Bertrand Parvais is Scientific Director at imec and part-time Professor at Vrije Universiteit Brussels (VUB).
He received his electrical engineering and Ph.D. degrees from the Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, in 2000 and 2004, respectively. He joined imec as a device engineer, working on the characterization and modelling of transistors in advanced CMOS technologies for analog and RF applications. From 2009 to 2016, he was involved in the design of mixed-mode and millimetre-wave CMOS circuits. He then led the team responsible for transistor compact model and design-technology co-optimization (DTCO), including sustainability aspects. Since 2019, he has been leading the development of RF compound semiconductors on Si at imec.
He joined the Vrije Universiteit Brussels (VUB) in 2017 as guest professor; he is part-time professor since 2022.
Current research interests
Semiconductor sustainability
Climate change has attracted a great deal of attention in recent years, highlighting the side effects of human activities and calling for the development of a more sustainable way of life. While semiconductors can help various sectors reduce their energy consumption, their implementation has a certain footprint, as it consumes resources in the form of materials and energy. Our research activities aim to (i) evaluate sustainability indicators applied to the semiconductor industry and (ii) develop technological solutions compatible with minimal and limited resource consumption throughout their life cycle.
Advanced technologies for analog and RF applications
While the success of electronics relies largely on Silicon-based digital technologies, there are many circuits operating in the analog domain, particularly the communication circuits operating at radio frequencies (RF). If Si CMOS are used in the analog and RF domain, the specific material properties of compound semiconductors are also exploited in applications where Si fails to deliver the expected performance, e.g. wide-bandgap materials in power electronics, direct-bandgap in optics, and high mobility for high-speed communication. The fast-growing demand in consumer markets using compound semiconductors calls for an upscaling of their manufacturing beyond 6-inch wafer size, at an affordable cost. To meet these requirements, our current research aims to enable compound semiconductors to enter a CMOS fab. We are innovating for the development of GaN-on-Si technology for RF front-end-modules, including aspects related to manufacturing and device engineering. Advanced CMOS and alternative materials are also studied.
analog/RF transistor characterization and modelling, and Design-Technology Co-Optimization (DTCO)
Transistor modelling is essential to technological development, as improvements rely on a thorough understanding of the properties of the materials and the physics of the devices involved. Device modelling includes TCAD and compact models, as well as physical modelling of newly observed effects.
In turn, a good model relies on good measurements. As part of our research, we are developing advanced characterization techniques to understand transistor physics, including dynamics effects and reliability. Test benches combining DC, pulsed, and small- and large-signal RF excitations are being developed for the accurate evaluation of RF transistor characteristics.
Because technology development cannot be separated from its intended application, our work explores combinations of new transistors and new circuit topologies in order to achieve cutting-edge performance at the circuit level. Co-optimizing technology development with circuit design requires linking material properties to RF circuit characteristics by modelling and ad hoc methodologies.
Education
Nano-Electronic Devices and Technologies (5 credits) – titular