There are many kinds of commercial memory cards on the market. Due to great improvements in modern technology, they have great amounts of capacity, low power consumption, and are easily available. Therefore a data logging system using a commercial memory card is a convenient and economic procedure. This thesis introduces a wearable data logging system for physiological recording. A front-end amplifier, analog to digital converter, and a memory card controller compose the basis of this system. The front-end amplifier uses a switched-capacitor structure, so the output waveform is discrete in regard to the time domain. This brings an advantage in saving power for not keeping charging the load capacitance. Lateral bipolar transistors fabricated in a CMOS process are used as input devices. A conventional ADC is used to convert the amplified signal into digital data. Finally MultiMediaCard is chosen as a large storage space. This thesis contributes the analysis, design and measurement of the amplifier front-end. In addition, the design and implementation of a controller circuit for sequential data storage into the MultiMediaCard memory is described. Special attention was paid to achieving a small area, low-complexity and low-power implementation suitable for integration. Measured results obtained from a preliminary FPGA implementation are reported and the functionality of a complete logger circuit is demonstrated with measured results.

The object of this thesis is to explore the low-frequency noise (LFN) in silicon-germanium (SiGe) heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) and lateral bipolar junction transistors (BJTs). The LFN of SiGe HBTs and lateral BJTs not only determines the lowest detectable signal limit but also induces phase noise in high-frequency applications. Characterizing the LFN behavior and understanding the physical noise mechanism, therefore, are very important to improve the device and circuit performance. The dissertation achieves the object by investigating the LFN of SiGe HBTs and lateral BJTs with different structures for performance optimization and radiation tolerance, as well as by building models that explain the physical mechanism of LFN in these advance bipolar technologies. The scope of this research is separated into two main parts: the LFN of SiGe HBTs; and the LFN of lateral BJTs. The research in the LFN of SiGe HBTs includes investigating the effects of interfacial oxide (IFO), temperature, geometrical dimensions, and proton radiation. It also includes utilizing physical models to probe noise mechanisms. The research in the LFN of lateral BJTs includes exploring the effects of doping and geometrical dimensions. The research work is envisioned to enhance the understanding of LFN in SiGe HBTs and lateral BJTs.