Inverters are devices typically used in solar power generation systems to convert electric current to a more useful type, but are prone to failure and are the main cause of malfunction in solar power systems. Using transformer-less (TL) inverters is a desirable alternative because of their higher efficiency, lower size, and lower cost. However, TL inverters...

Background Deep neural networks (DNNs) have been used in many different applications in recent years for pattern recognition and data mining, and are widely considered to be the dominant algorithmic framework in machine learning. However, DNNs are computationally and energetically intensive algorithms that perform billions of floating-point operations...

Background Data converters act as gatekeepers between analog and digital formats, translating information between the physical world and computing devices. Analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) specifically convert analog signals to digital numbers, where information can be processed, analyzed, and stored in digital format for human consumption. Many...

Background Electronic devices that use clocks (e.g., smartphones, cars, GPS) require stability of timing reference signals. For wireless and wireline communications applications, short-term clock stability is an important factor, and long-term stability is less of a concern due to periodic synchronizations between the radio nodes. Short-term clock...

Background Monolithic wide band gap power semiconductors capable of four quadrant operation (blocking bidirectional voltage and carrying bidirectional current) are emerging and becoming commercially available. Four-quadrant devices have historically been referred to as “Bidirectional Switches” (BDSs), and they have been implemented using...

Background Filtering capacitors are ubiquitous components used in power conversion and conditioning for electronic devices, industrial power supplies, electrified transportation, and renewable energy generation. Aluminum electrolytic capacitors (AECs) have typically been used for these applications, particularly when large capacitance (>10µF)...

Synchronous logic remains the dominant design paradigm of digital systems such as Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs). The conventional design of sequential circuit networks is based on the assumption that every register receives the clock signal at the same time. However, guaranteeing the simultaneity of clock arrival times in practice...

Power converters convert electrical energy (e.g., convert alternating current (AC) into direct current (DC) and vice versa, change the voltage or frequency of current, or do some combination thereof). Transformers are key components in power converters and transfer electrical energy from one electrical circuit to another circuit or multiple circuits....

Analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) act as gatekeepers between physical world (analog) and data analytics (digital). In the IoT era of connected edge devices sensing various physical quantities for analysis in the cloud, ADCs need to have both high resolution (14-16 bits) and high energy efficiency at µW level power. High resolution data conversion...

Background Metallic films are commonly used as interconnects in semiconductor devices, flexible electronic devices, and micro-electronic-mechanical systems (MEMS). These applications typically require good mechanical (e.g., high strength) and electrical (e.g., low resistivity) properties. Nanocrystalline or nanolaminate films are commonly used, and...