PhD Positions More Reliable Electron Imaging for Semiconductor Industry

Challenge: Enabling inspection of increasingly smaller chips.

Change: Realizing faster and more reliable electron imaging for the semiconductor industry.

Impact: Enable controlled manufacturing steps at ever smaller dimensions.

There is a growing demand for smaller and more powerful computer chips. A major challenge to meet this demand is that when components are extremely small, it is hard to make them visible and inspect with light. By using electrons instead of light, the highest possible resolution can be achieved for visualising semiconductor components. Inspection with electrons offers a solution, but the technique still has major, fundamental shortcomings.

ARCNL , Delft University of Technology and ASML will join forces to get a better understanding of the causes of current limitations enabling the realization of faster and more reliable electron imaging for the semiconductor industry.

We are building a team of 7 PhDs and 3 Postdocs with a focus on one of the following research lines:

1. Instrumentation:

• Applications requirements & research into SEM design
• Ultraclean vacuum (mini) environment
• Application-optimized SEM instrumentation (sources, corrector)
• (Applied) physics, electrical or mechanical engineering, nanotechnology, imaging science

2. Electron-target interaction, with focus on low landing energy

• Simulation models on charging & damage
• Experimental characterization on electron-induced damage & charge diffusion
• (Applied) physics, chemistry, computer science, imaging science, (electron) optics, solid-state physics, radiation chemistry

 3. Signal generation and detection

• Artefact and charging damage removal
• Novel detector concepts
• Experimental validation: the holistic approach
• (Applied) physics, electrical engineering, systems and control, imaging science, (electron) optics, detectors, signal processing, image analysis

To read more about this research collaboration, please visit our project page. 

You are highly motivated to conduct fundamental research into electron beam imaging geared to accelerating innovations for industry and society as a whole. Embracing the opportunity to work with leading industrial partners, you know how to collaborate and achieve meaningful results geared to the development of pragmatic applications. You also put your curiosity to good use: you don’t take anomalies for granted and take the initiative to dig deeper and spar with experts. You also have:

• An MSc in (Applied) Physics or a relevant specialization (e.g. electrical or mechanical engineering, chemistry, computer science, imaging science, electron optics etc.)
• Experience of, or a keen interest in solid-state physics, electron-matter interaction, condensed matter physics and/or electron beam imaging.
• A drive to work within one of the 3 project research lines focussed on instrumentation (design), simulation (modelling) or experimental validation. 
• A good command of spoken and written English, as you’ll be working in an internationally diverse community. You will also write scientific articles and your dissertation in English and participate in English-taught courses.

Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis. For more details please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements .

Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2770 per month in the first year to € 3539 in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. 

For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service . This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a Dual Career Programme  for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values  and we actively engage  to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

With more than 1,100 employees, including 150 pioneering principal investigators, as well as a population of about 3,600 passionate students, the Faculty of Applied Sciences is an inspiring scientific ecosystem. Focusing on key enabling technologies, such as quantum- and nanotechnology, photonics, biotechnology, synthetic biology and materials for energy storage and conversion, our faculty aims to provide solutions to important problems of the 21st century. To that end, we educate innovative students in broad Bachelor's and specialist Master's programmes with a strong research component. Our scientists conduct ground-breaking fundamental and applied research in the fields of Life and Health Science & Technology, Nanoscience, Chemical Engineering, Radiation Science & Technology, and Engineering Physics. We are also training the next generation of high school teachers.

Click here  to go to the website of the Faculty of Applied Sciences.

If you would like more information about this role, please contact Dr. Timon Fliervoet, System Architect at ASML and Guest Researcher at TU Delft via [email protected].

Are you interested in joining this exciting collaboration? First check if a matching project specific vacancy is already published here . Can't find a matching project specific vacancy? Apply via the application button and indicate your preferred project research line on the open application form. It is not required nor beneficial to apply to multiple vacancies within the project because the same selection committee will be reviewing all applications for this project. You are welcome to apply if you are available within 1-3 months or 3-12 months as we will be adjusting our hiring schedule depending on the matches. 

With your application also upload:

• Concise and project-oriented motivation letter (max. half A4). General application letters will not be considered.
• Detailed CV (max. 2 pages).
• Copies of your BSc and MSc degrees and transcripts.
• Names and contact information of at least two relevant references. We will not contact references without your consent.

Please note:

• A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
• Applying for an exemption for specific research and educational areas is an obligatory part of the selection procedure for this vacancy. This exemption must be obtained from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) before an employment contract is agreed upon. Click here for more information.
• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.