Electrical and Computer Engineering
TTU Home College of Engineering Electrical and Computer Engineering ECE Faculty

Donald Y.C. Lie, Keh-Shew Lu Regents Chair, Associate Professor

Degrees with fields, institution and date

BSEE, National Taiwan University, Taiwan, 1987
MSEE, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 1989
Ph.D., California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 1995

Years of Service at Texas Tech University, dates of appointment

July 2007 to present

Other related experience—teaching, industrial, etc.

Dr. Lie has held technical and managerial positions at companies such as Rockwell International, IBM, Microtune Inc., and Dynamic Research Corporation (DRC). 
He is instrumental in bringing in multi-million dollars DARPA research funding and also designed real-world commercial products sold internationally.
He has been a Visiting Lecturer to the ECE Department, University of California, San Diego (UCSD) 2002-2007 where he taught graduate and upper-division classes and affiliated with UCSD’s Center of Wireless Communications and co-supervised Ph.D. students.
He has authored/co-authored over 60 peer-reviewed technical papers and book chapters and holds several US patents.
Dr. Lie has received a Best Graduate Student Paper Award and is a past Rotary International Scholar. 
Dr. Lie’s research areas are on the design of low-power RF/analog System-on-a-Chip (SoC) novel ICs, systems and devices for wireless communications, sensors and interdisciplinary applications (such as towards biomedical and/or using nonlinear dynamics)

Consulting, patents, etc.

Consultant, Motia Inc., Pasadena, CA 12/03-02/05
The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Taiwan 07/05-present
Dynamic Research Corp. (DRC), San Diego, CA 07/07-present
“Low-power, low-noise dual gain amplifier topology and method”; D.Y.C. Lie and L.E. Larson; US Patent #5565690 awarded.
“Methods of doping strained-layer heterostructures devices”; D.Y.C. Lie et al., US Patent #6396347 awarded.
“A novel way of maximizing the output power efficiency for Switch-mode RF Power Amplifiers”, D.Y.C. Lie and J. Popp., Pending; US patent granted; waiting for the patent #.
Several patent applications Pending

State(s) in which registered

Not registered as P.E. However, passed California state board professional engineer (PE) Engineer-in-Training.

