What is the first step in creating a new microsystem?Two possible potential starting points for planning microsystems are:
- You already have a running system and you just want to make it small and/or cheaper
- You have a new idea of a microsystem which does not exist yet
Transferring a discretely implemented system into a single chip solution often requires a completely new design of the system. This is due to the fact that no large capacitor values can be realized on chip and there are tolerances of resistors and capacitors in the range of 20% to 30%.
Therefore, system partitioning based on functional blocks with detailed specification of the blocks is needed for system design. We support your engineering team with our integration know how to modify the system for integrability.
What is the special aspect in simulating microsystems?Simulation is an aid during the design phase to optimize the planned system. On the one hand, simulation should be fast but on the other hand it should be realistic enough to allow accurate predictions of the real system's behaviour. In conjunction with microsystems there are some additional aspects which can complicate system simulation:
- Complexity of systems with analog and digital parts
- Interactions between sensors and actuators within the system
- Need of simulation of several sensors together with the system
- Noise limits may require novel system designs
- Simulation of large bandwidth systems requires very large simulation times.
We are able to simulate systems in time and frequency domain (Spectre, Hspice, Pspice, MDS). We are free in simulating systems at low (highly realistic) or high level (short simulation times). Especially in order to extract statistical data from system simulations, the simulation level must be evaluated very carefully to achieve short simulation times in conjunction with adequate accuracy.
What is a feasibility study?If you plan to realize a new sort of microsystem, we recommend to check whether the system has a good or a poor chance to be realized. This check is called a feasibility study of the system. During this feasibility study we check all potentially critical points of the system.
- Sensor signals (accuracy, bandwidth, noise, ..)
- Signal conditioning (accuracy, bandwidth, noise, ..)
- Power consumption
- Estimation of chip size (-> costs !)
- ...
Such a study aims at clearing the critical points. As a result, a safer decision can be made whether to proceed with the design phase or to look for alternate realizations. Particularly in projects with high development costs a feasibility study is strongly recommended and includes in most cases a simulation of the whole microsystem.
If you want, we can make a feasibility study of your microsystem or just support your engineering team in doing so.
