|
Computational Electromagnetics Laboratory
Semiconductor Processing Laboratory Sensor Networks & Wireless (SN*W) Laboratory |
Signal and Image Processing Laboratory
VLSI Design and Test Laboratory |
The Computational Electromagnetics Laboratory at the University of Vermont is an interdisciplinary research facility whose focus is on electromagnetic, optical and acoustic wave theory, computational techniques, asymptotic methods of analysis, and advanced materials properties. This laboratory has had over fifteen years of continuous external funding support from the United States Air Force Office of Scientific Research. Its’ teaching mission involves a variety of advanced research projects in electrical engineering, computer science and applied mathematics. Particular emphasis is on time-domain electromagnetics and optics in complex materials with applications to bioelectromagnetics, remote sensing and imaging, ground and foliage penetrating radar, and optical communication systems.
The laboratory is equipped with all the apparatus necessary to fabricatesolid state electronic devices. This list includes fume hood, spinner,ozone generator, bake oven, oxidation furnace, optical aligner, laminarflow hood, ellipsometer, profilometer, evaporator, DC sputterer, ball bonder,and dicer. The main thrust of research in the lab, however, is centeredaround the Electron Cyclotron Resonance-Plasma Enhanced Chemical VaporDeposition, (ECR-PECVD) Reactor. This apparatus is used to deposit thinfilms of epitaxial semiconductors and device quality dielectrics at lowtemperatures. Substrates can be temperature controlled from -130 to 500C while RF biased to 1,000 V.
The work in the laboratory is dedicated to the development and implementation of wireless sensor networks and the study of wireless propagation phenomena related to said networks. Wireless sensor systems have been/are being developed based on MicroStrain V-links, Crossbow Motes and Moteiv Tmote Sky hardware, Freescale MC13192/3, Chipcon 2420, and Cypress wireless USB evaluation systems, along with custom hardware platforms. The laboratory is equipped with digital and wireless communication test equipment. The digital communications equipment enables the investigation and development of various modulation techniques and assessment of system performance through 2.4 GHz. Additional RF test equipment enables the development and test of RF components and channels through 6.0 GHz. The laboratory also hosts a compact, reconfigurable channel emulator (CRCE) developed at UVM for the repeatable test of hardware in severe fading environments. [ find out more... ]
The Signal and Image Processing Laboratory is the real-time digital signal processor (DSP) lab. It is used for algorithm development, simulation, rapid prototyping, and code generation for embedded systems. The DSP Research Lab provides the capability for simulation, algorithm development, analysis, and visualization. The target for TI 6000 integrates MATLAB and Simulink with eXpressDSP tools and C6000 processor. Supporting software includes Link for Code Composer Studio, Real-Time Workshop, Embedded Target for TI6000, and Fixed-Point Tool Box.
The VLSI Design and Test Laboratory focuses on developing methodologies, algorithms, techniques and tools for design, verifying, testing and synthesizing deep sub-micron (DSM) system-on-chip (SOC) devices. Our current research interests are in the following areas: phase noise and timing jitter analysis and reduction in RF systems; testing of heterogeneous, component-based system-on-chip devices; mixed signal circuit built-in self-testing; and FPGA applications in mixed signal and RF circuit testing. The lab is equipped with a LeCroy WaveRunner 6100 Digital Oscilloscope (4-channel), an Agilent 54622D Mixed Signal Oscilloscope, an Agilent 1683A Logic Analyzer, an Agilent 6824A System DC Power Supply, Altera and Xilinx FPGA development kits, Complete Cadence IC Development tools, and other test instruments. Funding sources for the VLSI Design and Test Laboratory include IBM and Vermont EPSCoR.