Advanced CMOS Integrated Circuit Design and Application

The recent development of various application systems and platforms, such as 5G, B5G, 6G, and IoT, is based on the advancement of CMOS integrated circuit (IC) technology that enables them to implement high-performance chipsets. In addition to development in the traditional fields of analog and digital integrated circuits, the development of CMOS IC design and application in high-power and high-frequency operations, which was previously thought to be possible only with compound semiconductor technology, is a core technology that drives rapid industrial development. This book aims to highlight advances in all aspects of CMOS integrated circuit design and applications without discriminating between different operating frequencies, output powers, and the analog/digital domains. Specific topics in the book include: Next-generation CMOS circuit design and application; CMOS RF/microwave/millimeter-wave/terahertz-wave integrated circuits and systems; CMOS integrated circuits specially used for wireless or wired systems and applications such as converters, sensors, interfaces, frequency synthesizers/generators/rectifiers, and so on; Algorithm and signal-processing methods to improve the performance of CMOS circuits and systems

MACHINE LEARNING AUGMENTATION MICRO-SENSORS FOR SMART DEVICE APPLICATIONS

Novel smart technologies such as wearable devices and unconventional robotics have been enabled by advancements in semiconductor technologies, which have miniaturized the sizes of transistors and sensors. These technologies promise great improvements to public health. However, current computational paradigms are ill-suited for use in novel smart technologies as they fail to meet their strict power and size requirements. In this dissertation, we present two bio-inspired colocalized sensing-and-computing schemes performed at the sensor level: continuous-time recurrent neural networks (CTRNNs) and reservoir computers (RCs). These schemes arise from the nonlinear dynamics of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), which facilitates computing, and the inherent ability of MEMS devices for sensing. Furthermore, this dissertation addresses the high-voltage requirements in electrostatically actuated MEMS devices using a passive amplification scheme. The CTRNN architecture is emulated using a network of bistable MEMS devices. This bistable behavior is shown in the pull-in, the snapthrough, and the feedback regimes, when excited around the electrical resonance frequency. In these regimes, MEMS devices exhibit key behaviors found in biological neuronal populations. When coupled, networks of MEMS are shown to be successful at classification and control tasks. Moreover, MEMS accelerometers are shown to be successful at acceleration waveform classification without the need for external processors. MEMS devices are additionally shown to perform computing by utilizing the RC architecture. Here, a delay-based RC scheme is studied, which uses one MEMS device to simulate the behavior of a large neural network through input modulation. We introduce a modulation scheme that enables colocalized sensing-and-computing by modulating the bias signal. The MEMS RC is tested to successfully perform pure computation and colocalized sensing-and-computing for both classification and regression tasks, even in noisy environments. Finally, we address the high-voltage requirements of electrostatically actuated MEMS devices by proposing a passive amplification scheme utilizing the mechanical and electrical resonances of MEMS devices simultaneously. Using this scheme, an order-of-magnitude of amplification is reported. Moreover, when only electrical resonance is used, we show that the MEMS device exhibits a computationally useful bistable response. Adviser: Dr. Fadi Alsalee

A Complex of the Electromagnetic Biosensors with a Nanowired Pickup

The proposal to measure the biosignal values of different origins with advanced nanosensors of electromagnetic quantities is justified when allowing for superconducting abilities of the devices. They are composed in full-scale arrays. The said arrays can be both implantable into ionic channels of an organism and sheathed on the sources of the electromagnetic emanation. Nanowired head sensors function both in passive mode for picking up the biosignals and with additional excitation of a defined biomedium through the same head (in reverse). The designed variety of bio-nanosensors allow interfacing a variety of biosignals with the external systems, also with a possibility to control the exposure on an organism by artificially created signals. The calculated signals lies in the range of −5 to 5 V, (7÷0)⋅1017/cm3 molecules or magnetic beads, 2÷10 pH, and stream speed 3⋅10−3÷102 m/s, flow 10−5÷10 m/s, and haemoglobin concentration of 1030÷1024 molec/cm3. The sensitivity of this micro- or nanoscope can be estimated as =10−4 (A⋅m/√Hz) with SNR equal to 104. The sensitivity of an advanced first-order biogradiometer is equal to 3 fT/√Hz. The smallest resolvable change in magnetic moment detected by this system in the band 10 Hz is 1 fJ/T

