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Factory of the future incl. robotics and non destructive testing
Microstructural characterization by bulk laser-ultrasounds tomography
The proposed thesis falls into the framework of designing innovative methods in the materials characterization. The thesis aims to develop a new tomographic technique for characterizing microstructures using bulk laser ultrasound. In the state of the art, acoustic methods such as the scanning acoustic microscope and surface wave optoacoustic spectroscopy lead to grain imaging but...
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Emerging materials and processes for nanotechnologies and microelectronics
Etch and integration of phase change materials for reconfigurable photonic
Chalcogenide glasses are materials of interest for many applications: in phase-change memories, for example optical storage (CD-RW, DVD-RAM, Blu-ray Disks) or more recently Storage Class Memory, as a selector in 3D architecture resistive memories (OTS selector) or as an active medium for non-linear optics and reconfigurable photonics. In the latter case, the production of metasurfaces...
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Cyber security : hardware and sofware
Scenario-Based Testing for Automated Systems: Enhancing Safety and Reliability in Compliance with Regulations and Standards
This research aims to investigate the effectiveness of scenario-based testing as a comprehensive and robust approach for evaluating ASs' performance while enhancing their safety and reliability with respect to regulations and standards. The primary objective of this thesis will be to investigate the benefits of scenario-based testing for automated systems and its compliance with regulations...
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Factory of the future incl. robotics and non destructive testing
Study of inversion methods based on simulation and machine learning for defect characterisation in ultrasonic array imaging
The thesis work is part of the activities of CEA-List department dedicated to Non-Destructive Testing (NDT), and aims to study simulation-based inversion methods to characterise defects from ultrasonic images, such as TFM (Total Focusing Method) or PWI (Plane Wave Imaging) images. The inversion methodology will rely on machine learning algorithms and numerical training databases generated...
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Advanced hydrogen and fuel-cells solutions for energy transition
New sustainable electrode materials for High Temperature Electrolysis
High temperature electrolysis is considered as the high efficiency technology for hydrogen production with low carbon emissions. The electrolysis reaction occurs in a solid oxide cell (SOC) composed of a dense electrolyte of yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ), sandwiched between two porous electrodes. The most common hydrogen electrode material is a cermet of Ni and YSZ,...
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Factory of the future incl. robotics and non destructive testing
High mobility mobile manipulator control in a dynamic context
The development of mobile manipulators capable of adapting to new conditions is a major step forward in the development of new means of production, whether for industrial or agricultural applications. Such technologies enable repetitive tasks to be carried out with precision and without the constraints of limited workspace. Nevertheless, the efficiency of such robots depends...
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Advanced nano characterization
Electrical characteization and Reliability of NextGeN FDSOI MOSFETs
Global demand on semiconductor solutions (device, circuit, system) has skyrocketed during the last few years, especially in reliation with COVID worldwide crisis. This industry has revealed its significance in the present world has well as its weaknesses. The European council decided to launch an ambisious program called 'Chip Act' to develop a solid semiconductor european...
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Emerging materials and processes for nanotechnologies and microelectronics
Integration of new materials with strong spin-orbit coupling (van der Waals tellurides) for SOT-MRAM memories
The new concepts offered by “spinorbitronics” make it possible to envisage more frugal electronics. In particular, for writing a magnetic memory (MRAM), a new concept of magnetization reversal by a spin-orbit couple is emerging. Its principle permits a significant decrease in memory writing energy and enhanced endurance. Its operation is based on the conversion of...
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Advanced nano characterization
MEMS chaotic motion for high sensitivity
Improving the resolution of MEMS sensors always means increasing the cost of the component (surface area) or his electronics (complexity and power consumption). In view of the current challenges of energy sobriety, it is essential to explore new disruptive ways to reduce the impact of high-performance sensors. Chaos is a deterministic phenomenon exponentially sensitive to...
