1. A hardware description language (HDL) design structure encoded on a non-transitory machine-readable data storage medium, said HDL design structure comprising elements that when processed in a computer-aided design system generates a machine-executable representation of a fractional-N phased-lock-loop (PLL), wherein said fractional-N PLL comprises:
a first circuit located on an integrated circuit, the first circuit including:
a voltage controlled oscillator for generating a periodic output signal;
a phase detector for controlling the voltage controlled oscillator,
a charge pump for modifying an input to the voltage controlled oscillator;
a frequency divider in a feedback path for modifying a frequency of the periodic output signal;
a first multiplexer; and
a first random number generator; and
a second circuit including:
a second multiplexer; and
a second random number generator operatively coupled to the first random number generator, a common signal line coupled to an input of the first random number generator, andor the frequency divider;
wherein the second circuit is a programmable circuit located off the integrated circuit and coupled to the first circuit.
2. The HDL design structure of claim 1, further including an adder circuit coupled to a third multiplexer.
3. The HDL design structure of claim 2, wherein the first circuit further includes the third multiplexer.
4. The HDL design structure of claim 3, wherein the second circuit is a field programmable gate array (FPGA).
5. The HDL design structure of claim 4, wherein a first input of the FPGA is coupled to the first random number generator.
6. The HDL design structure of claim 5, wherein a second input of the FPGA is coupled to the first multiplexer.
7. The HDL design structure of claim 6, wherein a first output of the FPGA is coupled to the third multiplexer.
8. The HDL design structure of claim 1; wherein only one of the first or the second random number generator operates at a time.
9. The HDL design structure of claim 8, wherein at least the first and the second multiplexers are configured to switch operation between the first and the second random number generators.
10. The HDL design structure of claim 1, wherein digital circuitry of the first and the second random number generators are initially functionally the same.
11. The HDL design structure of claim 1, wherein the first and the second random number generator are a same type of random number generator.
12. The HDL design structure of claim 1, wherein the first circuit is configured to measure phase noise.
13. The HDL design structure of claim 12, wherein the second circuit is configured to measure phase noise.
14. The HDL design structure of claim 13, wherein a first phase noise measured by the first circuit is compared to a second phase noise measured by the second circuit.
15. The HDL design structure of claim 14, wherein a main phase noise source is determined based on the comparison.
16. The HDL design structure of claim 15, wherein the first circuit is conditionally modified based on the comparison.
17. The HDL design structure of claim 16, wherein the first circuit is modified to meet technical requirements, based on the comparison.
18. The HDL design structure of claim 15, wherein the second circuit is conditionally modified based on the comparison, wherein the modification includes modifying the second random number generator to optimize performance of the fractional-N PLL structure, the optimizing including optimizing phase noise and fractional spur.
19. A method in a computer-aided design system for generating a functional design model of a fractional-N phased-lock-loop (PLL), said method comprising:
generating, using a circuit or computing device, a functional representation of a first circuit located on an integrated circuit, the functional representation of the first circuit including:
a voltage controlled oscillator for generating a periodic output signal;
a phase detector for controlling the voltage controlled oscillator;
a charge pump for modifying an input to the voltage controlled oscillator;
a frequency divider in a feedback path for modifying a frequency of the periodic output signal;
a first multiplexer; and
a first random number generator; and
generating a functional representation of a second circuit including:
a second multiplexer; and
a second random number generator;
wherein the second circuit is a programmable circuit located off the integrated circuit and coupled to the first circuit.
20. A product of manufacture comprising:
a non-transitory machine readable medium comprising elements that when processed in a computer system generates a machine-executable representation of:
a first circuit located on an integrated circuit, the first circuit including:
a voltage controlled oscillator for generating a periodic output signal;
a phase detector for controlling the voltage controlled oscillator;
a charge pump for modifying an input to the voltage controlled oscillator;
a frequency divider in a feedback path for modifying a frequency of the periodic output signal;
a first multiplexer; and
a first random number generator; and
a second circuit including:
a second multiplexer; and
a second random number generator operatively coupled to the first random number generator, a common signal line coupled to an input of the first random number generator, andor the frequency divider;
wherein the second circuit is a programmable circuit located off the integrated circuit and coupled to the first circuit.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for separating target material from other material in a fluid sample, the method comprising the steps of:
a) forcing the fluid sample to flow through a separation device, the separation device comprising a substrate and a plurality of structures on the substrate, each of the structures being coated with an electrical insulator film;
b) applying a voltage to the structures while the sample flows through the device, thereby attracting the target material to the insulator film while the other material passes through the device; and
c) eluting the target material from the device, wherein the step of eluting the target material is preceded by the step of forcing a wash fluid to flow through the device while maintaining the application of the voltage.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of pulsing the polarity of the applied voltage.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the target material comprises nucleic acid, and wherein the voltage comprises an AC voltage tuned to a frequency that facilitates the retention of the nucleic acid.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the target material is eluted by introducing a carrier fluid into the device, reversing the polarity of the applied voltage to release the target material into the carrier fluid, and flowing the carrier fluid out of the device.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the target material comprises nucleic acid, a positive voltage is applied to the structures while the sample flows through the device, and the nucleic acid is eluted by introducing a carrier fluid into the device, applying a negative voltage to the structures to release the nucleic acid into the carrier fluid, and flowing the carrier fluid out of the device.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the target material is eluted by removing the applied voltage and flowing a carrier fluid through the device.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the structures comprise an array of three-dimensional structures, each of the structures having a height of at least 100 \u03bcm, and wherein the fluid sample is forced to flow between the structures as the voltage is applied.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the structures comprise an array of columns, each of the columns having an aspect ratio (height to width or diameter) of at least 2:1, and wherein the fluid sample is forced to flow between the columns as the voltage is applied.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the fluid sample is forced to flow in a network of channels between the columns, each of the channels having a width in the range of 5 to 50 \u03bcm.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein the fluid sample is forced to flow in a network of channels between the columns, each of the channels having a height in the range of10 to 1000 \u03bcm.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the insulator film has a thickness in the range of 0.01 to 10 \u03bcm.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the insulator film is selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, and electrically insulating polymer.
