Design methodologies and digital circuit implementation for 3DIC wireless sensor node (WSN) system

• Main Author: Lan, Jingjing
• Other Authors: Liu Xin
• Format: Theses and Dissertations
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Electrical and electronic engineering::Integrated circuits
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/50626
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

In recent years, there is a great deal of interest in the three-dimensional integrated circuit (3D IC). By stacking multiple active device layers with vertical interconnect, 3D IC technology provides great opportunities for designers to meet power and performance requirements. In this research, the innovative 3D IC technology is employed as a basic tool. In addition to the conventional horizontal dimension, active devices are stacked in the vertical dimension in 3D IC technology. The additional degree of connectivity in the vertical dimension enables circuit designers to replace long horizontal wires with short vertical interconnects, so that delay, power consumption, and area can be reduced. The design problem of miniaturized wireless sensor node has been explored and a digital core design in wireless sensor node is proposed in this work. The design aims to provide an efficient solution for recording users’ bio-vital data, as well as to transmit, extract and deposit the information on the platform. This capability serves to monitor the progression of chronic diseases. The 3D architecture for a wireless sensor node will be discussed in-depth and the impact of 3D-integration technology on conventional digital circuit design will be demonstrated in this project too. Through silicon via (TSV) based 3D integration technology is employed as the vertical interconnect methodology. The proposed design methodologies described in this thesis are intended to strengthen the 3D design capabilities, making this fascinating technology a promising solution for future integrated systems. Functional tests were conducted to validate the overall systems usability and modularity and the measured results proved that reliable data transfer and continuous bio-vital data monitoring can be consistently achieved. The measured results validated the approaches chosen, and verified that the system is useful in patient monitoring application. The next phase of the work will be to implement the proposed digital core design in 3D wireless sensor node in field programmable gate array (FPGA).