A Real-Time Thermal Monitoring System Intended for Embedded Sensors Interfaces.

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
• Materials Science and Engineering
• Thermal Management in Microelectronics

Background:

• Industrial sensor interfaces are complex analog/mixed-signal systems susceptible to thermal variations.
• High-power density and thermal gradients in advanced integrated circuits (ICs), like 5G components, necessitate real-time thermal monitoring.
• Predicting transient temperature gradients, thermal shocks, and stresses is crucial for IC design and reliability.

Discussion:

• A novel real-time thermal monitoring and prediction algorithm is proposed for embedded integrated sensor interfaces.
• The algorithm utilizes discrete temperature measurements to forecast potential overheating situations in ICs.
• Validation was performed using the MCUXpresso tool on a Freescale embedded sensor board (FRDM-KL26Z) and compared with finite element analysis (NISA tool).

Key Insights:

• The algorithm accurately predicts thermal peaks and detects overheating in the FRDM-KL26Z board.
• Demonstrated capability to anticipate thermal events, enabling proactive management of thermomechanical stresses.
• FPGA implementation and comparison measurements confirm the algorithm's effectiveness for real-time thermal management.

Outlook:

• Provides a viable solution for mitigating thermal stresses and localized overheating in integrated sensor interfaces.
• Applicable to the design of ICs in high-performance technologies and harsh operating environments.
• Enhances the reliability and longevity of advanced electronic systems facing complex thermal challenges.