Student (m/f/d): Netlist Carpentry: Automatic SDF annotation for digital circuits
During your studies, you can contribute to our ongoing research projects. Join us in pushing the limits of what is technically feasible and be part of breaking new ground together. We offer a variety of challenging and practice-oriented topics for mandatory internships, Bachelor’s or Master’s theses or for student research assistants. You will analyse important scientific preliminary questions and support the project teams with development activities.
Place of work: Erfurt
Team: Microelectronics
Career level:
Thesis
Research field: Integrated sensor systems
Time scope: By agreement
Start: As soon as possible
Application deadline: 2026-06-30
Reference number: IMMS_STUD_ME_0526
Optimizing digital circuits for area and performance is a central process in hardware development. At IMMS, the open-source Python framework “Netlist Carpentry” was developed for this purpose. It automatically analyzes and modifies circuit netlists, for example, to save area. However, it is necessary to comply with timing constraints whenever transformations are made. The timing information (i.e., the delay values of individual gates) is typically stored in the Standard Delay Format (SDF). To enable Netlist Carpentry to check whether given timing constraints are met, the SDF data must be read in and annotated to the corresponding gates. This requires an SDF parser. In this thesis, existing SDF parsing libraries must therefore be analyzed, and if necessary, a custom parser must be implemented. The imported delay values must then be annotated to the respective gates so that the total delay can be determined later. The entire process must be both documented and verified through testing.
WHAT TO DO:
* Familiarization with the structure of Netlist Carpentry
* Analysis of existing SDF parsing libraries
* Connection of a matching SDF library to Netlist Carpentry or implementation of an SDF parser
* Design und successive implementation of a process that annotates given SDF values onto gates of a circuit
* Documentation, Test and Evaluation of the created and implemented annotation process
WHAT TO BRING WITH YOU:
* Advanced Python skills
* Basic knowledge of digital circuits
* Basic knowledge of working with Git
* Helpful, but not mandatory: basic familiarity with netlist carpentry
AND THIS IS US:
We strengthen enterprises with application-oriented research and development in microelectronics, systems engineering and mechatronics and transfer the results of basic research into applications and products. We support companies in launching internationally successful innovations for health, the environment and industry and provide solutions from the feasibility study to series production.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING YOU!
We thank you for your interest in working with us.
Please only apply once – for your favourite topic or for the one that comes closest to your interests. This is the quickest way for us to process your application and get back to you. If you are interested in more than one topic, please include this in your cover letter. In case our current suggestions are not suitable, please send us your speculative application with a topic you would like to work on.
WHAT CAN WE OFFER YOU:
* An attractive workplace in a modern, very well-equipped and industry-oriented research institute
* Work directly at the interface between university and industry
* Work in a flexible and creative team and on innovative and challenging topics
For the tasks described in the job offer and with the existing working conditions, an application is possible irrespective of gender and/or any physical disabilities. We foster professional equality of women and men. We invite women in particular to apply. As women are underrepresented at IMMS, they will be given priority in the case of equal suitability, ability and professional performance.
Address:
IMMS Institut für Mikroelektronik- und Mechatronik-Systeme gemeinnützige GmbH (IMMS GmbH)
Ehrenbergstraße 27
98693 Ilmenau
Germany
Contact: Eric Schäfer
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