Systems and methods described herein provide a mechanism for optimizing the reception and storage of mobile user data. One embodiment validates the operation of a mass flow controller thermal sensor, including detecting zero drift and span drift in the sensor by comparing the thermal sensor output to a pressure sensor output. The extended portion of the pinned layer has sides beyond the stripe height that are perfectly aligned with the sides of the sensor within the stripe height. A very thin semiconductor film is used as channels so that leak currents are reduced by the quantum-mechanical containment effect in the direction of film thickness.