Integrated Circuits and Systems Group (ICAS)
The essence of this group has been always the design of application specific integrated circuits (ASICs). Currently, ICAS R&D is focused on ultra low-power analog, mixed and RF integrated circuits, organic/printed microelectronics, short range RF communications with remote power systems, digital integrated circuits in nano-electronics and multi-technological HDL-AMS modeling. The group also supports electronic system design for the ICAS itself as well as for other R&D groups of IMB.
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The overall objective of the ICAS group is addressing new technologies, techniques and architectures to improve the performance of integrated circuits and systems, exploring the continuous advances of "micro/nano-electronic" devices and promoting their usage and exploitation in real "macro" application fields. In this sense, the use of advanced technologies, such as nano-CMOS, M/NEMS, MCM, 3D-packaging and "printed-electronics" are studied for the best performance-cost compromise when facing new design projects. In this framework, we can classify the specific objectives of the ICAS group according to three main R&D lines:
Low-power analog CMOS integrated circuits
- Hybrid image sensors (detector + read-out integrated circuit) and the external electronic systems for image processing (X-ray, Infrared and visible spectrum)
- Circuits and systems for biomedical applications (hearing-aids, pacemakers...)
- Monolithic A/D interfaces for smart sensors (N/MEMS and chemical sensors)
- RF interfaces for short-range communications and remote powered devices
System integration and development based on flexible platforms
- ASIC/FPGA-design including Hw/Sw and short-range communications (Bluetooth, Zigbee, NFC)
- Development of systems-on-chip (SoC) based on flexible platforms and virtual components
- Modeling and simulation of multi-technology systems
Organic, printed and flexible electronics
- Development, characterization and modeling of these new technologies
- Development of device and cell libraries and the corresponding design-kits
- New design methodologies, flows and EDA tools customization
- Design application specific "printed- electronics" circuits