實驗室介紹 (Introduction)

 The Subject and Aims of Research

I. Time-to-digital converter: resolution up to 1ps; input range: unlimited; power consumption < 10mW; chip area < 1mm2; FPGA realizable; suitable for high accuracy, low cost and low power systems, such as: laser range finder, high energy particle detection, jitter measurement, missile/defense system.

II. Smart temperature sensor：resolution < 0.1°C; measurement range > 100°C; error < 0.5°C; power consumption < 1uW; die size << 1mm2; FPGA realizable; suitable for high accuracy, low cost and low power applications, such as: embedded thermal sensor for VLSI chips, FPD thermal compensation, backlight thermal monitoring, environment temperature control.

III. Digital-to-time converter: resolution up to 1-2ps; unlimited output range; FPGA realizable; suitable for low cost IC testing & timing systems, such as: digital pulse generator, data/pattern generator and so on.

IV. Digital pulse width modulator (DPWM): 12-bit high resolution; 97 kHz – 2 MHz wide operation frequency range; 1.249 mW low power consumption at 1 MHz; 0.751 mm2 chip size; small INL of -0.32 – +0.21 LSB at 2MHz; FPGA realizable; suitable for low cost, low power and high accuracy DPWM applications, such as: power management IC, class-D amplifier.

V. On-chip solar cell: conversion efficiency up to 31.47%; high sidewall junction density design; suitable for AIoT self-powered sensors.

VI. Power management IC for solar energy harvesting: conversion efficiency up to 90%; maximum power point tracking; automatic mode switching; startup circuit; suitable for powering AIoT nodes.

VII. Low temperature sensitivity resistor less and capacitor less CMOS Relaxation Oscillator: temperature coefficient as low as 5ppm; all-MOSFET oscillator; chip area (2 circuits) < 1mm2; suitable for low cost high performance on-chip oscillator.

VIII. Ultra-low power voltage reference: power consumption < 100nW, temperature coefficient < 30ppm/ °C; suitable for low cost ultra-low power on-chip voltage reference.

IX. BIST for TDC and DTC: resolution < 10ps; power-on/factory calibration; FPGA realizable; suitable for low cost & high speed TDC/DTC auto-calibration.

X. High accuracy digital-to-analog converter: up to 14-bit resolution with INL< 0.5LSB; current splitting; current steering; SFDR enhancement; suitable for instrumentation.

XI. Ultra-low power wide temperature range analog-to-digital converter: power consumption < 1uW; operation temperature range > 120°C; suitable for AIoT sensing.

XII. Analog IC Circuit Computer-Aided Optimization:  Automated, fire-and-forget analog circuit fine-tuning with FoM improvements up to 10-20 dB, realizable in  Air-gapped Linux servers.

XIII. Others: high matching layout research, duty cycle correlator.

Topic co-supervised by NTHU professor Chih-Wen Lu

We warmly welcome motivated students to join our research group. The following projects provide valuable opportunities to gain hands-on experience in analog/mixed-signal IC design, display driver circuits, and wireless communication systems through both academic research and industry–academia collaboration.

I. Near-Field Communication RX

This project focuses on the design of a Near-Field Communication (NFC) receiver IC in collaboration with industry partners. Students will have the opportunity to work on several important RF/analog building blocks, including the low-noise amplifier (LNA), mixer, band-pass filter, baseband amplifier, phase-locked loop (PLL), and analog-to-digital converter (ADC).

Two students will be recruited for this project.

II. Near-Field Communication TX

This project involves the design of a Near-Field Communication (NFC) transmitter IC through an industry–academia collaborative program. Participating students will gain practical chip design experience with key circuit blocks such as the PLL, DAC, clock and data recovery (CDR), and power amplifier (PA).

Two students will be recruited for this project.

III. Current Sensor (Integrator + Delta-Sigma ADC)

This industry collaborative project targets a current sensor for OLED display applications, with the goal of sensing the TFT characteristics of display panels. Students joining this project will design a current integrator and a delta-sigma ADC, and will gain valuable experience in sensor interface and mixed-signal circuit design.

IV. Micro-OLED Display Driver

Supported by the NSTC, this project aims to develop a high-density Micro-OLED display driver IC. It is well suited for students interested in advanced display technologies and high-performance driver circuit design.

V. Digital-to-Analog Converter for OLED Displays

This industry collaborative project focuses on the design of a compact two-stage 10-bit DAC for OLED display applications. Students will have the opportunity to work on practical DAC architecture and circuit implementation for next-generation display systems.

