Science and Engineering: Fully Funded EPSRC ICase and NPL PhD: Metrology and Process Integration for Defect Mapping of Next Generation Semiconductor Materials and Devices

13 Mar 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

Swansea University

Department

Central

Research Field

Engineering » Electrical engineering

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

United Kingdom

Application Deadline

1 Apr 2024 - 23:59 (Europe/London)

Type of Contract

Other

Job Status

Full-time

Hours Per Week

35

Offer Starting Date

1 Jul 2024

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

Science and Engineering: Fully Funded EPSRC ICase and NPL PhD: Metrology and Process Integration for Defect Mapping of Next Generation Semiconductor Materials and Devices

This highly innovative PhD project will develop new analysis tools for investigating semiconductor wafers and devices – focussing on the latest semiconductor materials (including compound semiconductors).  

This studentship is linked to an exciting new Doctoral Training Initiative “UK Semiconductor Industry Future Skills” (UK-SIFS). UK-SIFS will provide valuable and highly practical skills relevant to the UK semiconductor industry such as formal cleanroom fabrication training, vacuum systems, process control (six sigma) in semiconductor manufacturing, semiconductor supply chains and export control, semiconductor packaging, and technology translation in the semiconductor sector. This PhD will be part of two cohorts of students in 2024 and 2025 across Swansea University and the University of Leeds, the Royce Institute, and partners including KLA, and the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), amongst others. Our partners will co-deliver the training content, plus co-supervise PhD research projects, and supervising a programme of secondments at partner sites. UK-SIFS provides not only the considerable benefits of research training and collaboration across a multidisciplinary cohort working in areas such as semiconductor devices, device characterisation and metrology, power electronics, clean energy, bioelectronics and sensing, THz devices, optoelectronics, molecular semiconductors, quantum technology, electronic glass and advanced heterogeneous integration, but is also a unique opportunity for those students who may want to connect closely with the semiconductor and related industries for their PhD and aspire to be the future leaders of the sector in the UK and beyond. 

This highly innovative PhD project, led by Swansea University and based at NPL in London, aims to create new tools for analysing semiconductor wafers and devices, focusing on the latest materials like compound semiconductors. Compound semiconductors, important in the UK's semiconductor strategy, are used in various technologies like electric vehicles, sensors, and quantum technologies. They are more efficient than traditional silicon, but are sensitive to defects, which can lead to production issues and high costs. The project will develop methods to inspect wafers more effectively, using machine learning to identify critical defects in the latest semiconductor materials like SiC, GaN and β-Ga2O3. These materials offer profound advantages for power devices over silicon technologies. This PhD work is critical as low production yields lead to wastage and slow market growth. 

The project is funded by an iCASE award to the National Physical Laboratory (NPL). The award will fund a Swansea University student to undertake a PhD at NPL’s Teddington laboratories near London. 

Requirements

Research Field

Engineering » Electrical engineering

Education Level

Bachelor Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Candidates must hold 1) an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level (or Non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University) in Engineering or similar relevant science discipline, OR 2) an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level in chemistry or a related subject, or a master’s degree with a minimum overall grade at ‘Merit’ in chemistry or a related subject (or Non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University). If you are eligible to apply for the scholarship (i.e. a student who is eligible to pay the UK rate of tuition fees) but do not hold a UK degree, you can check our comparison entry requirements. Please note that you may need to provide evidence of your English Language proficiency. 

Specific Requirements

English language requirements (Full details of our English Language policy, including certificate time validity, can be found here ):

• For PhD in Electronic and Electrical Engineering- IELTS 6.5 Overall (5.5+ each comp.) or Swansea University recognised equivalent
• For PhD in Chemistry- IELTS 6.0 Overall (with no individual component below 5.5) or Swansea University recognised equivalent.

This scholarship is open to candidates of any nationality.

EPSRC ICASE studentships are available to home and international students. Up to 30% of our cohort can comprise international students, once the limit has been reached, we are unable to make offers to international students. We are still accepting applications from international applicants. International students will not be charged the fee difference between the UK and international rate. Applicants should satisfy the UKRI eligibility requirements. 

Additional Information
Benefits

This scholarship covers the full cost of UK tuition fees and an annual stipend at UKRI rate (currently £18,622 for 2023/24).

Additional research expenses will also be available.

Eligibility criteria

Candidates must hold 1) an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level (or Non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University) in Engineering or similar relevant science discipline, OR 2) an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level in chemistry or a related subject, or a master’s degree with a minimum overall grade at ‘Merit’ in chemistry or a related subject (or Non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University). If you are eligible to apply for the scholarship (i.e. a student who is eligible to pay the UK rate of tuition fees) but do not hold a UK degree, you can check our comparison entry requirements. Please note that you may need to provide evidence of your English Language proficiency. 

English language requirements (Full details of our English Language policy, including certificate time validity, can be found here ):

• For PhD in Electronic and Electrical Engineering- IELTS 6.5 Overall (5.5+ each comp.) or Swansea University recognised equivalent
• For PhD in Chemistry- IELTS 6.0 Overall (with no individual component below 5.5) or Swansea University recognised equivalent.

This scholarship is open to candidates of any nationality.

EPSRC ICASE studentships are available to home and international students. Up to 30% of our cohort can comprise international students, once the limit has been reached, we are unable to make offers to international students. We are still accepting applications from international applicants. International students will not be charged the fee difference between the UK and international rate. Applicants should satisfy the UKRI eligibility requirements. 

Selection process

Please see our website for more information.

Website for additional job details

https://www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate/scholarships/research/science-engineerin…

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

Swansea University

Country

United Kingdom

City

Swansea

Postal Code

SA2 8PP

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate/scholarships/research/science-engineerin…

Contact

City

Swansea

Website

https://www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate/scholarships/research/science-engineering-epsrc-icase-npl-phd-metrology-2023-rs577.php?utm_source=euraxess&utm_medium=scholarship&utm_campaign=postgraduate24&utm_content=pgr

Street

Singleton Park

Postal Code

SA28PP

E-Mail

[email protected]

STATUS: EXPIRED