José Epifânio da Franca

José Epifânio da Franca

Scientific Journey

Scientific at a Glance

Contribution

Throughout his scientific career, José Epifânio da Franca contributed to the advancement of analog and mixed-signal integrated circuit design, particularly in the areas of Switched-Capacitor (SC) circuits and systems, multirate signal processing, data-conversion architectures and design automation methodologies and tools. He was an avid contributor to the development of SC technology, particularly in CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor), driven by the need to achieve the ultimate levels of electronic integration for large scale semiconductor manufacturing. His work brought together original research, research-group building, international collaboration, industrial R&D, and technology transfer, contributing to both advanced academic knowledge and practical engineering applications.

Dr. Franca scientific journey was marked not only by extensive scientific publications, but also by the creation of research capacity, collaboration with leading European and US companies, participation in major European collaborative programs, patented semiconductor innovations, and the training and mentoring of new generations of researchers and engineers in semiconductor integrated circuit design.

The enduring legacy of Dr. Franca scientific journey culminated in the creation of the leading-edge semiconductor startup (Chipidea) that pioneered the semiconductor intellectual property industry at a global level. Headquartered in Portugal, he
established the necessary home grown professional conditions to tame and then reverse the (unacceptable) brain drain of talented semiconductor engineers his university-based group was producing.

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Impact

200+ Scientific Publications

Books, book chapters, journal papers, refereed international conference publications, and technical reports in microelectronics and signal processing.

International Research Leadership

The creation of Chipidea laid down the foundations for the development of a talent-driven semiconductor industry in Portugal that is today home to 1,000+ design engineers and 10+ semiconductor companies, national and multinational.

Major International Research Programs

Leadership and participation in collaborative initiatives including ESPRIT, EUREKA, EUCLID, CERN, and multiple industry-funded semiconductor research projects.

Patented Semiconductor Innovations

Co-inventor of patented integrated circuit architectures and signal processing systems developed through academic and industrial research collaborations.

Doctoral Training and Academic Mentorship

Supervision, co-supervision, and examination of numerous Ph.D. and Master’s researchers in microelectronics and signal processing, many of whom later pursued careers in academia and the global semiconductor industry.

Home Grown Talent-driven Semiconductor Industry

Supervision, co-supervision, and examination of numerous Ph.D. and Master’s researchers in microelectronics and signal processing, many of whom later pursued careers in academia and the global semiconductor industry.

Early Research

Early Research

In 1979, José Franca was awarded a part-time research studentship funded by INIC (Instituto Nacional de Investigação Científica), focused on the design of high-quality RC-active filters for implementation using hybrid integrated circuit technology.

Subsequently, until 1982, he deepened and expanded his research on high-quality RC-active filters. Notable contributions include a filter design for the 28–32 kHz channel in FDM (Frequency Division Multiplexing) transmission systems then under development at CET-Aveiro (Centro de Estudos de Telecomunicações). It was also based on this research work that he submitted a Thesis for the Scientific Capacity Examination at Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), giving him access to pursue higher- level academic studies conducting to the Ph.D. degree.

In the summer of 1981, José Franca completed a research internship at the Department of Electrical Engineering, Imperial College of Science and Technology, London, where he designed a preliminary switched-capacitor filter for PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) transmission systems. This internship and subsequent work at Imperial College laid down the foundations for his enrolment as a Ph.D. student with the sponsorship of British Telecom, from 1983 to 1985.

Late 1982, just before the beginning of his Ph.D. program, José Franca engaged in a short research project for the Admiralty Underwater Research Establishment, UK, focusing on the design of monolithic integrated filters using bipolar technology. The outcome of this project led to his first international publication at IEEE ISCAS’83 (International Symposium on Circuits and Systems), Newport Beach, California, USA.. It was an unforgettable experience that shaped for ever his international mindset and global participation, in academia and in industry.

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The Ph.D. Years

The Ph.D. Years

From January 1983 to June 1985, with the sponsorship of British Telecom, José Epifânio da Franca enrolled at Imperial College of Science and Technology, London, as a Ph.D. Research Student in a research group specialising in microelectronic filters. For his outstanding academic performance and research contributions, he was awarded the prestigious ORS (Overseas Research Student) Award in both academic years, 1983/84 and 1984/85.