OPTIMIZATION OF TIME-RESPONSE AND AMPLIFICATION FEATURES OF EGOTs FOR NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS

In device engineering, basic neuron-to-neuron communication has recently inspired the development of increasingly structured and efficient brain-mimicking setups in which the information flow can be processed with strategies resembling physiological ones. This is possible thanks to the use of organic neuromorphic devices, which can share the same electrolytic medium and adjust reciprocal connection weights according to temporal features of the input signals. In a parallel - although conceptually deeply interconnected - fashion, device engineers are directing their efforts towards novel tools to interface the brain and to decipher its signalling strategies. This led to several technological advances which allow scientists to transduce brain activity and, piece by piece, to create a detailed map of its functions. This effort extends over a wide spectrum of length-scales, zooming out from neuron-to-neuron communication up to global activity of neural populations. Both these scientific endeavours, namely mimicking neural communication and transducing brain activity, can benefit from the technology of Electrolyte-Gated Organic Transistors (EGOTs). Electrolyte-Gated Organic Transistors (EGOTs) are low-power electronic devices that functionally integrate the electrolytic environment through the exploitation of organic mixed ionic-electronic conductors. This enables the conversion of ionic signals into electronic ones, making such architectures ideal building blocks for neuroelectronics. This has driven extensive scientific and technological investigation on EGOTs. Such devices have been successfully demonstrated both as transducers and amplifiers of electrophysiological activity and as neuromorphic units. These promising results arise from the fact that EGOTs are active devices, which widely extend their applicability window over the capabilities of passive electronics (i.e. electrodes) but pose major integration hurdles. Being transistors, EGOTs need two driving voltages to be operated. If, on the one hand, the presence of two voltages becomes an advantage for the modulation of the device response (e.g. for devising EGOT-based neuromorphic circuitry), on the other hand it can become detrimental in brain interfaces, since it may result in a non-null bias directly applied on the brain. If such voltage exceeds the electrochemical stability window of water, undesired faradic reactions may lead to critical tissue and/or device damage. This work addresses EGOTs applications in neuroelectronics from the above-described dual perspective, spanning from neuromorphic device engineering to in vivo brain-device interfaces implementation. The advantages of using three-terminal architectures for neuromorphic devices, achieving reversible fine-tuning of their response plasticity, are highlighted. Jointly, the possibility of obtaining a multilevel memory unit by acting on the gate potential is discussed. Additionally, a novel mode of operation for EGOTs is introduced, enabling full retention of amplification capability while, at the same time, avoiding the application of a bias in the brain. Starting on these premises, a novel set of ultra-conformable active micro-epicortical arrays is presented, which fully integrate in situ fabricated EGOT recording sites onto medical-grade polyimide substrates. Finally, a whole organic circuitry for signal processing is presented, exploiting ad-hoc designed organic passive components coupled with EGOT devices. This unprecedented approach provides the possibility to sort complex signals into their constitutive frequency components in real time, thereby delineating innovative strategies to devise organic-based functional building-blocks for brain-machine