1. A method for determining an analyte concentration in a sample of a biological fluid, comprising:
determining a sample temperature;
generating an output signal in response to a redox reaction of an analyte in the sample at a sample temperature;
selecting a previously determined correlation between output signals and analyte concentrations for a reference temperature;
selecting a previously developed normalized temperature function, the development of the normalized temperature function comprising:
determining a correlation between output signals and analyte concentrations for at least one other temperature; and
normalizing the correlation at the at least one other temperature to the correlation of the reference temperature;
adjusting the previously determined correlation with the previously developed normalized temperature function, to obtain a temperature-adjusted correlation; and
calculating an analyte concentration from the output signal and the temperature-adjusted correlation.
2. The method of claim 1, where the temperature-adjusted correlation is represented as follows:
A=c2*OS2+c1*OS+c0
where A is the analyte concentration;
OS is the output signal; and
c2, c1, and c0 are coefficients that describe a temperature dependent weighing factor.
3. The method of claim 1, where the temperature-adjusted correlation is represented as follows:
OST=ST*AR+Intt
where OST is the output signal at the sample temperature, AR is the analyte concentration at the reference temperature, ST is a product of a slope at the reference temperature and a normalized temperature function of the slope, and Intt is a product of an intercept at the reference temperature and a normalized temperature function of the intercept.
4. The method of claim 3, where ST is represented as follows:
ST=SR*f(T)
where T is the sample temperature, SR is the slope of the correlation for the reference temperature, and f(T) is a temperature function that adjusts the slope for the sample temperature.
5. The method of claim 4, where f(T) is represented as follows:
f(T)=a2T2+a1T+a0
where T is the sample temperature, and a2, al, and a0 are coefficients of a regression analysis representing normalized slopes.
6. The method of claim 3, where IntT is represented as follows:
IntT=IntR*g(T)
where T is the sample temperature, IntR is the intercept of the correlation for the reference temperature, and g(T) is a temperature function that adjusts the intercept for the sample temperature.
7. The method of claim 6, where g(T) is represented as follows:
g(T)=b2T2+b1T+b0,
where T is the sample temperature, and b2, b1, and b0 are coefficients of a regression analysis representing normalized intercepts.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the output signal in response to an electrochemical process.
9. The method of claim 1, where the output signal comprises light.
10. The method of claim 1, where the output signal comprises an electric signal.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the output signal in response to pulsed input signals.
12. A biosensor for determining an analyte concentration in a biological fluid, comprising:
a measuring device having a processor connected to a sensor interface and a temperature sensor;
a sensor strip having a sample interface on a base, where the sample interface is adjacent to a reservoir formed by the base;
where the processor:
selects a previously determined correlation between output signals and analyte concentrations for a reference temperature;
selects a previously developed normalized temperature function, the development of the normalized temperature function comprising:
determining a correlation between output signals and analyte
concentrations for at least one other temperature; and
normalizing the correlation at the at least one other temperature to the
correlation of the reference temperature;
adjusts the previously determined correlation with the previously developed normalized temperature function, to obtain a temperature-adjusted correlation adjusted to a sample temperature from the temperature sensor; and
determines an analyte concentration from the temperature-adjusted correlation in response to an output signal from the sample interface.
13. The biosensor of claim 12, where the temperature-adjusted correlation is represented as follows:
A=c2*OS2+c1*OS+c0
where A is the analyte concentration;
OS is the output signal; and
c2, c1, and c0 are coefficients that describe a temperature dependent weighing factor.
14. The biosensor of claim 12, where the temperature-adjusted correlation is represented as follows:
OST=ST*AR+IntT
where OST is the output signal at the sample temperature, AR is the analyte concentration at the reference temperature, ST is a product of a slope at the reference temperature and a normalized temperature function of the slope, and IntT is a product of an intercept at the reference temperature and a normalized temperature function of the intercept.
15. The biosensor of claim 14, where ST is represented as follows:
ST=SR*f(T)
where T is the sample temperature, SR is the slope of the correlation for the reference temperature, and f(T) is a temperature function that adjusts the slope for the sample temperature.
16. The biosensor of claim 15, where f(T) is represented as follows:
f(T)=a2T2+a1T+a0
where T is the sample temperature, and a2, a1, and a0 are coefficients of a regression analysis representing normalized slopes.
