Industrial Postgraduate Programme (IPP) PhD Thesis - Ion Analysis for Electronic Packaging Material

Description du poste:

The increasing demand for high-power electronics and sustainability has created a need for innovative materials that can maintain product reliability and electrical performance while meeting sustainability criteria. Epoxy mold compound (EMC) is a composite material widely used in the semiconductor industry for encapsulating and protecting integrated circuits and other electronic components. Known for its superior mechanical strength, excellent adhesion properties, and low moisture absorption, EMC plays a crucial role in ensuring device reliability. Electronic devices that operate at high voltages and currents face significant challenges to ensure reliability, safety, and lifespan. Maintaining electrical insulation and effectively managing thermal dissipation are critical challenges as power densities continue to rise. Mold compound materials used in these applications play a crucial role in addressing these challenges. They should provide superior electrical and thermal properties associated with increasing device miniaturization and integration, to maintain performance and prevent failure. Ion analysis has emerged as a powerful tool for exploring the electrochemical mechanisms and properties of EMCs. By integrating with simulation and machine learning, it can be used to screen EMC material compositions that satisfy both performance and sustainability requirements. With detailed insights into the chemical and ionic composition of materials, the presence and behaviour of specific ions that impact electrical properties and long-term stability can be evaluated. Simultaneously, elements that could reduce environmental impact can be identified to eliminate hazardous substances or reduce the use of non-renewable materials. In this proposed project, Pourbaix diagrams for all EMC-related ions will be generated using the Materials Project to provide a preliminary understanding of their electrochemical stability. Atomistic approaches such as MD and DFT simulations will then be employed to investigate the influence of complex ionic compositions on electrochemical migration in EMCs. These models will provide valuable insights into the behavior and interaction of ions under different operating conditions, guiding the development of improved testing protocols and material design strategies to minimize electrochemical migration-related failures, enhance material electrical performance, and achieve sustainability.
Job Description
In your new role you will

* Identify the common elements present in EMC and establish a structured overview of these elements based on the electrochemical data from open-source libraries, with a focus on understanding their impact on electrochemical migration behaviour.
* Develop a comprehensive model that simulates the effect of mixed ions on electrochemical migration behaviour, taking into account the interactions between different ionic species and their impact on material properties.
* Develop a comprehensive model that simulates the effect of environmental variables (e.g., humidity, temperature) on electrochemical migration behaviour, with a focus on understanding how these variables impact material properties and electrochemical migration.
* To experimentally characterize and investigate the migration and corrosion mechanisms influenced by ionic contaminants at both the macroscale and atomic level, with a focus on understanding the underlying mechanisms and developing strategies to mitigate their impact

Profil requis du candidat:

Your Profile
You are best equipped for this task if you have:

* Singaporean Citizen or Permanent Resident at the time of application
* Be eligible for full-time PhD studies
* Strong understanding of semiconductor device physics and materials science
* Experience with ion contamination and semiconductor device reliability
* Familiarity with, Pourbaix diagrams and Atomistic approaches such as MD and DFT simulations