interfaces.Nell’ingegneria elettronica, la comunicazione di base tra neuroni ha recentemente ispirato lo sviluppo di configurazioni sempre più articolate ed efficienti che imitano il cervello, in cui il flusso di informazioni può essere elaborato con strategie simili a quelle fisiologiche. Ciò è reso possibile grazie all'uso di dispositivi neuromorfici organici, che possono condividere lo stesso mezzo elettrolitico e regolare i pesi delle connessioni reciproche in base alle caratteristiche temporali dei segnali in ingresso. In modo parallelo, gli ingegneri elettronici stanno dirigendo i loro sforzi verso nuovi strumenti per interfacciare il cervello e decifrare le sue strategie di comunicazione. Si è giunti così a diversi progressi tecnologici che consentono agli scienziati di trasdurre l'attività cerebrale e, pezzo per pezzo, di creare una mappa dettagliata delle sue funzioni. Entrambi questi ambiti scientifici, ovvero imitare la comunicazione neurale e trasdurre l'attività cerebrale, possono trarre vantaggio dalla tecnologia dei transistor organici a base elettrolitica (EGOT). I transistor organici a base elettrolitica (EGOT) sono dispositivi elettronici a bassa potenza che integrano funzionalmente l'ambiente elettrolitico attraverso lo sfruttamento di conduttori organici misti ionici-elettronici, i quali consentono di convertire i segnali ionici in segnali elettronici, rendendo tali dispositivi ideali per la neuroelettronica. Gli EGOT sono stati dimostrati con successo sia come trasduttori e amplificatori dell'attività elettrofisiologica e sia come unità neuromorfiche. Tali risultati derivano dal fatto che gli EGOT sono dispositivi attivi, al contrario dell'elettronica passiva (ad esempio gli elettrodi), ma pongono comunque qualche ostacolo alla loro integrazione in ambiente biologico. In quanto transistor, gli EGOT necessitano l'applicazione di due tensioni tra i suoi terminali. Se, da un lato, la presenza di due tensioni diventa un vantaggio per la modulazione della risposta del dispositivo (ad esempio, per l'ideazione di circuiti neuromorfici basati su EGOT), dall'altro può diventare dannosa quando gli EGOT vengono adoperati come sito di registrazione nelle interfacce cerebrali, poiché una tensione non nulla può essere applicata direttamente al cervello. Se tale tensione supera la finestra di stabilità elettrochimica dell'acqua, reazioni faradiche indesiderate possono manifestarsi, le quali potrebbero danneggiare i tessuti e/o il dispositivo. Questo lavoro affronta le applicazioni degli EGOT nella neuroelettronica dalla duplice prospettiva sopra descritta: ingegnerizzazione neuromorfica ed implementazione come interfacce neurali in applicazioni in vivo. Vengono evidenziati i vantaggi dell'utilizzo di architetture a tre terminali per i dispositivi neuromorfici, ottenendo una regolazione reversibile della loro plasticità di risposta. Si discute inoltre la possibilità di ottenere un'unità di memoria multilivello agendo sul potenziale di gate. Viene introdotta una nuova modalità di funzionamento per gli EGOT, che consente di mantenere la capacità di amplificazione e, allo stesso tempo, di evitare l'applicazione di una tensione all’interfaccia cervello-dispositivo. Partendo da queste premesse, viene presentata una nuova serie di array micro-epicorticali ultra-conformabili, che integrano completamente i siti di registrazione EGOT fabbricati in situ su substrati di poliimmide. Infine, viene proposto un circuito organico per l'elaborazione del segnale, sfruttando componenti passivi organici progettati ad hoc e accoppiati a dispositivi EGOT. Questo approccio senza precedenti offre la possibilità di filtrare e scomporre segnali complessi nelle loro componenti di frequenza costitutive in tempo reale, delineando così strategie innovative per concepire blocchi funzionali a base organica per le interfacce cervello-macchina

