Invited Speakers

CASS DL Talk: Boosting Energy Harvesting Efficiency: Innovations in CMOS Rectifier Techniques for Enhanced Power Conversion, Sensitivity, and Dynamic Range

Harikrishnan Ramiah
Universiti Malaya, Malaysia

Abstract: The increasing adoption of large-scale IoT networks and the saturation of ambient Radio Frequencies (RF) signals have made ambient RF Energy Harvesting (RFEH) a compelling solution for powering low-energy electronics. As manufacturers seek alternatives to battery-dependent systems, ambient RFEH offers a scalable and maintenance-free energy source. This presentation introduces the motivation behind the growing interest in ambient RFEH, its potential applications across various domains and the current limitations of existing works. To address these limitations, our lab has developed a series of enhanced rectifier techniques incorporating Gate Biasing, Body Biasing, Hybrid Biasing, and Reconfigurable designs which aim to improve harvesting efficiency across a wider range of operating conditions and input power levels. The effectiveness of these techniques are demonstrated with experimental results and design insights. The presentation concludes with a summary of our contributions and a discussion on future directions.

Biography: Prof. Ir. Dr. Harikrishnan Ramiah (Senior Member, IEEE) graduated with his Ph.D. degree in electrical and electronic engineering, in the field of analog and digital IC design. Prof. Ramiah held the position of Senior IC Designer for 3 years at SiresLabs Sdn. Bhd, Cyberjaya, ending in 2003, with a transfer to Intel Technology, Sdn. Bhd, Penang, as Senior Component Design Manager for the 5 years following. Currently he is a Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, working in the area of Analog IC Design, RF integrated circuit (RFIC), Power Management IC design and RF energy harvesting circuit design. He leads as head of the Center of Research Industry 4.0 (CRI 4.0) and the Analog, Digital, and RF Research Group (UMIC), at University of Malaya. During this period, he has authored or coauthored several articles in distinguished technical publications with much of his research output reported in highly reputable IEEE Transactions. Prof. Ramiah was the first from Malaysia in the field of Power Management IC Design, to be appointed Distinguished Lecture Presenter (DLP) by the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society, in the 75 years since its inception, He was a recipient of the Intel Fellowship Grant Award from 2000 to 2008 and has since received continuous international research funding in recognition of his work, from 2014 to 2025, such as the Motorola Foundation Grant. His active collaborative industry networks include Motorola Solutions, Infineon R&D, Nexperia R&D and Infinecs Systems, who provide relevant industrial insights for his research team.