Low-Power Analog IC Design Activities at CNM Intro Sensors Vision RF Implantable Future 1/31

Low-Power Analog IC Design

Activities at CNM

Justo Sabadell

System Integration Department

Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona
Centre Nacional de Microelectrònica - CSIC
Spain

June 2006

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

Low-Power Analog IC Design Activities at CNM Intro Sensors Vision RF Implantable Future 2/31

1 Introduction

2 Sensor Signal Processors

3 Low-Cost Imagers

4 RF Transceivers

5 Implantable Systems

6 Future

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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1 Introduction

2 Sensor Signal Processors

3 Low-Cost Imagers

4 RF Transceivers

5 Implantable Systems

6 Future

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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Skills
I Wide experience on R+D/industrial IC applications
I Deep CMOS technology knowledge
I Advanced MOS device modeling
I State-of-the-art analog/mixed/RF circuit techniques
I System-on-Chip development
I Full-custom sub-micron IC design
I Custom test capabilities

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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Environment
I In-house: state-of-the-art nanotechnology
basic CMOS technology
advanced hybrid MCM packaging
I Full access to Europractice/Mosis programs
I Wide variety of supported CAD workflows
I High-value equipment facilities
I Good interaction between design/technology staff
I Experience on funding strategies
I Many other research lab partners

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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1 Introduction

2 Sensor Signal Processors

3 Low-Cost Imagers

4 RF Transceivers

5 Implantable Systems

6 Future

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

 Low-Power Analog IC Design Activities at CNM Intro Sensors Vision RF Implantable Future 7/31

Hearing Aids
I Small battery: 1.0V + <0.5mA
I Small package: <10mm2 + few components
I Complex audio processing
I Large dynamic range: >70dB
I Low-cost: CMOS + program. BTE. . . CIC

1V specs

D G S B

True-1V analog operation

y=e x using novel
Advanced
MOSFET Companding subthreshold log-domain
modeling theory
circuit techniques

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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Hearing Aids
I Library driven research:
1997-99 CICYT-TIC97-1159
I Pre-amplification Low-Power and Low-Voltage
I Dual-AGC Microelectronics for
I Arbitrary filtering Hearing-Aids
I PDM conversion
1998-00 ESPRIT-FUSE-23068
I Class-D output
Microelectronic Device for
I Built-in references
Hearing Aid Application
I Digitally programmable

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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Hearing Aids

I Industrial product:

A 1V 300µA 1.2µm CMOS

MICROSON analog hearing-aid-on-chip

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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Oversampling Σ∆ A/D Converters

Analog Digital

Antialiasing §¢ Modulator
Limiter Filter Quantizer Decimator
ysource ylim yin bout
H

DAC

Quantizer
Iin I1 Ik IL bout
+ 1 1 + 1 1 + 1 1
¿1 s ¿k s ¿L s M
N=1
DAC
Idac Ihigh

Ilow
Iref
Iin K 1
K

Iref Itunk I CMOS log-domain techniques

Vref Vin Vk-1 Vk I Subthreshold operation
Icapk
Vdac Ck I All-MOS implementation

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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Oversampling Σ∆ A/D Converters

2000-01 FEDER-1FD97-2351
Design of a CMOS
Low-Power Digital
Biophone
2000-02 CICYT-TIC99-1084
CMOS Circuit
Techniques for Analog
Subsystems in Digital
Hearing Aids

A 1.2V 100µW
0.35µm MOS-only
10/12-bit 8KHz Σ∆ ADC

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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Sensor Interface for N/MEMS

2003-06 NMP4-CT-2003-500120 Emerging Nanopatterning Methods

Digital-only I/O

CMOS ASIC Bioplume

In-house 2.5µm CMOS

read-out circuit
for MEMS resonator
Fluorescent droplets
An integrated
fluidic system 5000µm

for nano-dispensing

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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1 Introduction

