Pedro Julian
“3D-CMOS Neuromorphic Imager with Cortical Layer Interconnects”

 Three-dimensional (3D) integration is an emerging technology that allows vertical interconnects between layers of integrated circuits (IC) through micrometer-sized metallic plugs (vias).  This technology extends the integration density of ICs to the third dimension by stacking and interconnecting several wafers.  3D integration further allows combination of different semiconductor technologies for high-performance hybrid systems that combine tailored optical characteristics of image sensing o one wafer with analog and digital processing on other dedicated wafers. From a neuromorphic engineering perspective, 3D integration provides an equivalent to the layered structure of the visual system from the retina through visual cortex. 

This talk describes the system architecture of a 3D-CMOS integrated circuit consisting of an imager with pixel processing capabilities through vertical interconnects between CMOS wafers, inspired by a cellular neural network-type structure that models select layers of cortical processing, for applications in computer vision.

Biography:
 
Pedro M. Julian received the "Ingeniero Electronico" degree in 1994 and the Ph.D. degree in "Control de Sistemas" in 1999, both from Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS), Bahia Blanca, Argentina.  He was visiting scholar at the University of California at Berkeley from 2000 to 2002 and at Johns Hopkins University from 2002 to 2003.  He holds positions as Professor in the Departamento de Ingeniera Electrica y Computadoras (DIEC) at UNS and as Adjoint Researcher in the National Research Council of Argentina (CONICET).  His research interests cover theory and applications of computational circuits and systems, parallel implementation of Cellular Neural Networks and Cellular Automata, and acoustic and visual processors, with emphasis on the design and analysis of VLSI systems and low power systems.  He serves as the Region 9 (Latin America) Vice President and on the Board of Governors of the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society, and he is a founding member of the Latin American Consortium for Integrated Services (LACIS) and the Argentine School of Microelectronics (EAMTA).
 
 
Please contact Gert Cauwenberghs (gert@ucsd.edu) if you would like to meet
with the speaker after the seminar or later in the afternoon.