Michél Simon-Najasek

Main areas of research

• Semiconductor technologies based on silicon and III-V semiconductor devices
• Clarification of process- and application-related structural and electrical defect mechanisms with a focus on automotive electronics (complete analysis chain via defect localization, preparation and analysis)
• Evaluation of degradation mechanisms of GaN-based HEMT transistors
• Further development of diagnostics-specific preparation and analysis methods
• High-resolution structural and chemical analysis at semiconductor level in research and development

Career

Since 03/2017

Team leader “Physical failure analysis”, Fraunhofer IMWS

Since 01/2012

Deputy Group Leader “Semiconductor Diagnostics”, Fraunhofer IMWS

Since 2003

Work at the Fraunhofer IMWS in the field of IC diagnostics

1998 - 2002

Studied electrical engineering at Köthen University of Applied Sciences, specializing in electrical and environmental engineering (ETU)

2000 - 2001

One year of study at Coventry University in Great Britain as part of an exchange program (Bachelor of Engineering degree)

Prizes and awards

2019

Best Paper Award of the IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium (IRPS) for “New Access to Soft Breakdown Parameters of Low-k Dielectrics Through Localization-Based Analysis” (together with other authors)

2018

Supplier Award of the company Micronas-TDK (together with Frank Altmann)

2016

Best Paper of the ESREF Best Paper Award Committee for “Correlation of gate leakage and local strain distribituion in GaN/AlGaN HEMT structures” (together with Andreas Graff, David Poppitz and Frank Altmann)

2014

Outstanding Paper of the 40th International Symposium on Testing and Failure Analysis (ISTFA) for “Advanced FIB sample preparation techniques for high resolution TEM investigations of HEMT device structures” (together with Frank Altmann and Jörg Jatzkowski)

2014

Best Paper of the ESREF Best Paper Award Committee for “Advanced FIB sample preparation techniques for high resolution TEM investigations of HEMT device structures” (together with Frank Altmann, Susanne Hübner and Andreas Graff)

2002

Karl-Hermann Zipp Prize of the Köthen University of Applied Sciences for graduating as the best student of the year in the Department of Electrical Engineering

Publications

Selected articles in journals with scientific quality control

Local metal segregation as a cause of electrical short circuits in highly doped pressure sensorsM. Simon-Najasek, P. Diehle, Ch. Große, S. Hübner, G. Brokmann, B. Sprenger, F. Altmann

Reliability in microelectronics 127 (2021)

Adaptive covalent low-temperature bonding of III-nitride thin films by extremely thin water interlayers

Gerrer, T.; Graff, A.; Simon-Najasek, M.; Czap, H.; Maier, T.; Benkhelifa, F.; Müller, S.; Nebel, C. E.; Waltereit, P.; Quay, R.; Cimalla, V.

Applied Physics Letters 114 (2019), no.25, art. 252103, 5 p.

Novel failure mode of chip corrosion on automotive HALL sensors under different loading conditions

Simon-Najasek, M.; Lorenz, G.; Lindner, A.; Altmann, F.

Microelectronics Reliability 64 (2016), p.248-253

Correlation of gate leakage and local stress distribution in GaN/AlGaN HEMT structures

Broas, M.; Graff, A.; Simon-Najasek, M.; Poppitz, D.; Altmann, F.; Jung, H.; Blanck, H.

Microelectronics Reliability 64 (2016), p.541-546

Advanced FIB sample preparation techniques for high-resolution TEM investigations of HEMT structures

Simon-Najasek, M.; Huebner, S.; Altmann, F.; Graff, A.

Microelectronics Reliability 54 (2014), No.9-10, pp.1785-1789