Dr. Wooram Lee, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Seminar
- Sponsor
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Speaker
- Dr. Wooram Lee, Associate Professor, Penn State University
- Contact
- Angie Ellis
- amellis@illinois.edu
- Phone
- 217-300-1910
- Originating Calendar
- Illinois ECE Calendar
Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Seminar by Dr. Wooram Lee
Associate Professor, Penn State University
Monday, March 30, 2026, 11:00 am-12:00 pm
B02 CSL Auditorium or Online via Zoom
Title: RF Signal Processing in Silicon: From Sub-THz Beamforming to Ultra-Broadband Spectrum Sensing
Abstract: The growing demand for ultra-high-data-rate connectivity and high-resolution imaging is pushing wireless technologies into the mmWave and sub-THz spectrum (30–300 GHz). While this spectrum offers unprecedented bandwidth, its practical use is challenged by severe path loss and the limited efficiency of silicon transistors at these frequencies.
To overcome these challenges, I will present our recent innovations in RF-domain signal processing in silicon that enable scalable beamforming architectures and energy-efficient processing of extremely wide bandwidths. I first will introduce two key building blocks for scalable sub-THz beamformer arrays: a trombone-inspired sub-THz phase shifter that achieves calibration-free, precise phase control, and an ultra-compact, high-power sub-THz bidirectional transceiver front-end. I will then present an RF-domain signal processor inspired by phased-array principles that enables energy-efficient, ultra-broadband spectrum sensing beyond the limits of conventional digital approaches. Finally, I will outline a research vision centered on holistic co-design across devices, circuits, packaging, and system architectures for emerging applications in 6G wireless systems, quantum computing, and RF interconnects.
Wooram Lee is an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering at Penn State University. He received his B.Sc. and M.S. degrees from KAIST and his Ph.D. from Cornell University. From 2012 to 2015, he worked at Broadcom on multi-Gbps transceivers, and from 2015 to 2020, he was at IBM T. J. Watson Research Center focusing on high-performance mmWave phased array circuits. Prof. Lee’s work has been recognized with the IEEE RFIC Best Student Paper Award (2023, as faculty advisor), the IEEE RFIC Best Industry Paper Award (2019), and the IEEE Radar Conference Best Paper Award (2009). He currently serves as an Associate Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, a Guest Editor for the IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, and is a member of the Technical Program Committee of the IEEE Radio-Frequency Integrated Circuits (RFIC) Symposium.