UC Irvine

This thesis focuses on the development of a novel approach for treating tinnitus, a prevalent condition marked by the perception of sound without an external source, affecting 10-15% of the global population. Traditional treatments are often ineffective for patients with severe tinnitus, prompting exploration into new methods such as electrical stimulation of inner-ear tissue. The thesis presents the design and measurements of an miniaturized multi-chip module (MCM) solution intended for delivering well-defined, charge-balanced current stimuli directly to the inner ear. The MCM will be implemented in the inner-ear of patients with severe tinnitus.Detailed descriptions of the MCM solution are provided, this solution contains four key elements: a laminate substrate, an antenna, a core chip and a supply chip. The most critical parts of this MCM solution are the two chips, the design of which is the main part of this thesis, both chips were designed and fabricated using the TSMC180nm BCD G2 process. This MCM solution is tailored to accommodate the high-impedance nature of inner ear tissue and to ensure safe and effective stimulation. Overall, this work represents a significant advancement in the development of innovative solutions for tinnitus treatment, offering potential benefits for patients suffering from this challenging condition. The thesis concludes with measurements conducted to assess the performance of the chips designed in generating current stimulation waveforms and maintaining charge balance. The measurements were conducted using two types of loads: a human inner-ear RC model circuit and pig-ear tissue. The results demonstrate the chip’s ability to produce arbitrary current stimulation waveforms with tunable amplitudes, number of consecutive cycles, and charge-balance times.