13. A method for separating materials in a fluid sample, the method comprising the steps of:
a) introducing the fluid sample into a device having an array of three-dimensional structures, each of the structures having a height of at least 20 \u03bcm;
b) forcing the fluid sample to flow between the structures while applying a voltage to the structures, thereby inducing separation of materials in the fluid sample as the sample flows between the structures, wherein the materials in the fluid sample are separated by retaining target material in the device while other material in the fluid sample passes out of the device;
c) forcing a wash fluid to flow through the device while maintaining the application of the voltage; and
d) eluting the target material from the device.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of pulsing the polarity of the applied voltage.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the target material comprises nucleic acid, and wherein the voltage comprises an AC voltage tuned to a frequency that facilitates the retention of nucleic acid.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the target material is eluted by introducing a carrier fluid into the device, reversing the polarity of the applied voltage to release the target material into the carrier fluid, and flowing the carrier fluid out of the device.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein the target material comprises nucleic acid, a positive voltage is applied to the structures while the sample flows through the device, and the nucleic acid is eluted by introducing a carrier fluid into the device, applying a negative voltage to the structures to release the nucleic acid into the carrier fluid, and flowing the carrier fluid out of the device.
18. The method of claim 13, wherein the target material is eluted by removing the applied voltage and flowing a carrier fluid through the device.
19. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the structures has a height of at least 100 \u03bcm.
20. The method of claim 13, wherein the structures comprise an array of columns, each of the columns having an aspect ratio (height to width or diameter) of at least 2:1.
21. The method of claim 13, wherein the fluid sample is forced to flow in channels disposed between the structures, each of the channels having a width in the range of 5 to 50 \u03bcm.
22. The method of claim 13, wherein the structures are coated with an insulator film.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the insulator film has a thickness in the range of 0.01 to 10 \u03bcm.
24. The method of claim 22, wherein the insulator film is selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, and electrically insulating polymer.
25. A method for separating target material from other material in a fluid sample, the method comprising the steps of:
a) contacting the sample with an electronic extractor having an insulator film and an underlying conductor in contact therewith, the insulator film having a thickness in the range of 0.01 to 10 \u03bcm;
b) applying a voltage to the conductor, thereby inducing movement of the target material in the fluid sample to or from the surface of the insulator film, wherein the materials in the fluid sample are separated by retaining the target material in the extractor while the other material in the fluid sample passes out of the extractor;
c) forcing a wash fluid to flow through the extractor while maintaining the application of the voltage; and
d) eluting the target material from the extractor.
26. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of pulsing the polarity of the applied voltage.
27. The method of claim 25, wherein the voltage comprises an AC voltage tuned to a frequency that facilitates the retention of nucleic acid.
28. The method of claim 25, wherein the target material is eluted by introducing a carrier fluid into the extractor, reversing the polarity of the applied voltage to release the target material into the carrier fluid, and flowing the carrier fluid out of the extractor.
29. The method of claim 25, wherein the target material comprises nucleic acid, a positive voltage is applied to the conductor while the sample flows through the extractor, and the nucleic acid is eluted by introducing a carrier fluid into the extractor, applying a negative voltage to the conductor to release the nucleic acid into the carrier fluid, and flowing the carrier fluid out of the extractor.
30. The method of claim 25, wherein the target material is eluted by removing the applied voltage and flowing a carrier fluid through the extractor.
31. The method of claim 25, wherein the underlying conductor comprises an array of structures, each of the structures having a height of at least 100 \u03bcm, and wherein the fluid sample is forced to flow between the structures as the voltage is applied.
32. The method of claim 25, wherein the underlying conductor comprises an array of columns, each of the columns having an aspect ratio (height to width or diameter) of at least 2:1, and wherein the fluid sample is forced to flow between the columns as the voltage is applied.
33. The method of claim 25, wherein the insulator film is selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, and electrically insulating polymer.