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Published on: August 2, 2013
A low power MICS band phase-locked loop for high resolution retinal prosthesis
Jiawei Yang1, Efstratios Skafidas
1National ICT Australia and the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. jiayang@unimelb.edu.au
IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Circuits and Systems
|July 30, 2013
Summary
This study presents a novel micro-power data link for retinal prostheses operating at 400 MHz. It achieves ultra-low power consumption using subthreshold FET operation in a Medical Implant Communication Service (MICS) transceiver, crucial for implantable devices.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Integrated Circuit Design
- Low-Power Electronics
Background:
- Ultra-low power dissipation is critical for biomedical implants like retinal prostheses.
- Existing low-power transceivers primarily use low-frequency inductive links, limiting higher-frequency applications.
- High-frequency, multichannel transceivers, such as those in the Medical Implant Communication Service (MICS) band, face challenges with high power consumption.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and implement micro-power data links at 400 MHz for high-resolution retinal prostheses.
- To explore the use of subthreshold FET operation for low-power, high-frequency transceiver design.
- To develop a low-power MICS band multichannel phase-locked loop (PLL) for biomedical implant communication.
Main Methods:
- Utilized advanced small-geometry CMOS technology (65-nm) and precise transistor-level modeling.
- Implemented subthreshold Field-Effect Transistor (FET) operation in a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) and digital synchronous dividers.
- Employed the EKV model for parameter extraction and presented a detailed design methodology.
Main Results:
- Successfully implemented a low-power MICS band multichannel PLL consuming only 430 μW from a 1-V supply.
- Achieved 600-mVpp quadrature oscillations with a phase noise of -102 dBc/Hz at a 200-kHz offset.
- The designed PLL, with a core area of 0.54 mm², meets MICS band specifications while significantly reducing power.
Conclusions:
- The developed micro-power data link and PLL are suitable for high-resolution retinal prostheses, addressing the critical need for low power consumption.
- Subthreshold FET operation, despite historical frequency limitations, can be effectively utilized for high-frequency, low-power MICS band transceivers.
- This design demonstrates a significant advancement in power reduction for implantable communication systems.
