PhD Position | Innovative process strategies to deposit high permittivity dielectrics on two-dimensional (2D) materials

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 the deposition of high permittivity dielectrics on 2D materials.

Apply 

• Two-dimensional (2D) materials present exciting and disruptive properties in many scientific domains [1]. The semiconductor industry roadmap envisions 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD) channels for ultra scaled complementary metal oxide field effects transistors (CMOSFET) [2].

 

• The use of atomic thick material comes with new challenges. The bond free surfaces challenge the gate dielectric deposition process with classical techniques. Also, the specific nature of the channel to dielectric interface impacts electron transport in modes at variance with silicon technology [3].

 

• The PhD research topic focuses on investigating new innovative deposition strategies using various precursor chemistries to enable the formation of high permittivity gate dielectrics on top of 2D channels. You will participate to the precursor selection by means of a comprehensive overview of the existing literature, analytical assessment and through collaboration with the atomistic simulation team at imec. You will then study the nucleation and growth behavior in atomic layer deposition (ALD) reactors in the lab and in our state-of-the-art 300mm clean room.

 

• The samples will be characterized by a selection of complementary characterization techniques to reveal insight in the very initial nucleation stages. You will also study the gate dielectric properties and interact with the device team to characterize the materials and the interfaces properties in devices.

 

• You will be part of our research team and benefit from our vast experience on thin film deposition and characterization in the 2D realm [4].

 

• In addition to the diffusion of the learning through publications, you will have the opportunity to present your studies to the community of imec industrial partners. The topic potentially includes collaborations with foreign academic groups.

 

• Finally, you will further enrich your competences and skills through the PhD trajectory at KUL and the imec academy development center.

 

[1] K. S. Novoselov et al., “2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures,” Science, vol. 353, no. 6298, p. aac9439, Jul. 2016,

[2] K. P. O’Brien et al., “Advancing 2D Monolayer CMOS Through Contact, Channel and Interface Engineering,” in 2021 IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM), San Francisco, CA, USA: IEEE, Dec. 2021, p. 7.1.1-7.1.4.

[3] Y. Yu. Illarionov et al., “Insulators for 2D nanoelectronics: the gap to bridge,” Nat Commun, vol. 11, no. 1, p. 3385, Dec. 2020

[4] B. Groven et al., (2018). Two-Dimensional Crystal Grain Size Tuning in WS2  Atomic Layer Deposition: An Insight in the Nucleation Mechanism. Chemistry of materials, 30 (21), 7648-7663

 

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

Supervisor: Annelies Delabie

Daily advisor: Pierre Morin, Daire Cott

The reference code for this position is 2024-016. Mention this reference code on your application form.

Find all the information on doing a PhD at imec, as well as all required documents for your application file, here: Imec - PhD at imec (Belgium) (imec-int.com)

 

Requirements

Research Field

All

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Required background: Material sciences, Material engineering, chemistry, nanotechnologies

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] .

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/innovative-process-s…

Contact

City

Leuven

Website

http://www.imec-int.com

Street

Kapeldreef 75

Postal Code

3001

E-Mail

[email protected]

STATUS: EXPIRED