Digitally Assisted Data Converters and Sensor Interface Circuits

October 10, 2008
Prof. Boris Murmann Stanford University

Abstract

Low-power data conversion has evolved as a key requirement in manymodern electronic devices. The research presented in the first part ofthis talk targets a new class of low power "digitally assisted" ADCsand DACs. These converters are based on minimalistic, but powerefficient analog sub-circuits and use digital processing forperformance recovery and/or enhancement. The second part of thispresentation outlines our activities in mixed-signal circuit designfor sensor interfaces. Specific examples include bio-medical sensors,MEMS inertial sensors and applications in large-area organic thin-filmelectronics.

Bio

Boris Murmann is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford, CA. He received the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the University of California at Berkeley in 2003. From 1994 to 1997, he was with Neutron Microlektronics, Germany, where he developed low-power and smart-power ASICs in automotive CMOS technology. Dr. Murmann's research interests are in the area of mixed-signal integrated circuit design, with special emphasis on data converters and sensor interfaces. He currently serves as a member of the International Solid-State-Circuits Conference (ISSCC) program committee.