From FPGA to ASIC: A RISC-V processor experience

This work document a correct design flow using these tools in the Lagarto RISC- V Processor and the RTL design considerations that must be taken into account, to move from a design for FPGA to design for ASIC

HERO: Heterogeneous Embedded Research Platform for Exploring RISC-V Manycore Accelerators on FPGA

Heterogeneous embedded systems on chip (HESoCs) co-integrate a standard host processor with programmable manycore accelerators (PMCAs) to combine general-purpose computing with domain-specific, efficient processing capabilities. While leading companies successfully advance their HESoC products, research lags behind due to the challenges of building a prototyping platform that unites an industry-standard host processor with an open research PMCA architecture. In this work we introduce HERO, an FPGA-based research platform that combines a PMCA composed of clusters of RISC-V cores, implemented as soft cores on an FPGA fabric, with a hard ARM Cortex-A multicore host processor. The PMCA architecture mapped on the FPGA is silicon-proven, scalable, configurable, and fully modifiable. HERO includes a complete software stack that consists of a heterogeneous cross-compilation toolchain with support for OpenMP accelerator programming, a Linux driver, and runtime libraries for both host and PMCA. HERO is designed to facilitate rapid exploration on all software and hardware layers: run-time behavior can be accurately analyzed by tracing events, and modifications can be validated through fully automated hard ware and software builds and executed tests. We demonstrate the usefulness of HERO by means of case studies from our research

Secure Virtualization and Multicore Platforms State-of-the-Art report

SVaM

Diamond Integrated Optomechanical Circuits

Diamond offers unique material advantages for the realization of micro- and nanomechanical resonators due to its high Young's modulus, compatibility with harsh environments and superior thermal properties. At the same time, the wide electronic bandgap of 5.45eV makes diamond a suitable material for integrated optics because of broadband transparency and the absence of free-carrier absorption commonly encountered in silicon photonics. Here we take advantage of both to engineer full-scale optomechanical circuits in diamond thin films. We show that polycrystalline diamond films fabricated by chemical vapour deposition provide a convenient waferscale substrate for the realization of high quality nanophotonic devices. Using free-standing nanomechanical resonators embedded in on-chip Mach-Zehnder interferometers, we demonstrate efficient optomechanical transduction via gradient optical forces. Fabricated diamond resonators reproducibly show high mechanical quality factors up to 11,200. Our low cost, wideband, carrier-free photonic circuits hold promise for all-optical sensing and optomechanical signal processing at ultra-high frequencies

Control of distributed power in microgrids: PV field to the grid, islanding operation, and ultra-fast charging station.

