The Centre for Audio, Acoustics and Vibration is recruiting for two PhD scholarships ($37,000 - $50,000) to undertake research in high-throughput nanometrology and microelectromechanical systems with access to world-class microsystems labs and cleanroom facilities.
PhD Scholarship Opportunities in Nanometrology and Microelectromechanical Systems
About the Scholarship
The successful candidate will receive a tax-free annual stipend of $37,000 - $50,000 (subject to performance) for up to 3.5 years and a tuition fee waiver (worth approx. $135,000 over three years). Stipend top-ups (subject to performance) and involvement in teaching activities are also available. Additionally, a conference package of $3,000 p.a. will be provided for professional development.
TO APPLY
Send your CV and cover letter addressing the application requirements to michael.ruppert@uts.edu.au.
Applications close when the positions are filled.
Research Environment
UTS is ranked 90th against all universities worldwide (2024 QS World University Rankings) and is the top university in Australia under 50 years of age, ranking ninth globally (Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2023). In the 2018 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA), 100% of UTS research in broad Fields of Research (FoR) was rated as world standard or above. A major contribution to the steady rise in international rankings has been the substantial investment made by UTS in research and research excellence.
Embedded within the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology (FEIT), the main research goal of the Centre for Audio, Acoustics and Vibration (CAAV) is to focus on translational and applied research. In order to become a world-leading centre in research, development and commercial applications of audio, acoustics and vibration theories and technologies, CAAV aims to:
- develop innovative technologies for sound and vibration measurements, monitoring, analyses and control based on advanced network and signal processing knowledge,
- translate academic research into direct economic and social impact through establishing collaboration and partnership with business, industry and community sectors,
- build international collaboration with top leading universities, government agencies and industries such as Technical University Munich, University of Giessen, Cambridge University, Imperial College London, Defence Science and Technology Group, Airbus, Boing and Google, Advanced Navigation, and Nearmap,
- provide world class education and training programs in the fields of audio, acoustics and vibration to train and provide best quality students to meet real world needs
CAAV has currently 50 members, including 10 Postdoctoral Research Associates/ Fellows, and 20 PhD candidates. CAAV is a relatively young centre with a stellar trajectory – its total income over the last 7 years exceeds $12 million in mostly competitive Category 1 and Category 2 research funding. Excellence in research is the key pilar of CAAV making it thrive through fundamental blue-sky research and science, leading to grounded engineering breakthroughs.
Project Background
Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) have been identified as one of the most promising technologies of the 21st century. These precision micro mechatronic systems have the potential to revolutionize both industrial and consumer products by combining silicon-based microelectronics with micromachining technology. MEMS devices are fabricated using integrated circuit (IC) batch processing techniques and can range in size from a few micrometres to millimetres. The interdisciplinary nature of MEMS utilizes design, engineering, and manufacturing expertise from a wide range of technical areas including integrated circuit fabrication technology, mechanical engineering, materials science, advanced manufacturing, electrical engineering, control engineering, optics, and instrumentation.
Under a recently funded ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA), two PhD research topics are available to develop novel, scalable nanomechanical sensor platforms in combination with high-performance electronics and control systems for high-throughput imaging at the nanoscale level. The microsensors are based on MEMS devices with integrated actuation and sensing capabilities and will be interfaced with an atomic force microscope (AFM), one of the most powerful tools for imaging various surfaces with a resolution down to the length scale of a single atom. A major challenge in this field is to develop new technology to meet the needs of next-generation advanced manufacturing such as of nanomaterials and semiconductors.
The available PhD projects are strongly connected to two cutting-edge applications in academia and industry:
1) high-throughput quality inspection of semiconductor devices and
2) visualisation of the chemical structure and precise orientation of adsorbed molecules under ultra-high vacuum and low temperatures conditions. Both PhD topics have the potential for research visits at overseas industrial partners and collaborating academic institutions.
Project Descriptions
Design and optimization of active MEMS microcantilevers for high-throughput nanometrology
The first PhD student will focus on the design, simulation, fabrication, packaging, and testing of novel, scalable nanomechanical sensor platforms based on MEMS fabrication processes. This includes exploring novel approaches to active microcantilever arrays which allow the real-time measurement of tip-sample forces and determining optimal microcantilever parameters such as resonance frequency, dynamic stiffness, quality factor, and integrated actuator and sensor placement to maximize sensor sensitivity. The project will also establish the optimal tip geometry depending on the desired AFM imaging application to result in artefact-free imaging performance and provide a deeper understanding of the influence of tip geometry on the contrast formation. The PHD student will be able to make extensive use of open-source MEMS foundries for MEMS fabrication as well as in-house nanofabrication facilities for post-fabrication using focused ion beam (FIB) deposition and milling. The successful PhD candidate is expected to develop an expert knowledge in microelectromechanical systems, finite element analysis, advanced semiconductor manufacturing and packaging technologies, and nanometrology with extensive laboratory and microscopy experience.
This project is best suited for students with a strong background in mechanical design, modelling, and finite element analysis with a good understanding of system dynamics and a strong interest in precision mechatronic systems and emerging challenges in micro- and nanotechnology.
Advanced Instrumentation and Control of active MEMS microcantilevers for high-throughput nanometrology
The second PHD student will focus on designing novel electronic instrumentation interfaces with extremely low noise performance and minimal electrical cross-coupling between the MEMS actuators and sensors, particular for applications at cryogenic temperatures. A focus is placed on pushing the performance limits of discrete printed circuit board (PCB) / MEMS integration and fully integrated solutions with die-size active components and miniature passive components placed directly on the MEMS device. The PHD student will also develop a new scanning protocol for microcantilever arrays that is based on detection of the peak tip-sample force and will be implemented on a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). This will be enabled by real-time measurement of the tip-sample interaction force and is expected to provide a significant imaging bandwidth increase compared to conventional methods. The successful PhD candidate is expected to develop an expert knowledge in electronic MEMS integration, low-noise analog electronics, high-speed controller implementations, and nanometrology with extensive laboratory and microscopy experience.
The project is best suited for students with a strong background in analog electronics, embedded systems, feedback control systems, and FPGA implementations with a good understanding of system dynamics and a strong interest in precision mechatronic systems and emerging challenges in micro- and nanotechnology.
Application Requirements
- University Degree (Bachelor, 1st class honours or Masters) in Mechatronics, Control, Mechanical, or Electrical and Electronics Engineering or related disciplines with a strong academic record and
- Demonstrated experience in undertaking research in the fields of integrated circuit fabrication technology, mechatronic engineering, materials science, advanced manufacturing, electrical engineering, control engineering, optics, and instrumentation is preferred.
How To Apply
Please send your CV and cover letter addressing the application requirements to michael.ruppert@uts.edu.au. Applications close when the positions are filled.
