Resumo
Resumo
sis systems to industrial applications, such as Non- where: f - Frequency of the magnetic field; µ0 -
Destructive Testing (NDT) based on Eddy Currents Magnetic permeability of air; µ - Magnetic perme-
(EC) evaluation. In NDT based on EC evaluation, ability of the material; σ - Electrical conductivity
an advantage of using MR sensors is their higher of the material.
SNR compared with common coil-based probes [1]. In [2], a system for reading MR sensors is pre-
NDT is a set of techniques used to characterize sented. This system has the main objective of de-
and detect defects and flaws on certain materials, tecting defects of conductive materials under test
without changing their characteristics and utility. and it has to be a NDT system. The architecture
These techniques can be applied to reduce the cost of the system is divided into two main elements:
of operation, increase the safety of use and ensure the Emitter System and the Receiver System. The
the reliability of industrial components. EC evalua- Emitter System comprises an Emitter Coil and a
tion is a NDT method that requires minimal surface driving generator at a frequency f1 (frequency of
1
the magnetic signal). The Receiver System con- for a 32-sensor array. The number of sensors can
tains a Sensor Array, an Application-Specific Inte- be scaled. The ASIC has the following functions:
grated Circuit (ASIC) that drives the sensors with a drive the magnetic sensors; multiplex the signals,
frequency f2 , and some interface circuits. The pur- amplify/filter the signals and cancel the electrical
pose of the Sensor Array is to acquire the signals sensor drive signal. The ASIC allows DC+AC cur-
produced by the currents induced by the Emitter rent input signals. Each sensor should be followed
Coil. The interface circuits generate an analogue by a band-pass preamplifier (centered on f1 , f3 =f1 -
output and digital synchronization signals. f2 or f4 =f1 +f2 ) with bandwidth fb . The DC and
Although this system is already implemented, the f2 components have to be filtered at the output,
there are some aspects with room for improve- since they do not hold information on the sensor re-
ment, including the way the sensors are biased sistance value. In Figure 3, the simplified circuit of
and switched and the type of amplification em- each block of the ASIC is presented. As explained
ployed. This work is focused on an Operational before, the focus of this work is the amplifier Pre-
Transconductance Amplifier (OTA). This amplifier amp and the HP filter at its input.
(Pre-amp) is implemented in the ASIC as part of
the NDT system receiver. This amplifier is preceded
by a first-order RC High-Pass (HP) filter. This HP
filter has to present a cut-off frequency of at least
50 Hz, since the frequencies of interest are in the
range [100 Hz, 10 MHz]. The amplifier set-up time
has to be the minimum possible, in order to switch
between the sensors with minimum time overhead.
Our objective is to achieve a set-up time between
0.1 µs and 1 µs.
The main challenge is to have a low resistance, in Figure 2: ASIC top diagram [2].
order to reduce the set-up time to a value between
0.1 µs and 1 µs. A resistor that presents a resistance
between 1.5 kΩ and 15 kΩ and a very high resis-
tance (320 MΩ or higher) to guarantee that the HP
filter cut-off frequency is at the desired frequency is
necessary. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that
two significantly different resistances are needed to
accomplish the specifications of the pole frequency
and the set-up time. By analysing the equations
that give the set-up time and the cut-off frequency,
it is possible to conclude that the set-up time and
the HP filter cut-off frequency have a different rela- Figure 3: Circuit (block) simplified schematic [2].
tion with the resistance. The set-up time equation
gives the amount of time required for the system to
reach 99.9 % of its final value. 2.2. Amplifier Pre-amp and High-Pass Filter
As explained before, the focus of this work is the
amplifier Pre-amp and the HP filter at its input.
1
tset−up = 6.9RC ; fcut−of f = (2) In Figure 4, the HP filter and the feedback circuit
2πRC of the amplifier Pre-amp can be visualized, which
A variable resistor can be implemented with one is the part of the circuit that is the core of this
or several MOS transistors, which is known as a work. The amplifier Pre-amp has a Folded-Cascode
pseudo-resistor. A pseudo-resistor implementation topology. This amplifier is part of a two stage out-
is a solution that meets our specifications, since it put amplifier. The output amplifier drives a capac-
can be controlled to present a high or low resis- itance around 1 pF. With an output voltage of 2 V
tance. Therefore, our work will be focused on im- and a maximum frequency of 10 MHz, it leads to a
plementing a pseudo-resistor on the feedback of the slew-rate of 125 V/µs, and an output current of 1
amplifier Pre-amp. mA [3].
