High-Voltage Integrated Circuits design and validation for automotive applications

Electronic Integrated Circuits (ICs) are an important pillar of the automotive market, especially since legal and safety requirements have been introduced to manage vehicles emissions and behaviors. Furthermore, the harsh environment and the tight safety requirements, summed with the market that is pushing to reduce the development lead time and to increase the system complexity, require to develop dedicated ICs for the automotive applications. This thesis presents some peculiar high-power and high-voltage ICs for automotive applications that have been studied, designed and developed taking into account all the requirements that automotive grade ICs have to respect, with emphasis on performance, quality and safety aspects. Particularly the thesis reports the design and validation of power management blocks and output drivers for inductive loads, showing how to fulfill in an effective way the performance, quality and safety targets according to the guidelines and the constraints of the latest automotive standards, like ISO26262 and AEC-Q100. All the designed ICs has been simulated and manufactured, including layout drawings, in a 0.35um HV-CMOS technology from AMS. The effectiveness and robustness of the proposed circuits has been validated on silicon and corresponded measurement results has been reported

Studio e progetto VLSI di un low power DC-DC regulator per applicazioni automotive

L’attività di tirocinio ha riguardato lo studio ed il progetto dagli schematici al layout, di un regolatore switching in tecnologia CMOS High Voltage 0.35µm, in grado di operare correttamente in tutte le possibili situazioni che si possono creare in un autoveicolo. La tesi che rispecchia le fasi del lavoro svolto si articola nei seguenti 5 capitoli: Primo capitolo: Stato dell’arte dei regolatori DC-DC ponendo particolare attenzione ai regolatori step-down e ai vari metodi di controllo presenti in letteratura. Secondo capitolo: Studio delle caratteristiche che si vogliono ottenere dal regolatore, con particolare enfasi sulle soluzioni adottabili per ottenerle. Terzo capitolo: Sono descritti in dettaglio gli schematici che compongono il regolatore, partendo dal concept fino al design completo degli schematici. Quarto capitolo: Comprende tutte le simulazioni effettuate per controllare il corretto funzionamento del regolatore e per valutarne i parametri di merito. Quinto capitolo: Sono descritti in dettaglio il disegno del layout e tutte le fasi neces- sarie per la realizzazione del chip

A High-Voltage Low-Power DC-DC buck regulator for automotive applications

This work presents a High-Voltage Low-Power CMOS DC-DC buck regulator for automotive applications. The overall system, including the high and low voltage analog devices, the power MOS and the low voltage digital devices, was realized in the Austriamicrosystems 0.35 HVCMOS technology, resulting in a 6.5 mm 2 die. The regulator is able to manage a supply voltage down to 4.5 V and up to 50 V and generates a fixed regulated output voltage of 5 V or a variable one in the whole automotive temperature range. The regulator sinks only a maximum of 1.8 μA of current in standby mode and a maximum of 25 μA when no load is connected. It can be used to supply low voltage devices from the battery when low power dissipation and low current consumption is needed. The system output current can be selected in the range 350-700 mA. When a higher output current is needed, it is possible to connect more regulators in parallel multiplying the output current without any problem

Fully integrated multi-channel inductive load driver for harsh automotive applications

The paper addresses the problem of inductive load drivers for automotive applications. The design integrates single-chip in a 0.35 μm low-cost HVMOS technology both the digital circuitry for control and communication with SPI/CAN vehicle networks and the multi-channel drivers optimized for inductive loads. To face ISO26262 requirements also a diagnostic block is embedded. As proved by experimental measurements on fabricated test-chip each channel can sustain up to 650 mA DC current, 1.1 A pulsed current with clamped energy up to 100 mJ, being compliant with automotive harsh operating conditions of ESD up to 4 kV and temperature range from −40 to 150 °C

Le Declamazioni Minori attribuite a Quintiliano, I (244-292)

The volume includes a textual revision, the first Italian translation and a commentary on the Minor Declamations 244-292 ascribed to Quintilian. The commentary, non only addresses the many critical issues posed by a particularly complex text, but also exploits the results of the strand studies on declamation that has been flourished in the last 20 years involving rhetorical as well as literary and anthropological perspective. The introductory essay by Lucia Pasetti (coordinator of the PRIN project supporting the research) focuses on the issues of textual typology and relationship with literary and juridical tradition and addresses the thorny question of Quintilian authorship.Il volume contiene una revisione testuale, la prima traduzione italiana e un commento delle Declamazioni Minori 244-292 appartenenti al corpus quintilianeo. Il commento, oltre ad affrontare le questioni di ordine critico testuale e linguistico poste da un testo particolarmente complesso, tiene conto dei numerosi contributi allo studio della declamazione fioriti negli ultimi anni non solo in ambito retorico, ma letterario, giuridico e antropologico. Il saggio introduttivo di Lucia Pasetti (coordinatice del progetto PRIN da cui \ue8 scaturito il volume) mette a fuoco il problema della tipologia testuale, del rapporto delle Minores con la tradizione letteraria e giuridica e affronta la spinosa questione della paternit\ue0 quintilianea

An High Voltage CMOS Voltage Regulator for automotive alternators with programmable functionalities and full reverse polarity capability

This paper presents an innovative and effective approach to design and test a regulator for an automotive alternator with programmable functionalities. The prototype system consists of two different parts: an integrated circuit (IC) and a FPGA. The IC, implemented in austriamicrosystems HVCMOS 0.35 μm technology, includes all the high voltage parts and a power switch with very low ON resistance. It is able to manage full reverse polarity on every pin, including the reverse battery condition, and over voltages up to 50 V. The programmability is guaranteed through the FPGA. This prototype system can be used to develop a new type of intelligent smart and flexible regulators which implement many additional programmable functions that give the car maker a better control and allow to reduce vehicle fuel consumption and CO 2 emissions. In the demonstrator all the implemented functions, including regulation, can be changed during the development phase and many properties, including loop stability, can be checked before releasing a final version of the regulator. The proposed system is also included in a standard brush-holder that can be mounted on Valeo Engine and Electrical System mechatronic alternator and verified directly in a real application

Efficient Substrate Noise Coupling Verification and Failure Analysis Methodology for Smart Power ICs in Automotive Applications

International audienceThis paper presents a methodology to analyze the substrate noise coupling and reduce their effects in smart power integrated circuits. This methodology considers the propagation of minority carriers in the substrate. Hence, it models the lateral bipolar junction transistors that are layout dependent and are not modeled in conventional substrate extraction tools. It allows the designer to simulate substrate currents and check their effects on circuits functionality. The proposed methodology employs a dedicated tool for substrate network generation referred to as AUTOMICS. We applied the methodology on two test cases. The first case is a DC-DC buck converter chip fabricated with a 0.35 µm HV-CMOS technology. The DC coupling current between the switches and the bandgap circuit is simulated and verified with measurements. The second test case is an automotive industrial chip that has a latch-up failure due to substrate coupling. In transient simulations, the failure has been reproduced as in measurements. This highlights the stronghold of the methodology since it can be used to prevent this type of failures before fabrication. The proposed methodology can reduce the number of redesigns in the automotive industry. Hence, it shortens the time-to-market, improves the robustness of the design, and reduces the cost

Towards Automatic Diagnosis of Minority Carriers Propagation Problems in HV/HT Automotive Smart Power ICs

International audienceIn this paper, a proposed methodology to identify the substrate coupling effects in smart power integrated circuits is presented. This methodology is based on a tool called AUTOMICS to extract substrate parasitic network. This network comprises diodes and resistors that are able to maintain the continuity of minority carrier concentration. The contribution of minority carriers in the substrate noise is significant in high-voltage and high temperature applications. The proposed methodology along with conventional latch-up problem identification for a test case automotive chip AUTOCHIP1 are presented. The time of the proposed methodology is significantly shorter than the conventional one. The proposed methodology could significantly shorten the time-to-market and ameliorate the robustness of the design