General Characteristics
This is the main research activity in the area of integrated circuit design. The topics we deal with cover various applications of analog circuits: from receiving circuits for telecommunications (radio frequency receivers, A/D converters), to analog signal processing (analog decoders, sensor interfaces). The technologies used are usually 0.35um, 0.25um, 0.18um, 90nm or 30nm CMOS; for some specific projects we also use BiCMOS technologies. A more detailed description of these research topics is available on the research page of this site.
Where and how much work is done? How much is the work worth?
This type of thesis requires the undergraduate to be present at our laboratories full time. The thesis typically requires about 6 months of work for the actual design phase, plus some time before starting to document the circuit techniques to be used and to investigate some aspects of the design (this phase is typically done in parallel with the final exams). Potentially these theses allow for the maximum allowable increase in the final grade over the starting average.
What are the requirements?
In order to work these topics, it is essential to have taken the Analog Integrated Circuit Design, RF Integrated Circuit Design and Integrated Circuits for Signal Processing courses and passed the relevant exam. The Digital Circuits for Neural Networks course is necessary for a thesis on digital IC design, and it is strongly recommended also for thesis on analog and RF IC design. Transistor-level simulation often needs to be juxtaposed with system-level simulation, so knowledge of Matlab is helpful (but you can also learn it during the thesis). The activity is in some respects very similar to that of the lab that you can experience in the IC design course, so for these theses it is desirable that such a lab turned out to be of interest.
What are the benefits of these theses?
You will work on real-world and advanced research topics, often of interest to semiconductor industries as well. You will delve into the use of design aid tools that are professional and also used in industries that design integrated circuits. Some of these theses are done in collaboration with companies or research centers.
Designing circuits to meet certain specifications and optimizing certain figures of merit will help you learn how to manage an engineeringisitic problem, solving its various aspects in a coherent way until you achieve the desired goal. Hopefully, this skill will be appreciated by those who receive your resume as a recent graduate!
Thesis topics
For a detailed list of available theses, please refer to the Thesis Proposals section. For a more detailed description of research activities related to the topics listed below, please refer to our research activity pages.