Developing innovative technology solutions and bringing them to application - that is our goal at the. With our expertise in the development of photonic microsystems, related technologies including nanoelectronics and wireless communication solutions, we create - in flexible and interdisciplinary teams - technologies for innovative products in a wide range of markets such as automotive, industrial and aerospace.
Microchips can be found all around us in almost every electronic device and appliance. Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) is a necessary process in chip manufacturing and responsible for an estimated 40% of water consumption in a chip factory while using large volumes of polishing slurries which contain oxide nanoparticles. The production of these particles is very energy-intensive, and they end up in landfills after being used only once.
A promising method is to recycle the abrasive particles via ultrafiltration. The master thesis will investigate how particle properties are modified by the recycling process and relate them to polishing results on test wafers. It will support an ongoing