PhD Position in Computational X-ray Imaging and Semiconductor Metrology — EPFL
CHF 62'000 - 94'000
EPFL · Villigen (AG)
- Location
- Villigen
- Contract
- full-time
- Posted
- 39 days ago
SalaryCHF 62'000 - 94'000
Role overview
Mission The newly established Laboratory for Nanoscale X-ray Metrology is looking for a motivated PhD student to develop computational and experimental methods for high-resolution 3D imaging.
- Mission The newly established Laboratory for Nanoscale X-ray Metrology is looking for a motivated PhD student to develop computational and experimental methods for high-resolution 3D imaging.
- Main duties and responsibilities Project Description The performance of X-ray microscopy has improved significantly over the last decade, enabling synchrotron-based X-ray imaging to resolve individual transistors in modern semiconductor devices.
- As semiconductor technology enters the new era of the 3D transistor, the need for non-destructive, high-resolution 3D imaging methods has never been greater.
Main responsibilities
- Main duties and responsibilities Project Description The performance of X-ray microscopy has improved significantly over the last decade, enabling synchrotron-based X-ray imaging to resolve individual transistors in modern semiconductor devices.
- As semiconductor technology enters the new era of the 3D transistor, the need for non-destructive, high-resolution 3D imaging methods has never been greater.
- While X-ray microscopy holds the potential for nanometer-scale defect detection in 3D semiconductor devices, its imaging performance requires further breakthroughs.
- Currently, the highest-performance microscopy tools utilize ptychography—a coherent diffractive lensless imaging technique that replaces the limitations of traditional lenses with sophisticated computational algorithms.
- However, achieving the ~1 nm 3D resolution required for next-generation semiconductor metrology remains a "grand challenge".
- At these extreme resolutions, massive photon requirements cause radiation damage, nanoscale mechanical instabilities become severe, and the projection approximation completely breaks down for thick samples.
- We offer This position offers a unique dual environment.
- You will have the opportunity to earn your PhD through a structured doctoral program at EPFL, one of the world’s leading technical universities.
- Physically, you and the team will be based at the Swiss Light Source (SLS) synchrotron located at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI). A fully funded 4-year PhD position with competitive salary.
- Core involvement in the SNSF Starting Grant project NEXUS-3D, working at the intersection of applied physics, high-performance computing, and semiconductor metrology.
Application process
- In this role, you will help establish new X-ray microscopy performance benchmarks by pushing the limits of imaging resolution and sample thickness achievable for semiconductor applications.
- To achieve this, the project will focus on the following topics:
- Depth-of-Field Limitations: At 1 nm resolution, the depth of field shrinks to just a hundred nanometers, yet the high X-ray penetration allows imaging of samples that are several orders of magnitude thicker.
- The project will develop an extended depth-of-field reconstruction framework for thick 3D samples.
- Mismatch Between Theory and Experiment: Reconstruction methods are based on idealized image formation models, which break down under extreme imaging conditions.
- Achieving high-performance imaging requires improving the models and developing robust computational optimization algorithms, to account for issues such as experimental nanoscale vibrations.
- High-Performance 3D Imaging: Integrating these methods into tomography and laminography, and performing synchrotron-based experiments to visualize previously "unseen" features in modern semiconductor devices.
Additional details
- Physically, you and the team will be based at the Swiss Light Source (SLS) synchrotron located at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI). A fully funded 4-year PhD position with competitive salary.
- Profile We are looking for a PhD candidate highly motivated to develop computational methods for lensless X-ray microscopy. This position is for you if you bring:
Notes and original content
- Physically, you and the team will be based at the Swiss Light Source (SLS) synchrotron located at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI).
- A fully funded 4-year PhD position with competitive salary.
- Profile We are looking for a PhD candidate highly motivated to develop computational methods for lensless X-ray microscopy.
- This position is for you if you bring:
