Electronic Design Research Articles

Strengthening the oxygen reduction stability and activity of single iron active sites via a simultaneously electronic regulation and structure design strategy

Single-atom iron-nitrogen-carbon materials have demonstrated remarkable potential in catalyzing the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). In this study, a novel approach is proposed for regulating the microenvironment of single iron sites through the coupling of neighboring Zn with an open-mesoporous carbon plane. This structural arrangement effectively modulates the density of states and d-band center of Fe atoms, resulting in moderate adsorption and desorption of oxygen intermediates and thereby reducing the energy barrier of the ORR. Moreover, the open-mesoporous structure ensures the accessibility of the active sites and facilitates the mass transfer of reactants, intermediates, and products during the ORR. Consequently, the synthesized M-Fe-ZnNC catalyst exhibits enhanced ORR performance and excellent stability. This study serves to inspire the exploration of high-performance non-precious metal catalysts for the ORR, leveraging simultaneous electronic regulation and structure design.

A Briefly Survey in Electronics System Design

In this paper, it will be tried to briefely talk about electronic system design. In these 20 years, electronic system such as other sciences has improved. From analog and digital circuits toward nano bio systems. It will be discussed the main methods of electronic system design not only in analog and digital systems but also about nano and bio electronics systems.

Squaring Circuit Using 14nmFinFET Technology with Vedic Mathematics Approach

FinFET technology is an alternative to CMOS technology as in this technology device has higher drive current, speed, and low-power consumption. FinFET has better mobility and scaling than CMOS technology. A dedicated Squaring circuit is needed by many digital signal processors (DSP) and arithmetic and logical units (ALU). So fast, power-efficient, and compact squaring circuits can be designed with Vedic sutras. Vedic mathematics has 16 sutras and 13 sub-sutras that touch almost all different chapters of mathematics. Out of these sutras, Dwandwayoga has a duplex property that is used to find a square of an N-bit number. Also, Yavadunam is a special case for finding the square of a number that is closer to the base. This work targets a comparative analysis of these two square circuits having a Vedic approach with a conventional array multiplier. The proposed designs are implemented in micro-wind 3.9 electronic design automation tool (EDA) with 14 nm deep submicron technology post-layout. The values of model parameters are used from the current Berkeley 4 short channel model (BSIM4). It is observed that the proposed square architecture design using the Dwandwayog sutra and Yavadunam sutra achieves 185%, 272.45% delay depletion and a 122.22%, and 46.52% reduction in transistor requirements compared to the conventional array multiplier, respectively.

Physics to system-level modeling of silicon-organic-hybrid nanophotonic devices

The continuous growth in data volume has sparked interest in silicon-organic-hybrid (SOH) nanophotonic devices integrated into silicon photonic integrated circuits (PICs). SOH devices offer improved speed and energy efficiency compared to silicon photonics devices. However, a comprehensive and accurate modeling methodology of SOH devices, such as modulators corroborating experimental results, is lacking. While some preliminary modeling approaches for SOH devices exist, their reliance on theoretical and numerical methodologies, along with a lack of compatibility with electronic design automation (EDA), hinders their seamless and rapid integration with silicon PICs. Here, we develop a phenomenological, building-block-based SOH PICs simulation methodology that spans from the physics to the system level, offering high accuracy, comprehensiveness, and EDA-style compatibility. Our model is also readily integrable and scalable, lending itself to the design of large-scale silicon PICs. Our proposed modeling methodology is agnostic and compatible with any photonics-electronics co-simulation software. We validate this methodology by comparing the characteristics of experimentally demonstrated SOH microring modulators (MRMs) and Mach Zehnder modulators with those obtained through simulation, demonstrating its ability to model various modulator topologies. We also show our methodology's ease and speed in modeling large-scale systems. As an illustrative example, we use our methodology to design and study a 3-channel SOH MRM-based wavelength-division (de)multiplexer, a widely used component in various applications, including neuromorphic computing, data center interconnects, communications, sensing, and switching networks. Our modeling approach is also compatible with other materials exhibiting the Pockels and Kerr effects. To our knowledge, this represents the first comprehensive physics-to-system-level EDA-compatible simulation methodology for SOH modulators.