17. The biosensor of claim 14, where IntT is represented as follows:
IntT=IntR*g(T)
where T is the sample temperature, IntR is the intercept of the correlation for the reference temperature, and g(T) is a temperature function that adjusts the intercept for the sample temperature.
18. The biosensor of claim 17, where g(T) is represented as follows:
g(T)=b2T2+b1T+b0,
where T is the sample temperature, and b2, b1, and b0 are coefficients of a regression analysis representing normalized intercepts.
19. A method for determining an analyte concentration in a sample of a biological fluid, comprising:
applying the sample to the sensor strip of the biosensor of claim 12;
determining a sample temperature;
generating an output signal in response to a redox reaction of an analyte in the sample at the sample temperature;
adjusting a correlation between analyte concentrations and output signals at a reference temperature in response to normalized functions of slope and intercept; and
determining the analyte concentration from the temperature-adjusted correlation and the output signal at the sample temperature.
20. The method of claim 19, where the output signal comprises light.
21. The method of claim 19, where the output signal comprises an electrical signal.
22. The method of claim 19, where the output signal is responsive to pulsed input signals.
23. The method of claim 19, where the analyte comprises glucose and the biological fluid comprises whole blood.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:
1. A method of forming a flash memory cell, comprising:
forming a tunnel oxide on a substrate;
forming a first conductor layer over the tunnel oxide;
forming an insulating layer over the first conductor layer, the insulating layer comprising a first oxide layer over the first conductor layer, a nitride layer over the first oxide layer, and a second oxide layer over the nitride layer, wherein the second oxide layer is formed by oxidizing said nitride layer with an ambient containing atomic oxygen;
forming a second conductor layer over the insulating layer;
etching at least the first conductor layer, the second conductor layer and the insulating layer, thereby defining at least one stacked gate structure; and
forming a source region and a drain region in the substrate on opposite side of said stacked gate structure, thereby forming at least one memory cell.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said second oxide layer is grown at a temperature of about 850 C. to about 1100 C.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said second oxide layer is grown at a temperature of less than about 900 C.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said second oxide layer is grown for about 1 second to about 10 minutes.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said second oxide layer is formed to at least about 60% of a targeted thickness.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said atomic oxygen is supplied by in situ steam generation.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said atomic oxygen is supplied by ozone source.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein said atomic oxygen is supplied by plasma source.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein said atomic oxygen is supplied by microwave source.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein said atomic oxygen is supplied by photoexcitation.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein said second oxide layer is formed in a single wafer system.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein said second oxide layer is formed in a batch furnace system.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein said second oxide layer is formed in a rapid thermal system.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein said second oxide layer is formed in a fast ramp system.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein said second oxide layer is formed to a thickness of about 20 -80 .
16. A method of forming an ONO insulating structure comprising:
depositing a first oxide layer over an integrated circuit structure;
depositing a nitride layer over said first oxide layer; and
growing a second oxide layer over said nitride layer wherein the second oxide layer is formed by oxidizing said nitride layer in the presence of atomic oxygen.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein said second oxide layer is grown at a temperature of about 850 C. to about 1100 C.