MOCAST 2021

The 10th International Conference on Modern Circuit and System Technologies on Electronics and Communications (MOCAST 2021) will take place in Thessaloniki, Greece, from July 5th to July 7th, 2021. The MOCAST technical program includes all aspects of circuit and system technologies, from modeling to design, verification, implementation, and application. This Special Issue presents extended versions of top-ranking papers in the conference. The topics of MOCAST include:Analog/RF and mixed signal circuits;Digital circuits and systems design;Nonlinear circuits and systems;Device and circuit modeling;High-performance embedded systems;Systems and applications;Sensors and systems;Machine learning and AI applications;Communication; Network systems;Power management;Imagers, MEMS, medical, and displays;Radiation front ends (nuclear and space application);Education in circuits, systems, and communications

MEMS Technology for Biomedical Imaging Applications

Biomedical imaging is the key technique and process to create informative images of the human body or other organic structures for clinical purposes or medical science. Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology has demonstrated enormous potential in biomedical imaging applications due to its outstanding advantages of, for instance, miniaturization, high speed, higher resolution, and convenience of batch fabrication. There are many advancements and breakthroughs developing in the academic community, and there are a few challenges raised accordingly upon the designs, structures, fabrication, integration, and applications of MEMS for all kinds of biomedical imaging. This Special Issue aims to collate and showcase research papers, short commutations, perspectives, and insightful review articles from esteemed colleagues that demonstrate: (1) original works on the topic of MEMS components or devices based on various kinds of mechanisms for biomedical imaging; and (2) new developments and potentials of applying MEMS technology of any kind in biomedical imaging. The objective of this special session is to provide insightful information regarding the technological advancements for the researchers in the community

Integrated Circuits and Systems for Smart Sensory Applications

Connected intelligent sensing reshapes our society by empowering people with increasing new ways of mutual interactions. As integration technologies keep their scaling roadmap, the horizon of sensory applications is rapidly widening, thanks to myriad light-weight low-power or, in same cases even self-powered, smart devices with high-connectivity capabilities. CMOS integrated circuits technology is the best candidate to supply the required smartness and to pioneer these emerging sensory systems. As a result, new challenges are arising around the design of these integrated circuits and systems for sensory applications in terms of low-power edge computing, power management strategies, low-range wireless communications, integration with sensing devices. In this Special Issue recent advances in application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC) and systems for smart sensory applications in the following five emerging topics: (I) dedicated short-range communications transceivers; (II) digital smart sensors, (III) implantable neural interfaces, (IV) Power Management Strategies in wireless sensor nodes and (V) neuromorphic hardware

A prototype for 3D electrohydrodynamic printing

Electrohydrodynamic direct writing is a flexible cost effective alternative technique that is capable of producing a very fine jet of liquid in the presence of an external electric field. This jet can then be used to pattern surfaces in an ordered and controlled fashion and offers a robust route to low cost large area micro and nano-manufacturing. Unlike other types of direct writing techniques, the liquid in electrohydrodynamic printing is subjected to both pushing and pulling forces. The pushing force is brought about by the constant flow rate that is maintained via high precision mechanical pumps while a pulling force is applied through a potential difference that is applied between the nozzle and the ground electrode and as a result a fine jet can be generated to pattern surfaces. The impracticality of use and the cost of building micrometre and sub-micrometre sized nozzles to print narrow line widths warrant an investigation into alternative means of dispensing printing inks using nozzles that are cheap to produce, easy to handle and consistent in delivery. The enormous capillary pressures that would have to be overcome in order to print highly viscous materials with micrometre and sub-micrometre sized nozzles may also limit the types of feed that could be used in printing narrow line widths. Thus, the initial work described is focused on improving print head design in an attempt to electrohydrodynamic print pattern narrow line widths using silk fibroin. This is followed by work where we attempt to design and construct of a new electrohydrodynamic printing machine with the sole purpose of expediting research in electrohydrodynamic printing in a flexible, feasible and user friendly manner. To achieve this, replicating rapid prototype technology is merged with conventional electrohydrodynamic printing phenomena to produce a EHD printing machine capable of print depositing narrow line widths. In order to validate the device the work also describes an attempt to print a fully formed human ear out of polycaprolactone. Finally, we investigate an approach to the electohydrodynamic printing of nasal septal scaffolds using the microfabrication system that was developed and optimized in our laboratory. In these initial stages we were successful in showing the degree of control and flexibility we possess when manufacturing constructs out of a biodegradable polymer ( polycaprolactone) from the micro to macro scale through manipulation of just one process parameter (concentration). This work also features characterization of scaffold mechanical properties using a recently invented Atomic force microscopy technique called PeakForce QNM (Quantitative Nanomechanical Property Mapping)