PECASE: Digitally-assisted Architectures for Next Generation RF Transceivers

摘要ECCS-0747501J。Dawson，麻省理工学院这项研究的目标是发现使下一代无线收发机能够用于通信和生物医学应用的电路架构。方法是将重点放在数字辅助架构上，这种架构利用数字信号处理来实现收发器性能。由于商业和军事需求的爆炸性增长，无线和生物医学领域是集成电路设计中最重要、影响最大的应用。困难在于，现代工艺中的晶体管不允许使用几十年来一直服务得如此好的模拟架构。该程序的智能优点是对收发器功能在模拟域和数字域之间的最佳划分进行了严格的探索。这个问题既是通过应用数学优化技术来解决的，也是通过设计创造力来发现新的电路架构的。将开展的项目包括用于功率放大器线性化、生物医学植入物和超高带宽极地发射器的新的数字辅助架构。此外，PI还将为大型混合信号系统探索一种新的分层优化方法。该计划更广泛的影响是通过研究和加强女性和少数族裔在科学和工程领域的渠道来加强美国的收发信机行业。PI正在与麻省理工学院高中科学和工程项目的主任合作，开发一系列将数学和概念思维与设计联系起来的实验室模块。一旦完善，这些模块将被广泛传播到全国各地志同道合的项目中。

AbstractECCS-0747501J. Dawson, MIT The objective of this research is to discover circuit architectures that enable the next generation of wireless transceivers for communications and biomedical applications. The approach is to focus on digitally assisted architectures, which exploit digital signal processing to enable transceiver performance. The wireless and biomedical fields are the most important, highest-impact applications in integrated circuit design because of exploding commercial and military demand. The difficulty is that transistors in modern processes do not permit the use of analog architectures that have, for decades, served so well. The intellectual merit of this program is a rigorous exploration of the optimal division of transceiver functionality between the analog and digital domains. This issue is pursued both through the application of mathematical optimization techniques, and also through design creativity to discover new circuit architectures. The projects to be pursued include new digitally assisted architectures for power amplifier linearizers, biomedical implants, and ultra high bandwidth polar transmitters. In addition, the PI will explore a new hierarchical optimization methodology for large mixed-signal systems. The broader impact of this program is to strengthen the U.S. transceiver industry both through research and through bolstering the pipeline of women and minorities in science and engineering. The PI is collaborating with the directors of high school science and engineering programs at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to develop a series of laboratory modules that link mathematical and conceptual thinking to design. Once polished, these modules will be widely disseminated to like-minded programs across the country.