Qiang Li (Hamburg University of Technology, Germany)
Title: Common-Mode Replication for High-Impedance Sensor Interfaces
Abstract: Interfacing with high-impedance sensors, e.g., dry-contacted electrodes, accelerometers, etc., requires high CMRR with sufficient input impedance concurrently. The system CMRR is determined by the CMRR of the front-end amplifier as well as the imbalance of source impedance; the latter has to be accommodated by large input common-mode impedance. This talk presents a compact solution exploiting a dedicated CM loop which replicates the input CM voltage along with the DM signal, creating a unity-gain CM path which prevents any CM current flow, improving CMRR and input common-mode impedance simultaneously. A brief comparison between the CMR and traditional CMFB techniques will be discussed.
Biography: Qiang Li is a Professor and head of the Institute of Integrated Circuits and Systems (IICS), Hamburg University of Technology, Germany. He received the Ph.D. from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, in 2007, and has been working in industry and academia in Singapore, Denmark and China. His research interests are in the area of analog/mixed-signal design for data converters, sensor/biomedical interfaces, and efficient signal processing. Prof. Li serves/served as a member of TPC of ISSCC, CICC, ESSCIRC, ASSCC, Distinguished Lecturer of SSCS, etc.
Piero Malcovati (University of Pavia, Italy)
Title: Ultra-Low Power, High-Resolution Sigma-Delta Modulators for Multi-Sensor Platforms
Abstract: The design of high-resolution ADCs for sensor applications is becoming quite challenging, since, with the advent of IoT applications the power budged is becoming extremely limited. This work presents a discrete-time, single-bit second-order Sigma-Delta Modulator (SDM), with 1-kHz bandwidth, a dynamic range (DR) larger than 110 dB, and a sampling frequency of 4 MHz, which exploits a number of specific techniques to minimize the power consumption. A prototype, integrated in a 65-nm CMOS technology, achieves a measured DR as large as 112 dB with a power consumption of only 240 µW, of which only 163 µW are static. The achieved Schreier figure-of-merit (FoM) of 178 dB is better than state-of-the-art SDM and competes with Zoom ADCs (FoMs around 180 dB), which, however, require a complex digital correction in order to reach an acceptable linearity.
Biography: Piero Malcovati graduated in Electronic Engineering from University of Pavia, Italy, in 1991. He received the Ph. D. degree in Electrical Engineering from ETH Zurich in 1996. From 1996 to 2001 he has been Assistant Professor and from 2002 to 2017 Associate Professor at the Department of Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering of University of Pavia. From 2017 he is Full Professor in the same institution. His research activities are focused on microsensor interface circuits, power electronics circuits, and high-performance data converters. He was and still is member of the Technical Program Committees for several International Conferences, including ISSCC, ESSCIRC, SENSORS, ICECS, and PRIME and he was and still is member of the Editorial Board of several Journals.
Francesco Diazzi (Bosch Sensortec GmbH, Germany)
Title: Beyond Closed-Loop Architectures: Delivering High Performance in Power Constrained Gyroscopes
Abstract: The proliferation of consumer electronics, from smartphones and wearables to augmented reality systems, has established a roadmap for consumer-grade gyroscopes that is not only cost-effective but also operate with high power efficiency. This demanding market landscape continuously pushed evolutionary leaps in gyroscope architectures. We have witnessed a strategic transition from the historically automotive robust closed-loop systems to innovative open-loop designs. This architectural shift, however, has not come at the expense of crucial performance. Rather, it has necessitated ingenious engineering to maintain and even enhance the high-performance characteristics vital for accurate and reliable motion sensing across a myriad of applications. This system-level perspective will illustrate how choices made in the analog signal conditioning directly influence the requirements and capabilities of digital filtering and calibration, highlighting the necessity of a truly holistic and co-optimized design strategy.
Biography: Francesco Diazzi is since 2021 Senior ASIC Development Manager at Bosch Sensortec GmbH, where he is leading ASIC design, verification and testing activities. He has been designing for more then a decade analog frontend circuits and mixed-signal architectures for gyroscopes sensors, present in several inertial measurements units product generations released for the consumer market. In 2013 he was sensing system engineer at Apple Inc., where he contributed to motion and environmental sensors specification and integration for the end-user products. He started his analog designer career in 2011 at STMicroelectronics, developing magnetometers sensors frontends. He is author of a dozen on patents on gyroscope frontends and holds a M.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering from Denmark Technical University (2010) and an M.Sc. degree in Electronic Engineering from Politecnico di Milano (2011).
