From First Principles to Artificial Intelligence: Advancing RF and Millimetre-Wave Integrated Circuit Design

Abstract: RF and millimetre-wave integrated circuits (RFICs) are fundamental to next-generation wireless communication, sensing, and intelligent systems. Their advancement has long been driven by first-principles analysis, circuit intuition, creativity, and designer expertise, leading to significant innovations in power amplifiers, RF filters, and passive-inspired circuits. Building on this strong foundation, artificial intelligence (AI) is now opening new possibilities for design automation and the exploration of increasingly complex design spaces. This talk presents our research journey from human-led circuit innovation to AI-driven RFIC design, highlighting representative advances in broadband and high-efficiency power amplifiers, RF filters, passive-inspired design techniques, and intelligent design automation. It will explore how physics-based knowledge and data-driven intelligence can work together to advance circuit design and optimization. The convergence of human expertise and artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of RFIC development, enabling a new generation of communication and sensing technologies. Bio: Dr. Xi (Forest) Zhu is an Associate Professor and ARC Future Fellow at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Australia. His research focuses on radio-frequency, analogue, and mixed-signal integrated circuits for wireless communications and radar sensing. He received his B.Eng. and Ph.D. degrees in Electronic Engineering in 2005 and 2008, respectively. He joined UTS in 2016 after receiving an ARC DECRA and was awarded an ARC Future Fellowship in 2023. He was named Australia's top researcher in Microelectronics and Electronic Packaging by The Australian Research Magazine in 2022 and 2023. He currently serves as the 2026 IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (CASS) Ambassador for Australia and New Zealand, a Senior Editor of the IEEE Journal on Emerging and Selected Topics in Circuits and Systems, and Chair of the IEEE NSW CASS Joint Chapter. Time: Brisbane / Cairns / Townsville: 10:30-11:30 AM (AEST) Sydney / Melbourne / Canberra / Hobart: 11:30 AM-12:30 PM (AEDT) Adelaide: 11:00-noon (ACDT) Darwin: 10:00-11:00 AM (ACST) Perth: 9:00-10:00 AM (AWST)