Public Research Projects

The FITNESS (Flexible InteligenT NEar-field Sensing Skins) project consists in realizing smart flexible surfaces with sparse electronics, using advanced electromagnetic “metasurface antennas”. One of UCLouvain’s main roles is the design and implementation of the mm-wave front-end sensing and communication electronic components, designed in SOI technologies targeting low power. The design experience gained by UCLouvain in advanced SOI technologies during Beyond5 directly impacted this role as part of the FITNESS consortium, with in particular our developed expertise concerning mm-wave LNA and mixer design being invaluable for the objectives of the FITNESS project.

HORIZON-EIC-2022          GA No.: 101098996          website

The ARCTIC (Advanced Research on Cryogenic Technologies for Innovative Computing) project aims to develop scalable cryogenic ICT microsystems and control technology for quantum processors. UCLouvain will participate in the extraction and development of multi-scale physics and data-driven models, cryogenic PDK modelling, device characterization and circuit design activities, that all aim to support the development of cryogenic microelectronics. UCLouvain will focus on FD-SOI MOSFET behaviour at cryogenic temperatures in collaboration with ST-Microelectornics, Imec, CEA-Leti , and more, and our UCLouvain team will bring will apply our knowledge on  thermal aspects (self-heating and thermal coupling) to Arctic realizations.

HORIZON-KDT-JU-2023-IA        GA No.: 101182297        website

Indium Phosphide (InP) has outstanding and unique capabilities to surpass other technologies in terms of high-frequency performance. Today, InP is only adopted in niche markets because of its costly and scarce substrates. Move2THz will transform the InP platform and build a fully integrated European value chain providing commercially attractive, ecology-friendly, mass-market technologies suitable for sub-THz frequency operation and beyond. To achieve this, Move2THz will radically innovate the manufacturing process by establishing a breakthrough InP-on-silicon (InPoSi) global standard. This facilitates to upscale the wafer size & volume compatible with CMOS manufacturing capacities, while minimizing the use of rare InP resources and ecological footprint. UCLouvain’s role in the project will be to provide on-wafer high-frequency characterization of RF devices, as well as studying the performances of the innovative engineered InPoSi substrates, along with designing  sub-THz front-end circuits to showcase the capabilities of the newly developed technologies.

HORIZON-KDT-JU-2023-2-RIA        GA No.: 101139842        website

The SOIL (Solidify the European FD-SOI Ecosystem Accelerating its Industrial Deployment) project aims to accelerate the implementation of semiconductor manufacturing based on FD-SOI technology, building and securing the European semiconductor value chain from material to system. The objectives are to add new features to existing FD-SOI platforms and also to prepare for the development of the next generations of FD-SOI. UCLouvain’s role in this project is twofold. First, we will provide wideband on-wafer characterization and parameter extraction of newly developed devices and substrates in SOIL. Secondly, we will design front-end mm-wave circuits to explore in practice and showcase how performance gains at the device/substrate-level translate into gains at the circuit-level. Various characterization and extraction techniques, as well as device-insight, obtained and developed through our prior research experience in SOI will be directly applicable to the SOIL project.

HORIZON-KDT-JU-IA          GA No.: 101139785          website

UCLouvain is a member of the FAMES (FD-SOI pilot line for Applications with non-volatile embedded Memories, RF & 3D integration, to ensure European Sovereignty) project, that focusses on the practical development of the most advanced generations of FD-SOI technology to date: the 10 nm and 7 nm nodes. Among other features, these technologies target the inclusion of RF and mm-wave devices right from the onset of their development. UCLouvain will participate to this objective by bringing our expertise in device understanding to the consortium, aiding in the design of RF layouts and appropriate test structures for high-frequency measurements, deembedding and model extractions.

CHIPS-JU          GA No.: 101098996          website