Apparatus, System, and Method for Direct Phase Probing and Mapping of Electromagnetic Signals

• US 20120001656A1
• Filed: 06/17/2011
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Manitoba
• Original Assignee: University of Manitoba
• Inventors: Hu, Can-Ming, Gui, Yongsheng, Wirthmann, Andre, Fan, Xiaolong
• Granted Patent: US 9,069,034 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 327/3
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/1284 Spin resolved measurements; Influencing spins during measurements, e.g. in spintronics devices G01R33/093 takes precedence; semiconductor devices using spin polarized carriers H01L29/66984
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 13/00 Circuits for comparing the phase or frequency of two mutually-independent oscillations measuring phase G01R25/00; phase-discriminators with yes/no output G01R25/005
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/30 Assembling printed circuits with electric components, e.g. with resistor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method for phase detection of electromagnetic signals are presented. The apparatus may include a magnetic element, one or more first signal contacts coupled to the magnetic element for receiving a first signal, and one or more output contacts coupled to the magnetic element for providing a variable level voltage generated by the magnetic element, the level of the voltage being responsive to a phase difference between the first signal and a second signal. In a further embodiment, the apparatus may include a substrate for mechanically supporting the magnetic element. Additionally, the apparatus may include a conductor mechanically supported by substrate, the conductor configured to receive the second signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a magnetic element;

one or more first signal contacts, coupled to the magnetic element for receiving a first signal; and

one or more output contacts, coupled to the magnetic element, for providing a variable level voltage generated by the magnetic element, the level of the voltage being responsive to a phase difference between the first signal and a second signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a substrate for mechanically supporting the magnetic element.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a conductor mechanically supported by the substrate, the conductor configured to receive the second signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising an electrical insulator positioned to separate the conductor from the magnetic element.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, where the electrical insulator is configured to electrically insulate the magnetic element from the conductor.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, where the electrical insulator further comprises silicon dioxide (SiO2).

7. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising one or more second signal contacts coupled to the conductor, the second signal contacts configured to receive the second signal.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, where the electrical conductor is copper.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, where the electrically insulating substrate comprises silicon.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, where the magnetic element has an anisotropic magnetoresistance.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, where the magnetic element comprises a ferromagnet.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, where the magnet element comprises a permalloy.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, where the magnetic element comprises a ferromagnetic semiconductor material.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, where the magnetic element comprises an electrically conductive material.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, where the first signal and the second signal are electromagnetic signals having a frequency in the range of 0.1 GHz to 200 GHz.

16. A system comprising:

a first signal source configured to provide a first signal;

a second signal source configured to provide a second signal; and

a phase comparator device comprising;

a magnetic element;

one or more first signal contacts, coupled to the magnetic element, for receiving a first signal; and

one or more output contacts, coupled to the magnetic element, for providing a variable level voltage generated by the magnetic element, the level of the voltage being responsive to a phase difference between the first signal and a second signal.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a meter coupled to the spintronic phase comparator configured to measure the voltage generated by the magnetic element.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising a conductor mechanically supported by a substrate, the conductor configured to receive the second signal.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising an electrical insulator positioned to separate the conductor from the magnetic element.

20. The system of claim 19, where the electrical insulator is configured to electrically insulate the magnetic element from the conductor.

21. The system of claim 19, where the electrical insulator further comprises silicon dioxide (SiO2).

22. The system of claim 18, further comprising one or more second signal contacts coupled to the conductor, the second signal contacts configured to receive the second signal.

23. The system of claim 16, where the electrical conductor is copper.

24. The system of claim 16, where the electrically insulating substrate comprises silicon.

25. The system of claim 16, where the first signal and the second signal are electromagnetic signals having a frequency in the range of 0.1 GHz to 200 GHz.

26. The system of claim 16, further comprising a signal generator for providing the first signal.

27. The system of claim 16, where the second signal comprises electromagnetic radiation reflected or transmitted by an object in the near field.

28. The system of claim 16, where the second signal comprises electromagnetic radiation reflected or transmitted by an object in the far field.

29. The system of claim 16, further comprising a processing device configured to determine a dielectric function of an object in response to a phase difference between the first signal and the second signal, where the second signal comprises electromagnetic radiation reflected by the object.

30. The system of claim 16, further comprising a processing device configured to determine a homogeneity of an object in response to a phase difference between the first signal and the second signal, where the second signal comprises electromagnetic radiation reflected by the object.

31. The system of claim 16, further comprising an external magnetic field source for applying an external magnetic field to the phase comparator device.

32. A method for phase comparison of electromagnetic signals, the method comprising:

receiving a first signal from a first signal source at a magnetic element;

receiving a second signal from a second signal source; and

generating, with the magnetic element, a variable level voltage, the level of the voltage being responsive to a phase difference between the first signal and a second signal.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising measuring the voltage generated by the magnetic element.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising quantifying a phase difference between the first signal and the second signal in response to the voltage generated by the magnetic element.

35. The method of claim 32, further comprising generating the first signal with a first signal source.

36. The method of claim 32, where the second signal comprises electromagnetic radiation reflected by an object in the near field.

37. The method of claim 32, where the second signal comprises electromagnetic radiation reflected by an object in the far field.

38. A method for manufacturing a phase comparator device, the method comprising:

providing a substrate;

providing a magnetic element coupled to the substrate;

forming one or more first signal contacts, coupled to the magnetic element, for receiving a first signal; and

forming one or more output contacts, coupled to the magnetic element, for providing a variable level voltage, the level of the voltage being responsive to a phase difference between the first signal and a second signal.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising providing a conductor coupled to the electrically insulating substrate, the conductor configured to receive the second signal.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising forming an electrical insulator positioned to separate the conductor from the magnetic element.

41. The method of claim 39, further comprising forming one or more second signal contacts coupled to the conductor, the second signal contacts configured to receive the second signal.