Projects
In Silicon Post-Quantum Encryption Accelerator based on Learning with Errors
Introduction
Asymmetric encryption is an essential technology in today’s hyperconnected society. We rely on asymmetric encryption schemes to secure our communications every day. We also rely on asymmetric encryption in cutting edge finance tech as it fundamentally enables authenticating transactions on the blockchain. Current asymmetric encryption schemes are vulnerable to attacks from quantum computers via Shor’s Algorithm. The theory for this algorithm has existed for quite a while now, but no quantum computer sufficiently capable of utilizing the algorithm at production scale has yet to be constructed. Regardless, it is important that we ensure that our encryption schemes are quantum computer resistant since encrypted data can be collected today and stored until sufficient compute resources exist to decrypt the data. As such, many so called “post-quantum” encryption schemes have been invented and even implemented in production.
2nd Place Winner in the 2023 Analog Devices IC Design Contest
For the 2023 Analog Devices IC Design Contest, my partner (William Schilp) and I designed a triple cascode amplifier that included a gain boosting circuit on the PMOS side and folded gain booster on the NMOS side.
Much was learned throughout this project. I’d say the most important takeaway is that analog circuit design is a very sensitive process. Even the smallest changes in design parameters can have an enormous impact on the functionality of the circuit.
A Custom Silicon Wristwatch Built on Skywater’s Open-Source 130nm PDK
Tasked with finding an interesting project for our independent study at RPI this semester, our group of five students got together and brainstormed ideas, looking for an interesting way to make use of Efabless services and their chipIgnite shuttle. We landed on RPIce, a custom silicon wristwatch that displays the time on rings of LEDs and showcases our custom IC chip directly on its watchface.