Your mission:
Small (mm-size) low-power systems rely on harvested energy to survive. However, in realistic scenarios, this availability of power cannot be naturally guaranteed. For these devices to live with limited energy, some groups research heavily on lowering the leakage power of the system to elongate the survival time. (Our MSIC Lab also does this.) But in some other cases, it is of keen interest to the IoT research community that these small IoT devices become capable of executing more power-hungry functionalities (real-time imaging, etc.).
To support this scenario, we need to re-think how the power is delivered to these small devices. Perhaps, there needs to be an explicit power transfer mechanism that feeds these small devices from a distance while they remain untethered – optically is our anticipation. To maximize the energy availability in this scenario, the system needs a method to tilt itself to avoid an angle where it reflects the incoming energy. Here, a high voltage (>300V) electrostatic actuator will be introduced.
Driving these actuators, while still being low power, is quite a challenge and we are looking for a highly talented voltage converter designer who can explore this design space and enable an application that no one has explored before.
Main duties and responsibilities include :
Develop a highly efficient voltage conversion circuit to drive an electrostatic actuator
- Propose and implement a novel voltage conversion circuit
- Demonstrate the system where the actuator and the novel IC are integrated
Your profile:
- Solid background and experience in voltage conversion
- Excellent knowledge of the following topics:
- BCD devices (on SOI)
- energy efficiency
- inductive/capacitive loss mechanisms
- SOC design
- integrated circuits design flow:
analog design, digital synthesis, layout, place and route…
- Necessary skills:
- Fluency in using Cadence Virtuoso Suite
- Fluency in using SPICE simulators (HSPICE, FineSim, AFS, etc.)
- Fluency in using PSIM
- Fluency in using PCB design suite (Altium)
- Preferred skills
- Fluency in scripting with Python
- Fluency in running simulations on the Linux terminal
- Familiarity in running the ARM tool chain
We offer :
- A multidisciplinary environment
- Excellent working conditions
- Laboratory based in Neuchâtel campus (the building is quite new!)
Preferred start date :
January 1, 2023 +/- 2 months
January 1, 2023 +/- 2 months
Duration :
1 year, renewable after successful grant acquisition
1 year, renewable after successful grant acquisition
Contact :
Candidates must send their application to Prof. Kyojin Choo
Candidates must send their application to Prof. Kyojin Choo