AiTO: Simultaneous gate sizing and buffer insertion for timing optimization with GNNs and RL

Gate sizing and buffer insertion for timing optimization are performed extensively in electronic design automation (EDA) flows. Both of them aim to adjust the upstream and downstream capacitances of gates/buffers to minimize delay. However, most of existing work focuses on gate sizing or buffer insertion independently. This paper proposes a learning-based timing optimization framework, AiTO, that combines reinforcement learning with graph neural network, to perform simultaneously gate sizing and buffer insertion. We model buffer insertion as a special gate sizing by determining possible buffer locations in advance and treating the buffer insertion and gate sizing as an RL process. Experimental results on 10 real designs (28-nm and 110-nm) show that, AiTO can achieve better worst negative slack (WNS) optimization results than OpenROAD while being able to improve the results of the commercial tool, Innovus, to some extent. Moreover, ablation studies demonstrate the benefits of performing simultaneous gate sizing and buffer insertion for timing optimization.

Exploring multifaceted properties of Polypyrrole-Cobalt ferrite nanocomposites: A comprehensive study

The remarkable properties of Polypyrrole (PY) hold immense potential for revolutionizing electronic device technologies. From flexible electronics to high-performance sensors, PY and its nanocomposites offer a plethora of opportunities to engineer advanced electronic components with enhanced functionalities. The properties of Polypyrrole (PY), Cobalt ferrite (CF) and their nanocomposites (PY1, PY2, PY3, PY4) have been explored with increasing amount of Cobalt ferrite. Their synthesis and nano size are confirmed by X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. SEM confirmed the Walnut morphology of PY and it is maintained in nanocomposites but size of particles has been increased. Consequently, optical band gap (Eg) and thermal stability of samples observed from UV-Visible Spectroscopy and Thermogravimetric analysis get affected. A. C. Conductivity shows the dispersive nature and a significant increase can be seen from PY1 to PY4 i.e. ac conductivity increases with cobalt ferrite composition into the nanocomposites. Dielectric losses were explained using polarization effect and conductivity values of materials. Diamagnetic nature of PY changes into ferromagnetic in the nanocomposites. Electrodes of each sample were prepared using slurry method and their electrochemical analyses were done in 2 M KOH solution. By enhancing thermal stability, electrical conductivity, and capacitance while simultaneously reducing the optical band gap, the integration of Cobalt ferrite into the PY matrix unlocks new avenues for electronic device design. These advancements pave the way for the development of more efficient and sustainable electronic devices.

Research on electronic optical monitoring technology and system design for vacuum electron beam welding process

Electron beam welding technology is increasingly used in industrial manufacturing due to its high power density and the purity of welded joints. In vacuum environments, traditional optical and machine vision monitoring methods are susceptible to contamination by metal vapors, which hinders the monitoring effect. Due to the limitations of optical monitoring methods, electronic optical imaging technology is a new alternative monitoring method that has been introduced into the electron beam processing in recent years, but the complexity of the industrial electron beam welding environment makes it relatively less studied in the field of electron beam welding. In this study, a YAG scintillator detector is proposed to collect the backscattered electron information generated by the interaction of electrons with the sample, and an FPGA real-time processing system is used to realize the weld quality monitoring in the industrial electron beam welding processes. The distribution law of backscattered electrons in space is simulated by Monte Carlo method, and the results show that the number of distribution in the 40°∼60° angle region is more, the backscattering coefficient increases with the increase of the incident angle of the electron beam, and the backscattering coefficient of the samples with large atomic numbers is relatively high. The field monitoring experiments show that the designed system exhibits good sensitivity to the characteristic morphology, and the imaging resolution reaches more than 200 μm, and the weld hole defects are clearly visible. A good linear correlation between the current change curve during scanning and the actual shape profile is shown, while the image resolution is better when the spot current is 1 mA.

Artificial Intelligence in Electronics and Communication

In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, artificial intelligence (AI) integration has ushered in a new era of innovation and efficiency across numerous industries. One domain where AI is making profound contributions is electronics and communication design. A new era of efficiency, invention, and connectedness has been brought about by the integration of AI into electronic gadgets and communication networks. AI fundamentally transforms the electronics design process from automating schematic design and optimizing component selection to enhancing printed circuit board layouts and predicting failure modes.AI-driven speech recognition technology has improved the accuracy and reliability of voice- activated systems

A Novel Drone Design Based on a Reconfigurable Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for Wildfire Management

Our study introduces a new approach, leveraging robotics technology and remote sensing for multifaceted applications in forest and wildfire management. Presented in this paper is PULSAR, an innovative UAV with reconfigurable capabilities, able of operating as a quadcopter, a co-axial quadcopter, and a standalone octocopter. Tailored to diverse operational requirements, PULSAR accommodates multiple payloads, showcasing its adaptability and versatility. This paper meticulously details material selection and design methods, encompassing both initial and detailed design, while the electronics design section seamlessly integrates essential avionic components. The 3D drone layout design, accomplished using SOLIDWORKS, enhances understanding by showcasing all three different configurations of PULSAR’s structure. Serving a dual purpose, this study highlights UAV applications in forest and wildfire management, particularly in detailed forest mapping, edge computing, and cartographic product generation, as well as detection and tracking of elements, illustrating how a UAV can be a valuable tool. Following the analysis of applications, this paper presents the selection and integration of payloads onto the UAV. Simultaneously, each of the three distinct UAV configurations is matched with a specific forest application, ensuring optimal performance and efficiency. Lastly, computational validation of the UAV’s main components’ structural integrity is achieved through finite element analysis (FEA), affirming the absence of issues regarding stress and displacement. In conclusion, this research underscores the efficacy of PULSAR, marking a significant leap forward in applying robotics technology for wildfire science.

