Low Energy Design techniques for Data Converters - Harijot Singh Bindra - University of Twente
Abstract: Low Energy Design techniques for Data Converters
Analog to Digital Converters (ADCs) are crucial to capture data in almost any Internet of Everything (IoE) device as sensed physical signals have to be converted into digital data, before some processing and data transmission can take place. Today, ADCs are designed for low supply energy consumption, usually expressed in energy-per-conversion step which for state-of-the art architecture is (stagnated) ~ 1fJ/conversion-step. However, the energy consumed from the always ON sensor interface circuitry e.g. the input driver is usually not taken into account and seldom addressed. This input drive energy (usually larger than the ADC supply energy) presents a major challenge in minimizing the energy consumption of e.g. autonomous and event-driven IoE applications. In this talk a few a few silicon-proven techniques are presented that can significantly reduce the overall power consumption of the buffer/driver + ADC.
Biography Harijot Singh Bindra
Harijot Singh Bindra received his Master’s in Technology degree in VLSI design from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi in 2010. He worked as a Scientist in the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) from 2008-2010 and as Senior Design Engineer at Cadence Design Systems, India from 2012-2014. He is currently working towards a PhD degree at the Integrated Circuit Design group, University of Twente, The Netherlands. His research interest is in low energy circuit design techniques.
A flexible evaluation platform for a novel X-ray detector - Charles Klaasen - Bruco
Abstract: A flexible evaluation platform for a novel X-ray detector
An important part of the development process of any Integrated Circuit (IC) is of course real-life measurements on the bench. Creating complex chips, requires increasingly complex ways to test these chips on the bench but also in production. Working with start-ups, next to the technical challenges, the NRE costs and flexibility of the test environment might even be more important. Bruco Integrated Circuits has successfully developed a very flexible and programmable evaluation set-up that allows our customer G-ray Medical to validate their LateniumTM X-Ray detector. This detector is a state of the art 72k pixel-array X-ray image sensor. Our evaluation kit handles different variants of a family of these image sensors. For our customer it is a product that they sell to showcase their X-ray image sensors and their associated, patented wafer bonding process. For Bruco it is a flexible platform that we want to re-use to serve other customers. See https://www.bruco-ic.com/solutions/x-ray-detector-read-out-system.
Biography Charles Klaasen
After graduating for his Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering back in 1998 at the University of Twente Charles started his professional career as a digital IC engineer designing embedded DSPs for Philips Semiconductors in Eindhoven. For a period of 10 years, he developed a number of chips as member of design teams of Philips, Ericsson, in Enschede and Emmen working on base stations and Bluetooth, Vitratron in Arnhem, working on pacemakers, before joining design house Bruco Integrated Circuits in 2005. Bruco Integrated Circuits is a SME that provide IC design services and develops turn-key chips for large and small international customers. In 2008 Charles took on a new role as Account Manager within the Sales and Marketing team of Bruco. Since then he is the interface between customers, the Bruco team and partners as Salland Engineering.
Challenges in High Voltage IC design for ATE Applications - Jef Thoné - MinDCet
Abstract: Challenges in High Voltage IC design for ATE Applications
The drive for reduced carbon emissions and high electrical efficiency is pushing the supply voltage levels and the adoption of Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN) transistors in power conversion solutions. These wide-bandgap devices have beneficial properties when hard-switched, that translate into challenging requirements for the ATE equipment that needs to measure them. In an ideal world the requirements can be summarized as an idealized spice simulation : zero on-resistance, infinite off-resistance, zero inductance, zero capacitance, no physical footprint, infinite voltage capability, infinite transient immunity, zero dissipation, perfect thermal conduction, infinite lifetime… and always ready for the next generation of high-voltage DUTs. As high-voltage designers, we translate the requirements into real-world specifications, by making the best trade-offs possible. This is based on available technology, but mainly based on hands-on experience, in-house developed tools, parasitic extraction tools, electronic and field simulators. High-voltage IC design is a complex craft, combining high-end analog design, new state-of-the-art topologies and years of experience into challenging solutions that enable the next-generation high-voltage ATE equipment. This presentation treats the primary challenges met in high-voltage IC design in the context of the world of ATE.
Biography Jef Thoné
Jef Thoné received the Master of Engineering degree in Electronics at the Karel de Grote Hogeschool in Antwerp, Belgium in 2002. From 2002 to 2006 he was employed as ASIC designer and project manager at Melexis Belgium, where he cooperated in the analog design and production of several automotive ASICs. In 2006 he joined the Sensor Systems Research Group of ESAT-MICAS of Prof. Puers, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. His PhD entitled “Telemetry for Capsule Endoscopy” was concluded in 2011 and focused on high data rate biocompatible telemetry systems and wireless power transmission. In 2011 he co-founded MinDCet NV, a Power Conversion design house, together with Mike Wens.
Image Sensor testing, ByS or BaS - Peter Crabbe - AMS Sensors
Abstract: Image Sensor testing, ByS or BaS
CMOS imaging sensors from ams feature global and rolling shutter capability, low noise, high dynamic range and high frame rates. Offering an integrated design, the sensors include a high-speed on-chip ADC and digital interfaces. ams offers its imaging sensors as complete turnkey solutions, and the whole process from specification and design, through prototyping and product qualification, to volume production, is implemented by ams. Manufacturing and Test of Image sensors is an “art”. The Manufacturing and Test strategy needs to be carefully chosen and has a strong link on the volumes to be delivered. This paper will compare 2 approaches in respect to test of Image sensors.
Biography Peter Crabbe
Peter Crabbe is Director of Operations at ams Sensors Belgium. He holds a Master Degree in Microelectronics and an Executive MBA from the University of Antwerp. Previously he worked at Salland Engineering in the Netherlands as COO and before that, he held various positions at Alcatel Mietec, AMI Semiconductor and On Semiconductor in Belgium and the Philippines.
Structure of modern SDR - Lime's field programmable RF devices - Danny Webster - Lime Microsystems
Abstract: Structure of modern SDR - Lime's field programmable RF devices
Software defined radio (SDR) gives the freedom to develop flexible, reconfigurable radio systems that can embrace the wide range of radio standards that have been rapidly evolving since the 1990s, including 4G, 5G and WiFi MIMO systems for telecommunications and data links, as well as transmitters and receivers for commodity type products such as DAB, DBT, DBS, GNSS etc. etc. This talk will describe the structure of modern SDR together with the architectures of Lime's field programmable RF devices, which can cover from longwave to milimeterwave.
Biography Danny Webster
Dr. Danny Webster has over 25 years of experience in the field of RF Communications including software defined radio, mobile radio and military telemetry. Danny graduated from Swansea University in 1988 and was awarded a PhD from University College London in 1995. From 1995 he has worked as a Research Fellow at University College London and was a consultant to companies such as Nokia, Roke Manor Research and Agilent (Keysight) in Santa Rosa. From 2001 he was with Hipertech and joined Lime Micro in 2005 as Principle Design Engineer (RF) working on Field programmable RF ICs and software defined radio. Danny is a senior member of the IEEE.