Transpinnor-based sample-and-hold circuit and applications

An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) in which all circuit components of which the ADC is comprised comprise solid-state components, each solid-state component comprising a network of thin-film elements in a bridge configuration, at least one thin-film element exhibiting giant magnetoresistance, and a first conductor inductively coupled to the at least one thin-film element for applying a first magnetic field thereto.

A method for manufacturing an analog-to-digital converter comprising sample-and-hold circuitry, quantizing circuitry, and a plurality of comparators, wherein each of the sample-and-hold circuitry, quantizing circuitry, the plurality of comparators comprises at least one solid-state component, each solid-state component comprising a network of thin-film elements in a bridge configuration, at least one thin-film element exhibiting giant magnetoresistance, and a first conductor inductively coupled to the at least one thin-film element for applying a first magnetic field thereto, the method comprising forming each of the sample-and-hold circuitry, quantizing circuitry, the plurality of comparators on a single substrate using a single set of masks.

A sample-and-hold circuit comprising a network of thin-film elements in a bridge configuration, each of the thin-film elements exhibiting giant magnetoresistance, the circuit also comprising a plurality of conductors inductively coupled to each of the thin-film elements for applying magnetic fields thereto, wherein the circuit is operable using the plurality of conductors to generate a substantially constant output current representative of an input signal using a remanent magnetization associated with at least one of the thin-film elements.

A sample-and-hold circuit comprising a network of thin-film elements in a bridge configuration, each of the thin-film elements exhibiting giant magnetoresistance, the circuit also comprising a signal conductor operable to transmit an input signal, and a sample conductor operable to transmit a strobe signal, the signal and sample conductors being inductively coupled to selected ones of the thin-film elements, wherein the circuit is operable to sample and store a value corresponding to the input signal in response to the strobe signal.