Understanding Surface-Controlled Thin Film Growth Using Area-Selective Deposition

As semiconductor devices continue to scale towards increasingly complex three-dimensional architectures, conventional blanket deposition processes face significant challenges related to material placement, process complexity, and manufacturing cost. Area-selective deposition (ASD) has emerged as a promising approach that enables material growth exclusively on predefined regions of a substrate while preventing deposition on neighboring areas. This capability can reduce process steps, simplify fabrication flows, and improve patterning precision. A key enabler of successful ASD is surface passivation, where carefully engineered surface treatments or inhibitor layers suppress nucleation and growth on non-target regions. Different passivation strategies, including self-assembled monolayers, polymer-based inhibitors, plasma treatments, and chemical functionalization methods, can significantly influence deposition selectivity, nucleation behavior, and long-term process stability. Objectives The objective of this thesis is to investigate the interplay between area-selective deposition and surface passivation techniques for the controlled growth of thin films on technologically relevant substrates. The student will: Review the state-of-the-art in area-selective deposition and surface inhibition mechanisms. Study surface chemistry and nucleation behavior on different material surfaces. Develop and optimize passivation strategies to selectively suppress film growth. Evaluate deposition processes such as Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), or related techniques. Quantify deposition selectivity using advanced characterization methods. Identify mechanisms responsible for selectivity loss and develop mitigation strategies. Assess the suitability of the developed process for future nanoelectronic, photonic, or energy-related applications. Possible tasks include: Surface preparation and passivation experiments. Thin-film deposition using ALD, CVD, .... Interpretation of surface characterization using techniques such as: X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) Spectroscopic Ellipsometry Contact Angle Measurements Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) Analysis of nucleation delay and growth kinetics. Correlation of surface chemistry with deposition selectivity. Data analysis and process optimization. Expected Outcomes The thesis is expected to provide: Fundamental understanding of surface passivation mechanisms. Improved insight into selective nucleation and film growth processes. A quantified assessment of deposition selectivity. Recommendations for implementing selective deposition processes in advanced device fabrication. Potential pathways for extending ASD concepts towards future semiconductor manufacturing technologies. Type of internship : Bachelor internship Required educational background : Chemistry/Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Nanoscience & Nanotechnology Supervising scientist(s) : For further information or for application, please contact Silvia Armini ( Silvia.Armini@imec.be ) The reference code for this position is 2026-INT-266 . Mention this reference code in your application. Applications should include the following information: resume motivation current study Incomplete applications will not be considered