Postdoc – Demonstration of Mechanically Flexible/Stretchable Wireless Sensor Nodes
Background: Foldable, thin, light-weight, stackable, high performance – that’s the promise that flexible electronics and integration of highly heterogeneous functional and structural materials holds today. Smart systems featuring ubiquitous intelligence such as wireless sensor networks, micro-aerial vehicles, embedded defense, security and biomedicine chips, environment monitoring and smart textiles are all applications that flexible electronics and heterogeneous integration would make take off. To realize that objectives, advanced very thin film and flexible/conformable electronics and microsystems comprising digital, embedded memories and analogue signal processing, RF circuitry, antennas, sensors, actuators, microfluidics need to be developed. In that context, IEMN develops a flagship research project on flexible electronics featuring two distinctive trademarks: i) high performance multi-Ghz flexible electronics ii) heterogeneous integration of smart materials and functional blocks onto mechanically flexible/stretchable substrates. In support to this scientific/technological program, the LEAF Equipex platform provides innovative laser-based micro-patterning techniques.
Description of work: The overall objective is to develop the mechanically flexible and/or stretchable flavor of wireless sensor nodes (WSN) in collaboration with a major player of the microelectronics industry. Starting from a pre-defined WSN architecture comprising on-the-shelf state-of-the-art components (microcontroller, RF front-end module, energy micro-source, antenna, sensors), ultimate chip thinning, placing, bonding and laser structured interconnects will be combined to yield a compact and mechanically compliant module. Special emphasis will be put on the development of high-frequency assembly solutions compatible with high data rate wireless links. Work carried out at the WSN level will also serve as a test bed for a further miniaturization step to enable the on-board integration of control, communication and sensing electronics into a micro-drone prototype for autonomous navigation. The candidate will take an active role in the orientation of this part of the project and be expected to write scientific article and participle at international conferences.
Duration: 18 months appointment available immediately – start date before 1st January 2014
Salary: ~2350-2500€ gross/month, ~1950-2050€ net/month according to profile
Location: Institut d’Electronique, de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologie – IEMN, Villeneuve d’Ascq (F)
Requested qualification: Ph.D. in one of the following areas: electrical Engineering, microelectronics or micro-nanotechnologies with strong experience in clean room processing. Knowledge of flexible electronics would be an advantage.
Contact: Please send a complete CV including publication list and a motivation letter by email to emmanuel.dubois@isen.iemn.univ-lille1.fr
E. Dubois
IEMN – UMR-CNRS 8520
Cité Scientifique
Avenue Poincaré BP 60069
VILLENEUVE D’ASCQ CEDEX, 59652 France
www.iemn.univ-lille1.fr
http://leaf-equipex.iemn.univ-lille1.fr
Phone : +33 (0)3 20 19 79 16
