PhD scholarship in Sustainability in Microchip Production – DTU Nanolab

Microfabrication is essential for our ongoing digitalization revolution and given the recent surge in ‘Chips Acts’ to boost microfabrication worldwide, it seems chips are the new black but may also be very far from green. Microchip production is predicted to become a major power consumer globally making clarification of the sustainability urgent.

One aspect is the limited transparency sand lack of peer reviewed literature on the topic of microfabrication sustainability. Another is the implicit life cycle assessment standard choice of using values for global warming potentials of bulk chemicals, even when only high purity chemicals are used and the values for those are predicted to be orders of magnitude higher than for bulk. 

This project aims to provide in-depth analysis of microchip production and will partly use university cleanrooms to obtain transparent data, and conversely aid in sustainability optimization of their operation. 

Microfabrication sustainability assessments often imply using assumptions as e.g. bulk chemical values used as substitutes for non-available values for the ultrapure chemicals used in large quantities. High purity chemicals and cleanroom facilities are used in many other industrial processes, such as pharmaceutical production, making it more widely important to clarify the impact of these.

This project will critically review state of art in sustainability assessment of microfabrication as well as possible implications e.g. towards pharmaceutical production. The lack of high purity chemical sustainability information will be addressed, with the aim to provide methods to enable estimating these essential values. Finally, the project will also create practical ways that cleanroom fabrication can be assessed by creating an online cleanroom fabrication sustainability calculator and work to engage international networks. 

This project will enable you to enter a career path aiming to improve societally important productions of both microchips and pharmaceuticals!

You will be part of Prof. Kristian Mølhave’s Molecular Windows group at DTU Nanolab (www.nanolab.dtu.dk/mowin) that develops microchips systems for microscopy, but also work on sustainability aspects of microfabrication. Co-supervisor is Stig Irving Olsen, Assoc. Prof. at DTU Sustain with years of experience in sustainability assessment of nanotechnologies.

Responsibilities and qualifications:
In this project, you will:

• Perform life cycle assessment of microfabrication and of high purity chemical fabrication processes such as pharmaceuticals.
• Develop methods to estimate the latter, e.g. via machine learning
• Work on obtaining real world data on materials and energy use in cleanroom facilities in collaboration with several university cleanrooms.
• Develop a sustainability calculator for cleanrooms
• Critically review todays ESG reports and LCA methods in the field.
• Mentor bachelor and master students with your supervisors.

The project requires numerous skills that you can learn, but if you have competences in them already your chances of success rise, especially in the core science topics being used and studied:

• Life cycle assessment methodology and practical implementation
  • Or cleanroom microfabrication experience
• Experience in establishing networks and contacts fostering productive collaboration
• Programming (python or similar)

You must have a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree.

Approval and Enrolment 
The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see DTU's rules for the PhD education. 

Assessment
Demonstrated competences supporting the above tasks is an advantage.  

The assessment will be made by the supervisor team consisting of main supervisor Kristian Mølhave, co-supervisor Stig Irving Olsen.

We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

Salary and appointment terms
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. 

The position will be filled and started as soon as possible likely early 2025. The period of employment is 3 years. The position is a full-time position.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.  

Further information 
Further information may be obtained from Kristian Mølhave, tel.: +45 25126672, e-mail: krmo@dtu.dk.

You can read more about DTU Nanolab at www.nanolab.dtu.dk. 

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark. Furthermore, you have the option of joining our monthly free seminar “PhD relocation to Denmark and startup “Zoom” seminar” for all questions regarding the practical matters of moving to Denmark and working as a PhD at DTU. 

Application procedure 
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 25 October 2024 (23:59 Danish time). Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply now", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

• A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
• Curriculum vitae 
• Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale
• Reference letters and contact persons for reference statements 

You may apply prior to ob­tai­ning your master's degree but cannot begin before having received it. 

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, disability, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.

DTU Nanolab
The National Centre for Nano Fabrication and Characterization in Denmark is at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). We provide access to a specially constructed facility for advanced electron microscopy and to 1500 m2 cleanroom process facility allowing state of the art fabrication of microchips and devices for a large variety of applications. Our expertise is research based, with multiple research groups that focus on methods for imaging and characterization down to atomic resolution and on scalable nanofabrication technologies

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,500 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.