PhD Position Amplitude & Phase Control in Optical Metrology

PhD Position Amplitude & Phase Control in Optical Metrology

What about shaping the future of optical metrology?

Optical metrology plays a critical role in semiconductor manufacturing by enabling non-contact, high-precision measurement of nanoscale features on chips, ensuring that critical dimensions and overlay accuracy meet the tolerances required for functional devices. As transistor geometries continue to shrink, the performance of optical metrology tools is continuously challenged by stricter requirements and increasingly complex geometries.

In this project, you will work on the ideation, modeling, and experimental validation of novel techniques to address some of these challenges. You will join a research group with long-standing expertise in coherent optical scatterometry, a method for measuring the shape of nanostructures by analyzing coherently scattered light from a target of interest. Within the project, you will investigate how to achieve full control over the amplitude and phase of the input probe, what additional constraints on the field can be derived from first principles, and how these constraints can improve the technique's performance, particularly when embedded in modern machine learning models.

The ultimate goal is to retrieve shapes, overlay errors, and other geometrical parameters of the target using methods ranging from local and global optimizers to priors and neural networks developed by partners in the project.

You have a passion for science, are a continuous learner, and possess good theoretical foundations, with a willingness to work on both theoretical models and experimental setups. You know how to code, or are willing to learn. You are a team player who enjoys working with others, shares knowledge openly, and brings a constructive mindset. You feel rewarded when an idea lands ona.

new metrology tool. Finally, you act with integrity and intellectual honesty.

The outstanding candidate is not someone who already perfectly masters all the required skills, but someone who has the potential to grow and acquire those skills and able to deploy them during the course of the project. She or he has a demonstrable interest in optics and electromagnetic scattering, signal processing, and mathematics, as well as a wise use of machine learning methods.

The candidate should hold an MSc degree in Applied Physics, Electrical Engineering, or the equivalent. The PhD position is firmly embedded in a physics environment but involves strong interaction with partners in applied physics, applied mathematics, and high-tech industry. Good communication skills in English are a prerequisite.

Working at TU Delft means contributing to solutions that really make a difference.

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