We are excited to announce our sponsorship of the Novel High-k Application Workshop 2026 hosted by NaMLab. This event will explore the use of high-k dielectric materials in micro and nanoelectronics. It will tackle the latest challenges associated with these materials and facilitate discussions on recent experimental findings related to devices, processing technologies, reliability, and the characterisation of high-k dielectrics in silicon-based micro- and nanoelectronics.
We are pleased to share that during the upcoming event, our experts, Dr Roger Proksch and Dr Amir Ghiami, will be giving presentations on the following subjects below.
The Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology team is excited to connect with you and learn more about your projects and workflows! If you'd like to set up a meeting with us during the workshop, simply fill out the form below. For further information, visit the NaMLab event website.
Location
Dresden, Germany
Date
24-26 March 2026
Businesses
Asylum Research, Plasma Technology
The event is hosted by
Dr Roger Proksch serves as Chief Technology Officer at Oxford Instruments, where he is responsible for technology strategy, innovation, and commercial product development for nanoscience instrumentation. Over more than 25 years, he has designed, constructed, and commercialised technology-leading atomic force microscopy (AFM) systems and accessories, with a focus on translating emerging capabilities into robust, manufacturable products.
He is an inventor on over 50 active nanotechnology patents implemented in several thousand shipped AFMs and in systems currently on the market. His inventions span core enabling features in closed-loop scanning, low-noise force measurement, advanced mechanical and electrical property measurements, and data analytics. He has contributed high-impact scientific publications (h-index 52) and is deeply engaged with the AFM research community as an invited speaker, conference organiser, and participant in professional societies.
Dr Roger Proksch
Date: 12:00 pm, 25 March, 2026
Session: Characterisation
Talk's Title: 2,000 Femtometers Below the Noise: Routine imaging of weak polar structures in Hafnia-based materials
Dr Roger Proksch will present new advances in quantitative nanoscale electromechanical imaging using interferometrically detected, resonance‑enhanced dual AC resonance tracking (iDART).
While conventional Piezoresponse Force Microscopy (PFM) is often limited by detector noise, forcing researchers to use high drive voltages that can distort or damage weak ferroelectrics, iDART overcomes these challenges by combining ultrahigh‑sensitivity quadrature phase differential interferometry with contact‑resonance amplification and dual‑frequency tracking.
This approach delivers more than a tenfold signal‑to‑noise improvement, enabling reliable amplitude and phase imaging, as well as switching spectroscopy, at dramatically lower excitation levels. Dr Proksch will showcase results across multiple piezoelectric materials, including Y‑doped HfO₂ thin films where iDART reveals clear domain contrast at drive amplitudes as low as 100 mV. By extending high‑fidelity PFM into the millivolt and sub‑100‑femtometer regime, this technique opens new possibilities for gentle, quantitative studies of thin films, 2D ferroelectrics, beyond‑CMOS materials, and other weak or bias‑sensitive systems.
Dr Amir Ghiami is a Researcher at Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology, currently based at AMO GmbH in Germany.
He specialises in epitaxial growth, damage-free dielectric deposition, and characterisation of 2D materials, as well as their integration into device structures for different (opto-)electronic applications.
He is committed to delivering innovative solutions using Oxford Instruments’ tools to overcome key challenges in the 2D material field and strengthen the company’s position in this area.
Dr Amir Ghiami
Date: 09:00 am, 26 March, 2026
Session: AIScN 1
Talk's Title: Enabling Next-Generation Micro-/Nanoelectronics with Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology
Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology provides advanced ALD, PEALD, and ALE solutions that enable precise deposition and etching of functional oxides and other materials essential for modern nanoelectronics. These platforms support low-damage processing, excellent uniformity, and high material flexibility, making them well-suited for research and emerging manufacturing needs. These technologies play a key role across several device areas, including oxide-based memory elements, high-performance power electronics, and the expanding field of 2D materials. This talk will briefly showcase Oxford Instruments tools alongside selected applications and representative process solutions.
Dr Amir Ghiami will also be presenting his poster during the conference's breaks.
Poster's Title: Plasma-enhanced ALD Strategies for Clean Interfaces and Dielectric Growth on 2D Materials
Two-dimensional (2D) materials, known for their exceptional electronic, physical, and chemical properties, are rapidly advancing the landscape of solid-state micro- and nanoelectronic devices. However, fully leveraging their potential still requires overcoming key challenges. In this work, we present solutions for 2D material processing developed by Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology that address some of these challenges. We specifically focus on the plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (ALD) system, highlighting its capability for damage-free dielectric deposition on 2D materials and its role in achieving reliable device integration. We also present insights into the quality of the 2D/dielectric interface, supported by advanced characterisation techniques.
Visit the Namlab High K Workshop 2026 Program
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