18. The method of claim 16 wherein said second oxide layer is grown at a temperature of less than about 900 C.
19. The method of claim 16 wherein said second oxide layer is grown for about 1 second to about 10 minutes.
20. The method of claim 16 wherein said second oxide layer is formed to at least about 60% of a targeted thickness.
21. The method of claim 16 wherein said atomic oxygen is supplied by in situ steam generation.
22. The method of claim 16 wherein said atomic oxygen is supplied by ozone source.
23. The method of claim 16 wherein said atomic oxygen is supplied by plasma source.
24. The method of claim 16 wherein said atomic oxygen is supplied by microwave source.
25. The method of claim 16 wherein said atomic oxygen is supplied by photoexcitation.
26. The method of claim 16 wherein said second oxide layer is formed in a single wafer system.
27. The method of claim 16 wherein said second oxide layer is formed in a batch furnace system.
28. The method of claim 16 wherein said second oxide layer is formed in a rapid thermal system.
29. The method of claim 16 wherein said second oxide layer is formed in a fast ramp system.
30. The method of claim 16 wherein said second oxide layer is formed to a thickness of about 20 -80 .
31. A method of forming a flash memory array containing a plurality of flash memory cells, each of said plurality of flash memory cells being formed by the acts of:
forming a tunnel oxide on a substrate;
forming a first conductor layer over the tunnel oxide;
forming an insulating layer over the first conductor layer, the insulating layer comprising a first oxide layer over the first conductor layer, a nitride layer over the first oxide layer, and a second oxide layer over the nitride layer, wherein die second oxide layer is formed by oxidizing said nitride layer in the presence of atomic oxygen;
forming a second conductor layer over the insulating layer;
etching at least die first conductor layer, the second conductor layer and the insulating layer, thereby defining at least one stacked gate structure; and
forming a source region and a drain region in the substrate, thereby forming at least one memory cell.
32. The method of claim 31 wherein said second oxide layer is grown at a temperature of about 850 C. to about 1100 C.
33. The method of claim 31 wherein said second oxide layer is grown at a temperature of less than about 900 C.
34. The method of claim 31 wherein said second oxide layer is grown for about 1 second to about 10 minutes.
35. The method of claim 31 wherein said second oxide layer is formed to at least about 60% of a targeted thickness.
36. The method of claim 31 wherein said atomic oxygen is supplied by in situ steam generation.
37. The method of claim 31 wherein said atomic oxygen is supplied by ozone source.
38. The method of claim 31 wherein said atomic oxygen is supplied by plasma source.
39. The method of claim 31 wherein said atomic oxygen is supplied by microwave source.
40. The method of claim 31 wherein said atomic oxygen is supplied by photoexcitation.
41. The method of claim 31 wherein said second oxide layer is formed in a single wafer system.
42. The method of claim 31 wherein said second oxide layer is formed in a batch furnace system.
43. The method of claim 31 wherein said second oxide layer is formed in a rapid thermal system.
44. The method of claim 31 wherein said second oxide layer is formed in a fast ramp system.
45. The method of claim 31 wherein said second oxide layer is formed to a thickness of about 20 -80 .
46. A flash memory cell comprising:
a gate structure comprising:
a tunnel oxide on a substrate;
a first conductor layer over the tunnel oxide;
an insulating layer over the first conductor layer, the insulating layer comprising a first oxide layer over the first conductor layer, a nitride layer over the first oxide layer, and a second oxide layer over the nitride layer, wherein the second oxide layer has a composition formed by the oxidation of said nitride layer in the presence of atomic oxygen;
a second conductor layer over the insulating layer; and
a source region and a drain region in the substrate on opposite sides of said gate structure.
47. The memory cell of claim 46 wherein said second oxide layer is formed to a thickness of about 20 -80 .
48. A memory device comprising:
a flash memory array containing a plurality of flash memory cells, each of said plurality of flash memory cells comprising:
a gate structure comprising:
a tunnel oxide on a substrate;
a first conductor layer over the tunnel oxide;
an insulating layer over the first conductor layer, the insulating layer comprising a first oxide layer over the first conductor layer, a nitride layer over the first oxide layer, and a second oxide layer over the nitride layer, wherein the second oxide layer having a composition formed by the oxidation of said nitride layer in the presence of atomic oxygen;
a second conductor layer over the insulating layer; and
a source region and a drain region in the substrate on opposite sides of said gate structure.
49. The memory device of claim 48 wherein said second oxide layer is formed to a thickness of about 20 -80 .
50. A processor based system comprising:
a central processing unit;
a memory device coupled to said central processing unit to receive data from and supply data to said central processing unit, said memory device having a flash memory cell comprising:
a gate structure comprising:
a tunnel oxide on a substrate;
a first conductor layer over the tunnel oxide;
an insulating layer over the first conductor layer, the insulating layer comprising a first oxide layer over the first conductor layer, a nitride layer over the first oxide layer, and a second oxide layer over the nitride layer, wherein the second oxide layer having a composition formed by the oxidation of said nitride layer in the presence of atomic oxygen;
a second conductor layer over the insulating layer; and
a source region and a drain region in the substrate on opposite sides of said gate structure.
51. The system of claim 50 wherein said second oxide layer is formed to a thickness of about 20 -80 .