As soon as possible

Ferroelectric Field-Effect Transistors (FeFETs) are considered as one of the enabling technologies for the next generation highly energy efficient computing systems. FeFETs are programmable, non-volatile silicon-based devices that can facilitate novel architectures able to efficiently perform complex, irregular, highly dynamic computational tasks. More precisely, our focus in on bringing processing capabilities close to the data sources, e.g., AI at the edge but not limited to. The goal is to minimize data access latency, bring the overall system energy efficiency to levels impossible with current technology and as a result enable new applications. In this PhD project you will work on the design and validation of a new generation of FeFET-based data processing architectures, algorithms and tools that can accelerate complex applications able to solve challenging problems from real-life. The work will be performed within a multidisciplinary team of PhD students working at different levels, starting from advanced ferroelectric materials and circuit design, up to heterogeneous computing systems.

MSc degree in the field of computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering or similar with an affection for computationally demanding applications and machine learning.

Prof. dr. ir. Georgi Gaydadjiev (g.gaydadjiev@rug.nl)

30 September 2025

To bring computing power to the edge and to make the cloud sustainable, various paradigms for energy-efficient computing are emerging. These paradigms, for example neuromorphic, wave-based, probabilistic, and in-memory computing, are based on a wide variety of physical processes, materials, architectures, and algorithms. For effective implementation, these aspects need to be mapped, integrated with current technology, and coupled to technological use cases.

In this two-year project, a postdoctoral researcher will join forces with academic and industrial consortium partners to map how emerging computing paradigms can be implemented. The results of the various research projects in the consortium and developments reported in the literature will be monitored and analyzed. Where feasible and opportune, proof-of-principle experiments will be conducted together with various consortium partners.

We are looking for candidates with a PhD in electrical engineering, (applied) physics, and/or materials science, preferably with a background in/affection for hands-on (wafer-scale) device fabrication, processing of advanced materials, and/or device testing and benchmarking.

Dr. Sander Smink (a.e.m.smink-1@utwente.nl)