Overview of the Program

The Integrated Circuit Science and Engineering (ICSE) discipline at Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) has a long history that can be traced back to 1960 when the major of Semiconductor Materials and Devices was founded as one of the oldest majors in Electronics and Devices in China. Over the past 60 years, The ICSE discipline at BIT has always insisted on educating fostering high-end and urgently-needed talents for the country. In 2016, BIT was selected to establish the National Demonstration School of Microelectronics as an exemplary model; then in 2021, BIT was approved to set up a doctoral site for the discipline of Integrated Circuit Science and Engineering. This is one of the first batch of doctoral programs for this discipline in China and also the first batch of universities selected for the National Integrated Circuit Projects aiming at educating high-level talents in a short supply. The ICSE discipline at BIT focuses on the key issues in the fields of Integrated Circuits and aims to fulfill the major strategic requirements of the country as well as to lead the world frontier in science and technology. Our ICSE also persists leading to an engineering-oriented road with the combination of production and research, which may serve for the national defense in the future. This also helps to form an interdisciplinary layout with the majors of electronics, materials, information, optics, etc., as well as a joint school-enterprise training program with industry leaders such as Empyrean Technology Co., Ltd., NAURA Technology Group Co., Ltd., the 6th Research Institute of China Electronics and Piotech Inc.

There are currently 90 full-time faculty in this discipline, including 33 professors and 37 associate professors. 80% of the faculty have overseas experience. In our faculty, there are two distinguished professors entitled with “Yangtze River Scholars”, two professors entitled with “Outstanding Youth”, one professor honored as the technological innovation leader, one professor honored with the High-level Overseas Project, one IEEE Fellow, and six national scholars in the High-level Youth Talent Project. In addition, there are also one faculty member honored as the “Famous Teacher” and one as the “Young Famous Teacher” in Beijing.

The discipline of Integrated Circuit Science and Engineering has high-level laboratories such as the Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Quantum Structures and Devices of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Beijing Key Laboratory of Millimeter Wave and Terahertz Technology, the Beijing Engineering Technology Research Center for Silicon-based High-speed Systems on a Chip, the National Defense Key Discipline Laboratory of Multiple Information Systems and the National Demonstration Center for Electrical and Electronics Experimental Teaching. There are also school-local cooperation institutions built together with the local governments like the BIT Chongqing Center for Microelectronics and Microsystems, the Innovation Center of MEMS/NEMS Devices and Systems (Yangtze River Delta Graduate School) and so on. Until now, the total laboratory area is nearly 10,000 square meters and the total value of experimental equipment exceeds 100 million Yuan.

The discipline undertakes scientific research projects such as the National Key R&D Projects, the projects of National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Outstanding Youth Projects, the Excellent Youth Project, the major projects of the Science and Technology Commission of the Military Commission, and key projects of the Beijing Science and Technology Plan, with an average annual research funding of over 100 million Yuan. A series of international and domestic leading achievements have been made in the fields of new low-dimensional quantum structures and devices, intelligent MEMS micromirrors, special processing chips and system applications for spaceborne signals, etc. The discipline consists of four main research directions that are described below.

1) Integrated Micro-Nano Electronics Science

Aiming at the major strategic requirements of the country in the field of Integrated Circuits, Integrated Micro- Nano Electronics Science carries out research on low-dimensional electronic materials, extreme bandgap semiconductor materials like ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors, as well as the device construction based on these materials, including new concept devices, power semiconductor devices, long-wavelength and solar-blind detection devices, etc. The goal is to develop intelligent, lightweight, miniaturized and multi-functional integrated extreme bandgap semiconductor functional devices, as well as provide insights into their applications in the major national strategic fields such as power transmission, new energy vehicles, high-frequency communication, and intelligent perception. The direction aims at cultivating professionals in the direction of micro-nano electronics, therefore creating a special direction of Integrated Micro-Nano Electronics Science in BIT, as well as promoting the discipline of Integrated Circuits and its related fields.

2) MEMS and Integrated Microsystems

MEMS and Integrated Microsystems is dedicated to the design and fabrication of MEMS micro-nano sensors and actuators as well as microfluidic chips, featuring optical MEMS, acoustic MEMS, resonant MEMS, and the integration of CMOS-MEMS. It emphasizes on the joint interdisciplines of electronics, optics, acoustics, thermal and material science, and biology, aiming to develop intelligent, multi-energy-domain, lightweight, miniaturized, and integrated microsystems with multi-functions, which can be further applied in the major national strategic fields such as intelligent sensing, intelligent manufacturing, precision medicine, unmanned driving, intelligent environmental protection, smart robots, remote sensing, and telemetry. This direction is aimed at cultivating high-quality engineers in the fields of MEMS and Integrated Microsystems and promoting the development of integrated circuits as well as the related disciplines.

3) Integrated Circuit Design and Advanced Packaging

To meet the major national requirements in the fields of new-generation radar information systems, low-orbit satellite Internet, and high-efficiency signal processing, Integrated Circuit Design and Advanced Packaging has been focusing on the following directions: the design methods and theory of integrated circuit, the design of analog and mixed-signal integrated circuit, the design and applications of silicon-based RF/millimeter wave integrated circuit, the system-on-chip (SOC) design. Aiming at major scientific issues such as new design theories, new functional devices, and new micro-nano systems for integrated circuits in the post-Moore era, the direction have been dedicated to the fields of three-dimensional vertical interconnection technology, transition board and heterogeneous integration technology, sensor-memory-computing integrated design technology, as well as basic and applied research on new forms of information devices. The goal is to feature advantages in the fields of millimeter-wave ASIC design, through-silicon via (TSV) complete process with small diameter, ultra- high aspect ratio and ultra-high depth, ultra-large-scale special signal processing chip design and application, special anti-irradiation chips for aerospace applications, etc.

4) Flexible Electronic Devices and Intelligent Manufacturing

Aiming at multiple bottlenecks faced by flexible electronic devices in terms of structure design, preparation of semiconductor materials, large-scale manufacturing technologies and development of special equipment, etc.,Flexible Electronic Devices and Intelligent Manufacturing is dedicated to develop new structures, new functional devices and systems in the post-Moore era. Through the in-depth interdiscipline of microelectronics, optoelectronics, quantum information, materials, mechanics, biomedicine, and artificial intelligence, etc., this direction aims to develop flexible intelligent robot perception (vision, touch, smell), bionic sensors and systems for precision medicine and personalized physiotherapy, as well as multifunctional flexible and wearable electronic systems. The goal is to cultivate professionals in the field of flexible electronics with an international perspective, and to develop Integrated Circuits and its related disciplines.

Length of Schooling

1) The basic length for master students is 2 years. In principle, students must complete the courses in the first academic year. Thesis work time must be at least one year. The maximum length of study for master students can be extended by 0.5 years on the basis of 2 years.

2) The basic length for Ph.D. students is 4 years. In principle, students must complete the courses in the first academic year. Thesis work time must be at least three years. The maximum length of study for Ph.D. students can be extended by 2 years at maximum on the basis of 4 years.