of our proven method of establishing the certified and information values, the content of several essential and toxic elements was additionally determined by the use of ratio primary reference measurement procedures (definitive methods) based on radiochemical neutron activation analysis (RNAA) in the case of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Fe, Mo, Se, and U and isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) in the case of Hg, respectively. Good agreement of the established certified values and the results obtained by ratio primary reference measurement procedures confirmed the validity of the certification procedure. The total number of elements which could be certified amounted to 30, 21, 18 in M-3 HerTis, M-4 CormTis, and M-5 CodTis, respectively. The relative frequency of use of individual analytical techniques in this intercomparison campaign was calculated and discussed. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is now a dominant technique, followed by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), NAA, and emission spectroscopy (ES). The decreasing share of NAA as compared to several earlier intercomparison exercises should be noticed. NAA is the only method in the array of highly sensitive methods of inorganic trace analysis, which is essentially free from blank. The lack of this method in the foreseeable future may be an obstacle in the prospective certification campaigns and may endanger the implementation of quality assurance in trace analysis.

Graphical Optimization of Spectral Shift Reconstructions for Optical Backscatter Reflectometry

Optical backscatter reflectometry (OBR) is an interferometric technique that can be used to measure local changes in temperature and mechanical strain based on spectral analyses of backscattered light from a singlemode optical fiber. The technique uses Fourier analyses to resolve spectra resulting from reflections occurring over a discrete region along the fiber. These spectra are cross-correlated with reference spectra to calculate the relative spectral shifts between measurements. The maximum of the cross-correlated spectra—termed quality—is a metric that quantifies the degree of correlation between the two measurements. Recently, this quality metric was incorporated into an adaptive algorithm to (1) selectively vary the reference measurement until the quality exceeds a predefined threshold and (2) calculate incremental spectral shifts that can be summed to determine the spectral shift relative to the initial reference. Using a graphical (network) framework, this effort demonstrated the optimal reconstruction of distributed OBR measurements for all sensing locations using a maximum spanning tree (MST). By allowing the reference to vary as a function of both time and sensing location, the MST and other adaptive algorithms could resolve spectral shifts at some locations, even if others can no longer be resolved.

EXPRESS: A survey of the reactivity of in-vitro diagnostic bilirubin reagents developed in Japan using artificially prepared bilirubin materials: A comparison of synthetic delta, unconjugated, and taurine-conjugated bilirubin

Background: In-vitro diagnostic (IVD) bilirubin reagents based on oxidation with bilirubin oxidase (BOX) or vanadic acid (VA) for total and direct-reacting bilirubin (TB and DB) are widely used in Japan; however, their reactivity to unconjugated and conjugated bilirubin (UCB and CB) and delta bilirubin (DLB) has not been completely disclosed by manufacturers. We used artificially prepared bilirubin materials to investigate the reactivity with four IVD bilirubin reagents. Methods: Porcine UCB solution, chemically synthesized ditaurobilirubin (DTB) solution, and chemically synthesized DLB solution were used as surrogates of naturally occurring UCB, CB, and DLB, respectively. The TB and DB concentrations were measured by three BOX methods and one VA method, and the observed concentrations were compared with those obtained by the diazo-based reference measurement procedure (RMP). Results: The UCB and DLB concentrations were similar when any of the four IVD bilirubin reagents were used during TB measurement. This was consistent with RMP and exhibited a converged inter-method variation. Compared with RMP, significantly low DTB concentrations were observed by the IVD bilirubin reagents despite the converged inter-method variation. In DB measurement, some reagents reacted doubtfully with UCB, while showed lower DTB concentrations than its corresponding TB concentration. Reactivity with DLB was different for each method including RMP. Some reagents were developed to react less with DLB and others to strongly react with DLB. Conclusions: We revealed the reactivity of IVD-TB and IVD-DB reagents to artificially prepared bilirubin materials, and their consistency with RMP. The DB data results vary depending on the reagents used.