The research team led by Associate Professor Xuyang Lu of the University of Michigan-Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute (UM-SJTU JI, JI hereafter) has had two papers accepted by the 2025 IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC), a top conference in the field of integrated circuits. The papers, first-authored by JI doctoral students Yutian Zhao and Runqing Cai, focus on innovations in digital beamforming power amplifiers and microrobots with on-chip energy harvesting. Professor Lu is the corresponding author for both papers.
In Yutian Zhao’s paper, titled Spatial-Temporal Direct Digital Beamforming Power Amplifier with Enhanced Backoff Efficiency in a 24 GHz Phased Array, a novel spatio-temporal beamforming power amplifier (ST-BPA) is proposed to address challenges in high-order modulation transmissions for millimeter-wave transmitters. This work introduces direct digital phase control, which significantly improves backoff efficiency and modulation compatibility, benefiting communication systems like 5G.
Research diagram of Yutian Zhao’s paper
Runqing Cai’s paper, Fully Integrated Self-Propelling Microrobot in 180nm CMOS with Sub-GHz Parity-Time Symmetry On-Chip Energy Harvesting and Traveling Wave Electroosmosis Actuation, presents a self-propelling microrobot design featuring robust wireless energy transfer based on parity-time symmetry. This microrobot integrates an on-chip energy harvesting system, enabling it to propel through low-concentration liquids—a breakthrough in micro-scale actuation technologies.
Research diagram of Runqing Cai’s paper
ISSCC, organized by the IEEE Solid-State Circuits Society, has been held annually since 1954. It is widely recognized as the most prestigious conference in integrated circuit design and often referred to as the “Olympics of Chips.” Each year, the conference attracts over 3,000 participants from academia and industry worldwide. In 2025, Shanghai Jiao Tong University had three papers selected for presentation, including two from Professor Lu’s team.
