Scale up of advanced packaging and system integration for hybrid technologies

This paper presents an overview of challenges in system integration for 2.5D/3D assemblies, including copackaged optics and electronics, MEMS and microfluidics. It addresses the gap between early-stage prototypes and volume manufacturing that need true advanced packaging and system integration to realize their complex multi-technology devices. This is done by means of a virtual demonstrator that include both 2.5D/3D assemblies of ASICs and integrated photonic devices, as well as MEMS and microfluidics devices. It also addresses lowering the cost barrier for users accessing these technologies for their products, such that it will enable an increased uptake of system integration by the industry at large

Silicon photonics open access foundry services review for emerging technology

This paper presents a summary review of some of the available foundry services offering Silicon Photonics, comparing the key technologies available to European technology innovators that drive the technology sector. The foundries providing these unique technologies include AMF, CEA Leti, CORNERSTONE, Global Foundries, ihp, imec, and LioniX International. The review will also show examples of Silicon Photonics in emerging application domains from selected foundries

A 7μW Offset-and Temperature-Compensated pH-to-Digital Converter

This paper demonstrates a micropower offset- and temperature-compensated smart pH sensor, intended for use in battery-powered RFID systems that monitor the quality of perishable products. Low operation power is essential in such systems to enable autonomous logging of environmental parameters, such as the pH level, over extended periods of time using only a small, low-cost battery. The pH-sensing element in this work is an ion-sensitive extended-gate field-effect transistor (EGFET), which is incorporated in a low-power sensor front-end. The front-end outputs a pH-dependent voltage, which is then digitized by means of a co-integrated incremental delta-sigma ADC. To compensate for the offset and temperature cross-sensitivity of the EGFET, a compensation scheme using a calibration process and a temperature sensor has been devised. A prototype chip has been realized in a 0.16 μm CMOS process. It occupies 0.35 × 3.9 mm2 of die area and draws only 4 μA from a 1.8 V supply. Two different types of custom packaging have been used for measurement purposes. The pH sensor achieves a linearity of better than ±0.1 for pH values ranging from 4 to 10. The calibration and compensation scheme reduces errors due to temperature cross-sensitivity to less than ±0.1 in the temperature range of 6°C to 25°C.Electronic Instrumentatio