Advanced integrated detection and monitoring techniques for failure prediction and reliability improvement of on-chip and high-density packaged DC-DC converters.

This research will be conducted in collaboration with a major avionics equipment supplier. It will pursue innovative avenues for improving the reliability and predicting potential failures of electronic components and subcircuits in highly integrated DC-DC converters on semiconductor chips and in SiP (System-in-Package) packages for safety-critical avionics systems. The techniques will be based on integrated long-term continuous detection and monitoring functions, while the equipment is used in the application domain. The research will be conducted at the ÉTS LACIME laboratory, in an environment that deeply values ​​equity, diversity and inclusion, fostering a welcoming space for all researchers. 

The main objective is to study and implement digital, analog and mixed-signal circuit techniques to apply detection and monitoring functions to critical components and subcircuits within the SiP, as well as behavioral models for detecting performance drifts over time. Hybrid approaches using circuit techniques and behavioral modeling will be combined in a synergistic operation, as part of an overall process aimed at improving the accuracy of fault detection, and thus improving reliability. Test benches, performance characterization and automated calibration will be developed in the laboratory specifically for the validation of the proposed techniques.