2
Figure 4: Pre-amp and HP filter.
Resistance[Ω]
10
10
Vtune = 0 V
10
12 Vtune = 0.18 V
Vtune = 0.37 V
Resistance[Ω]
Vtune = 0.55 V
10
10
Vtune = 0.73 V
Vtune = 0.92 V
8
10
Vtune = 1.1 V
Vtune = 1.28 V
10
6
Vtune = 1.47 V
Vtune = 1.65 V
4
10
−1.5 −1 −0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5
∆V [V ]
3
a pseudo-resistor that presents a resistance that is time between 0.1 µs and 1 µs with a unique pseudo-
in the MΩ range to have a cut-off frequency equal resistor implementation. In [5], a fast settling tech-
to 50 Hz. With that cut-off frequency, the MR sen- nique is proposed, which is a technique that allows
sors readings can be performed for the materials of the control of a pseudo-resistor implemented with
interest, since they have a magnetic field frequency the PMOS transistors to achieve a low set-up time.
in the range [100 Hz, 10 MHz]. For ∆|V | < 0.5 V, it This technique connects the gate of the transistors
is necessary that the pseudo-resistor resistance does to ground, in order to enable the fast settling tech-
not change to a value lower than 320 MΩ, in order nique.
to maintain the cut-off frequency at least below 50
Hz and not compromise the MR sensors readings. 3. Implementation
3.1. Pseudo-resistor Implementation
10
15
By using PMOS transistors, the bulk terminal is
VGS= 0.2 V ; VSG= 0.2 V
10
14
13
VGS= 0.4 V ; VSG= 0.4 V
VGS= 0.6 V ; VSG= 0.6 V
available to connect to the source or to the supply
10
10
12 voltage, which can be an advantage to minimize the
leakage currents. The leakage currents can have a
Resistance[Ω]
11
10
10
10
10
9
significant influence in high resistances, since the
variations in the current can have a significant influ-
8
10
7
10
10
6
5
ence on the resistance. A fixed-VGS pseudo-resistor
10
−1.5 −1 −0.5 0
∆V [V ]
0.5 1 1.5
11
10 get NDT system. One of the nodes (VOU T ) of the
Resistance[Ω]
10
10
9
10
pseudo-resistor is fixed at 1.65 V and the other node
8
10 (VIN ) is swept between 0 and 3.3 V. The simulation
7
10
6
results with different VSG values (0.5 V, 0.7 V and
10
5
10
−1.5 −1 −0.5
0.9 V) with four PMOS transistors in series are pre-
0 0.5 1 1.5
∆V [V ]
sented in Figure 13.
8
10
Resistance[Ω]
14
10
7
10
13
10
10
11
10
4
10 10
10 −1.5 −1 −0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5
∆V [V ]
9
10
8
10
7
10
−1.5 −1 −0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5
Figure 13: Simulation results with pseudo-resistor
∆V [V ]
implemented with PMOS transistors (bulk con-
nected to the source).
Figure 11: Implementation F resistance.
With 0 V applied to the gate of the PMOS tran-
Concerning the set-up time, it is necessary that sistors, the resistance obtained is low, as shown
the pseudo-resistor implementation that presents a in Figure 14. The values in the order of kΩ that
320 MΩ (or higher) resistance presents also a re- are needed are achieved, which are values that are
sistance between 1.5 kΩ and 15 kΩ. This change needed for reducing the set-up time. The imple-
allows to achieve the objective of having a set-up mentation with four PMOS transistors presents a
4
resistance higher than what is desirable to theoret- the voltage at the gate of the PMOS transistors of
ically reduce the set-up time to a value between 0.1 the pseudo-resistor is equal to the voltage VT U N E .
µs and 1 µs. Although, the difference is not signifi- Therefore, it is possible to use this circuit to re-
cant and the current that flows through the pseudo- place the voltage source between the source and the
resistor in the NDT system is higher, reducing the gate of the PMOS transistors that are part of the
resistance. pseudo-resistor. With this circuit, it is possible to
4
vary the resistance by changing the voltage VT U N E
x 10
5.5
advantage of the node B is grounded in phase 1,
5
4.5
3.5
PMOS transistors to ground, in order to obtain a
3
low resistance.
