• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.300-308
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• 2010

This paper describes the development of a low-power electrocardiogram (ECG) touch sensor intended for the use with two dry metal electrodes. An equivalent ECG extraction circuit model encountered in a ground-free two-electrode configuration is investigated for an optimal sensor read-out circuit design criteria. From the equivalent circuit model, (1) maximum sensor resolution is derived based on the electrode's background thermal noise, which originates from high electrode-skin contact impedance, together with the input referred noise of instrumentation amplifier (IA), (2) 60 Hz electrostatic coupling from mains and motion artifact are also considered to determine minimum requirement of common mode rejection ratio (CMRR) and input impedance of IA. A dedicated ECG read-out front end incorporating chopping scheme is introduced to provide an input referred circuit noise of 1.3 ${\mu}V_{rms}$ over 0.5 Hz ~ 200 Hz, CMRR of IA > 100 dB, sensor resolution of 7 bits, and dissipating only 36 ${\mu}W$. Together with 8 bits synchronous successive approximation register (SAR) ADC, the sensor IC chip is implemented in 0.18 ${\mu}m$ CMOS technology and integrated on a 5 cm $\times$ 8 cm PCB with two copper patterned electrodes. With the help of proposed touch sensor, ECG signal containing QRS complex and P, T waves are successfully extracted by simply touching the electrodes with two thumbs.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.1087-1091
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• 2007

Exact impedance modeling of the electrode/electrolyte interface is important in bio-signal sensing electrode development. Therefore, the investigation of the equivalent circuit models for the interface has been pursued for a long time by several researchers. Previous circuit models fit the experimental results in limited conditions such as frequency range, type of electrode, or electrolyte. This paper describes a new electrical circuit model and its capability of fitting the experimental results. The proposed model consists of three resistors and two constant phase elements. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used to characterize the interface for Au, Pt, and stainless steel electrode in 0.9% NaCl solution. Both the proposed model and the previous model were applied to fit the measured impedance results for comparison. The proposed model fits the experimental data more accurately than other models especially at the low frequency range, and it enables us to predict the impedance at very low frequency range, including DC, using the proposed model.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.93-101
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• 2001

This paper presents modeling of an inductive micro position sensing system and its analysis. The parameters affected the system response are excitation frequency, turn ratio, input position, air-gap size, load resistance, and geometric dimensions. To analyze the system, we try to establish a modeling based on an equivalent magnetic circuit with permeances. The model is verified by the experimental results from 1 kHz to 20 kHz. The magnetic circuit model is well fitted to the experimental data except a little error due to LC resonance in the large turn-ratio system. Modeling enables us to theoretically approach the response characteristics. Based on the magnetic circuit model, system parameters can be selected in such a way to obtain the required characteristics such as high sensitivity, good linearity, or small size.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.98-113
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• 2016

A reactor vessel level monitoring system measures the water level in a reactor during normal operation and abnormal conditions. A drop in the water level can expose nuclear fuel, which may lead to fuel meltdown and radiation spread in accident conditions. A level monitoring system mainly consists of a sensing line and pressure transmitter. Over a period of time boron sediments or other impurities can clog the line which may degrade the accuracy of the monitoring system. The aim of this study is to determine blockage in a sensing line using the energy of the composite signal. An equivalent Pi circuit model is used to simulate blockages in the sensing line and the system's response is examined under different blockage levels. Composite signals obtained from the model and plant's unblocked and blocked channels are decomposed into six levels of details and approximations using a wavelet filter bank. The percentage of energy is calculated at each level for approximations. It is observed that the percentage of energy reduces as the blockage level in the sensing line increases. The results of the model and operational data are well correlated. Thus, in our opinion variation in the energy levels of approximations can be used as an index to determine the presence and degree of blockage in a sensing line.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.305-313
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• 2017

A novel interference isolation method is proposed by using several designed coils in capacitive power transfer systems as isolation impedances. For each designed coil, its stray parameters such as the inter-turn capacitance, coil resistance and capacitance between the coil and the core, etc. are taken into account. An equivalent circuit model of the designed coil is established. According to this equivalent circuit, the impedance characteristic of the coil is calculated. In addition, the maximum impedance point and the corresponding excitation frequency of the coil are obtained. Based on this analysis, six designed coils are adopted to isolate the interference from power delivery. The proposed method is verified through experiments with a power carrier frequency of 1MHz and a data carrier frequency of 8.7MHz. The power and data are transferred parrallelly with a data carrier attenuation lower than -5dB and a power attenuation on the sensing resistor higher than -45dB.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.1298-1307
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• 2017

The constant on-time current-mode controlled (COT-CMC) switching dc-dc converter is stable, with no subharmonic oscillation in its current loop when a voltage ripple in its outer voltage loop is ignored. However, when its output capacitance is small or its feedback gain is high, subharmonic oscillation may occur in a COT-CMC buck converter with a proportional-integral (PI) compensator. To investigate the subharmonic instability of COT-CMC buck converters with a PI compensator, an accurate reduced-order asynchronous-switching map model of a COT-CMC buck converter with a PI compensator is established. Based on this, the instability behaviors caused by output capacitance and feedback gain are investigated. Furthermore, an approximate instability condition is obtained and design-oriented stability boundaries in different circuit parameter spaces are yielded. The analysis results show that the instability of COT-CMC buck converters with a PI compensator is mainly affected by the output capacitance, output capacitor equivalent series resistance (ESR), feedback gain, current-sensing gain and constant on-time. The study results of this paper are helpful for the circuit parameter design of COT-CMC switching dc-dc converters. Experimental results are provided to verify the analysis results.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.40-44
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• 1998

The LAPS device of fast response and high sensitivity, based on electrochemical potential difference, and its system were fabricated for the precise measurement of pH changes and its characteristic were investigated. The electrostatic variation characteristics of LAPS according to the pH changes and parameters in the device were verified through a simulation using LAPS equivalent circuit model. The LAPS device and its system were fabricated on the basis of the result of simulation. The fabricated LAPS system showed linear sensitivity (about 56 mV/pH within the range of pH 2 to pH 11. In order to overcome the defect of general urea sensor (especially slow response time), urease immobilized nitrocellulose membrane was attached on the LAPS and resulted in the very fast response time, 0.29 mV/sec, 0.86 mV/sec at urea concentration of $50{\mu}g/ml,\; 500{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. And also in order to measure the uranyl ion, the uranyl ion selective sensing membrane with calix[6]arene derivative was used and its sensitivity was 25mV/concentration decade in the wide uranyl ion concentration range of $10^{-11}M\;to\;10^{-4}M$.