Scalable Low‐Power Skyrmionic Logic Gate Library

AbstractMagnetic skyrmions, despite being promising ultra‐low energy information carriers with wide bandwidth and nonvolatility, are not used for any universal scalable logic system. Here, a detailed understanding of skyrmion motion in nanowires under different geometries and drive conditions is established. Then, these insights are used to introduce a general Boolean‐universal gate block system with components, emulation, and simulation algorithms. The resulting system can collectively form a scalable, cascadable, and universal skyrmion logic system and produce arbitrary logic designs. The NOR, AND, OR, NAND, XNOR, and FULL ADDER gates are provided here as example demonstrations of the system. The toolkit lays the foundation for bridging the gap between theoretical exploration and practical implementation of skyrmion‐based computing. The skyrmion block components may help reduce energy consumption per logic operation after eliminating Joule heating. The insights and designs may help skyrmions be used in state‐of‐the‐art electronic design automation.

Fishbone and nettle fiber inspired stretchable strain sensor with high sensitivity and wide sensing range for wearable electronics

Stretchable strain sensors have recently gained significant attention for their potential applications in wearable electronics and human–computer interaction. However, the preparation of strain sensors with a wide sensing range, superior sensitivity, and fast response still faces challenges. Here, a bionic stretchable strain sensor (BSSS) is designed and prepared with a fishbone structure and nettle fibers selected as coupled bionic prototypes, utilizing multi-walled carbon nanotubes and graphene synergistically in a silicone rubber matrix. Experiments show that the prepared BSSS exhibits a sensitivity of 97.017 in the 120 %-150 % strain range and a lower limit of strain detection of 0.2 %. Particularly, the BSSS possesses a response/recovery time of 60 ms/90 ms, and it also exhibits superior stability. Given the outstanding sensing performance of the BSSS, it can be applied in wearable electronics for sign language recognition, Morse code recognition, and human motion monitoring. This work presents an idea for the design of next-generation wearable electronics.

Electronic mechanical braking system executive mechanism design, calculation, and modeling based on dynamic control

Introduction: As science and technology develop, automobiles are moving toward intelligence and electrification and need better braking systems.Methods: To improve the braking system’s response speed and braking effect, a longitudinal dynamics control system for automobiles based on the electronic mechanical braking system was proposed, and the electronic mechanical braking system was improved through automatic disturbance rejection control.Results: The experimental results show that the time required for achieving the target clamping force in the electronic mechanical braking system using self-disturbance rejection control and proportional integral differential control is only 0.01 s, but there is an issue of excessive control in the proportional integral differential system between 0.12 s and 0.2 s, while the self-disturbance rejection controller does not have this problem. Meanwhile, regardless of the interference applied, the electronic mechanical braking system with automatic disturbance rejection control can ensure that the clamping force does not fluctuate. In the joint simulation experiment, the expected acceleration and actual acceleration can remain consistent, and if the expected braking force is 9000 N, then the actual braking force of the electronic mechanical brake (EMB) is also 9000 N.Discussion: The above results indicate that the vehicle longitudinal dynamics control system using the electronic mechanical braking system not only responds fast but also has a good braking effect, avoiding the problem of excessive control and improving the driving experience.

Integrative BNN-LHS Surrogate Modeling and Thermo-Mechanical-EM Analysis for Enhanced Characterization of High-Frequency Low-Pass Filters in COMSOL.

This paper pioneers a novel approach in electromagnetic (EM) system analysis by synergistically combining Bayesian Neural Networks (BNNs) informed by Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) with advanced thermal-mechanical surrogate modeling within COMSOL simulations for high-frequency low-pass filter modeling. Our methodology transcends traditional EM characterization by integrating physical dimension variability, thermal effects, mechanical deformation, and real-world operational conditions, thereby achieving a significant leap in predictive modeling fidelity. Through rigorous evaluation using Mean Squared Error (MSE), Maximum Learning Error (MLE), and Maximum Test Error (MTE) metrics, as well as comprehensive validation on unseen data, the model's robustness and generalization capability is demonstrated. This research challenges conventional methods, offering a nuanced understanding of multiphysical phenomena to enhance reliability and resilience in electronic component design and optimization. The integration of thermal variables alongside dimensional parameters marks a novel paradigm in filter performance analysis, significantly improving simulation accuracy. Our findings not only contribute to the body of knowledge in EM diagnostics and complex-environment analysis but also pave the way for future investigations into the fusion of machine learning with computational physics, promising transformative impacts across various applications, from telecommunications to medical devices.

