PhD GaN-based Power Electronics for Reliable Next-Generation Actuation Systems

Position PhD-student

Irène Curie Fellowship No

Department(s) Electrical Engineering

FTE 1,0

Date off 16/06/2024

Reference number V36.7458

Job description

Within this project, we are looking for a talented power electronics PhD-candidate. Your main goal will be to research and develop gallium-nitride (GaN) based power electronics that cause low transient electric fields, in order to mitigate partial-discharge induced failures in linear actuators. Such linear actuators are used in high-tech motion systems, for example to allow nanometer-accurate positioning in lithography machines. However, increasing requirements on actuator acceleration and precision lead to higher mechanical, electromagnetic and thermal stresses as well as non-recoverable failures. Actuator reliability therefore has become a major concern, but failure mechanisms are currently poorly understood. This multidisciplinary project therefore has the overall goal to study and mitigate the main failure mechanisms of actuators and their power electronic drives, to improve future linear actuator systems. You will collaborate with other researchers who are, among others, active in electromechanics, material science, and mechanical engineering.

Modern power converters are moving towards wide-bandgap semiconductor components such as GaN HEMTs due to their advantages. Their significantly higher switching speeds result in higher efficiency, reduced physical footprint, and improved output signal quality. However, in actuator drive systems, such high switching speeds result in large dv/dt and di/dt values, leading to large transient electric fields in the actuators. These gradually deteriorate the actuator winding insulation, eventually leading to a permanent failure of the actuator and expensive downtime of the application. The deterioration of the insulation material can be observed as partial discharges within the winding insulation material. By mitigating such high transient fields, partial discharges and subsequent failures are avoided, and actuator lifetime is extended. Additionally, the performance envelope of the actuator drive system can be enlarged without impacting the reliability and lifetime in the application, eventually leading to lower maintenance cost, lower downtime, and higher productivity.

Within this position, you can unleash and develop your innovative and creative qualities to research, develop, implement, and validate beyond-state-of-the-art GaN-based power electronics. This will involve working on modulation strategies, topologies and magnetic components, through simulation as well as practical implementation. Additionally, presenting your findings and ideas to the scientific community is an essential part of your work, for which there are extensive travel possibilities to visit conferences and publish in open-access journals.

Job requirements

We are looking for a talented and enthusiastic colleague with a MSc-degree in electrical engineering, with a strong affinity with power electronics, the realization thereof, state-of-the-art digital control, and mathematics. The candidate should have:

• Enthusiasm and motivation to work on highly challenging research topics, and the talent to contribute to the progress of science and technology.
• Experience in design and implementation of power electronics and analog circuits, experience with GaN devices is a plus.
• Strong programming skills (MATLAB, and for example C and VHDL).
• Strong analytical and research capabilities.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to independently organize his/her own work, to solve problems, to achieve the desired goals and to cooperate.
• Work experience in an industrial environment is a plus.
• Project management skills are a plus.
• Ability to participate in the teaching process in BSc and MSc programs (both taught in English).
• Good scientific writing and documentation skills.
• Strong command of the English language, knowledge of Dutch language is a plus.

Conditions of employment

A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university, in an interdisciplinary setting and within an international network. You will work on a beautiful, green campus within walking distance of the central train station. In addition, we offer you:

• Full-time employment for four years, with an intermediate evaluation (go/no-go) after nine months. You will spend 10% of your employment on teaching tasks.
• Salary and benefits (such as a pension scheme, paid pregnancy and maternity leave, partially paid parental leave) in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale P (min. €2,770 max. €3,539).
• A year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%.
• High-quality training programs and other support to grow into a self-aware, autonomous scientific researcher. At TU/e we challenge you to take charge of your own learning process.
• An excellent technical infrastructure, on-campus children's day care and sports facilities.
• An allowance for commuting, working from home and internet costs.
• A Staff Immigration Team and a tax compensation scheme (the 30% facility) for international candidates.

Information and application

About us

Eindhoven University of Technology is an internationally top-ranking university in the Netherlands that combines scientific curiosity with a hands-on attitude. Our spirit of collaboration translates into an open culture and a top-five position in collaborating with advanced industries. Fundamental knowledge enables us to design solutions for the highly complex problems of today and tomorrow.

This project will be carried out in the Power Electronics lab in the faculty of Electrical Engineering. The lab is world-leading in high-precision and high-performance power converters, as well as modeling, control and design techniques for such converters. Both fundamental and applied research is carried out and research collaborations with industrial partners are numerous. We are a young, dynamic and enthusiastic team, underlined by our regularly organized events and informal atmosphere.

Information

Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to know more? Please contact dr. ir. Bas Vermulst (b.j.d.vermulst@tue.nl), or dr. ir. Maurice Roes (m.g.l.roes@tue.nl).

Curious to hear more about what it’s like as a PhD candidate at TU/e? Please view the video.

Visit our website for more information about the application process or the conditions of employment.
You can also contact HR Services Flux, hrservices.flux@tue.nl.

Are you inspired and would like to know more about working at TU/e? Please visit our our career page.

Application

If interested, please use the 'Apply now'-button at the top of this page.
Your application should include:

• A cover letter explaining your motivation and suitability for the position
• A detailed Curriculum Vitae (including a list of publications and key achievements in research project(s)
• Contact information of at least two references
• Copies of diplomas with course grades; a complete list of the marks obtained during your university career
• Graduation thesis

Please keep in mind that you can upload only 5 documents of up to 2 MB each. If necessary please combine files.