Internship in Stretchable Electronics & Optics for Artificial Skin Demonstrators - 6 month

Study Subject :

Fabrication and characterization of stretchable optical devices for artificial skin applications.

Host Research Center :

EMSE - The Department of Flexible Electronics is one of four research departments at the Microelectronics Center of Provence (Centre Microélectronique de Provence ‐ CMP). The flexible electronics department (FEL) as research department of CMP develops technological and scientific knowledge in the field of soft electronics. The department has a strong knowledge in the field of material and interface electrical and mechanical characterization. The activities of the department are regrouped in the 660m²-area platform. This technological platform regroups facilities and technological equipment for R&D activities in Micropackaging, micro and nano-electronics, in a clean room of 220m² 1000-class and 400m² 10000-class.

Description of the position : 

Would you like to take part in the development of revolutionary electronic devices and systems to shape a soft and rubbery future for electronics?

Electronics of the future are expected to be foldable, twistable, and stretchable into curvilinear shapes to enable applications that would be impossible to achieve using today’s rigid, hard electronics. As a revolutionary technology, stretchable electronics has been changing our concept of electronics and brought us amazing features in numerous applications. Generally, such features are designed with soft materials as the interface between electronics and the human body or complex surfaces, e.g. epidermal electronic system.

Stretchable electronics can also be declined with optical systems such as waveguides. These devices will be developed within the project in order to create an artificial skin with pressure and temperature sensing capabilities.

Within this project, our work will focus on the fabrication and characterization of stretchable optical waveguides as well as fabrication and integration techniques of optical components (LEDs / Photodiodes). Related publication is “Transparent, Optical, Pressure‐Sensitive Artificial Skin for Large‐Area Stretchable Electronics” https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201200523 .

An important part of the work will the integration of the pressure sensitive optical waveguide onto a phantom model of a finger.

Hands-on lab work is essential, and will be partly performed in our clean room facility. Demonstrations of radically new devices, possessing features and functions that cannot be achieved with existing electronics would be the exciting outcome of this work.

Candidate Background :

The successful candidate should have a Master (possibly Bachelor) of Science in physics, chemistry, material science, engineering sciences, or equivalent. Strong collaboration spirit and good communication skills in oral and written English is important. 

As said, good experimental skills will also be required.

The position is for 6 months and start at the earliest in April or May 2024.

Internship salary is based on indemnity: roughly 4.35€/hour

Working location is in Gardanne, in South of France.

Application :

Position open until suitable candidate is found.

The application must consist of the following documents:

• Curriculum vitae (2 pages max)
• Motivation letter (1 page max)

Applications via e-mail (PDF-files) are to be sent to ramuz@emse.fr ; with “application for internship position in stretchable optics” in the email subject.