The Apsel Lab group is a research group led by Professor Alyssa Apsel with interests broadly within the field of high performance analog and mixed signal integrated circuits and systems. Since our inception, our research has been guided by a unifying core objective: the scaling of integrated circuit technology. These new discoveries, while opening the door for many possibilities, creates many interesting problems and new research challenges at the system level and the circuit level. To address some of the system level challenges, we have explored a variety of issues related to high speed/high bandwidth optical interconnects as an alternative to electrical interconnects at the board and chip level. At the circuit and systems level, we have also examined issues of power minimization in a variety of communication and sensing circuits and systems. At the circuit-level, we have begun a promising investigation into design techniques to reduce the impact of process variation in analog and mixed signal circuits.
Some of the most exciting new opportunities for the future of mixed signal design lie in the vision of ubiquitous electronics that blend seamlessly into everyday life. Enabling these self-powered, autonomous systems requires the discovery of new efficiencies and functionalities within an already very well understood platform of electronics. By exploiting system-level efficiencies and reducing over-design through a blend of digital and analog circuit design, our group has been able to pursue some of the most current and exciting developments in the field.
Current Research Topics Include:
- Ultra-Low Power Radio Networks
- Novel RF Structures
- Open-source EDA Tools
- Micron-Scale Robotics