Towards Quantitative AFM Nanomechanical Metrology for Advanced Semiconductor Patterning

The continuous
scaling of semiconductor technology is
driving increasingly small feature dimensions and pitches, enabled by advanced
patterning technologies such as high-NA EUV
lithography. As critical dimensions (CDs) continue to shrink and material
stacks become increasingly complex, the
mechanical properties of photoresists, underlayers, and hard masks may
increasingly influence pattern stability, roughness, defect formation, and
pattern-transfer performance. This creates a growing need for metrology
techniques capable of measuring these properties at the relevant nanometre
scale.   AFM-based nanomechanical characterization is particularly attractive
because atomic force microscopy (AFM) can probe the local mechanical response
while simultaneously mapping surface topography at nanometre-scale sampling
intervals. Depending on the measurement mode, the probed response may be
contact stiffness, elastic modulus, adhesion, deformation, etc. However, turning this
nanomechanical contrast into reliable quantitative material properties remains
challenging because the measured response can depend on tip geometry, probe
calibration, tip–sample contact mechanics, viscoelastic effects, applied load
and other measurement conditions. For ultrathin films and nanoscale patterns,
substrate and edge effects can further influence the measured response.   Therefore, the goal of this Master’s thesis (internship) is to determine
when AFM-based nanomechanical measurements can provide repeatable and
quantitatively interpretable information, within a defined range of materials,
film thicknesses, and sample geometries, for advanced semiconductor-patterning
materials.   The student will: Evaluate
different AFM nanomechanical approaches in terms of sensitivity and measurement
repeatability for use on semiconductor-patterning materials. Investigate
the influence of selected experimental parameters on the measured mechanical
response, with particular emphasis on film-thickness and substrate effects. Assess the
main measurement artefacts associated with substrate contribution, nanoscale
topography, and pattern edges, and identify conditions under which the measured
nanomechanical response can be reliably interpreted. Develop an
uncertainty-aware measurement and data-analysis workflow for nanomechanical
characterization of thin films and demonstrate its applicability to a
representative nanoscale patterned sample. If time
and suitable matched samples permit, explore whether a selected nanomechanical
observable correlates with a relevant patterning metric, such as roughness or
line deformation.   The project will provide the student with hands-on experience in
advanced AFM techniques, nanoscale contact mechanics, experimental design,
quantitative data analysis, and semiconductor-patterning metrology, while
addressing a measurement challenge directly relevant to next-generation
lithography. Type of internship : Master internship, PhD internship Duration : 6 months or 12 months (for students from NNFC program) Required educational background : Electrotechnics/Electrical Engineering, Physics, Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, Materials Engineering Supervising scientist(s) : For further information or for application, please contact Thomas Hantschel ( [email protected] ) and Gian Lorusso ( [email protected] ) and Nemanja Peric ( [email protected] ) The reference code for this position is 2026-INT-322 . Mention this reference code in your application. Imec allowance will be provided. Applications should include the following information: resume motivation current study Incomplete applications will not be considered