Design and Fabrication of a Simple Device for Folding Towel

Electronic technology makes work more manageable, and various electronic gadgets have been invented to assist humans. One of the most time-consuming activities is household chores, such as laundry. Daily laundry tasks are easier to manage with the help of washing and drying machines. However, the folding task is still done by hand and is not automated. A towel is one of the main clothes in daily life. Commonly, people use bare hands to fold the towel. However, this task consumes much time and energy; consequently, boredom, tiredness, and fatigue occur. The existing device to fold towels usually has a large physical compartment and is mainly used for industrial purposes, such as at hotels or laundry shops. The towel-folding machine is in increasing demand in our daily lives. Therefore, this project was developed and designed to eliminate the tedious folding of towels. The main aim is to design and develop an effective mechanism for folding rectangular towels using electronic components. The other objective is to compare the timing of folding rectangular towels using a simple device and by hand. As a result, the prototype represented a semi-automation system incorporating mechanical and electronic designs. The prototype assembly has a folding board made from polypropylene plastic. The amount of time to fold one towel using a semi-automatic folding board remains the same throughout the process, while the amount of time required to fold towels by hand increases. In conclusion, a prototype was designed and developed successfully with various electronic components: HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor, MG996R servomotor and Arduino. Besides, by comparing the timing of folding rectangular towels using a simple device and by hand, 94 seconds was reduced when folding 50 sheets with the aid of the device, compared to by hand. In other words, the effectiveness of the device is 20%.

A broadband pulse amplifier for Joule heating experiments in diamond anvil cells.

Decades of measurements of the thermophysical properties of hot metals show that pulsed Joule heating is an effective method to heat solid and liquid metals that are chemically reactive or difficult to contain. To extend such measurements to hundreds of GPa pressure, pulsed heating methods have recently been integrated with diamond anvil cells. The recent design used a low-side switch and active electrical sensing equipment that was prone to damage and measurement error. Here, we report the design and characterization of new electronics that use a high-side switch and robust, passive electrical sensing equipment. The new pulse amplifier can heat ∼5 to 50 μm diameter metal wires to thousands of kelvin at tens to hundreds of GPa using diamond anvil cells. Pulse durations and peak currents can each be varied over three orders of magnitude, from 5 µs to 10ms and from 0.2 to 200A. The pulse amplifier is integrated with a current probe. Two voltage probes attached to the body of a diamond anvil cell are used to measure voltage in a four-point probe geometry. The accuracy of four-point probe resistance measurements for a dummy sample with 0.1 Ω resistance is typically better than 5% at all times from 2 µs to 10ms after the beginning of the pulse.

The LHCb VELO Upgrade II: design and development of the readout electronics

The LHCb collaboration proposes a Phase-II Upgrade of the detector, to be installed during the LHC Long Shutdown 4 (2032–2034). Operating in the HL-LHC environment poses significant challenges to the design of the upgraded detector, and in particular to its tracking system. The primary and secondary vertices reconstruction will become more difficult due to the increase, by a factor of 7.5, of the average number of interactions per bunch crossing. The performance of the VErtex LOcator (VELO), which is the tracking detector surrounding the interaction region, is essential to the success of this Phase-II Upgrade. Data rates are especially critical for the LHCb full software trigger, and with the expected higher particle flux, the VELO Upgrade-II detector will have to tolerate a dramatically increased data rate: assuming the same hybrid pixel design and detector geometry, the front-end electronics (ASICs) of the VELO Upgrade-II will have to cope with rates as high as 8 Ghits/s, with the hottest pixels reaching up to 500 khits/s. With this input rate, the data output from the VELO will exceed 30 Tbit/s, with potentially a further increase if more information is added to the read-out. This paper outlines the challenges being addressed and the solutions under investigation for reading out the VELO sub-detector.

