Digitally Dominant Analog Blocks for Ultra-Low-Power Wireless Sensor Network (DArWIN)

Themes: Analog and Mixed-Mode Integrated Circuits and Systems

The progress of ultra-low-cost, ultra-low-power (ULP) wireless sensor network (WSN) nodes with advanced bi-directional communication, sophisticated sensors and powerful digital processing is hindered by the continued lack of digitization of its two major subsystems: frequency synthesizers (both providing radio-frequency carrier and clock to the digital processor) and power management converters. This project aims to address these concerns by investigating and demonstrating digitally intensive ULP solutions of all-digital phase-locked loops (ADPLL) and inductor/capacitor-based DC-DC switching converters.