Microsemi to Lead Multi-Disciplinary Consortium Tasked with Reducing CO Emissions

Microsemi (News - Alert) Corporation, a leading provider of semiconductor solutions for aerospace, defense and security, alternative energy and healthcare markets, recently announced its participation in the interdisciplinary SOI-HITS research consortium.  

The reduction of CO2 emissions is the ultimate goal of the research project SOI-HITS (Silicon on Insulator -- High Temperature Systems). The project is being funded by The European Union's Seventh Framework Program (FP7ICT) and is slated for completion by the end of August 2014.

SOI-HITS project will focus on developing CMOS-compatible high-temperature sensors for use in automotive combustion systems as well as in domestic or industrial boilers. The project is aimed at developing sensors with built-in electronic interface that can work in harsh high-temperature environments. The development of a high-temperature SIP (system in a package) will enable the technology companies to design on-chip processing electronics, including drive circuitry, filters, amplifiers, processing circuits and analog to digital interfaces that can operate at 225 degrees centigrade.

Aliso Viejo, Calif based Microsemi Corporation boasts of a comprehensive portfolio of semiconductor solutions which include high-performance, high-reliability analog and RF devices, mixed-signal and RF ICs, ultra low-power radios, customizable SoCs, FPGAs and complete subsystems. As the leader of the project, Microsemi will be responsible for high-temperature packaging and system integration activities.

Other participating consortium members include Cambridge University, Cambridge CMOS Sensors, Cissoid, Honeywell (News - Alert) Romania and IREC.

Cambridge CMOS Sensors will exploit the “revolutionary” smart technology for gas sensors developed by the Universities of Cambridge and Warwick. Cissoid will be responsible for designing a high-temperature, highly integrated, intelligent interface circuit for the gas sensor.  Honeywell Romania will be responsible for the demonstrator design and testing. IREC will be responsible for scientific research related to gas sensing structures, design, numerical simulations, test structure fabrication and sensing layer selection. The overall scientific coordination and technical leadership will be provided by Cambridge University.

Warwick University will be responsible for the characterization and testing of the gas sensors under harsh environmental conditions.

Université Catholique de Louvain will design and test a water vapor concentration sensor, a UV photodiode and associated interface electronic circuits, for high temperature operation.

Recently, Microsemi acquired the telecom clock generation, synchronization, packet timing and synthesis business from Maxim Integrated Products (News - Alert) for an undisclosed amount. The acquired product lines and technology were expected to help the company in its delivery of time-sensitive voice, data and multimedia traffic over wireless and wired networks, the company explained in an earlier release.