Are you eager to influence the next generation of wireless communications and integrated-circuits for car radars? Do you want to dive into the world of integrated circuits and invent ways to combine various concepts together to attain new levels of application performance?
This is a unique opportunity in which we would like to explore the possibilities of combining concepts from the fields of Phased-Arrays, Beamforming and Sigma-Delta (ΣΔ) modulator design, in order to enable the next generation of wireless links that are capable of spatial discrimination. We want to use the results of this research to create innovative demonstrators for the next generation of wireless links based on our original Integrated Circuits (IC) in modern CMOS processes.
In this position, you will combine your passion for analog and mixed-signal IC design with the state-of-the-art achievements from the fields of data converters, sigma-delta modulator architectures, and analog IC design. Your work will be closely aligned with the application via our close collaboration with NXP and leading experts in the field.
Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) is an internationally oriented research university, specialized in engineering, science and technology. TU/e is known for its major scientific impact and development of technological innovations. Our university is at the heart of society: TU/e focuses on complex societal challenges by specifically targeting three Strategic Areas with education and research: Energy, Health, and Smart Mobility.
The Department of Electrical Engineering (EE) is one of the most successful departments in the Netherlands in the field of research in collaboration with industry. The department currently has approximately 1200 Bachelor and Master students and more than 300 PhD students.
Responsibilities You are responsible for researching, developing and implementing key architectural and circuits related aspects of a sigma delta modulator for phased-array receivers with hybrid beamforming within the project 'Beamforming Enhancement by Adaptive MIMO Sigma-delta modulation (BEAMS)'. This project defines initial concepts for co-integrating the functions of beamforming and sigma delta modulations. We have already made the first test chips to prove these innovative concepts and now we are preparing for over-the-air measurements. Your responsibility will be to take over these activities and bring these to the next level - hybrid beamforming, larger phased arrays for better spatial selectivity, more efficient beamforming (BF) sigma-delta modulator (SDM) architectures that operates at even higher performance levels. Thus, we actively search now for suitable candidates, who are eager to assume responsibilities for answering key research questions, from an IC perspective, like:
- How can we link in the most optimal way the requirements of the application to the performance targets of the data converters?
- How can we optimize the conversion function of a whole MIMO BF SDM array in terms of SNDR, Bandwidth, power consumption?
- What is the most optimal architecture that realizes both functions of beamforming and sigma-delta modulation and does it make sense to integrate more functions into the architecture?
- How can we combine the MIMO and beamforming arrays? What is the most efficient way to realize hybrid beamforming?
The PhD research needs to be concluded in 4 years. A possible work plan with milestones can be:
- Year 1: requirement analysis, proposal and an initial proof of concept with measurements of our existing setup. Based on the lessons learned, propose an IC architecture for the next generation of this trajectory.
- Year 2: initial test chip and demo (relaxed requirements, lower speeds; mainly test interaction between BF and SDM ADC for a hybrid beamforming).
- Year 3 -4: final test chip and proof of concept (optimized requirements, high-speed operation).
- Year 4: PhD thesis and defense.