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Cyber security : hardware and sofware
Artful guidance of test generation tools
Fuzzing is an automatic test generation technique. It consists in repeatedly executing a program with automatically generated inputs, in order to trigger crashes, symptoms of underlying bugs in the code, which can then be fixed. A major challenge in this area is moving from indiscriminate exploration of how programs work to artful guidance towards the...
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Emerging materials and processes for nanotechnologies and microelectronics
AI for SEM metrology: image generation and 3D reconstruction applied to microelectronic devices
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) imaging is the current reference method for quality control in the microelectronic industry, due to the size of the objects involved and to the yield expected when these tools are used in production lines. In order to improve our knowledge on physics in play during imaging and to develop more performant...
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Emerging materials and processes for nanotechnologies and microelectronics
Towards sustainable electronics: impact and understanding of the substitution of high GWP gases on plasma etching processes
To address environmental concerns in the microelectronics industry, CEA-LETI is committed to an eco-innovation approach [1]. In this context, the development of eco-responsible processes that reduce PerFluoro-Carbon (PFC) emissions is crucial [2]. Plasma etching processes are a major emitter of PFCs because they traditionally use high GWP gases. The aim of this thesis will be...
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Cyber security : hardware and sofware
Proof of functional equivalence of binary codes in the context of embedded program hardening
The general context of this thesis is the cyber-security of embedded systems. The research background of this thesis is tied to the automatic application of counter-measures against the so-called physical attacks, which encompass observation attacks (side-channel attacks) and perturbation attacks (fault-injection attacks). The CEA List is working on COGITO, a compiler toolchain based on LLVM...
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Cyber security : hardware and sofware
Combining over and under-approximations for low-level code analysis
Because program analysis is an undecidable problem, static analyzes fall into 2 categories: - Sound analyses, which calculate an over-approximation of all the program's behaviors, and make it possible to verify the absence of errors. - Complete analyses, which calculate an under-approximation of the possible behaviors of the program, and allow errors to be found....
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Additive manufacturing, new routes for saving materials
Electrothermal optimization of Wide band gap power modules by functionalization of 3D ceramic substrates made by 3D ceramic printing (Al2O3/AlN)
In order to take advantage of Wide band gap components (GaN and SiC), it has been demonstrated that it is necessary to reduce the parasitic elements in the switching cells and therefore in the power modules. The 'trivial' solution is to make the power modules more compact to solve this problem of parasitic elements. However,...
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Additive manufacturing, new routes for saving materials
Robustness of thick metallizations made on 3D ceramic substrates.
A robust and high quality metallization of 3D ceramic substrates is a key element of the success of this project and a necessity for a future industrial development of the research work that will be carried out during these two theses. The work in progress on the material platform of the CEA of Toulouse already...
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Emerging materials and processes for nanotechnologies and microelectronics
Qubit conditioning circuit based on Single Electron Transistor electronics
A new research direction has emerged that consists in the design of cryogenics integrated circuits (cryo-CMOS) to address the needs of many scientific experiments in astronomy, in physics of particles or in quantum physics. Nevertheless, the power consumption of such solutions is still high and prevent their use in applications that necessitate the conditioning of...
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Photonics, Imaging and displays
Advancing image sensor security: using deep learning for simultaneous robust and fragile watermarking
This PhD project aims at advancing the field of image sensor security through a comprehensive exploration of recent deep learning techniques applied to both robust and fragile invisible watermarking. In the specific context of embedded image rendering pipelines, this study aims to address the dual challenges of ensuring resistance against intentional attacks to break the...
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Communication networks, IOT, radiofrequencies and antennas
Linearisation of optical micro-sources for communications
Would you like to play a part in the future of optical transmission for high-speed communications? This PhD will play a key role, focusing on performance and energy efficiency, with a particular focus on encouraging the emergence of optical solutions with low carbon costs and low dependence on rare materials. The field of non-coherent optical...
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Smart Energy grids
Environmental monitoring of pollutant dispersion: optimal placement of mobile sensors
Do you feel concerned by environmental pollution issues? This research will enable optimal deployment of mobile sensors for monitoring air quality in urban environments. Complex urban geometries [1] and dynamic pollutant dispersion scenarios are the scientific challenges to be met in order to better estimate local air pollution, identify sources and anticipate exposure peaks. Our...
