Semiconductor circuit design in advanced silicon technologies for next-generation communication, computing and automation

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Semiconductor chip technologies are strategic to future economic prosperity. For instance, every automobile manufactured in Canada relies on hundreds of silicon chips. Crucially, emerging applications such as autonomous driving, quantum computing and artificial intelligence also depend heavily on semiconductor electronics and advanced communication technologies. Our economic allies and rivals continue to invest heavily in semiconductor circuit design to remain competitive globally. The benefits to Canadians from the development of advanced semiconductor chips for communication are clear: faster data rates and greater data throughputs that support strategic economic growth in the manufacturing and service sectors. Their application brings Canadians - distant from each other geographically - into closer contact with each other. Wired and wireless communication networks rely on silicon semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs), many designed in Canada, and manufactured for less than $1/chip in volume production. Greater data transfer speeds will support faster computing technology (e.g., new smartphones) and broadband internet applications, such as Netflix, Zoom and Facebook. Data throughput per optical fibre in our networks is anticipated to reach 1,000 Gbits/s within the coming decade, because of the growing demand for internet services and the continuing rollout of 5G wireless systems and generations beyond 5G. Wideband optical communication technologies are also employed in server farms and infrastructure delivering data at Gbit/s rates directly to businesses and consumers. The migration of radio communication (i.e., coherent) techniques to the optical domain requires novel wideband, single-chip transceivers for deployment at low cost in high volumes. The goals of the proposed research program are: 1) to further advance the capabilities of silicon circuits to meet this challenge, 2) to support the eroding base of highly skilled knowledge workers engaged in semiconductor circuit design in Canada, and 3) to support new applications enabled by advanced communication ICs, such as vehicular automation and quantum computing. Dr. Long's extensive experience in coherent radio technologies applied to electronic design of transceivers in the optical domain will ensure success in meeting these goals. Research prototypes developed in this project include optical modulator drivers, on-chip frequency sources of high purity, and new techniques for widening bandwidth, reducing distortion and improving circuit reliability. Innovations in semiconductor circuit design strengthen the position of Canadian industry in a huge global market that is increasingly dependent on broadband communications technology by training scarce and valuable expert designers. This research project has a very high potential for industrial take-up in new and existing applications, as it builds on developing commercial silicon chip technologies using industry-standard design tools.