PhD Studentship: Fully Funded EPSRC iCASE and NPL PhD Scholarship: Metrology and Process Integration for Defect Mapping of Next Generation Semiconductor Materials and Devices

Funding providers: EPSRC iCASE and the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), Teddington UK 

Subject areas: Physics / Electrical Engineering / Chemistry

Project start date: 

• 1 January 2025 

Aligned programme of study: PhD in Chemistry or Electronic and Electrical Engineering

Project description:  

This highly innovative PhD project will develop new analysis tools for investigating semiconductor wafers and devices – focussing on the latest semiconductor materials (including compound semiconductors). 

This studentship is linked to an exciting new Doctoral Training Initiative “UK Semiconductor Industry Future Skills” (UK-SIFS). UK-SIFS will provide valuable and highly practical skills relevant to the UK semiconductor industry such as formal cleanroom fabrication training, vacuum systems, process control (six sigma) in semiconductor manufacturing, semiconductor supply chains and export control, semiconductor packaging, and technology translation in the semiconductor sector. This PhD will be part of two cohorts of students in 2024 and 2025 across Swansea University and the University of Leeds, the Royce Institute, and partners including KLA, and the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), amongst others. Our partners will co-deliver the training content, plus co-supervise PhD research projects, and supervising a programme of secondments at partner sites. UK-SIFS provides not only the considerable benefits of research training and collaboration across a multidisciplinary cohort working in areas such as semiconductor devices, device characterisation and metrology, power electronics, clean energy, bioelectronics and sensing, THz devices, optoelectronics, molecular semiconductors, quantum technology, electronic glass and advanced heterogeneous integration, but is also a unique opportunity for those students who may want to connect closely with the semiconductor and related industries for their PhD and aspire to be the future leaders of the sector in the UK and beyond.

This highly innovative PhD project, led by Swansea University and based at NPL in London, aims to create new tools for analysing semiconductor wafers and devices, focusing on the latest materials like compound semiconductors. Compound semiconductors, important in the UK's semiconductor strategy, are used in various technologies like electric vehicles, sensors, and quantum technologies. They are more efficient than traditional silicon, but are sensitive to defects, which can lead to production issues and high costs. The project will develop methods to inspect wafers more effectively, using machine learning to identify critical defects in the latest semiconductor materials like SiC, GaN and β-Ga2O3. These materials offer profound advantages for power devices over silicon technologies. This PhD work is critical as low production yields lead to wastage and slow market growth.

Eligibility

Candidates must hold 1) an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level (or Non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University) in Engineering or similar relevant science discipline, OR 2) an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level in chemistry or a related subject, or a master’s degree with a minimum overall grade at ‘Merit’ in chemistry or a related subject (or Non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University). Please note that you may need to provide evidence of your English Language proficiency.

This scholarship is open to candidates of any nationality.

Please visit our website for more information.

Funding Details

Additional Funding Information

This scholarship covers the full cost of UK tuition fees and an annual stipend at UKRI rate (currently £19,237 for 2024/25).

Additional research expenses will also be available. 

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