Aims and Fit of Module

Power integrated circuits (ICs) are playing an increasingly vital role in modern electrical energy systems, ranging from grid-level power conditioning to household energy management. In response to the fast development of low-carbon energy infrastructure, the skills of design and verification methodologies for power ICs need to be adopted into the system-on-chip (SoC) integrated circuits. Hence, this module is prepared to introduce featured power ICs including low dropout regulators, switching power converters, and switched capacitors, etc., which are among the important technologies to further improve the power conversion efficiency and optimize the battery lifetime, enabling higher reliability, high efficiency, and less power loss in energy harvesting systems.

Learning outcomes

A. Describe the circuit building blocks for general analog integrated circuits.
B. Understand the basic concepts of Low Dropout Regulators.
C. Understand the fundamentals of Switching Power Regulators and application on battery technologies.
D. Understand the concepts of Energy Harvesting System and its building circuit structures.
E. Understand the design process for integrated circuits in power management.

Method of teaching and learning

This module will be delivered through a combination of formal lectures, tutorials, and laboratory sessions.