Research Fellow in High-Frequency Device Fabrication

Do you want to work in one of the country’s most advanced University semiconductor cleanroom facilities? Do you want to be part of a national Hub in the Electromagnetic Environment, in partnership with four UK universities, the Defence Science and Technologies Laboratory (Dstl) and leading industry defence partners? Are you ready to spearhead the UK’s technological development in generation-after-next high-frequency electronic devices?

Semiconductor processing skills are increasingly valued and sought after in industry and academia, as reflected by £millions recent investment in UK semiconductor manufacturing facilities and the recently announced £1billion government National Semiconductor Strategy. This research position represents an exciting opportunity to join an academic-led, industry engaged National Hub in the Electromagnetic Environment, funded by Dstl, in which you will develop further your cleanroom microfabrication and semiconductor processing skills. You will work with academics from four partner universities, along with leading security industry experts.

Future high-frequency electronic and optoelectronic devices, whether used for security applications, communications, or sensing, will require integration of technologies, optimisation of thermal management to e.g., ensure maximum power delivery, and sophisticated packaging e.g., for improving anti-tamper robustness. These challenges require developing advanced microfabrication techniques, including using reactive-ion etching, electron-beam lithography, photolithography and both chemical- and physical-vapour deposition, applied to different material systems to allow e.g., the integration of compound semiconductors and metals with organic and inorganic materials and polymers. This PDRA position will focus on the microfabrication of RF/microwave device architectures for defence applications and will be based in the Leeds Nanotechnology Cleanroom.

The PDRA will integrate with ongoing activities in terahertz (THz) technologies at the University of Leeds and, in addition, will work closely with industry partners, including QinetiQ, to identify industry-driven challenges in e.g., thermal management, and hybrid device planarization and technology integration that will benefit a range of industry end-users.

The PDRA will contribute to training programmes, including the national training school in microfabrication and compound semiconductor technologies, which began in Leeds in January 2023, partnered with CISM (Swansea), CS Connected, the University of Cambridge and the Henry Royce Institute.

What we offer in return

• 26 days holiday plus approx.16 Bank Holidays/days that the University is closed by custom (including Christmas) – That’s 42 days a year!
• Generous pension scheme plus life assurance – the University contributes 21.6% of salary.
• Health and Wellbeing: Discounted staff membership options at The Edge, our state-of-the-art Campus gym, with a pool, sauna, climbing wall, cycle circuit, and sports halls.
• Personal Development: Access to courses run by our Organisational Development & Professional Learning team, and self-development courses including languages, Creative Writing, Wellbeing Therapies and much more.
• Access to on-site childcare, shopping discounts and travel schemes are also available.

And much more!

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact:

Dr Christopher Wood, Associate Professor in High-Frequency and Mesoscopic Electronics

Tel: +44 (0)113 343 8335

Email: [email protected]