This paper reports a design of a bonding pad oriented square-shape ESD (electrostatic discharge) protection structure. The novel ESD protection structure provides adequate protection for IC chips against ESD pulses in all directions. The structure features deep snapback symmetric characteristics, low discharging impedance, low holding voltage, and flexible triggering voltage. It passed 14KV HBM...

In this paper, the design considerations of a mixed-signal integrated circuit for a 2D matrix ultrasonic transducer will be presented. The IC and the matrix transducer will be put into the tip of a transesophageal (TEE) probe for 3D echocardiography. The challenges associated with the interface electronics include: addressing the huge amount of elements, do the beam steering in the transmission...

Digital design tools such as logic synthesis, semicustom layout and behavioral simulation have drastically changed the digital IC design process, enabling design of complex “systems on a chip”. The usefulness of such chips are limited in a world dominated by information that is not represented by 0s and 1s. Overcoming these limitations has led to mixed-signal, and mixed-domain technologies. We ...

This paper describes a programmable fuzzy controller chip designed with mixed-signal IC techniques. Its input and output signals are analog to directly interact with the information from the real world. The programmability interface is digital and the output signal is also given in digital format to allow easy embedding into digital processing environments. Experimental results from a prototype...

A mixed-signal continuous time behavioral model of a continuous time delta-sigma modulator (CT ∆Σ) is presented. CT ∆Σ modulators, by their nature, are mixed-signal systems. That fact creates a discontinuity in the traditional IC design flow which assumes that “discrete” and “continuous” time domain designs require separate design tools. In this work, we present a top level behavioral CT ∆Σ mod...

With the advanced scaling of CMOS technology in the nanometer range, highly integrated mixed-signal systems can be designed. The use of nanometer CMOS, however, poses many challenges. This keynote presentation gives an overview of problems due to increased variability and reliability. Both have to be addressed by the designer, either at IC design time or through reconfiguration at IC run time. ...

In this paper we have investigated a unified and simultaneous fault detection method for mixed-signal integrated circuits. The method is based on the analysis of the power-supply current through the circuit under test. The analysis has been done paying attention to the dynamic behaviour of the power-supply current, in order to avoid measurement problems related to the large amount of quiescent ...

In this work tunable radio frequency (RF) receiver (Rx) integrated circuit (IC) was demonstrated. TSMC 65 nm technology node selected to implement IC. RF technique has some advantages over biomedical optic molecule investigation methods since it is easy design, implement. Experimental measurement on live tissue much easier than methods. Nanoscopic creatures have specific binding structures. The...