研究主題與目標

1.   時間至數位轉換器：解析度高達1ps、測量範圍無限、功耗低於10mW、晶片面積小於1mm2，可以FPGA實現，適用於諸如雷射測距儀、高能粒子量測、時脈抖動量測、飛彈/防禦系統…等高精度、低成本、低功耗之系統上。

2.   超低功耗溫度感測器：解析度0.1°C以下、測量範圍超過100°C、誤差低於0.5°C，功耗低於1uW、晶片面積小於1mm2，可以FPGA實現，適用於諸如VLSI晶片之嵌入式感溫器、顯示器溫度補償、背光溫度監控、環境溫度監控…等高精度、低成本、低功耗之應用上。

3.   數位至時間轉換器：解析度高達1-2 ps、輸出範圍無限、低功耗、可以FPGA實現，適用於數位脈衝產生器、資料/模式產生器…等IC測試/時序系統。

4.   數位脈波寬度調變器：12位元高解析度、97 kHz至2 MHz的寬操作頻率、1.294mW低功率消耗(@1MHz)、晶片面積約為0.751mm2、具-0.32 ~ +0.21LSB之高線性度(@2MHz)，可以FPGA實現，適用於低成本、低功耗、高精度DPWM之應用，如電源管理晶片、class-D放大器。

5.   高效率前照式晶片上太陽能電池：最高轉換效率31.47％；高側牆接面密度設計； 適用於AIoT自我供電感測器。

6.   應用於光獵能的電源管理晶片：最高轉換效率90%、MPPT、自動模式切換、啟動電路，適用於AIoT節電之供電。

7.   具低溫敏無電阻與電容之弛張振盪器：低溫度係數、全MOSFET振盪器、晶片面積(包含兩組電路)小於1mm2，適用於晶片內建之廉價高效振盪器。

8.   超低功耗參考電壓源：功耗低於100nW、溫度係數低於30ppm/℃，適用於晶片內建之廉價超低功耗參考電壓源。

9.   時間至數位/數位至時間轉換器內建自我測試電路：解析度高達 10ps以內、開機/出廠校正，可以FPGA實現，適用於廉價高速自我校正應用。

10. 高精度數位至類比轉換器：高達14位元解析度、非線性誤差<0.5LSB、分電流架構、電流導向式、提升無雜散動態範圍，適用於儀測應用。

11. 超低功耗寬溫度範圍類比至數位轉換器：功耗低於1uW、溫度操作範圍高於> 120°C，適用於 AIoT 感測應用。

12. 類比IC自動優化輔助計算機 : 自動化、即發即棄的IC電路模擬微調，FoM可改進高達 10-20 dB，可在Air-gapped Linux 服務器中實現。

13. 其他：高匹配佈局功率、週期校正IC。

與清大盧志文教授共同指導之研究題目

我們誠摯歡迎對積體電路設計、顯示系統與無線通訊有興趣的同學加入本研究團隊。以下研究計畫結合學術研究與產學合作，學生可藉由參與實際晶片開發，累積類比／混合訊號電路設計、顯示驅動電路及無線通訊系統等領域的實作經驗。

I. Near-Field Communication RX

本計畫為近場通訊（NFC）接收晶片設計之產學合作計畫。研究內容涵蓋多個重要的射頻與類比電路模組，包括低雜訊放大器（LNA）、混頻器（Mixer）、帶通濾波器（Band-Pass Filter）、基頻放大器（Baseband Amplifier）、鎖相迴路（PLL）以及類比數位轉換器（ADC）。

參與本計畫的同學將可深入了解 NFC 接收端晶片架構，並培養完整的射頻／類比電路設計能力。

本計畫預計招收 2 位學生。

II. Near-Field Communication TX

本計畫為近場通訊（NFC）發射晶片設計之產學合作計畫。研究內容包含鎖相迴路（PLL）、數位類比轉換器（DAC）、時脈與資料回復電路（CDR）以及功率放大器（PA）等關鍵電路模組。

參與本計畫的同學將有機會接觸實際發射端晶片設計流程，提升在高頻通訊電路與系統整合方面的實務能力。

本計畫預計招收 2 位學生。

III. Current Sensor (Integrator + Delta-Sigma ADC)

本計畫為業界合作計畫，研究主題為應用於 OLED 顯示面板的電流感測器設計，目標是量測顯示面板中 TFT 元件的特性。研究內容包括電流積分器（Integrator）與 Delta-Sigma ADC 的設計。

參與本計畫的同學將可學習感測前端電路與混合訊號系統設計，並累積 OLED 顯示應用相關的實作經驗。