About the Project
Applications are invited for a four-year, fully funded PhD research studentship in analog IC and system design, enabled by AI-driven EDA tools, at the James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK. University of Glasgow is an internationally top 100 university (#79 in QS World University Rankings 2026). The program is funded by the university and industry partners.
Analog IC design remains largely a manual and experience-driven process. As circuits grow more complex and design requirements become more stringent, this traditional approach struggles to maintain both design quality and efficiency. There is no doubt that AI-driven analog IC design will be the trend for both industry and academia over the next few years. Although there are many AI-enabled EDA algorithms, very few reach the level of practical use. Prof. Bo Liu’s AI-driven analog IC design algorithms reached the practical-use stage and were adopted by MathWorks (from MATLAB 2027a) and partnered with Cadence (with the first tool expected in 2027).
This PhD project focuses on designing cutting-edge analog ICs and systems (e.g., ADCs, PLLs) empowered by these AI-driven design tools. Not only will the student produce novel high-quality analog IC designs for publication, but the student will also become part of the first generation of analog IC designers armed with AI-driven design techniques, which are highly sought after by both industry and academia.