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Electrical and Computer Engineering

J. DAVID IRWIN, DEPARTMENT HEAD

AUBURN UNIVERSITY ELECTROMAGNETICS MODELING AND ANALYSIS GROUP (AUEMAG)

The Auburn University Electromagnetics Modeling and Analysis Group develops modeling techniques for electromagnetic simulations, antennas, scattering, millimeter wave detectors, high-frequency interconnects, and for S-parameter measurements of silicon-germanium heterojunction bipolar transistors.

Facilities consist of the Microwave Antenna and RCS Measurements Laboratory, the GHz Measurements Laboratory, and computational facilities, which include networked Sun SPARCstations. The Microwave Antenna and RCS Measurements Laboratory consists of an anechoic chamber adjacent to an RF-SHIELDED instrument room. The GHz Measurements Laboratory has a vector network analyzer with a temperature-controlled microwave probing station for measuring chip-level devices, and a test fixture for making package-level measurements.

DIGITAL SYSTEMS RESEARCH LABORATORIES

Researchers are developing VLSI circuits and digital systems using the Sun Workstation network's CAD tools that support schematic capture, VHDLmodeling, simulation, test vector generation, and layout and routing of VLSI circuits, multichip modules (MCM), and printed circuit boards. Rapid prototyping of digital circuits using programmable logic devices is also supported.

New algorithms are being developed to generate tests for ICs and to estimate the percentage of faults in an IC that a test can detect. To support MCM design engineers, a computer program is being developed to determine the cost effectiveness of MCM testability features and test procedures.

Novel programming techniques and parallel processing are used to simulate physical systems, specifically neural networks and fuzzy logic-based real-time systems, such as speech and image processing, motor and power system control, robotics, and particle behavior in plasma processing. New programs and methods for multimedia instruction, image compression, and video conferencing are also being developed.