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Emerging materials and processes for nanotechnologies and microelectronics
Study of InP and AsGa wafer bonding mechanisms
Direct bonding consists of bringing sufficiently smooth and clean surfaces into contact, in order to create adhesion between them without adding any external material. This technology presents many advantages for the production of stacked structures for microelectronics and micro-technologies and has given rise to numerous innovations (manufacturing of SOI by SmartCutTM, manufacturing of SmartSiCTM, production...
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Photonics, Imaging and displays
Anisotropies and deformations induced by doping in the latest generation of infrared photodiodes
This thesis concerns the field of HgCdTe infrared detectors for astrophysical applications, for which the Infrared Laboratory of CEA -Leti is one of the world leaders. The candidate will join the infrared laboratory, which includes the entire detector production process. As a participant in all discussions on the development of CdHgTe samples, he will produce...
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Cyber security : hardware and sofware
Design and Analysis of Side-Channel Feedback for Vulnerability Discovery
Fuzzing is a dynamic testing technique that enables vulnerabilities to be discovered very efficiently. Hundreds or even thousands of vulnerabilities are detected (and repaired) every year in the software we use. When we try to transpose the fuzzing approach to embedded systems, we are faced with a number of problems: the source code is not...
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Emerging materials and processes for nanotechnologies and microelectronics
“Remote epitaxy" of Cd(Hg)Te
A new way of considering epitaxy has recently appeared thanks to the development of 2D materials. Whereas conventional epitaxy involving covalent bonds is limited in particular to a lattice parameter matching between the substrate and the epitaxial membrane, it appears that this constraint can be significantly released if the epitaxial growth is done by van...
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Emerging materials and processes for nanotechnologies and microelectronics
Quantum Cascade III-V/Si laser micro-sources
This thesis project focuses on the development of innovative micro-laser sources by combining III-V Quantum Cascade materials with Silicon Photonic Crystals. By integrating these advanced technologies, we aim to create hybrid lasers emitting in the middle infrared. This approach has significant advantages for medium-infrared spectrometry (MIR), a crucial technique for the chemical detection of gaseous,...
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Emerging materials and processes for nanotechnologies and microelectronics
Epitaxial layer on GaAs or Ge transfer to sapphire or silicate for gravitational waves mirror realization
Gravitational waves were predicted by the theory of general relativity, they are created in the universe by extreme cosmic events. Their measurement on earth in large instruments such as VIRGO in Italy is a challenge in terms of measurement sensitivity. These instruments are large interferometers (several kilometers), and the entire optical chain must minimize noise...
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Emerging materials and processes for nanotechnologies and microelectronics
Study of co-integrated TeraHertz source arrays in Silicon and III-V photonics technology
TeraHertz (THz) radiation is of growing interest for imaging and spectroscopy in various application fields such as safety, health, environment and industrial control, since in this frequency range many dielectric materials are transparent and many molecules present unique spectral signatures for their identification. However, the limitations of the current sources, required for this active Imaging,...
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Additive manufacturing, new routes for saving materials
3D printing of high performance SiC parts for hydrofluoric acid electrolysis
Fluorine plays an essential role in the nuclear fuel cycle: it is an indispensable component in the preparation of UF6 used in the uranium enrichment process in nuclear power plants. Fluorine is produced by electrolysis of the molten salt KF-2 HF on the non-graphite carbon anode between 85°C and 100°C. The reduction reaction that takes...
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Solar energy for energy transition
Melt grafting of polyolefin applied to reparable and recyclable photovoltaic panels
Solar panels are multi-materials assemblies constituted of photovoltaic cells that contains numerous precious metals (metal silicon, silver), high quality and therefore costly-to-manufacture glass that protects the cells, and a polymer film acting as binder, called encapsulant. These encapsulants are mostly thermoplastics that are reticulated during the manufacture of photovoltaic panels, which makes their dismantling and...
