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Arsh Ahmad Senior Hardware Engineer
BIOGRAPHY & CAREER

Senior Hardware Engineer solving extreme signal integrity & quantum challenges.

I am a Senior Hardware Design Engineer based in Bengaluru, India. Over the last four years, I have specialized in architecting mission-critical electronic hardware for deep-tech applications—primarily focusing on quantum communication systems, high-density computing platforms, and sub-nanosecond signal chains.

Currently, at QuNu Labs, I lead hardware design efforts for next-generation Single Photon Detectors (SPD), quantum key distribution (QKD) transmitters and receivers, and high-speed cryptographic processor cards. My work spans the entire lifecycle: initial system architecture, SPICE and electromagnetic simulation, multi-layer high-density PCB layout, bare-metal bring-up firmware, and manufacturing hand-off.

In 2026, I was honored to be recognized on the AllSpice Top 50 Hardware Innovator List for contributions to quantum hardware engineering and innovative high-speed board designs.

Beyond engineering in the lab, I am deeply passionate about architectural photography and cinematic music composition—exploring the geometric and physical parallels between optics, sound, and electronics.

Arsh Ahmad - Senior Hardware Engineer
Arsh Ahmad
Senior Hardware Engineer · Bengaluru, India

AT A GLANCE

Organization QuNu Labs Pvt. Ltd.
Primary Location Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Specialization Quantum Hardware, High-Speed PCB, FPGA, RF & Analog
Recognition AllSpice Top 50 Hardware Innovator (2026)
Highest Degree B.Tech in Electronics & Communication (2022)

Engineering Philosophy

The core tenets behind every board, schematic, and system I build.

01 // FIRST-PRINCIPLES SIGNAL INTEGRITY

Physics Before Layout

High-speed digital traces aren't wires—they are transmission lines. Understanding electromagnetic propagation, return path discontinuities, and dielectric behavior is foundational to zero-error eye diagrams.

02 // HARDWARE-FIRMWARE CO-DESIGN

Unified System Architecture

Hardware is only as effective as the firmware driving it. Writing my own bare-metal C bring-up routines and VHDL modules ensures tight synchronization between silicon constraints and software expectations.

03 // DFM & PRODUCTION RIGOR

Built to Scale

A successful design must be manufacturable with high yields. I design with strict IPC compliance, verified footprint solderability, controlled panelization, and automated testability (DFT).

Professional Experience

Chronological history of roles and key engineering responsibilities.

Senior Hardware Design Engineer

Apr 2025 – Present

QuNu Labs Pvt. Ltd. · Bengaluru, India

  • Lead the hardware architecture and schematic capture for Single Photon Detector (SPD) quantum systems.
  • Design ultra-low-noise transimpedance amplifiers, GHz-frequency pulse front-ends, and high-voltage programmable supplies.
  • Direct full-cycle hardware engineering: prototype bring-up, lab qualification, signal integrity measurements, and manufacturing hand-off.

Hardware Design Engineer

Jun 2022 – Mar 2025

QuNu Labs Pvt. Ltd. · Bengaluru, India

  • Engineered high-speed FPGA carrier cards with modular mezzanine connectors.
  • Designed and validated diverse ARM and Atmel microcontroller boards for real-time laser diode control and thermal regulation.
  • Managed the analog and mixed-signal circuitry across multiple critical quantum and security platforms.

Technical Toolkit & Proficiencies

Comprehensive inventory of EDA tools, measurement instrumentation, and digital silicon.

EDA & PCB Layout

  • • KiCad 10
  • • Cadence Allegro
  • • Altium Designer
  • • High Layer Count (8+ Layers)
  • • Microvias & BGA Fanout
  • • Controlled Impedance Stackups

High-Speed & Analog / RF

  • • PCIe & Gigabit Ethernet
  • • Multi-Gigabit Transceivers (SerDes)
  • • Signal & Power Integrity (SI/PI)
  • • Low-Noise Amplifiers & TIAs
  • • Active Filters & Matching Networks
  • • Sub-Nanosecond Pulse Circuits

Silicon & Microcontrollers

  • • FPGAs (AMD Xilinx, Microchip, Renesas)
  • • ARM Cortex Processors
  • • STM32 Microcontrollers
  • • Atmel AVR & SAM Architectures
  • • Raspberry Pi RP Series
  • • Multi-Rail VRM Power Trees

Firmware & HDL

  • • Embedded C / C++
  • • FreeRTOS Real-Time Kernel
  • • VHDL & Verilog HDL
  • • FPGA System Bring-Up
  • • SPI, I2C, UART, PCIe Drivers
  • • Microcontroller Application Bring-Up

Lab Instrumentation

  • • Mixed-Signal Oscilloscopes (up to 4 GHz)
  • • Spectrum Analyzers
  • • High-Speed Logic Analyzers
  • • SPICE Modeling & Simulation
  • • SI / PI Laboratory Measurements
  • • Eye Diagram Characterization

Mechanical & ECAD/MCAD

  • • SolidWorks 3D CAD
  • • Autodesk Fusion 360
  • • Enclosure Mechanical Modeling
  • • Thermal Heat-Sink Dissipation
  • • ECAD / MCAD IDF/STEP Exchange
  • • DFM & Sourcing Optimization

Education

Academic credentials and engineering degrees.

2022

Bachelor of Electronics & Communication Engineering Technology

Shri Ramswaroop Memorial College of Engineering and Management (SRMCEM), Lucknow

2017

Diploma in Electronics Engineering

Government Polytechnic, Pratapgarh