His work explored the theoretical framework of digital signal processing for the implementation of highly efficient ultra narrowband analog switched-capacitor bandpass filter systems to be deployed in submarine cable repeaters. His proposal of frequency- translated sub-sampled analog systems, which was awarded a USA Patent, established the framework for the development of fully integrated mobile front-ends.

In the summer of 1986, while back at Imperial College for a short post doctoral assignment, he served as a consultant to British Telecom Research Laboratories and conducted a feasibility study for the implementation a 16-channel spectral analyser in monolithic Integrated Circuit (IC) technology for speech recognition systems.

In that same period, he also undertook a short-term consultancy project with the UK Admiralty Underwater Research Establishment consisting in the investigation of a new generation of analog sampled-data decimation circuits using switched- capacitor techniques for PCM system interfaces.

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Scientific Leadership and Research Group Foundation

Scientific Leadership and Research Group Founding

Upon his late 1985 appointment as Assistant Professor at IST, he independently founded, early 1986, what would become the Integrated Circuits and Systems Group at IST. The group’s mission was to build scientific and technological capacity in analog–digital integrated circuits and systems, primarily in silicon technologies. The focus research areas included the design, manufacturing and testing of analog and digital circuits and systems, including the basic circuit components, and also methodologies for the implementation of computer-aided design (CAD) tools.

The group’s strategic direction was articulated early on, notably in the invited lecture “From Circuits to Systems – A View of the Role and Needs of Analogue Signal Processing Now and in the Future”, presented in September 1986 at the 8th CAVE (CAD for VLSI in Europe) Workshop, Grassau, Germany.

The stated Strategic Objectives were:

  • Support advanced undergraduate education in electrical and computer engineering.
  • Strengthen postgraduate programs, particularly Master’s-level research projects.
  • Enable doctoral research activities in advanced IC design and signal processing.
  • Equip laboratories and computing infrastructures with high-quality resources and access to advanced IC fabrication technologies.
  • Foster collaboration with national electronics industry, through joint R&D initiatives and professional development programs.
  • Establish a diversified base for European research funding, leveraging both European Framework Programmes and direct partnerships withinternational companies.
  • Build an international research and exchange network across Europe and the U.S., facilitating placements of IST researchers in top universities, laboratories, and companies.

In 1992, he was a leading proponent of the successful application to the national CIÊNCIA Programme of Instituto de Telecomunicações (IT), of which the Integrated Circuits and Systems Group that he had created in 1986 became a core unit.By 1996, following the international evaluation of Portuguese research units, his Integrated Circuits and Systems Group earned a 5/5 (Excellent) rating from all reviewers — the only group within IT to receive the top score across the board.

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International University Cooperation

To support the internationalisation of his Integrated Circuits and Systems (ICS) Group and to offer early-career opportunities for internships in leading international scientific and technological centres, a global academic collaboration network was cultivated with top universities and research institutes across Europe and the United States. Some of those partnerships included:

University of Pavia (Italy)

Through a close cooperation with the Microelectronics Group under the leadership of Professor Franco Maloberti, IST’s ICS Group established a scientific and technological cooperation agreement facilitating research internships and access to monolithic integrated circuit design infrastructure.

Portland State University (USA)

Underpinned by a close relationship with Professor Rolf Schaumann (former President of IEEE Circuits and Systems Society), IST’s ICS Group established a research program for the development of integrated MOS systems for continuous-time and sampled analog signal processing, targeting very high-frequency filtering applications.

Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT)

Collaboration between the Circuits Research Group of Dr. Elena Poionnen and IST’s Integrated Circuits Design Group to study and develop high-speed D/A converters based on quasi-passive, ultra-low-power architectures.

Oregon State University (USA)

Research partnership with Professor Gabor Temes focused on oversampled delta-sigma modulation circuits for high-resolution signal conversion

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich (ETH Zurich)

Cooperation program with Professor Henry Baltes, in sensor system integration, including research on monolithic technologies and circuits for sensor interfacing.

Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven, Belgium)

In close cooperation with Professor Georges Gielen, developed research activities in automated design of analog–digital circuits and systems, with emphasis on signal conversion architectures.

University of California, Santa Barbara (USA)

Collaboration with Professor Sanjit Mitra, on multi-rate analog and digital circuit and system design, particularly in the context of signal conversion and processing applications.

Instituto de Microelectrónica de Sevilla (IMSE, Spain)

Long-term collaborations with Professor José Luiz Huertas, Professor Adoration Rueda Rueda and Professor Angel Rodriguez Vasquez on multiple areas of analog and analog-digital IC design and specialised computer aided design tools.

