Circuits and methods that enable stacking of phase change material (PCM) switches and that accommodate variations in the resistance of the resistive heater(s) of such switches. Stacking is enabled by providing isolation switches for the resistive heater(s) in a PCM switch to reduce parasitic capacitance caused by the proximity of the resistive heater(s) to the PCM region of a PCM switch. Variations in the resistance of the resistive heater(s) of a PCM switch are mitigated or eliminated by sensing the actual resistance of the resistive heater(s) and then determining a suitable adjusted electrical pulse profile for the resistive heater(s) that generates a precise thermal pulse to the PCM region, thereby reliably achieving a desired switch state while extending the life of the resistive heater(s) and the phase-change material.

Circuits and methods that enable stacking of phase change material (PCM) switches and that accommodate variations in the resistance of the resistive heater(s) of such switches. Stacking is enabled by providing isolation switches for the resistive heater(s) in a PCM switch to reduce parasitic capacitance caused by the proximity of the resistive heater(s) to the PCM region of a PCM switch. Variations in the resistance of the resistive heater(s) of a PCM switch are mitigated or eliminated by sensing the actual resistance of the resistive heater(s) and then determining a suitable adjusted electrical pulse profile for the resistive heater(s) that generates a precise thermal pulse to the PCM region, thereby reliably achieving a desired switch state while extending the life of the resistive heater(s) and the phase-change material.

The present disclosure relates to a pre-5.sup.th-Generation (5G) or 5G communication system to be provided for supporting higher data rates Beyond 4.sup.th-Generation (4G) communication system such as Long Term Evolution (LTE). In a wireless communication system, a transmission apparatus comprises at least one antenna port for transmitting/receiving a signal, an analogue filter for selecting the frequency of the signal, and a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) detection unit for measuring the VSWR of the antenna port, wherein the VSWR detection unit is configured to detect both a forward signal and a reverse signal for an input terminal of the analogue filter, to determine the respective power values of a forward signal and a reverse signal for an output terminal of the analogue filter by applying characteristic parameters of the analogue filter to the detected forward signal and receive signal, and to determine the VSWR of the antenna port on the basis of the respective power values of the forward signal and the reverse signal for the output terminal of the analogue filter.

The present disclosure relates to a pre-5.sup.th-Generation (5G) or 5G communication system to be provided for supporting higher data rates Beyond 4.sup.th-Generation (4G) communication system such as Long Term Evolution (LTE). In a wireless communication system, a transmission apparatus comprises at least one antenna port for transmitting/receiving a signal, an analogue filter for selecting the frequency of the signal, and a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) detection unit for measuring the VSWR of the antenna port, wherein the VSWR detection unit is configured to detect both a forward signal and a reverse signal for an input terminal of the analogue filter, to determine the respective power values of a forward signal and a reverse signal for an output terminal of the analogue filter by applying characteristic parameters of the analogue filter to the detected forward signal and receive signal, and to determine the VSWR of the antenna port on the basis of the respective power values of the forward signal and the reverse signal for the output terminal of the analogue filter.

A DNA sequencing device and methods of making. The device includes a pair of electrodes having a spacing of no greater than about 2 nm, the electrodes being exposed within a nanopore to measure a DNA strand passing through the nanopore. The device can be made by depositing a conductive layer over a sacrificial channel and then removing the sacrificial channel to form the electrode gap.

The invention relates to a distance-measuring device for determining a distance between a reflection body in a conducting structure and a coupling region for electromagnetic waves, which region is provided on an end section of the conducting structure, said measuring device comprising a transmitting and receiving device, and a conduction junction (1) provided on the coupling region, for coupling the transmitting and receiving device to the conducting structure containing a medium, in order to couple an electromagnetic wave into the conducting structure, and to decouple the electromagnetic wave, reflected on the reflection body, from the conducting structure. Said measuring device also comprises an evaluation device for determining the distance between the coupling region and the reflection body from the complex reflection coefficient between the coupled electromagnetic wave and the decoupled electromagnetic wave. The invention also relates to the corresponding method.

A method for estimating resistances of a circuit having a plurality of resistances comprising a first resistance and a second resistance may include applying a first bias voltage across the circuit and measuring a first voltage at a common node between the first resistance and the second resistance in order to determine a mathematical relationship between the first resistance and the second resistance, applying a second bias voltage across the circuit and a third resistance in parallel with the circuit and measuring a second voltage at the common node between the first resistance and the second resistance in order to determine a mathematical relationship between the third resistance and at least one of the first resistance and the second resistance, and based on at least the measurement of the first voltage and the measurement of the second voltage, determining the first resistance and the second resistance as a function of the third resistance.

A method for estimating resistances of a circuit having a plurality of resistances comprising a first resistance and a second resistance may include applying a first bias voltage across the circuit and measuring a first voltage at a common node between the first resistance and the second resistance in order to determine a mathematical relationship between the first resistance and the second resistance, applying a second bias voltage across the circuit and a third resistance in parallel with the circuit and measuring a second voltage at the common node between the first resistance and the second resistance in order to determine a mathematical relationship between the third resistance and at least one of the first resistance and the second resistance, and based on at least the measurement of the first voltage and the measurement of the second voltage, determining the first resistance and the second resistance as a function of the third resistance.

Circuitry comprising: a voltage monitoring path; a current monitoring path; a reference element of a predefined impedance; and processing circuitry, wherein in operation of the circuitry in a calibration mode of operation: the voltage monitoring path is operative to output a signal indicative of a voltage across the reference element in response to a reference signal applied to the reference element; the current monitoring path is operative to output a signal indicative of a current through the reference element in response to the reference signal; and the processing circuitry is operative to: receive the signal indicative of the voltage across the reference element and the signal indicative of the current through the reference element; generate an estimate of an impedance of the reference element; and determine a compensation parameter for an element of the circuitry for compensating for a difference between the estimate of the impedance and the predefined impedance of the reference element.

Circuitry comprising: a voltage monitoring path; a current monitoring path; a reference element of a predefined impedance; and processing circuitry, wherein in operation of the circuitry in a calibration mode of operation: the voltage monitoring path is operative to output a signal indicative of a voltage across the reference element in response to a reference signal applied to the reference element; the current monitoring path is operative to output a signal indicative of a current through the reference element in response to the reference signal; and the processing circuitry is operative to: receive the signal indicative of the voltage across the reference element and the signal indicative of the current through the reference element; generate an estimate of an impedance of the reference element; and determine a compensation parameter for an element of the circuitry for compensating for a difference between the estimate of the impedance and the predefined impedance of the reference element.