GUI-based client for e-test instruments control

Project description

In the context of imec’s research activities, the Non-Volatile Memory Team performs a substantial amount of electrical measurements for the characterisation of memory cells. To this end, the team operates a set of dedicated, custom-built measurements systems. Each system is an interplay of specialised off-the-shelf hardware and in-house developed hardware and software.
 
One of the systems in use, called RIFLE, uses a software architecture based on a client-server principle: the server (the RIFLE system itself) is a headless software that controls the actual instrumentation hardware and performs the measurements, while the client (called ATOL) is a graphical user interface, running on the researcher’s PCs and allowing remote control of the server’s operations.
 
The Memory Team is interested in the development of an ATOL client replacement: the goal for the new client software is to overcome certain technical limitations of the current system, to improve maintainability, and to offer a more general and uniform interface towards different measurement systems.

Technical aspects of the project

• Client will be platform-agnostic, primarily running on Windows 10 laptops.
• Features:
  • Interaction with a remote MySQL database:
    • Storing data from the measurement system
    • Fetching data from database for further analysis and comparison
  • Numerical postprocessing:
    • Interface with Matlab/Octave
  • Displaying and plotting of numerical data:
    • time series
    • 2D plots i.e., X-Y
    • 3D plots i.e., surface plots
    • parametric plots i.e., multiple plots with parameters associated to each curve
  • TCL/IP LAN/WAN connection to remote server application.
  • Automatic document/reporting generation.
• Java and Python as programming languages.
• Windows 10 and Linux as operating systems for development and deployment.

Type of Project: Combination of internship and thesis 

Master's degree: Master of Engineering Technology 

Duration: 6 months 

Master program: Computer Science; Electrotechnics/Electrical Engineering; Nanoscience & Nanotechnology 

Supervisor: Jan Van Houdt 

For more information or application, please contact Antonio Arreghini (antonio.arreghini@imec.be)

Imec allowance will be provided for students studying at a non-Belgian university.