International Speaking Engagements

Across his academic and entrepreneurial career, Prof. Franca has been regularly invited to deliver international lectures, keynote talks, and specialized seminars at universities, research institutions, industry forums, and innovation ecosystems worldwide. These speaking engagements, most of which are listed below, reflect both technical recognition in semiconductor design and broader leadership in entrepreneurship and innovation policy. Together, they illustrate a sustained commitment to knowledge dissemination, community building, and cross-border dialogue between academia, industry, and the startup ecosystem.

IEEE Evening Lecture, Imperial College London, UK (1983)

  • Narrowband Bandpass Switched-Capacitor Filter Systems

Allen Clark Research Centre, Plessey (Caswell), UK (1984)

  • Applications of Decimation and Interpolation Techniques in SC Filter Systems

University of Hull, Department of Electronics Engineering, UK (1985)

  • Principles of Operation of Switched-Capacitor Filter Systems
  • Switched-Capacitor Techniques for Sampling Rate Conversion
  • On the Design of Parasitic-Insensitive Switched-Capacitor Biquadratic Sections

8th CAVE (CAD for VLSI in Europe) Workshop, Grassau, Germany (1986)

  • From Circuits to Systems – A View of the Role and Needs of Analogue Signal Processing Now and in the Future

University of Pavia, Department of Electronics, Italy. (1987)

  • Switched-Capacitor Processing of Bandpass Signals
  • Multirate Switched-Capacitor Circuits

Microelectronics Design Centre, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark (1988)

  • Present Achievements and Future Prospects of Multirate SC Signal Processing
  • Design of Switched-Capacitor Filters by Signal Flow Graphs

Portland State University, Portland, USA (1990)

  • High-Level Architecture Compilation of Charge Redistribution Data Converters

Oregon Center for Advanced Technology Education, Corvallis, USA.(1990)

  • Multirate Switched-Capacitor Signal Processing

Center for Communications Research, Columbia University (NY), USA. (1990)

  • Novel Aspects and Applications of Sampled-Data Switched-Capacitor Circuits
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), Switzerland (1992)
  • Analog Interfacing for Digital VLSI Systems

University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, USA. (1992)

  • Communications Applications of Multirate Switched-Capacitor Systems
  • Continuous-Time Filter Tuning
  • Multirate Switched-Capacitor Networks for High-Frequency Filtering
  • Analog Interfacing for Digital VLSI Systems

Oregon State University, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, USA (1993)

  • Analog Interfacing for Digital VLSI Systems
  • Multirate Switched-Capacitor Networks for High-Frequency Filtering
  • Recent Developments and Future Trends of Multirate A-D Signal Processing and Conversion
Portland State University, Department of Electrical Engineering, USA (1993)
  • Multirate Switched-Capacitor Networks for High-Frequency Filtering
  • Recent Developments and Future Trends of Multirate A-D Signal Processing and Conversion
Technical Research Center of Finland (Espoo, Helsinki), (1993)
  • High-Performance Integrated CMOS Data Converters – Overview of the Research Work at IST
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), Institute for Information and Signal Processing, (1993)
  • Low-Cost Field Programmable Switched-Capacitor and Switched-Current Filters
  • Continuous-Time Filter Tuning
  • Recent Developments and Future Trends of Multirate A-D Signal Processing and Conversion
  • Analog Interfacing for Digital VLSI Systems
Nokia Mobile Phones Research Center, Oulu, Finland, (1993)
  • Narrow and Very Narrow Bandpass Integrated Filtering
  • Recent Developments and Future Trends of Multirate A-D Signal Processing and Conversion
  • Low-Cost Field Programmable Switched-Capacitor and Switched-Current Filters
Siemens Research Centre, Munich, Germany (1995)
  • NDigital VLSI-Compatible Analog Design

Tsinghua University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China (1996)

  • High-Performance Integrated CMOS Data Converters – Overview of the Research Work at IST
  • Recent Developments and Future Trends of Multirate A-D Signal Processing and Conversion
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong (1997)
  • Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong
Invited Lecture, Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems Conference, Seville, Spain (1997)
  • Block-Driven CMOS Interface Design
Chinese University of Hong Kong (1997)
  • A/D and D/A Converters
  • Self-Adjusted Analog Circuits

Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China (1998)

  • Microelectronics for Competitiveness

Invited Lecture, International Microelectronics Conference. Sozopol, Bulgaria (1999)

  • Self-Adjusted Analog Circuits
University of California, Irvine (CA), USA (1999)
  • Programmable Transceivers for Mobile Communications

Organisation of Conferences, Workshops

Dr. Franca organised, co-organised, and chaired multiple international conferences, pre-symposium workshops, tutorials, and special sessions, with a strong focus on analog, mixed-signal, and data-converter systems.