Giulio Ricotti (STMicroelectronics, Italy)
Title: Echography System evolution and HV Ultrasound Drivers
Abstract: The talk begins with a technical introduction to the evolution of ultrasound echography systems, from preliminary images to 4D imaging techniques. It then provides an overview of 200 V silicon technology that enables high-voltage integrated circuit (HV IC) design for the transmission path. The presentation includes an analysis of pulse and linear driving, as well as high-voltage multiplexers, focusing on transmit (TX) beamforming. The talk concludes with a discussion of the design challenges involved in integrating thousands of high-voltage channels while maintaining very high signal quality and ultralow power requirements.
Biography: Giulio Ricotti earned his Electronics Engineering degree and joined ST in 1994 as a design engineer in their Smart Power (SP) products group. Currently he is Senior Design Director and Technical Staff Company Fellow, Giulio has more than 85 patents and has authored more than 90 publications and conferences. Giulio has also been awarded the “Premio dei Premi” in 2009 by the Italian president Giorgio Napolitano for his crucial contribution to innovation with the 4D ultrasound imaging project that is used today all over the world for pregnancy and cardiology screenings.
Johannes Janschitz (Infineon Technologies, Austria)
Title: Advanced Interface Circuits for Magnetic Sensors
Abstract: This presentation covers advanced magnetic sensor interface circuits for coreless current and position sensing, combining analog, digital, and digitally assisted signal processing to achieve high dynamic range, robustness against stray fields, and immunity to mechanical stress. A hybrid current sensor using coil and Hall paths is presented with multi-loop chopper ripple feedback that suppresses chopping artifacts, enabling a 10 MHz bandwidth with ~1% frequency-response flatness. Digital assisted signal processing ensures accurate ratiometric-to-VDD output, while analog/digital compensation corrects temperature and mechanical stress effects. Further interfaces include chopped continuous-time ΣΔ and hybrid ADCs for a dual-channel Hall sensor targeting functional safety, as well as a stray-field-robust Hall angle sensor. The angle sensor employs an orthogonal differential Sin/Cos Hall arrangement with a chopped, tracking continuous-time ΣΔ-ADC, local stress compensation, and digital multi-loop offset ripple feedback to maintain low output ripple under chopping. A linear Hall interface exploits an analog multiplying replica circuit to enforce precise ratiometric-to-VDD behavior together with mechanical stress and temperature compensation, combined with chopping/spinning and analog offset-ripple feedback loops for low-noise operation.
Biography: Johannes Janschitz is a Lead Principal Engineer and Team Manager at Infineon Technologies, where he drives innovation in analog and mixed‑signal ICs for Magnetic Sensors and Power Management circuits. Since 2010, he has been working on various magnetic, linear position, angular, and current sensor solutions, advanced methods in AMS modeling, continuous‑time SD-ADCs, and chopping‑based offset reduction. Johannes earned his MSc (2010) and BSc (2007) in Telematics/Electronic Engineering from the Technical University of Graz. In 2008 he expanded his education through the Erasmus program at NTNU Trondheim, with coursework in analog CMOS, SoC Design, and Information security. Combining deep technical expertise with leadership, he guides teams on high‑performance, robust sensor architectures for automotive and industrial applications.
Daniele Perenzoni (Sony Semiconductor Solutions Europe, Italy)
Title: Time-to-Digital Converters for LiDAR and Advanced Sensing Applications
Abstract: This talk explores Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC) architectures and design considerations for direct Time-of-Flight (dTOF) LiDAR systems and related sensing applications. It provides insights into some of the analog and mixed-signal design challenges encountered in high-precision time measurement for consumer, automotive and industrial contexts. The discussion begins with an overview of TDC fundamentals and performance metrics such as resolution, DNL, INL, precision, and dynamic range. Various architecture approaches are then explored, including counter-based, current-starved delay lines, gated ring oscillators, and other topologies. Key design challenges are addressed, focusing on jitter sources, PVT robustness, and calibration strategies. SPAD integration aspects are also covered, including interface design considerations and event detection. Finally, applications ranging from automotive LiDAR and 3D imaging to proximity sensing and augmented reality are briefly examined. The talk includes examples from practical implementations and real-world design experiences, offering perspectives on developing TDC solutions for modern sensing systems.
Biography: Daniele Perenzoni received his M.Sc. in Electronic Engineering from the University of Padova in 2012. Since 2011, he has been with FBK in the IRIS group, working on SPAD image sensors and THz readout design. His responsibilities include analog IC design, IC characterization, modeling, and system prototype design. In 2017, he moved to Zurich to join ams OSRAM (formerly Heptagon Oy) as an Analog IC Designer. There, he focused on iToF chip architecture and block design, as well as dToF IC architecture and block design. In the last two years of his tenure, he worked on 3D system architecture definition for both illuminator and camera system products across iToF, dToF, structured light, and active stereo vision systems for consumer applications. In November 2021, he joined Sony Semiconductor Solutions Europe as a Senior Analog IC Designer. His main focus is on designing various analog blocks for advanced imaging and sensing applications, as well as providing technical leadership for chip design development.