Publisher
source

Geert Van Steenberge

2 months ago

PhD in microfluidics and photonics packaging for optical interconnects in HPC and AI systems imec in Belgium

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Mechanical Engineering

Funding

PhD position at imec; the post describes a research appointment rather than a scholarship. No stipend amount, tuition coverage, or other financial details are stated in the post text provided.

Deadline

Jul 8, 2026

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Country

Belgium

University

Imec

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Keywords

Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Materials Science
Artificial Intelligence
Fluid Mechanics
Microfluidic
Physics

About this position

imec is advertising a PhD position in microfluidics and photonics packaging focused on the capillary underfill process for optical interconnects in next-generation AI and high-performance computing (HPC) systems.

The project studies how epoxy-based underfill materials flow through micron- and sub-micron-scale gaps between photonics dies. The research addresses key challenges such as void formation, wetting behavior, rheology in confined geometries, and non-uniform gap heights. The goal is to improve reliability and performance of optical/CMOS packaging technologies used in advanced computing hardware.

The work is split between 45% modelling, 45% experimental, and 10% literature. Research activities include experimental microfluidics, optical characterization, data analysis, and predictive modelling of capillary filling. The position is well suited to candidates interested in fluid mechanics, wetting phenomena, materials science, and advanced packaging.

Eligibility highlights: a background in engineering, science, physics, materials science, or a related field; strong analytical skills; interest in hands-on experimental work; and willingness to learn computational fluid dynamics (CFD) or related modelling methods. Experience with experimental techniques and/or computational modelling is considered an advantage.

Supervision: Geert Van Steenberge (Ghent University / imec) is listed as supervisor and co-supervisor, with Naghmeh Fatemi as daily advisor.

Application: apply before 2026-07-08. The reference code is 2026-180.

Funding details

PhD position at imec; the post describes a research appointment rather than a scholarship. No stipend amount, tuition coverage, or other financial details are stated in the post text provided.

What's required

Motivated PhD candidate with a background in engineering, science, physics, materials science, or a related field. Interest in fluid mechanics, wetting phenomena, and advanced packaging is expected. Strong analytical skills and curiosity for complex physical systems are important. Experience with experimental techniques and/or computational modelling is a plus, and the candidate should be willing to learn CFD or related modelling techniques.

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