2nd Telecommunications Electronics Symposium, Lisbon (1986)

  • Organised panel on University–Industry Technology Transfer.

IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems, Helsinki, Finland (1988)

  • Organised Pre-Symposium Workshop on Expert System Tools for Analog Signal Processing Applications (with M. Ismail; IEEE Analog Signal Processing Technical Committee).
  • Organised Special Session on Design Strategies for Analog Interface Systems (with F. Maloberti, M. Ismail).
  • Organised Special Session on Applications of Analog Interface Systems (with F. Maloberti, M. Ismail).

European Circuit Theory and Design Conference, Brighton, UK (1989)

  • Organised and presented Pre-Symposium Workshop on State-of-the-Art Analog–Digital Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (with F. Maloberti, R. Soin; IEE support).

ESPRIT Conference, Brussels, Belgium (1989)

  • Organised Technical Session on Analog–Digital ASICs (with M. Hewson; DG-XIII support).

European Circuit Theory and Design Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark (1991)

  • Organised and presented Pre-Symposium Workshop on Mixed Analog–Digital ASICs — State of the Art (with F. Maloberti, R. Soin; IEE support).

IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems, San Diego, USA (1992)

  • Organised Special Session on Circuits for Sensors (with H. Baltes).
  • Organised Special Session on Modelling and Simulation of Data Converters (with G. Gielen).
  • Organised Special Session on Multirate Signal Processing: Analog and Digital (with S. Mitra).

First MEDCHIP Workshop, Taormina (1993)

  • Chair of the Organising Committee.
  • Workshop focused on industry-oriented microelectronics training enhancement in Southern Europe.

IEEE ISCAS, London (1994)

  • Organised and presented Pre-Symposium Tutorial on Design and Applications of Analog–Digital Multirate Signal Processing (with S. Mitra)

IEE Conference on Advanced A/D and D/A Conversion, Cambridge (1994)

  • Organised Special Session on CAD for Data Converters (AD2000 initiative).

International Workshop on Future Trends in Mixed A/D Signal Processing, Interlaken (1994)

  • Co-Organiser and Program Chair (with S. Mitra, G. Moschytz).
  • Supported by NSF, ONR, European Commission, Nokia, and Rockwell.

International Workshop on Future Trends in Mixed A/D Signal Processing, Interlaken (1994)

  • Co-Organiser and Program Chair (with S. Mitra, G. Moschytz).
  • Supported by NSF, ONR, European Commission, Nokia, and Rockwell.

IEEE Workshop on Circuits and Systems for Wireless Communications, Lucerne (1998)

  • Technical Committee Member and Session Chair.

IEEE International Conference on Electronics, Circuits and Systems (ICECS), Lisbon (1998)

  • Chair of the Organising Committee.

International Workshop on RF CMOS, Kista (1999)

  • Co-Chair of the Organising Committee.

IEEE Workshop on Mixed-Signal Design, Long Beach (1999)

  • Session Chair.

Scientific Leadership Committees

Dr. Franca organised, co-organised, and chaired multiple international conferences, pre-symposium workshops, tutorials, and special sessions, with a strong focus on analog, mixed-signal, and data-converter systems.

Organising Committee Leadership

  • Chair — MEDCHIP Workshop (1993)
  • Program Chair — Future Trends in Mixed A/D Signal Processing Workshop (1994)
  • Chair — IEEE ICECS (1998)
  • Co-Chair — RF CMOS Workshop (1999)
  • Organising Committee Member — NETIE Conference (1999)

Technical Program Committee — Representative Conferences (multi-year service)

  • European Solid-State Circuits Conference (multiple years)
  • European Conference on Circuit Theory and Design
  • IEEE ISCAS
  • IEEE ICECS
  • European Design and Test Conference
  • International Mixed-Signal Test Workshop
  • DATE (Design Automation and Test in Europe)
  • Southwest Symposium on Mixed-Signal Design
  • VLSI Conference
  • European Workshop on Microelectronics Education

Steering Committees

  • IEEE ICECS — Steering Committee member since 1996
  • ESSCIRC / ESSDERC — Steering Committee member since 1999
  • Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems Conference — Steering Committee member since 1999

Service to the International Scientific Community

Throughout his career, José Epifânio da Franca maintained high-level service to the international scientific and engineering community, particularly in microelectronics, analog and mixed-signal circuits, and semiconductor systems. His contributions include scientific society governance, conference and workshop leadership, editorial and peer-review service, technical program committees, international project evaluation panels, and participation in strategic scientific working groups.