Aquesta tesi explora el control de l'energia distribuïda en microxarxes (MG) i aborda diversos reptes relacionats amb el control, l'estabilitat, la compartició d'energia, el disseny del convertidor d'energia, la connexió a la xarxa, la càrrega ultraràpida i el subministrament d'energia renovable. El rendiment dels MG s'analitza tant en modes d'operació connectats a la xarxa com en illa, considerant diferents configuracions i escenaris de flux d'energia. La tesi se centra en diversos reptes clau, com ara maximitzar l'extracció d'energia de matrius fotovoltaiques (PV) en MG que utilitzen convertidors DC-DC, injectar potència MG excedent a la xarxa principal mitjançant inversors de font de tensió DC-AC (VSI) sota càrregues no lineals i desequilibrades, optimitzant el rendiment de MG i la compartició d'energia en mode illa mitjançant VSI, connectant-se a la xarxa principal en el punt d'acoblament comú (PCC) mitjançant transformadors de baixa freqüència (LFT) i transformadors d'estat sòlid (SST) i explorant topologies de convertidors de potència per ultra -càrrega ràpida de CC de vehicles elèctrics (EV). L'ús de SST en lloc de LFT pot millorar la capacitat de MG alhora que redueix el volum i el pes de l'arquitectura elèctrica MG. Aquesta tesi proporciona coneixements i solucions per abordar els reptes esmentats anteriorment, contribuint a l'avenç del control, l'estabilitat, la qualitat de l'energia i la integració eficient de les fonts d'energia renovables i la càrrega dels vehicles elèctrics.Esta tesis explora el control de la potencia distribuida en microrredes (MGs) y aborda diversos retos relacionados con el control, la estabilidad, el reparto de potencia, el diseño de convertidores de potencia, la conexión a la red, la carga ultrarrápida y el suministro de energías renovables. El rendimiento de las MG se analiza tanto en modo de funcionamiento conectado a la red como en modo aislado, considerando diferentes configuraciones y escenarios de flujo de potencia. La tesis se centra en varios retos clave, como la maximización de la extracción de energía de las matrices fotovoltaicas (FV) en las MG utilizando convertidores CC-CC, la inyección del excedente de energía de las MG en la red principal a través de inversores de fuente de tensión CC-CA (VSI) bajo cargas no lineales y desequilibradas, la optimización del rendimiento de las MG y del reparto de energía en modo aislado mediante VSI, la conexión a la red principal en el punto de acoplamiento común (PCC) mediante transformadores de baja frecuencia (LFT) y transformadores de estado sólido (SST), y la exploración de topologías de convertidores de potencia para la carga ultrarrápida en corriente continua de vehículos eléctricos (VE). El uso de SST en lugar de LFT puede mejorar la capacidad de la MG y, al mismo tiempo, reducir el volumen y el peso de la arquitectura eléctrica de la MG. Esta tesis aporta ideas y soluciones para abordar los retos mencionados, contribuyendo al avance del control de la MG, la estabilidad, la calidad de la energía y la integración eficiente de fuentes de energía renovables y la carga de vehículos eléctricos. Traducción realizada con la versión gratuita del traductor www.DeepL.com/TranslatorThis thesis explores the control of distributed power in microgrids (MGs) and addresses various challenges related to control, stability, power sharing, power converter design, grid connection, ultra-fast charging, and renewable energy supply. The performance of MGs is analysed in both grid-connected and islanded modes of operation, considering different configurations and power flow scenarios. The thesis focuses on several key challenges, including maximising power extraction from photovoltaic (PV) arrays in MGs utilizing DC-DC converters, injecting surplus MG power into the main grid via DC-AC voltage source inverters (VSIs) under nonlinear and unbalanced loads, optimising MG performance and power sharing in islanded mode through VSIs, connecting to the main grid at the point of common coupling (PCC) using low-frequency transformers (LFTs) and solid-state transformers (SSTs), and exploring power converter topologies for ultra-fast DC charging of electric vehicles (EVs). The use of SSTs instead of LFTs can enhance MG capability while reducing the volume and weight of the MG electrical architecture. This thesis provides insights and solutions to address the aforementioned challenges, contributing to the advancement of MG control, stability, power quality, and efficient integration of renewable energy sources and EV charging

Technical Proposal for FASER: ForwArd Search ExpeRiment at the LHC

FASER is a proposed small and inexpensive experiment designed to search for light, weakly-interacting particles during Run 3 of the LHC from 2021-23. Such particles may be produced in large numbers along the beam collision axis, travel for hundreds of meters without interacting, and then decay to standard model particles. To search for such events, FASER will be located 480 m downstream of the ATLAS IP in the unused service tunnel TI12 and be sensitive to particles that decay in a cylindrical volume with radius R=10 cm and length L=1.5 m. FASER will complement the LHC's existing physics program, extending its discovery potential to a host of new, light particles, with potentially far-reaching implications for particle physics and cosmology. This document describes the technical details of the FASER detector components: the magnets, the tracker, the scintillator system, and the calorimeter, as well as the trigger and readout system. The preparatory work that is needed to install and operate the detector, including civil engineering, transport, and integration with various services is also presented. The information presented includes preliminary cost estimates for the detector components and the infrastructure work, as well as a timeline for the design, construction, and installation of the experiment.Comment: 82 pages, 62 figures; submitted to the CERN LHCC on 7 November 201

Modeling and Analysis of Grid Tied Combined Ultracapacitor Fuel Cell for Renewable Application

In this manuscript, the performance of an ultracapacitor fuel cell in grid connected mode is investigated. Voltage regulation to the ultracapacitor was achieved with a three level bidirectional DC-DC converter while also achieving power flow from the grid to the ultra-capacitor via the bidirectional converter. The choice of a bidirectional three level converter for voltage regulation is based on its inherently high efficiency, low harmonic profile and compact size. Using the model equations of the converter and grid connected inverter derived using the switching function approach, the grid's direct and quadrature axes modulation indices, Md and Mq, respectively were simulated in Matlab for both lagging and leading power factors. Moreover, the values of Md and Mq were exploited in a PLECS based simulation of the proposed model to determine the effect of power factor correction on the current and power injection to gridComment: 7 pages, 16 figures, IEEE conference on Electromagnetic Compatibilit