Business from technology

Sensor electronics

Competence

Our special expertise includes the design of advanced analogue, mixed signal and digital circuits. Application areas include data communications, RFID, sensor systems and medical applications. We offer a wide selection of technologies from discrete components and programmable logics to full custom ASIC circuits. We utilise modern engineering tools and methods from the circuit simulation to system level. We undertake challenging research projects together with the leading universities and research institutes and utilise this expertise in demanding product development projects for our industrial customers.

Challenges

Passive RF-ID tags, wireless sensors and appliances demand very low power electronics for operating up to several years without external power source and without replacing/recharging batteries. Green electronics denotes that power which is used by a device should be powered by energy scavenging, e.g. from ambient light, heat, electric field, magnetic field or mechanical energy. Long-lasting battery operation and energy scavenging require strict minimisation of energy consumption, as well as the application of power management technologies. This has to be considered during each phase of the product development cycle during specification, architecture design, circuit design and physical design.

In wireless communications there is a constant trend towards higher bit rates. As a consequence, new frequency bands come into use. In radio design this means that the multi-radio concept must be utilised to scope with several air interfaces. Due to the rapid development of CMOS technology, 60 GHz and E band communications are entering the commercial phase.

Solutions

Analogue and mixed signal ASICs

We study and design integrated circuits in a large frequency range, starting from small frequency analogue-digital system circuits and ending with fast, extremely high frequency integrated circuits.

Radio frequency research is concentrated on multi-radio that operates on different radio networks and is able to adapt to the respective predominant signal environment.

In system integrated circuits we have focused on circuits with low power consumption and close to sensors. The areas of application are RF-ID sensors, wireless sensor networks, monitoring and analysing applications in bioscience and medicine and neuron calculation. In our research we have focused on analogue and digital electronics with low power consumption and low operating voltage.

The processing of IC circuits is performed in co-operation with Europractice or Delta. Prototype, and test circuits are processed cost-efficiently through MPW runs offered by Europractice (Multi Project Wafer). Europractice also offers access to several CMOS, High voltage and SiGe processes. The small and medium volume production of IC circuits is performed in co-operation with the Danish company Delta, which offers processing, packaging and production testing services for industry.

Digital ASICs and Programmable logic devices

Development of digital integrated circuits and programmable logic devices such as FPGAs is carried out in an industry standard design environment with a comprehensive portfolio of tools for circuit design (VHDL coding and simulation), implementation (synthesis and automated layout), sign-off, verification, test, and design for manufacturability (DFM).

Discrete component solutions

For implementing and testing prototypes on printed circuit boards (PCBs), we mainly use our Pads circuit and layout design tools and versatile testing tools.

Benefits

VTT is a high-level and cost-efficient partner engaged in electronics engineering and development. With the help of our research-based competence we can apply and integrate different technologies in the development of new innovative products. Our full custom ASIC service offers tailored ASIC circuits according to the needs of our customers.

References and merits

• outstanding record with industrial customers
  
• numerous invention reports and publications