2.5
2
In order to provide the voltage VT U N E to the cir-
1.5
−1.5 −1 −0.5 cuit with a bootstrapping technique, our choice is
0
∆V [V ]
0.5 1 1.5
Figure 15: Proposed circuit with a bootstrapping Figure 16: Pseudo-resistor implementation using a
technique. circuit with a bootstrapping technique.
The proposed circuit works as follows: in phase 1,
N1 and N2 turn on, the capacitor C is charged with 3.4. Single Block Diagram
VT U N E − vcm, while the transmission gate creates Each block of the full system ASIC (see Figure
a high impedance path between the nodes A and 2) has three main components: a current source
B (node B connected to ground); in phase 2, N1 (CURRENT SOURCE), a block to select which
and N2 turn off, while the transmission gate con- sensor is read (MR MUX) and an amplifier (PRE-
nects the node A to the node B, which allows that AMP ) with a HP filter at the input, which is the
5
main focus of our work. The MR sensors are fab- the amplifier Pre-amp output voltage (blue) set-up
ricated separately (1 kΩ with ±10% variation) and time is shown in Figure 18.
wire bonded to the ASIC, while RCOM is an exter-
nal 1 kΩ resistor. One MR sensor (MR1 to MR8) is 3.5
nSync
V oltage[V ]
2
X: 2.501e−06 X: 2.786e−06
Y: 1.65 Y: 1.65
0.5
X: 0.07641 100110
101000
101010
Resistance[Ω]
101011
101100
7
10 101101
101110
101111
6
10
110000
110001
X: 0.07431
Y: 3.526e+05
110010
5
10
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12 0.14 0.16 0.18 0.2
t[s]
6
4.3. Amplifier Pre-amp Bandwidth
A simulation result presenting the AC frequency
response of the HP amplifier is shown in Figure
20. Theoretically, the cut-off frequency is lower
with small VSG voltages, since the pseudo-resistor
presents a very high resistance. Increasing the VSG
voltage of the PMOS transistors that are part of the
pseudo-resistor and consequently, decreasing the re-
sistance, the cut-off frequency increases.
Figure 22: Pre-amp amplifier AC response.
50
0
VSG = 0.03 V
VSG = 0.2 V
AC Response [dB]
VSG = 0.25 V
−50
VSG = 0.32 V
VSG = 0.37 V
VSG = 0.42 V
a logic level ’1’. This can be explained by a charge
redistribution when the commutation occurs, since
−100
VSG = 0.49 V
VSG = 0.59 V
VSG = 0.71 V
−150
VSG = 0.8 V
VSG = 1 V
it is necessary to take into account the capacitances
−200
10
−3
10
−2
10
−1
10
0
10
1
10
2
10
3
10
4
10
5
V
10
SG
6
= 1.2 V
10
7
associated with the devices to predict the devices
Frequency [Hz]
AC behaviour [7].
Figure 20: Amplifier Pre-amp bandwidth. A Monte Carlo simulation with 500 iterations was
executed, using an AC input signal with 50 Hz,
Analysing the AC frequency response for each analysing at each iteration the amplifier Pre-amp
VSG voltage, it is possible to conclude that the cut- output voltage, in order to evaluate the effects of the
off frequency has nine orders of magnitude, between Monte Carlo simulation variations. The simulations
mHz and MHz, which corresponds to resistances be- results allowed to conclude that 90% of the itera-
tween T Ω and kΩ, respectively. tions are similar with the simulation results shown
in Figure 21, while for 10% of the iterations the DC
4.4. Transient Analysis with AC Input shift referred before is more problematic. The DC
With an AC input signal with a certain frequency, shift can result in a signal that is not stabilized, pre-
especially with a frequency equal to 50 Hz, the senting variations through the clock signal period,
pseudo-resistor has to present at least one resistance or result in a DC shift high enough to saturate the
that allows the MR sensors readings. Therefore, a amplifier Pre-amp, which is prejudicial to the MR
simulation result with an AC input with a frequency sensors readings.
equal to 50 Hz is presented in Figure 21, for two dif-
ferent codes, resulting in two different resistances.
5. Conclusions
3.5
3
The HP filter resistor was implemented with a
2.5
pseudo-resistor, which is an implementation that
uses PMOS transistors, which means that it can be
V oltage[V ]
7
References
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