UA Engineers New, Rugged Circuits Poised to Impact Multiple Industries
by June 13, 2014 2:45 pm 236 views
Researchers at the University of Arkansas Department of Engineering have designed an integrated circuit that can withstand very high temperatures, and they say it will improve the operation of equipment within a variety of industries.
The technology will improve the functioning of processors, drivers, controllers and other circuits used to power equipment like electronics, automobiles and aerospace equipment, all of which are often exposed to harsh conditions, according to a press release from the UA. The new circuits can withstand temperatures up to 350 degrees Celsius or about 660 degrees Fahrenheit, without requiring extra equipment to remove heat.
The team combined wide-temperature design techniques with the use of silicon carbide, a semiconducting material that is more rugged than conventional materials used in electronics, according to the press release.
“This ruggedness allows these circuits to be placed in locations where standard silicon-based parts can’t survive,” Alan Mantooth, distinguished professor in electrical engineering, said in the press release. “The circuit blocks we designed contributed to superior performance of signal processing, controllers and driver circuitry.”
The new circuits can be used to power electronic convertors or motor drives through which one-third of all power produced in the U.S. must pass before reaching the user, Mantooth said. They also will improve the electrical efficiency while reducing the size and complexity of these systems.
The research team that developed the circuits is out of the Arkansas Circuit Design Center, which is made up of two labs, led by Mantooth (executive director) and Jia Di, professor of computer engineering.
The government-funded design center is one of only a few of its kind that is investigating electronic systems to make the nation’s power grid more reliable and efficient. The center also is tasked with the development renewable technologies, according to the press release.
It works in partnership with two companies: Ozark Integrated Circuits, which is commercializing the technology, and Arkansas Power Electronics International, which focuses on using the circuits in power applications.
The project is part of a larger research program funded by the National Science Foundation.