Research
Below you will find a list of funded research projects at our chair.
Active research projects and collaborations
LeanMiCS: Learning-Based Cross-Layer Reliability Management in Embedded Mixed-Criticality Systems
Abstract
With the technology scaling in these modern embedded platforms, which leads to exacerbating the rate of manufacturing defects and physical fault rates, the safety and reliability issues have increased tremendously in all electronic systems, from unreliable execution of mixed-criticality applications to unreliable hardware. To design a reliable system, fault mitigation, and reliability methods need to be applied. This project investigates the feasibility of developing a hybrid machine-learning-based reliable design for these systems to estimate and improve reliability, QoS, and power consumption objectives.
SecuReFET II: Secure Circuits through inherent Reconfigurable FET II
Re-configurable Field-Effect Transistors (RFETs) can be reversibly
reconfigured into p-type and n-type operating modes, offering the
functionality of two different devices into one. With advantages such as
run-time reconfiguration, symmetric IV characteristics, multi-Vt
designs, low-standby power, multi-independent gate support, inherently
polymorphic functionality, RFETs make a promising solution for
mitigating hardware attacks. The project will examine RFET behavior
under side-channel attacks and assess how volatile and non-volatile RFET
features can secure both data and IP against threats, while also
expanding the work initiated in Phase I with greater depth.
DART: Design Automation for Reconfigurable Transistors
Abstract
Continuous scaling of CMOS technology has historically enabled automatic performance improvements in electronic circuit design. However, as scaling approaches the power wall, thermal management challenges and the emergence of dark silicon necessitate new approaches to sustain performance and efficiency. This project investigates the use of reconfigurable transistors to reshape electronic circuit design by offering higher functional density and reduced power consumption. To fully exploit reconfigurability, modifications to the electronic design automation (EDA) flow are explored, including approaches that transcend traditional standard-cell-based synthesis.
X-ReAp: Cross(X)-Layer Runtime Reconfigurable Approximate Architecture
X-DNet: Energy-Efficient Distributed and In-Network Computing via Cross-Layer ApproXimation of Applications and Accelerators Software Campus (BMBF)
TRR404 "Next Generation Electronics With Active Devices in Three Dimensions [Active-3D]"
The TRR404 "Next Generation Electronics With Active Devices in Three Dimensions [Active-3D]" is a Collaborative Research Center/Transregio between multiple universities/research centers. The role of our group is to assess complex circuit and system options for Active-3D environment, and to automate design environment for new 3D architectures. The central function of our group in this project is to develop and maintain a simplified electronic design automation environment that will allow the design of more complex systems in later phases. This is a crucial task since Active-3D eliminates boundaries between supply voltage and signals, memory, logic, and so forth, and therefore, new automated design strategies will be required and will need significant research and continuous interaction with all other project members.
DI-ReDesign: Reconfigurable open source libraries and design tools for novel transistor technologies
The project aims to create an open design library for the development of integrated circuits with reconfigurable field-effect transistors (RFETs). Furthermore, an open-source toolchain will be developed and made available to facilitate industrial access to manufacturing using the new RFET technology for chip development. A special focus is also placed on exploring novel approaches for enhanced hardware security. Finally, resilience against structural side-channel attacks using optical and electron beam techniques will be demonstrated. This project is a multi-partner project between GLOBALFOUNDRIES LLC & Co. KG, Dresden, Ruhr University Bochum, University of Bremen, Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS, and Technical University of Berlin.