Principal Publications of last five years

  • “A Monolithic High-Efficiency 2.4 GHz 20 dBm SiGe BiCMOS Envelope Tracking OFDM Power Amplifier”, F. Wang, D. Kimball, D.Y.C. Lie, P. Asbeck and L.E. Larson, IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, 42, 6, pp. 1271-1281 (2007)
  • “Highly Efficient and Linear Class E SiGe Medium Power Amplifier Design for Wireless Sensor Network Applications”, D.Y.C. Lie, J. Rowland, J. Lopez, J. Popp, A. Hurtado, A. Yang, N. Kamin and N. Chen, Proc. Government Microcircuit applications and Critical Technology Conference (GOMAC), Mar 19-22, Lake Buena Vista, FL (2007)
  • “Minimum Noise Figure of SiGe HBTs under Different Operation Configurations”, H Li, G. Wang, G. Qin, Z. Ma, G. Niu, and D.Y.C. Lie, Digest of Papers, IEEE Topical Meeting on Silicon Monolithic Integrated Circuits in RF Systems (SiRF’07), pp. 56-59, January 10-12, Long Beach, CA (2007)
  • “Highly Efficient and Linear Class E SiGe Medium Power Amplifier Design” D.Y.C. Lie, J. Lopez, J.F. Rowland, J.D. Popp, A. Yang, A Hurtado, G. Wang, H. Li, J. Park, and Z. Ma, Tech. Dig. IEEE Topical Symposium on Power Amplifiers for Wireless Communications, 5.1., January 8-9, Long Beach, CA (2007)
  • “Design of Wide Bandwidth Hybrid Envelope Elimination and Restoration Power Amplifiers for Wideband OFDM Applications”, F. Wang, D. Kimball, J. Popp, A. Yang, D.Y.C. Lie, P. Asbeck and L.E. Larson, IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory and Techniques, Vol. 54, 12, pp. 4086-4099, Dec. (2006)
  • Invited paper: “Highly Efficient and Linear Class E SiGe Power Amplifier Design”, D.Y.C. Lie, J. Popp, J. Rowland, A.H. Yang, F. Wang, and D. Kimball, Proc. IEEE International Conference on Solid-State and Integrated-Circuit Technology (ICSICT), pp. 1526-1529, Shanghai, China, Oct. 23-26, (2006)
  • Invited paper: “An Omni-Directional Comparison between Common-Emitter and Common-Base SiGe Power HBTs”, G. Wang, H.-C. Yuan, Z. Ma, and D.Y.C. Lie, Proc. IEEE International Conference on Solid-State and Integrated-Circuit Technology (ICSICT), pp. 182-185, Shanghai, China, Oct. 23-26, (2006)
  • Invited paper: “Wideband Monolithic Highly-Efficient and Linear Class E Power Amplifiers Design Using High-f T vs. High-Breakdown SiGe HBTs”, D.Y.C. Lie, J. Popp, P. Lee, A.H. Yang, J. Rowland, and F. Wang, Proc. Tech. Dig. IEEE VLSI-DAT Conference, Hsin-Chu, Taiwan, pp.79-82, April 26-28 (2006)
  • “Circuit and System Design for a Homodyne W-CDMA Front-End Receiver RF IC”, D.Y.C. Lie, J. Kennedy, D. Livezey, B. Yang, T. Robinson, N. Sornin, and L.E. Larson, Proc. Tech. Dig. IEEE VLSI-DAT Conference, Hsin-Chu, Taiwan, pp. 25-28, April 26-28 (2006)
  • “RF Power Efficiency Improvement by using Linearized SiGe Class E Power Amplifiers for Joint Tactical Radio System Applications”, J.D. Popp, D.Y.C. Lie, F. Wang, and D. Kimball, Tech. Dig. Government Microcircuit applications and Critical Technology Conference (GOMAC), Mar. 20-23, San Diego, CA (2006)
  • Invited paper: “A Fully-Integrated Highly-Efficient RF Class E SiGe Power Amplifier with an Envelope-Tracking Technique for EDGE Applications”, J. D. Popp, D.Y.C. Lie, F. Wang, D. Kimball, P. Asbeck and L.E. Larson, Dig. IEEE Radio and Wireless Symposium (RWS 2006), p.p. 231–234, San Diego, Jan. 17-19 (2006)
  • Student Paper Contest 3 rd Place Winner “A Low-Voltage 12GHz VCO in 0.13 m m CMOS for OFDM Applications”, Yiping Han, L. E. Larson and D.Y.C. Lie, Dig. IEEE SiRF conference, pp. 379-382, San Diego, Jan. 18-20, CA (2006)
  • “Influences of Device Size on Small- and Large-Signal Performance of SiGe Power HBTs”, G. Wang, J. Park, H. Li, Z. Ma, D.Y.C. Lie, J. Lopez, and A. M. Hurtado, Proc. IEEE International Conference on Solid-State and Integrated-Circuit Technology (ICSICT), pp. 188-191, Shanghai, China, Oct. 23-26, (2006)
  • “On-Chip Monolithic Filters for Receiver Interference Suppression using Bond-Wire Inductors”, Himanshu Khatri, L.E. Larson, and D.Y.C. Lie, Dig. IEEE SiRF conference, pp.166-169, Jan. 18-20, San Diego, CA (2006)
  • “Wideband Envelope Elimination and Restoration Power Amplifier with High Efficiency Wideband Envelope Amplifier for WLAN 802.11g Applications”, F. Wang, D. Kimball, J. Popp, A. Yang, D.Y.C. Lie, P. Asbeck and L.E. Larson, Proc. IEEE Int’l Microwave Symposium (IMS), June 12-15, Long Beach, CA (2005)
  • “The Limitations in Applying Analytic Design Equations for Optimal Class E RF Power Amplifiers Design”, D.Y.C. Lie, P. Lee, J. Popp, J. Rowland, H. H. Ng, and A. Yang, Proc. Tech. Dig., IEEE Int’l Symp. on VLSI Design, Automation, and Test (VLSI-TSA-DAT), pp. 161-164, Hsin-Chu, Taiwan, April 27-29 (2005)
  • “High Efficiency RF Class E Power Amplifiers for Unattended Ground Sensor Applications”, J. D. Popp, D.Y.C. Lie, J.F. Rowland, and A.H. Yang, Tech. Dig. Government Microcircuit applications and Critical Technology Conference (GOMAC), Apr. 4-7, Las Vegas, NV (2005)
  • Chapter 9.2 in Silicon Heterostructure Handbook: Materials, Fabrication, Devices, Circuits and Applications of SiGe and Si Strained-Layer Epitaxy, “SiGe as an Enabler for Wireless Communications Systems”, L.E. Larson and D.Y.C. Lie, ed. John Cressler, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 897-917 (2005) ISBN: 0849335590
  • Invited paper in the inaugural issue: “RF-SoC: Technology Enablers and Road Blocks for Single-Chip Wireless RF IC Design”, D.Y.C. Lie and L.E. Larson, International Journal on Wireless and Optical Communications, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 1-23 (2003)
  • “A Direct-Conversion W-CDMA Front-End SiGe Receiver Chip”, D.Y.C. Lie, J. Kennedy, D. Livezey, B. Yang, T. Robinson, N. Sornin, T. Beukema, L.E. Larson, A. Senior, C. Saint, J. Blonski, N. Swanberg, P. Pawlowski, D. Gonya, X. Yuan, and H. Zamat, Proc. IEEE Radio Frequency IC Symposium (RFIC), Seattle, Washington, USA, pp. 31-35, June 2-4, (2002)
  • Invited paper for plenary session: “RF-SoC: Low-Power Single Chip Radio Design Using the Si/SiGe BiCMOS Technology”, D.Y.C. Lie, X. Yuan, L.E. Larson, A. Senior and J. Mecke, Proc. IEEE 3rd International Conference on Microwave and Millimeter Wave Technology (ICMMT2002), Beijing, China, August 18-21, (2002)
  • “RF Linearity Study of SiGe HBTs for Low Power RFIC Design, Part I”, X. Yuan and D.Y.C. Lie, Proc. IEEE 3rd International Conference on Microwave and Millimeter Wave Technology (ICMMT2002), Beijing, China, August 18-21, (2002)
  • “RF Linearity Study of SiGe HBTs for Low Power RFIC Design, Part II”, X. Yuan and D.Y.C. Lie, Proc. IEEE 3rd International Conference on Microwave and Millimeter Wave Technology (ICMMT2002), Beijing, China, August 18-21, (2002)

