Smallest Ever On-Chip Low-Pass Filter Invented

The world’s smallest on-chip low pass filter is 1,000 times smaller than current off-chip filters. It has been designed effectively by a research team from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore.

The circuit that allows low-frequency signals to take across along with lowering unnecessary high-frequency signals from taking across is called a low-pass filter. In comparison to the current off-chip filters, which are separated and quite big, on-chip filters grab a little space on integrated circuit chips, which may be available in mobile devices such as cell phones, notebook computers, speed guns used to monitor traffic, as well as radars placed in vehicles.

Nanyang Technological University and Economic Development Board launched VIRTUS, a latest Integrated Circuit Design Centre of Excellence. The effectual accomplishment of this experiment project was declared just 10 months ago at the official opening of this new IC design centre of excellence.

Yeo Kiat Seng, head of circuits and systems at NTU's School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering is the main person behind this innovation. It is expected that the advancement in design for this filter will revolutionize wireless communication.

"This new low-pass filter can lead to a significant improvement in signal quality as it removes nearly all unwanted interferences and noise in the environment," said Professor Yeo.

"This results in clearer reception and enhanced clarity for mobile phone users and users of wireless applications such as Bluetooth and other mobile devices. For example, if you are speaking to your friend on your mobile phone in a noisy food centre or in a train, you would still be able to hear him clearly."

"The filter also consumes less power and can be easily incorporated into existing integrated circuit chips at almost no cost. This means that in addition to better signal quality, consumers enjoy lower power consumption without any additional cost," he included.

A new horizon has been uncovered because of the invention of the new filter which leads more research and development of high-performance integrated circuits and wireless communication products. With this filter, integrated circuit chips can come to latest applications for transmitting digital audio/video data (uncompressed) and fast wireless local area networks for instant wireless file transfer.