PhD position | Exploring materials and strategies for metal contacts of advanced 2D devices

29 Mar 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

IMEC

Research Field

All

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

Belgium

Application Deadline

15 Apr 2024 - 23:59 (Europe/Brussels)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

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

Join an international and multidisciplinary team to research on contacting 2D channel materials.

The Silicon semiconductor technology has been the main driver in the last 60 years in the advancement of our daily life. The development of electronics devices, sensors, automation, computers, cameras and smartphones based on this material will reach in the near future ultimate limits due to the continuous downscaling of the physical size of devices and wires to the nanometer scale. The miniaturization of circuits seems to have reached a possible halt, since transistors can only be shrunk down to a certain size and not further beyond. Thus, there is a pressing need to complement Si CMOS technology with new materials to fulfil the future computing requirements as well as the needs for diversification of applications.

 

In this framework, two-dimensional (2D) materials offer prospects of unprecedented advances in device performance at the sub-nanometer scale. Their amazing potential has proven to be a possible solution to overcome the limitations of silicon technology, where the combination of 2D materials with silicon chips promises to surpass the current technological limitations. With that vision, imec investigates their integration, in particular for beyond silicon CMOS and advanced memory technologies. However, many challenges still remain to unlock their incorporation into the Si-technology, especially the contact module at the source/drain area in a Field-Effect Transistor device. The quest towards lowering the contact resistance is today the main focus to boost current device performances.

  

In this project, the PhD candidate will explore different routes to improve the metal contact with the 2D channel. The epitaxy and/or deposition of specific metals, semimetals, 2D metals will be at the core of this project. Various deposition techniques such as Molecular Beam Epitaxy, Physical Vapor Deposition and Atomic Layer Deposition will be used to research the ideal combination between the metal and the 2D channel. The PhD candidate will be responsible for the deposition/epitaxy, will make use of different complementary characterization techniques to provide an in-depth and thorough understanding on the impact of the metal to the 2D channel and finally will explore different integration schemes such as top contacts versus side contacts.

 

At imec, we have a large expert team with various backgrounds in materials and deposition techniques, state of the art 200mm and 300mm process lines, laboratories, device learning and modelling. The PhD candidate will be part of the Advanced Deposition Channel team at imec, with strong links to the Material Engineering department of KU Leuven.

 

Type of work: 40% experimental, 30% characterizations, 20% data analysis, 10% literature

Supervisor: Clement Merckling

Daily advisor: Pierre Morin

The reference code for this position is 2024-022. Mention this reference code on your application form.

Requirements

Research Field

All

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Required background: Material science, Material engineering,, Physics, Chemistry

Languages

ENGLISH

Level

Excellent

Additional Information
Selection process

• Read the PhD Admission Requirements
• Choose your topics and look up the reference codes (2023-001). You can apply for maximum 3 projects in total.
• Collect your documents in pdf format:
  • Download and complete the motivation letter
  • Resume
  • Bachelor's degree and transcripts
  • Master's degree and transcripts
    If you have not finished your master program yet, you can submit your degree when you graduate. Do submit your master examination results available at the time of application.
  • Proof of your English language proficiency (refer to the PhD Admission Requirements  for details)
  • GRE score (refer to the PhD Admission Requirements  for details)
  • Ask two referees to fill out the evaluation form  for you and have them send their input to [email protected]  before the deadline (15 April 2023 or 15 December 2023). The letters of recommendation are confidential and are an essential part of your application. We will not be able to process your application without the evaluation forms so it is important that you contact your referees in time.

Additional comments
General information

There are two application windows:

• From 15 March until 15 April
• From 15 October until 15 December

Imec itself is not giving PhD degrees but acts as a host research institute for PhD and postdoc research in collaboration with 5 Flemish universities: KU Leuven, UGent, VUBrussel, UAntwerpen, UHasselt. Imec has also signed dual degree PhD agreements with Flemish and international universities. Both engineers and scientists can apply because of the multidisciplinary character of our research. PhDs get supported by professors of both national and international universities, all of them experts in their domains.
Imec has a dual degree agreement with different universities.

If you have more questions after reading the information below, contact [email protected] .

Website for additional job details

https://www.imec-int.com/en/work-at-imec/job-opportunities/phd-at-imec

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

imec

Country

Belgium

City

Leuven

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://www.imec-int.com/en/work-at-imec/job-opportunities/exploring-materials-…

Contact

City

Leuven

Website

http://www.imec-int.com

Street

Kapeldreef 75

Postal Code

3001

E-Mail

[email protected]

STATUS: EXPIRED