The selected roles below reflect long-term international recognition by leading professional societies, publishers, and research and innovation programs.

  • Governance roles in major international scientific societies (IEEE and European Circuits Society)
  • Organiser and Chair of major international conferences, workshops, tutorials, and special sessions
  • Editorial Board member and IEEE Transactions Associate Editor
  • Extensive journal and conference peer-review activity
  • Technical Program Committee and Steering Committee member across flagship conferences
  • International and national project evaluator and expert reviewer
  • Member and chair of multiple international semiconductor and microelectronics working groups

Governance and High-level Evaluation

  • Member, Board of Governors — IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (1996–1999)
  • Member, Executive Council — European Circuits Society (1998–2001)
  • Member, IEEE Fellow Evaluation Committee Circuits and Systems Society (2003)

Editorial Roles

  • Member, Editorial Board — Analog Integrated Circuits and Signal Processing (Kluwer Academic Publishers).
  • Associate Editor (1996–1999) — IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems I: Fundamental Theory and Applications.

Journal Referee Service (regular reviewer)

  • IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems (and successor journals I & II)
  • IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits
  • IEE Proceedings (Part G)
  • Electronics Letters
  • Analog Integrated Circuits and Signal Processing
  • Journal of the Institution of Electronic and Radio Engineers
  • Microelectronics Journal

Scientific Publishers — Book and Reference Reviewing

  • Wiley — Encyclopedia of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
  • IEEE Press — technical books and reference volumes

Conference Referee Service (regular reviewer)

  • IEEE ISCAS
  • ESSCIRC
  • ECCTD
  • IEEE ICECS
  • IEEE Midwest Symposium on Circuits and Systems
  • International Mixed-Signal Test Workshop
  • Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems Conference

International Project Evaluation

  • Evaluator and reviewer for multiple microelectronics projects under European ESPRIT programs.
  • Member of evaluation panel for ESPRIT III special SME microelectronics actions in Italy.
  • Regular expert reviewer for European Commission project reviews.
  • Project evaluator — UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
  • Project evaluator — Chinese University of Hong Kong.

National Project Evaluation

  • Project evaluator — Portuguese Innovation Agency.
  • Project evaluator — Technical University of Lisbon (Windsor Treaty framework).

Scientific and Technology Working Groups

  • National representative (by invitation of the Portuguese Ministry of Defense) in CEPA-2 working group on silicon microelectronics technologies under the EUCLID European defense research program.
  • Member — SUB (Semiconductor University Research Bulletin), an international academic forum on semiconductor science and education.
  • Steering Board Member — NEAR (European Industry–University cooperation network).
  • Steering Board Member and Working Group Chair — MEDCHIP initiative.

Industry Projects and R&D Programs

International Industry Projects

Between 1986 and 1987, he led a research contract focused on analog monolithic integrated circuits for high-speed telephone channel modems. This collaboration resulted in the first commercially viable switched-capacitor filter designed and fabricated in Portugal. Prototype testing demonstrated the high performance of the filters. From 1987 to 1988, he was responsible for a second research contract involving an integrated interface system, which introduced several innovative techniques for analog-to-digital (A/D) and digital-to-analog (D/A) conversion and filtering. Some of the proposed solutions were adopted by IMP-Europe for the development of a commercial IC for British Telecom. This work led to two patent applications filed by British Telecom, one of which was granted in the United States. The results were disseminated through multiple international and national conference presentations.

Between 1989 and 1991, he led a research project to develop a 16-bit CMOS successive approximation A/D converter with conversion rates up to 60 kHz, employing novel self-calibration techniques.
Following the success of this development, AMS signed a commercial agreement with Burr-Brown (USA) for the supply of high- resolution successive approximation A/D converters based on this technology.
From 1994 to 1995, he led a second AMS project focused on the development of an algorithmic CMOS A/D converter.