2 Sensor Signal Processors

3 Low-Cost Imagers

4 RF Transceivers

5 Implantable Systems

6 Future

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

 Low-Power Analog IC Design Activities at CNM Intro Sensors Vision RF Implantable Future 14/31

IR
plane
Cryogenic IR Scanning Imager ROIC
plane
QWIP
bump APS

imager
control

column pixel column

video muxs bus frame
and buffers
biasing

I QWIP sensors
I Low-current signal (∼5nA)
I Cryogenic temperature (77K)
I Small pixel size (100µm×50µm)
I 500×12 FPA
I Complex APS (CDS+test+prog)
I High-speed video streaming (60ns/s)
I Hybrid packaging (high capacitance)

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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Cryogenic IR Scanning Imager

I Novel SC techniques for compact APS + low-power video:

reset
column-bus

Cint/CDS APS
interference

Vpixel CA
Iqwip reset reset select
select

init+reset

Ctest gain Vpixel reset

compensation
CA
init
test

reset CB
reset
Vcol
Vrefi
Vrefi Vrefo
I Single-cap integration+CDS
I Built-in test
I Analog charge-multiplexing

I Gain programability
I Pseudo Class-AB buffering

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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Cryogenic IR Scanning Imager Active column (8£1) Dummy-column serpent (one-half of final size)

I Library driven research:

Iqwip
Cint/CDS column-buses
Output-video composer LVDS input driver
2

Ctest 1

0
2

CA 1

0
2

0
2

0
Time [60ns/div]
50µm×100µm APS cell

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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Cryogenic IR Scanning Imager

I Cryogenic specific MOSFET modeling (CNM⇔AMS)

I Industrial product in standard CMOS 2P 3M technology:
biasing row column muxs, video muxs and buffers 500x12 APS array control column

Pixel array size 500×12 pixel2

2002-04 DN-8644 SIRIO Pixel pitch 50 µm
Pixel size 50×100 µm2
A low-power CMOS Temperature operation 77 K
ROIC for cryogenic Integration time 15.6 µs
Video sampling 60 ns/pixel
tri-color Video resolution 10 bit
Pixel oversampling 4 times
quantum-well IR Typical frame 640×500@100 pixel2 @fps
photo-sensors Supply voltage 3.3 V
Power consumption 210 mW
CMOS technology 0.35 µm
Silicon Area 25×2 mm2
Complexity ∼250K devices

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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Room-Temperature IR Digital FPA Imager

I A self-biased and FPN-compensated digital APS:

digital programming-in

Vbias
APS
cell offset
cancel. local bias digital
Idark integrator
Cint spike
Isens Ieff Vint +

Cpar Vref I/O

analog
Cpar integrator DAC
comp. individual gain control

digital read-out

. . . with pixel built-in asynchronous integrating A/D converter.

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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Room-Temperature IR Digital FPA Imager

gnda gnda
2005-06 DN-8835 SEADIR
pad
A modular and digital CMOS
imager for hybrid focal plane
arrays of IR sensors
vdda vdda

gndd gndd Dark current range 0.2-5 µA

Dark current retention 1-10 s
vddd vddd Max. input capacitance 15 pF
Signal range 1-1000 nA
gndd gndd
Integration time 1 ms
Programming/read-out speed 10 Mbps
vddd vddd
Supply voltage 3.3 V
gndd gndd Power consumption <1 µW
Biasing deviations (±σ) ±15 %
10¹m Total Silicon area 100×100 µm2

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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Room-Temperature IR Digital FPA Imager

PTAT

Cint Cint 2005-06 DN-8835 SEADIR

gain 4 4 gain
A modular and digital CMOS
M6
Cint
4
Cint
4
(Cdark)
Analog integrator imager for hybrid focal plane
cal and ADC cal
arrays of IR sensors
edac edac
DAC
Dark current range 0.2-5 µA
Cmem Csamp
Dark current retention 1-10 s
Max. input capacitance 15 pF
Signal range 1-1000 nA
clk Digital integrator clk Integration time 1 ms
ninit and I/O ninit
count count Programming/read-out speed 10 Mbps
qin qout Supply voltage 3.3 V
Power consumption <1 µW
Biasing deviations (±σ) ±15 %
10¹m Total Silicon area 100×100 µm2

