General information
Organisation
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) is a key player in research, development and innovation in four main areas :
• defence and security,
• nuclear energy (fission and fusion),
• technological research for industry,
• fundamental research in the physical sciences and life sciences.
Drawing on its widely acknowledged expertise, and thanks to its 16000 technicians, engineers, researchers and staff, the CEA actively participates in collaborative projects with a large number of academic and industrial partners.
The CEA is established in ten centers spread throughout France
Reference
SL-DRT-26-0469
Direction
DRT
Thesis topic details
Category
Technological challenges
Thesis topics
Artificial Intelligence for the Modeling and Topographic Analysis of Electronic Chips
Contract
Thèse
Job description
The inspection of wafer surfaces is critical in microelectronics to detect defects affecting chip quality. Traditional methods, based on physical models, are limited in accuracy and computational efficiency. This thesis proposes using artificial intelligence (AI) to characterize and model wafer topography, leveraging optical interferometry techniques and advanced AI models.
The goal is to develop AI algorithms capable of predicting topographical defects (erosion, dishing) with high precision, using architectures such as convolutional neural networks (CNN), generative models, or hybrid approaches. The work will include optimizing models for fast inference and robust generalization while reducing manufacturing costs.
This project aligns with efforts to improve microfabrication processes, with potential applications in the semiconductor industry. The expected results will contribute to a better understanding of surface defects and the optimization of production processes.
University / doctoral school
Electronique, Electrotechnique, Automatique, Traitement du Signal (EEATS)
Université Grenoble Alpes
Thesis topic location
Site
Grenoble
Requester
Position start date
01/09/2026
Person to be contacted by the applicant
BALAN Viorel
viorel.balan@cea.fr
CEA
DRT/DPFT
CEA LETI
MINATEC CAMPUS
B.41-26/303
17 Rue des Martyrs
Grenoble
+33 438 78 32 36
Tutor / Responsible thesis director
BARRAGAN Manuel
manuel.barragan@univ-grenoble-alpes.fr
CNRS
Laboratoire TIMA
46, avenue Félix Viallet
38031 GRENOBLE Cedex France
33 4 76 57 46 81
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