LOW POWER CMOS IC FOR PICOSECOND TIMING MEASUREMENTS A novel integrated circuit developed by engineers at Sandia National Laboratories for a DOE weapon certification program is capable of making a precise measurement of the time elapsed between two events with a resolution as low as 20 picoseconds. The integrated circuit uses a patented technique that enables picosecond resolution without the need for leading edge circuit speed. The circuit also does not require a high speed clock (20 picosecond resolution is obtained with a 25 Megahertz clock). The device was fabricated using a 1 micron CMOS process at Sandia's in house foundry. Two of the timing circuits are housed in a single 44 pin J-lead package, and total power dissipation per circuit is only 100 milliwatts (at 25 Megahertz). If high volume fabrication of this CMOS integrated circuit were to occur in a commercial foundry, the time interval measurement circuit could be applied commercially as a small, inexpensive, low power alternative circuit in electronic Time Interval Counter products. Also, the device could be applied in automotive and industrial monitoring or process control systems as a practical means of making the "time of flight" measurement required in pulsed ultrasonic, optical, and radar distance measurement systems. If you are interested in licensing this technology, please contact Ken Condreva at Sandia National Laboratories at (925) 294-2362 or e-mail Ken at kjcondr@sandia.gov. E-MAIL: Ken Condreva, kjcondr. Posted 07/03/00 (W-SN471090).

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