    • Scientific and professional societies of which a member

    IEEE

    Honors and Awards

    SPAWAR SSC San Diego CENTER TEAM ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, Spring 2007
    Student Paper Contest 3 rd Place Winner “A Low-Voltage 12GHz VCO in 0.13 m m CMOS for OFDM Applications”, Yiping Han, L. E. Larson and D.Y.C. Lie, Dig. IEEE SiRF conference, pp. 379-382, San Diego, Jan. 18-20, CA (2006)
    Won three “DRC Silver Awards of Excellence”, 2005-2007
    IBM “FIRST” chairman patent award 2002
    Area Editor-in-Chief for the International Journal on Wireless and Optical Communications in “Communications System on Chip, Analog and Mixed Signal IC and RFIC”, World Scientific Publishing. 2001-present.
    Sr. Member, IEEE

    Institutional and professional service in the last five years

    Executive Committee and/or RF Design Committee for IEEE Bipolar/BICMOS Circuits and Technology Meeting (BCTM) and also as the Short Course Chair and co-chair
    RF Design Committee for IEEE SiRF, IEEE VLSI-DAT, IEEE DCAS, and IEEE MWSCAS conferences
    Attended over 10 IEEE meetings and served as chair, co-chair, program committees, and presented technical papers, invited talks, and plenary talk

    Professional development activities in the last five years

    Attended 2 GOMAC meetings and worked with NAVY and other US government sponsors such as DARPA and ONR; Visited Washington DC and briefed sponsors
    Presented invited talks on “Si-Based RF SiGe PA Design”, National Taiwan University College of Electrical Engineering (NTUEE), NHTU, NCTU, Taiwan, 2006; also NCKU, NCTU, Taiwan, 2007
    Lectured a 2-day short course on “RFIC Design Fundamentals and Techniques for RF-SoC Applications”, sponsored by the National Ministry of Education, The National Innovative Communication Education Program, Taiwan, at National Chiao-Tung University, Communication Engineering Dept., Hsin-Chu, Taiwan, Aug. 23-24, 2004.
    Presented invited talks on “RF-SoC design” for ECE294 Seminar, UCSD, 2004 (by Prof. Yuhwa Lo); ASU, 2002 , National Chiao-Tung University and National Chung-Hsing University, Taiwan, Oct., 2003.
    Reviewer for IEEE JSSC, Trans. MTT, MWCL, Design & Test of Comp., IBM Res. J, NSF proposal, IEEE BCTM, SiRF, VLSI-DAT, DCAS, and MWSCAS conferences, etc.

    Email to:

    Donald.Lie@ttu.edu