PhD

Process Technology

• Ge and III-V CMOS scaling
• Post-CMOS nano
• Reliability research at imec
• Memories
• Power devices
• GaN Power Converters
• Nanoscale properties of new materials for emerging memory de
• Ion-solid interactions
• Probing semiconductor devices on the atomic scale
• Packaging and interconnection
• SiGe-based MEMS
• RF-MEMS
• Advanced lithography
• Simulation of wafer plating uniformity
• Superfilling of 3D via structures with alternative metals
• Diamond bit cutting for metal bonding

SiGe-based MEMS

Imec has developed a very interesting and flexible poly-SiGe MEMS (Micro ElectroMechanical Systems) platform that can be used to process sensors and actuators above their CMOS readout and driving electronics. This pure CMOS integration results in much smaller packages with fewer interconnections than current hybrid systems, which combine MEMS and electronics on separate chips. With this platform imec already realized an integrated gyroscope, an 11 MPixel micro-mirror array and an array of probes for data storage.
The full potential of this platform will however come from integrating poly-SiGe NEMS (Nano ElectroMechanical Systems) with its circuitry. By using IMEC’s advanced lithography capabilities, sensors and actuators with dimensions in the range of tens or hundreds of nanometers could be directly integrated with their readout electronics, leading to truly miniature systems. A PhD candidate in this research area will design (simulations and lay-out), fabricate (in collaboration with the SiGe MEMS integration team) and test certain poly-SiGe NEMS devices (e.g. nano-accelerometers, resonators, switches,..). Goals of the research are to explore possibilities to optimize and miniaturize SiGe devices, to look at novel detection or actuation principles and to investigate the effect scaling has on the achievable signal/noise ratio and on the variability.

Responsible scientist: Ann Witvrouw (witvrouw@imec.be)