Student (m/f/d): Energy‑Efficient Chip Design: Heuristics for Clock‑Gate Insertion

Student (m/f/d): Energy‑Efficient Chip Design: Heuristics for Clock‑Gate Insertion

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:Mandatory Internship or Student Research Assistant

Research field: Integrated sensor systems

Time scope: By agreement

Start: As soon as possible

Application deadline: 2026-12-31

Reference number: IMMS_STUD_ME_0426

At IMMS a plugin was developed for the Netlist Carpentry Tool that automatically inserts clock gates. Clock‑gating shuts off the clock of inactive flip‑flops, dramatically reducing the power consumption of integrated circuits. However, this comes with a trade‑off between energy savings and the area required by the circuit, because activity detection logic consumes significant space. Currently, the clock gates are inserted before every flip‑flop instance in the netlist using the Netlist Carpentry Tool.

To evaluate where clock gates should be inserted, heuristics are needed. Either the goal is to maximize energy savings or to keep the area footprint low. The latter is achieved by inserting clock gates only at critical locations or for groups of flip‑flops.

WHAT TO DO:

• Heuristics for determining clock‑gate insertion points in the netlist based on given metrics
• Implementation in Python
• Documentation

WHAT TO BRING WITH YOU:

• Basic Python skills
• Basic knowledge of digital circuits
• Basic Git proficiency

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

We value and promote equal opportunities and are committed to the goals of equality and diversity.

Applications for the listed positions and existing working conditions are welcome regardless of gender and/or any physical disabilities.

IMMS ensures gender equality in the workplace and strives to increase the proportion of the under-represented gender. Women are under-represented in this field. Applications from women are therefore expressly encouraged.

People with severe disabilities will be given preference if they have the same qualifications, skills, and professional performance.

Address:

IMMS Institut für Mikroelektronik- und Mechatronik-Systeme gemeinnützige GmbH (IMMS GmbH)

Ehrenbergstraße 27

98693 Ilmenau

Germany

Contact: Eric Schäfer

www.imms.de/students

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