Between 1993 and 1995, he led a project on current-mode D/A converters for mobile phones, addressing strict constraints on silicon area and power dissipation — critical for optimising production cost (via area and yield) and operational efficiency (via power consumption).
From 1994 to 1995, he led an additional project on nano-power circuits based on switch-controlled charge transfer techniques, which resulted in an international patent.

Between 1993 and 1996, he coordinated a research project on high-frequency A/D converters for digital transmission technologies, funded by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Between 1994 and 1996, he directed the Associate Design Centre agreement between ES2 and IST, enabling collaborative IC design projects within the scientific and technological expertise of the Integrated Circuits and Systems Group. This collaboration also resulted in an international patent.
From 1994 to 1996, he was the recipient of a Research Grant from Rockwell Semiconductors, supporting research and advanced training in analog–digital integrated circuits. The grant followed Rockwell’s recruitment of two students from his research group, who joined its development center in Newport Beach, California.
Between 1997 and 1999, he led a project to design a 14-bit high-resolution A/D converter in 0.6 μm CMOS technology.

Projects within European R&D Programs

ADCICS (Esprit II 2193) | October 1990 – October 1993

Directed IST’s contributions to the development of monolithic analog–digital integrated circuits in CMOS technology.

AD2000 (Esprit II 5056) | January 1991 – January 1994

Served as Project Leader. The project addressed advanced architectures for CMOS A/D and D/A converters, as well as techniques for programmability and built-in self-testing.
The project was later selected by the VALUE Programme for a study on its commercial potential in the European market.

NEAR (Network for European Analogue Research) | September 1992 – December 1994

Founding member and Steering Committee participant in this University–Industry network for cooperation and exchange in analog–digital IC design.

MEDCHIP 1 (Esprit III WG 7307) | October 1992 – October 1993

Led this Basic Research Working Group studying university-level training capabilities in microelectronics across Portugal, Spain, Southern Italy, and Greece, and proposed modernization strategies tailored to industrial needs.

MEDCHIP 2 (Esprit Project 8030) | December 1994 – December 1996

As a continuation of MEDCHIP 1, also led this second phase aimed at strengthening and modernizing university-based microelectronics training infrastructures in the same Mediterranean countries.

AMFIS (Esprit III 8795) | October 1993 – October 1996

Directed IST’s participation and a dedicated Work Package in this project focused on multi-functional analog–digital integrated systems.
Partners: Mietec Alcatel (BE), Landis & Gyr (CH), CSEM (CH), ABB Nera (NO), Sintef (NO), AMS (AT), Italtel (IT), EID (PT), University of Pavia (IT), CNM Seville (ES).

ALCD (Esprit III 8030) | November 1993 – November 1996

Led IST’s involvement in this project on analog component and functional block libraries for digital CMOS technologies. Partners: European Silicon Structures (FR), Bosch (DE), Intracom (GR), TU Athens (GR), University of Pavia (IT).

ASIC4PMR (Esprit 23989) | December 1996 – August 1998

Coordinated IST’s contributions to this project on analog–digital IC systems for Private Mobile Radio (PMR) terminals. IST was specifically responsible for the design of a baseband I/Q modem.
Partners: Atmel (FR), Matra Nortel Cellular (FR), ARM (UK), OTE Marconi (IT).

POLICOM (Esprit 25481) | December 1997 – December 1999

Led IST’s participation in the development of a CMOS modem for data communication over low-voltage power lines (home grid). IST designed the I/Q baseband interface using S-FSK modulation techniques.
Partners: Atmel (FR), Sainco (ES), University of Seville – Grupo AICIA (ES), Santel (SE).

PAPRICA (Esprit 25476) | August 1997 – February 2000

In collaboration with Prof. Carlos Azeredo Leme, directed IST’s contributions to the development of a novel low-power RF front- end architecture for monolithic integration.
Responsibilities included behavioral macro-modeling and implementation of key blocks across the RF-to-baseband signal chain. Partners: Atmel (FR), Matra Nortel Cellular (FR).

MIXMODEST (Esprit 29261) | September 1998 – March 2001

In collaboration with Prof. João Vital, led IST’s participation in the design of submicron analog–digital circuits. IST focused on self- calibrated high-resolution A/D converters for ADSL modems.
Partners: Alcatel Microelectronics (BE), KU Leuven (BE), Instituto de Microelectrónica – University of Seville (ES), University of Pavia (IT).