Development and validation of large-scale gas gun experiment and its simulation for evaluating impact resistance of electronic equipment

This study aimed to develop a structural analysis method to replace and validate large-scale gas gun tests for evaluating the impact resistance of electronic equipment. By measuring projectile's deceleration through experiments and simulations, stress and strain during collisions were quantified. It was demonstrated that optimizing projectile and electronic equipment designs could enhance impact resistance. Simulation results indicated that changes in projectile velocity and head angle led to variations in maximum deceleration and penetration depth, with decreasing the head angle proving more effective in reducing maximum deceleration. Comparisons between experimental and simulation results showed good agreement, particularly in plots between maximum deceleration and target collision depth. As the head angle increased, there was a tendency for maximum deceleration to increase and target penetration depth to decrease. Comparing peak deceleration curves from gas gun tests and simulations revealed similar trends, indicating consistent results. This research provides important information for evaluating the impact resistance of electronic equipment and demonstrates that combining experiments with simulations can yield more reliable results.

A versatile plasma generation power supply featuring a multilevel converter for arbitrary waveforms generation

Purpose Plasma technology has become of great interest in a wide variety of industrial and domestic applications. Moreover, the application of plasma in the domestic field has increased in recent years due to its applications to surface treatment and disinfection. In this context, there is a significant need for versatile power generators able to generate a wide range of output voltage/current ranging from direct current (DC) to tens of kHz in the range of kVs. The purpose of this paper is to develop a highly versatile power converter for plasma generation based on a multilevel topology. Design/methodology/approach This paper proposes a versatile multilevel topology able to generate versatile output waveforms. The followed methodology includes simulation of the proposed architecture, design of the power electronics, control and magnetic elements and test laboratory tests after building an eight-level prototype. Findings The proposed converter has been designed and tested using an experimental prototype. The designed generator is able to operate at 10 kVpp output voltage and 10 kHz, proving the feasibility of the proposed approach. Originality/value The proposed converter enables versatile waveform generation, enabling advanced studies in plasma generation. Unlike previous proposals, the proposed converter features bidirectional operation, allowing to test complex reactive loads. Besides, complex waveforms can be generated, allowing testing complex patterns for optimized cold-plasma generation methods. Besides, unlike transformer- or resonant-network-based approaches, the proposed generator features very low output impedance regardless the operating point, exhibiting improved and reliable performance for different operating conditions.

Theoretical prediction and regulation of interlayer stable angle in twisting bilayer graphene

Recent researches showed that interlayer rotation, as a control method, can effectively regulate the mechanical, electrical, and optical properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials. The control of the twisting angle and its stability influence the properties of rotation-tunable electronics, so it has attracted much attention. In this research, based on the Lennard-Jones (L-J) potential and energy density method, the energy landscape of twisted bilayer graphene (tBLG) is studied. The dependence of the locally stable twisting angle and the number of potential energy barriers on the size of the top layer graphene is analyzed. It is found that the size effect is related to the vertical distance between carbon atoms and the rotation axis. The large-sized top layer graphene has a larger energy barrier and higher stability under the same conditions, which is conducive to the structural stability of the rotation-tunable electronics. The vacancy defect and the shape of the top layer graphene have an effect on the energy landscape, based on which the regulation of stable twisting angle can be achieved. In addition, the effect of the position of the top layer graphene on the energy landscape is studied, and it is found that the energy landscape has a 2D periodicity with the change of the position, which is related to the lattice structure of graphene. There are two main modes of energy landscape with the variation of the position of top layer graphene, and the changing trend is similar under the same mode. Our research predicts the interlayer stable twisting angle theoretically and provides theoretical support for the design of rotation-tunable electronics.

The Genesis of AIbyAI Integrated Circuit: Where AI Creates AI

The typical Integrated Circuit (IC) development process commences with formulating specifications in natural language and subsequently proceeds to Register Transfer Level (RTL) implementation. RTL code is traditionally generated through manual efforts, using Hardware Description Languages (HDL) such as VHDL or Verilog. High-Level Synthesis (HLS), on the other hand, converts programming languages to HDL; these methods aim to streamline the engineering process, minimizing human effort and errors. Currently, Electronic Design Automation (EDA) algorithms have been improved with the use of AI, with new advancements in commercial (such as ChatGPT, Bard, among others) Large Language Models (LLM) and open-source tools presenting an opportunity to automate the chip design process. This paper centers on the creation of AIbyAI, a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) IC entirely developed by an LLM (ChatGPT-4), and its manufacturing with the first fabricable open-source Process Design Kit (PDK), SKY130A. The challenges, opportunities, advantages, disadvantages, conversation flow, and workflow involved in CNN IC development are presented in this work, culminating in the manufacturing process of AIbyAI using a 130 nm technology, marking a groundbreaking achievement as possibly the world’s first CNN entirely written by AI for its IC manufacturing with a free PDK, being a benchmark for systems that can be generated today with LLMs.