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Factory of the future incl. robotics and non destructive testing
High speed/High capacity distributed Fiber Bragg Grating sensing technique for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) applications
Schedule-driven Non-Destructive Evaluations (NDE) are carried out during structure/equipment’ life to detect major degradations endangering safety and impairing service availability. In addition to NDE, Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) involves the use of in-situ Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensing systems and algorithms to evaluate structure worthiness. FBGs are mostly used as strain/temperature sensors but are also...
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Advanced hydrogen and fuel-cells solutions for energy transition
Elucidation of the Correlation between the Electrochemical Activity of Oxygen Reduction and the Molecular Structure of the Platinum/Ionomer Interface in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells
This thesis focuses on the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC), used in the transportation sector to generate electricity and heat from hydrogen and oxygen. Although promising for reducing CO2 emissions through the use of green hydrogen, the PEMFC needs to enhance its performance and durability to compete with combustion engines and batteries. The electrode...
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Advanced nano characterization
Study of NMC electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries by experimental and theoretical soft and hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy
The photoemission spectroscopy (X-ray, XPS, or ultraviolet, UPS) is one of the direct probes of the electronic structure of materials change during redox processes involved in lithium ions-batteries at the atomic scale. However, it is limited by the extreme surface sensitivity, with a typical photoelectron path length of a few nanometers to the energies usually...
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Solar energy for energy transition
Stabilisation of Perovskite photovoltaic devices by passivation with Metal-Organic Frameworks type materials
MOFs are a type of porous organic-inorganic hybrid material with interesting properties in terms of the passivation of defects in the perovskite and its stability, particularly versus light. For example: - Direct effect of MOF components as passivation agents: Metal ions and organic ligands can passivate defects at the MOF/PK interface. - Downconversion of incident...
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Smart Energy grids
Nanocrystalline Soft Magnetic Composites: Powder morphology and design for controlling their magnetic properties for high frequency applications
Context: Achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 will require massive electrification of the power production systems. Power electronics (PE) is a key-enabler that will this transformation possible (renewables, integration of energy micro-grids, development of electric mobility) Problem: Current developments in PE converters aim at increasing the switching frequencies of large bandgap switches (SiC or GaN). At...
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Emerging materials and processes for nanotechnologies and microelectronics
Innovative dry etching process of exotic materials
The advantageous properties (electro-optical, - acoustic, -mechanical) of new materials such as Sc-doped ALN, LNO, LTO or KNN make them essential to meet the development needs of integrated optics, RF telecommunication and microsystems. The production of patterns with submicron dimensions with a significant etch rate (>100nm/min), a vertical profile and a reduced roughness of the...
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Advanced nano characterization
Scatterometry measurement of the exposure focal length of photolithography tools
Since the late 2000s with the advent of 45nm CMOS nodes, the control of critical dimensions (CD) of the structures in the photolithography stage has become critical to the reliability of printed circuit boards. Optical photolithography remains the most economical and widespread technique for high volume production in the semiconductor industry. For this type of...
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Emerging materials and processes for nanotechnologies and microelectronics
Development of deposit/etch processes for SADP integration to FD10 node
Developement of new technologic nodes involves both a pattern dimension shrink and a pattern density increase. For the last years, development of multi-Patterning strategies with in particular Spacer Patterning (also called SADP) has signifcantly increased. This approach is based on a sacrificial pattern on which a material is depsosited with a conformal configuration to be...
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Communication networks, IOT, radiofrequencies and antennas
Exploring the Future of Satellite Communications: Dual-Band Electronically Reconfigurable Flat Lens Antennas with Ultra-Wide Scan Range
CEA Leti offers a PhD topic to develop new electronically scanning antennas for efficient data transmission in satellite communications (Satcom). Novel efficient electronically scanning antennas are essential for future satellite communications (Satcom). Electronically reconfigurable flat lens antennas, also known as transmitarrays, are a promising architecture to achieve high scanning performance. Each element of the flat...
