Search

This paper presents a galvanically isolated dc-dc converter with multi-channel communication exploiting a single isolation transformer. The proposed architecture makes compliant both regulated output power and data transmission on the same isolation physical link by using ASK modulation of the power signal and data/control signal multiplexing. The dc-dc converter consists of two integrated chips fabricated in 0.18- $\mu \text{m}$ BCD and 0.13- $\mu \text{m}$ CMOS technologies, respectively, along with a thick polyimide transformer chip able to comply with reinforced isolation requirements. The dc-dc converter delivers an isolated output power up to 50 mW at 3.3-V output voltage, while providing three data channels with a data rate up to 10 Mb/s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a double-isolated dc-dc converter exploiting integrated LC galvanic barriers. The converter consists of only two dice both fabricated in a 0.35- $\mu \text{m}$ BCD technology with a thick-oxide back-end for 5-kV galvanic isolation. It uses a novel architecture to transmit power and the control feedback signal across two double isolation barriers, which are performed by integrated isolation capacitors and transformers. A resonant mode operation for the isolation networks is exploited to boost efficiency with respect to traditional converter schemes based on series-connected isolation components. Measurements of the dc-dc converter at 3.3-V power supply demonstrate 100-mW dc output power with a power efficiency of 16.8% at a regulated output voltage of 3.3 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a fully integrated galvanically isolated dc–dc converter with data communication. The converter, which is fabricated in a 0.35- \mu \textm BCD technology, is made up of only two silicon dice and adopts two 6-kV on-chip transformers. It takes advantage of a customized architecture, which uses the isolated power control link to transfer bidirectional half-duplex data, thus reducing the overall silicon area and package size. The proposed dc–dc converter delivers up to 93-mW output power with 19% maximum power efficiency and an output voltage ranging from 2.4 V to 3.3 V, while achieving a data rate up to 50 Mb/s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a galvanically isolated power transfer system based on two inductively coupled CMOS oscillators with on-chip isolation transformer. The oscillators share the same current and are loaded by an integrated transformer that performs the combining of the oscillation signals at its secondary winding output. By using a thick inter-metal oxide layer for the integrated transformer, a galvanic isolation rating as high as 5 kV is guaranteed. Thanks to the proposed circuit topology, a 300-mW dc-ac power conversion performance with an excellent 36.5% power efficiency was achieved in a 0.8-\mum CMOS technology at 5-V power supply. A complete dc-dc converter was also demonstrated by including a rectifier on a second die. An output power of 200 mW at 8-V output voltage with power efficiency better than 27% was measured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the first printed organic 13-MHz RFID on flexible substrate. The proposed solution includes a planar near field antenna bonded to an RFID tag, which is printed on flexible foil using an organic complementary TFT technology. Thanks to an active envelope detector, ASK modulation with modulation depth as low as 20% can be adopted to increase the available input power for the rectifier. The RFID functionality is demonstrated at the internally generated supply voltage of 24 V, for a reading range of 2–5 cm and a bit-rate up to 50 bit/s. With more than 250 transistors on the same foil, this work represents the most complex circuit ever published in a printed organic complementary TFT technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an organic sensor for ambient light monitoring fabricated on flexible plastic foil. The sensor exploits an organic photodiode whose photocurrent is linearly converted into an output voltage by a transconductance operational amplifier in a feedback configuration. The photodiode is based on an inkjet printed bulk heterojunction blend of P3HT/PCBM sandwiched between Au and Al electrodes, whereas the amplifier is implemented in a printed complementary organic TFT technology. Both the photodiode and the amplifier were fully characterized in stand-alone configuration. Then, the response of the assembled sensor was measured by using a commercial 12-V halogen lamp as light source. Experimental data demonstrated that the sensor is able to provide a linear detection of the incident light intensity up to 11000 lux. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents the design and experimental results of advanced analog blocks manufactured in a printed complementary organic TFT technology on flexible foil. Operational transconductance amplifiers exhibiting open-loop gain from 40 to 50 dB and gain-bandwidth product from 55 Hz to 1.5 kHz have been implemented by using different circuit topologies. An extensive amplifier characterization in both time and frequency domain (i.e., gain, gain-bandwidth product, phase margin, settling time, harmonic distortion) has been carried out, which demonstrates the performance of the adopted technology in analog circuit implementations. Finally, a 40-dB 1.5-kHz amplifier has been employed in a switched capacitor comparator that proved fully functionality up to input frequency of 50 Hz. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, a design methodology for the optimization of transformer-loaded RF circuits is presented. The optimization procedure is based on a novel figure of merit for the integrated transformer (namely the transformer characteristic resistance), which was introduced to quantify its performance when operated as a tuned load. Using the proposed approach, a highly linear up-converter for 5-GHz wireless LAN applications was implemented in a 45-GHz-fT SiGe HBT technology. The circuit achieved an output 1-dB compression point of 4.5 dBm and a power gain of 18 dB, while drawing only 34 mA from a 3-V power supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A lumped scalable model for spiral inductors in silicon bipolar technology has been developed. The effect of three different cross sections on inductor performance was first investigated by comparing experimental measurements. Using both the results of this analysis and three-dimensional electromagnetic simulation guidelines, several circular inductors were integrated on a radial patterned ground shield for model validation purposes. The model employs a novel equation for series resistance with only one fitting parameter extracted from experimental measurements. All other model elements were related to technological and geometrical data by using rigorous analytical equations. The model was validated using one- and two-port measured performance parameters of 45 integrated inductors, and excellent agreement was found for all considered geometries up to frequencies well above self-resonance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]