CMOS Integration of Sensing and Monitoring Circuits for Reliability Improvement of Safety-Critical Equipment

This research work will be carried out in collaboration with an internationally renowned industry leader in avionics.

Various electronic equipment on-board aircraft provide control signals (in the order of tens of volts) with high current capabilities (in the order of a few amperes) and that are conditioned by specific functions (e.g., feedback, switching, sensing, etc.), for the purpose of driving highly inductive loads. Traditionally, the analog circuitry within the subsystems that generate these signals employs discrete power transistors and other discrete electronic components for analog processing, which implies that electronic boards are large and contributes to increasing the cost and weight of such equipment. Moreover, the typically large number of discrete components, as well as the associated complex on-board connectivity, negatively impacts the reliability of the equipment and contributes to complicating the parts-sourcing and qualification processes of such equipment.

This work will integrate research efforts aimed at innovative solutions for the purpose of drastically reducing the above-defined problems. The focus of the M.Sc. student will be the study, design and experimental validation aiming at the highest possible level of System-in-Package integration of CMOS sensing & monitoring circuits aimed at providing early warning of potential component failure, for the purpose of improving equipment reliability.