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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Room-Temperature IR Digital FPA Imager

I Test vehicle implemented

I 0.35µm 2P 4M CMOS
technology
Digital read-out [LSB]

Ieff [nA]

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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Large-Scale and Modular X-Ray Digital FPA Imager

I 6×6cm2 800×800pix (>0.5Mpix) I Improved IC

seamless X-ray images yield & costs
I True modularity I Advanced in-house
I High flexibility MCM packaging

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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Large-Scale and Modular X-Ray Digital FPA Imager

I Based on photon counting digital APS cells:

2006-07 FIT-330101-2005-4 PhoC oPix A new integrated circuit and electronic

system for capturing radiology images

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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Low-Power and RF Imagers for Optical Character Recognition

I Built-in sensor FPA

I Digital OCR
I RF communications
I Battery powered
I 0.35µm 2P 4M
CMOS technology
I Industrial product

2003-05 FIT-070000-2003-968
Telecontadores
A low-power and compact
OCR system for remote water
metering

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

Low-Power Analog IC Design Activities at CNM Intro Sensors Vision RF Implantable Future 25/31

1 Introduction

2 Sensor Signal Processors

3 Low-Cost Imagers

4 RF Transceivers

5 Implantable Systems

6 Future

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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Very Low-Power Mixed CMOS/NEMS RF Transceivers

I High-Q and low-power Antenna

Down Base
LNA ADC
NEMS resonators Conversion Band

Mux/demux
Mod/demod
I NEMS device modeling Duplex Carrier Generation
Comp/exp

and CMOS interface PA

Up
DAC
Base
Conversion Band

switches
I 0.35µm 4M RF CMOS filters mixers
technology oscillators
cantilever
example
2003 CICYT-TIC02-1981
Radio frequency CMOS
integrated receivers for COM

hearing-aids-on-chip COM

2004-06 CICYT-TIC03-07237
IO1 IO2
Rm1 Rm2

Low-power NEMS and COM

Cw1 Lm1 Lm2 Cw2

CMOS systems for signal Cm1 Cm2

sensing and processing in IO1 IO2 IO1

Ccoup IO2

portable applications
J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona
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Very Low-Voltage and Low-Power Bluetooth Frontend

I Low End Extension (LEE)

open standard
I 1V battery powered Multimedia
Entertainment

I Supply life >1 year

Desktop
I 0.18µm 6M RF CMOS Communications
Medical
technology
I Application to networks
of sensors

2006-07 BluLite SEIKO-EPSON industrial project

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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1 Introduction

2 Sensor Signal Processors

3 Low-Cost Imagers

4 RF Transceivers

5 Implantable Systems

6 Future

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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Implantable SoC for multi-channel neural processing

I Transcutaneous RF-coupling link

for supply and digital
communications
I Low-power SoC
I Nueral recording and stimulation
I 0.8µm and 0.35µm high-voltage
CMOS technologies
I Applications:
I Restoring mobility
in SCI people
I Control of artificial prosthesis

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

Low-Power Analog IC Design Activities at CNM Intro Sensors Vision RF Implantable Future 30/31

1 Introduction

2 Sensor Signal Processors

3 Low-Cost Imagers

4 RF Transceivers

5 Implantable Systems

6 Future

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona

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What is next?

Emerging research on. . .

Y Heterogeneous systems (sensors, NEMS, CMOS)

 Distributed and parallel processing (inter/intra-IC)
E Energy scavenging (battery-less, very low-power)
 Packaging optimization (RF, sensors, stacked MCM)

J. Sabadell Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona