PhD

Smart Systems and Energy Technology

• DNA analysis with a nanopore
• Reconfigurable biosensor arrays
• 3D-SOC integration by stacking heterogeneous IC technologies
• Technology aware design research
• Analog and RF circuit design for 45nm CMOS Cognitive Radio t
• CMOS design for mm-wave applications
• Cognitive radio processor architecture and platform
• Cognitive radio functionality
• Miniaturized Hyperspectral Vision System for the Embedded Do
• Multi-View Video
• Run-time resource management for dynamic Embedded Software
• Solar Cell Technology
• Organic electronics
• Wireless autonomous transducer solutions
• Ultra-high frequency communication with thin-film oxide elec

Ultra-high frequency communication with thin-film oxide electronics

Introduction: In recent years, fast progress was made in the technology of thin-film semiconductor devices based on organic semiconductors (such as pentacene and derivatives) and oxides, such as Indium-Gallium-Zinc-Oxide (GIZO). In particular this latter semiconductor offers over amorphous silicon the advantages of a much higher carrier mobility, of the order of 10 cm2/Vs, and room temperature processing, making it fully compatible with plastic substrates.

This new technology opens the way to circuits and systems fabricated directly on flexible plastic foil. RFID transponders and tags are one type of application that will greatly benefit from this opportunity. We think in particular of EPC-compatible (EPC=Electronic Product Code, see http://www.epcglobalinc.org/home) plastic passive RFID tags that communicate at UHF frequency (~1GHz communication frequency).

Description:

The goal of this PhD is the realization of RF front-ends for passive UHF RFID tags on foil. An RF front-end consists of an antenna, a rectifier and possibly charge pumps. It captures the electromagnetic field of an interrogator (also called “reader”) and converts it to a DC power supply that can power, for instance, a transponder chip. Furthermore, it permits to encode data on the RF carrier and transmit that encoded data from the transponder chip to the interrogator.

This work will build on existing in-house experience with organic diodes[i],[ii] and organic RFID tags[iii]. Main challenges will include: the design of UHF antenna’s suitable for oxide semiconductor technology; the development of air-stable thin-film oxide diodes on foil; the realization of high DC voltages using rectifiers and charge pumps; the integration of these components with thin-film transponder chips (provided from other work) and with antenna’s; UHF measurements and characterization of the semiconductor devices as well as of the transmission of power and data at UHF

Requirements:

The applicant has a master degree in microelectronics or applied physics. He/she is fluent in written and spoken English (TEOFL). Lab or cleanroom experience is a plus.

The student will work in the cleanroom and labs of imec, Europe’s biggest independent research facility for microelectronics in Leuven, Belgium. He/She will receive a broad training on different cleanroom processing equipment and characterization tools. He/She will also work in the UHF lab of the E.E. department of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven for antenna design and UHF measurements. The student will also follow courses at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.

Promotors: Professor Paul Heremans (heremans@imec.be) and Professor Georges Gielen