RAPID (Esprit 29648) | September 1998 – March 2001

Served as Project Coordinator for this initiative developing design methodologies and tools for analog–digital ASICs, supporting automatic retargetability across technologies and specifications.
Partners: Chipidea Microelectrónica (PT) and the Institute of Microelectronics – University of Seville (ES).

Recipient of a teaching and scientific exchange grant in the field of microelectronics, enabling academic visits to the University of Edinburgh, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Heverlee), and the Technical University of Denmark (Lyngby).

JAMIE (EU 579) | October 1992 – September 1993

Led the participation of Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) in this project focused on the development of integrated circuits and design methodologies for analog–digital ICs using full- custom and semi-custom approaches.

UPIC (RTP 2.9) | January 1993 – January 1995

Directed IST’s participation and a dedicated Work Package in this project on (re)programmable analog–digital ICs for military applications.
Partners: Thomson-CSF (FR), Cetia (FR), INPG (FR), EID (PT).

FASTPLEX | December 1992 – December 1995

Led IST’s involvement in the development of an integrated signal processing system for particle trajectory detection in high- energy physics experiments.
Partners: CERN (CH), University of Brussels (BE), NIEF (NL).

WORKBENCH Project

Participated in the development of computer-assisted teaching modules and experimental techniques for electronics education.

National Industry Projects and R&D Programs

Led a collaborative project between FOC-Escolar and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at IST, focused on the development and industrialisation of an educational electronics kit. The resulting product received the Worlddidac Bronze Award at DIDACTA 88, the world’s largest educational technology exhibition, and has been widely adopted by public schools in Portugal.

Directed the MODUL.COMP90 project, aimed at the development and industrialisation of a modular experimental system with integrated auxiliary instrumentation for practical training in electronics, telecommunications, automation, control systems, and instrumentation.
The system grew to include over 40 experimental modules and 3 auxiliary instrumentation modules, with possible expansion to more than 70 experimental modules and 5 instrumentation modules. It is in use across various secondary and higher education institutions throughout Portugal.

Led the development of a CMOS integrated circuit for the audio processing unit in portable radio transceivers. The project was carried out in collaboration with the Portuguese Army’s General Depot for Signal Equipment.
Directed a project aimed at the automation of design, implementation, fabrication, and testing processes for high-quality analog hybrid circuits using thick-film technology. The initiative was conducted in collaboration with LNETI (Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia e Tecnologia Industrial). Additionally, secured financial support for establishing core computing infrastructure for the Integrated Circuits and Microelectronics Systems Group at IST.
Led a project on intelligent architectures for analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog interfaces operating at high frequencies.
Directed this project on programmable filter and signal converter architectures for CMOS technology implementation.
Coordinated this research initiative on high-frequency analog–digital circuits for data acquisition interfaces in high-energy physics applications. The project was conducted in collaboration with the University of Aveiro.

Academic Service

Ph.D. Committees in Portugal

Served as external reviewer and examiner in the following doctoral examinations:

  • Rui Paulo da Silva Martins

    Multirate Switched-Capacitor Circuits and Their Applications in High-Frequency Signal Processing, IST 1992

  • João Paulo Cordeiro Vital

    Integrated Analog-to-Digital Conversion System with Functional Reconfiguration and Digital Testability, IST 1994

  • Bernardo Gorjão Henriques

    CMOS Digital Technology Integrated Circuits for High-Speed Digital-to-Analog Conversion, IST 1995

  • Paulo Filipe do Carmo Gomes

    On-Line Algorithms for Future HEP Data Acquisition Systems, IST 1995

  • Maria Helena Fino

    Computer-Aided Analysis and Synthesis of Switched-Capacitor Circuits Using Symbolic Methods, FCT–Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1995

  • Nuno Cavaco Horta

    Automatic Synthesis of Signal Conversion Systems from Algorithm-Level Descriptions, IST 1997

  • José Alberto Peixoto Machado da Silva

    Testing of Analog and Mixed-Signal Circuits Using Power Supply Current and Output Voltage Correlation, FEUP, 1998

  • José Pedro Diogo Faísca Moreira

    Design Techniques for Low-Power, High-Dynamic Range Continuous-Time Filters, IST, 1999

  • José Miguel Costa Dias Pereira

    Techniques to Enhance Performance in Signal Digitization Systems, IST, 1999

Ph.D. Committees Abroad

Served as external reviewer and examiner in the following doctoral examinations:

  • Alberto Yúfera García

    Application of Switched-Current Techniques to the Design of Analog Wave Filters, University of Seville, 1994

  • Servando Espejo Meana

    Cellular Neural Networks: Modeling and Monolithic Design, University of Seville, 1994

  • Jorge Chávez Orzáez

    Contributions to the Automation of Analog Designs, University of Seville, 1996

  • Fernando M. Medeiro Hidalgo

    Sigma-Delta Modulation Interfaces for CMOS Mixed-Signal ICs – Modeling, Simulation, and Automatic Design, University of Seville, 1997

  • Andrew Tze Kwan Tang

    Accuracy Enhancement Techniques for High-Speed A/D and D/A Converters, Imperial College London, 1997

  • Jorge Grilo

    Improved Design Techniques for Low-Voltage Low-Power Switched-Capacitor Delta-Sigma Modulators, Oregon State University, 1997

  • José Bastos

    Characterization of MOS Transistor Mismatch for Analog Design, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 1998

  • Eduardo José Peralías Macías

    Digital Self-Calibration and Built-In Self-Test in Multi-Stage A/D Converters, University of Seville, 1999

Master’s Committees

Participated as academic supervisor or examiner in numerous Master’s dissertations, including:

  • Leonel de Sousa

    Algorithms and Their Impact on the Digital Image Processing Architecture of APICE, IST, 1988

  • Victor Fonte Dias

    Design Structures and Methodologies for FIR Decimators Using Switched Capacitors, IST, 1989

  • Carlos Leme

    Self-Calibrated CMOS Successive Approximation A/D Converters for High Resolution, IST, 1990

  • João Vital

    Digital-to-Analog Conversion Architectures with Non-Recursive Filtering, IST, 1990

  • Nuno Cavaco Horta

    Automatic Synthesis of Signal Converter Architectures with Charge Redistribution, IST, 1992

  • João Pedro Carreira

    Current-Mode Circuits for High-Frequency A/D and D/A Conversion, IST, 1993

  • Fernando Nunes

    Automatic Tuning of Integrated Analog Filters via Successive Approximation, IST, 1993

  • Vitor Grade Tavares

    Analog Topologies for Gamma Filters, University of Aveiro, 1993

  • Rui Aguiar

    Infrared Communication System Using Microelectronic Techniques, University of Aveiro, 1994

  • Alexandre Passos de Almeida

    CMOS Analog-Digital Integrated Circuits for Artificial Neural Networks, IST, 1994

  • Ana Maria de Sá Carneiro Leão

    ABSINT: An Integrated Circuit for Analog Testing via Standard Digital Interfaces, FEUP, 1994

  • Jorge Guilherme

    CMOS Integrated Circuits for Signal Processing and Conversion in Radio Communication Systems, IST, 1994

  • Paulo Fernando Santos

    Very-High-Frequency Continuous-Time Filters Using CMOS Transconductance Circuits, IST, 1995

  • João Goes

    Code-by-Code Linearization of Low-Resolution CMOS D/A Converters, IST, 1996

  • Nuno Paulino

    Programmable Biquadratic Switched-Capacitor Section Using Algorithmic D/A Converters, IST, 1996

  • João Pedro Oliveira

    Time-Multiplexed Switched-Current Circuits for High-Frequency Sampling and Hold, IST, 1996

  • Victor Antunes da Silva

    Automatic Synthesis of Dedicated Microcontrollers for A/D and D/A Conversion, IST, 1996

  • Jorge Rosa Lopes de Sousa

    Control and Data Acquisition System for the ISTTOK Tokamak, IST, 1996

  • U Seng Pan

    Impulse-Sampled Switched-Capacitor Sampling Rate Converters, University of Macau, 1997

  • Raúl Daniel Lavado Carneiro Martins

    Dynamic Characterization of Analog-to-Digital Converters, IST, 1999

Other Academic Committees


Habilitation Examination

  • Prof. Carlos António Abreu Fonseca Varandas, June 28, 1996
Ph.D. Equivalence Committee, Technical University of Lisbon
  • Carlos Azeredo Leme – Oversampled Interfaces for IC Sensors, 1994
 

Research Assistant Selection Committee, LNETI
  • António Gano – Design Aspects of Thick-Film Circuit Technology

    Department of Electronics and Electromechanics, LNETI, 1988

Academic and Professional Contact

This form is intended for contacting Professor José Franca regarding academic matters, research collaboration, supervision, or related professional enquiries.