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International audienceThis paper presents a novel 3D inductor (solenoid) fabricated on a 50-pm thick AAO membrane using nanowire-vias. Several inductors were fabricated in this simple and low-cost technology with nanowires. They were measured up to 110 GHz and compared to the state-of-the-art results presented in the literature in different technologies: CMOS, glass, LCP and MEMS. The simulations are in good agreement with measurement, predicting the great potential of these inductors. The first 3D inductors using nanowire-vias presented inductances from 0.5 nH to 1.7 nH with small areas that range from 0.03 mm2 to 0.08 mm2

International audienceA new through-substrate via (TSV) for millimeter-wave frequencies is proposed. The via is formed by copper nanowires connecting the bottom and top surfaces of a porous alumina membrane. It is shown here that the nanowire via is simple to fabricate using a low-cost technology. The nanowire vias were tested as coplanar waveguide transitions and characterized up to 110 GHz. The results show insertion loss better than 0.37 dB and return loss better than 14 dB per transition at 110 GHz. An electrical model for the vias was derived to give a design tool for circuit designers. These TSVs, along with the high-performance transmission lines already developed on the porous alumina membranes, contribute to a powerful platform for the design of high-performance circuits on this innovative interposer

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We propose a novel platform for detecting as well as measuring the size of individual droplets in microfluidic channels using microstrip transmission lines. The most outstanding feature of our platform is that, as opposed to previous related works, its design allows for the droplet to flow in a microfluidic channel fabricated between the top strip and the ground plane of a microstrip transmission line. This provides enhanced interaction of the electromagnetic field with the detected droplets. The proposed design allows us to measure droplet size directly from the phase of the microwave signal, without the need for a resonator. The platform is based on low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC), which makes it more compatible with Radiofrequency (RF) and microwave technology than platforms used in previous works. With this platform, we are able to measure droplets as small as 150 µm in radius. It is worth pointing out that our device could also be used for detection, counting and measurement of other microscopic objects.