Master's Thesis: Advanced Surface Coating of Complex 3D Ceramic Structures

About Huawei Sweden R&D Founded in 1987, Huawei Technologies has grown into a global leader in telecommunications and network solutions, with innovation at the core of everything we do. Huawei established its first overseas R&D office in Sweden in 2000, and since then, we’ve expanded rapidly. Today, over 400 R&D engineers are pushing boundaries in Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Lund, working on groundbreaking 6G wireless systems that shape tomorrow’s technology. Join us on our journey to develop the future of tech and be a part of a team that thrives on innovation, works hard to solve the industry’s biggest challenges, and collaborates with top engineers worldwide. If you’re ready to contribute to world-changing advancements, we want you on board! About the Project: Materials Research – Material Properties/Process Exploration With the rapid advancement of radio-frequency (RF) and microwave technologies toward higher operating frequencies and lower transmission losses, surface roughness has become an increasingly critical factor affecting signal integrity and device performance. In particular, achieving ultra-low surface roughness on ceramic substrates with complex 3D geometries, such as blind holes, through-holes, slots, and cavities, remains a significant manufacturing challenge. Conventional polishing and surface treatment techniques often struggle to provide uniform surface quality, especially on internal walls and other hard-to-reach features. Against this background, this project seeks a motivated master's student to explore, develop, and experimentally validate innovative surface engineering processes for ceramic substrates with complex 3D structures, aiming to achieve ultra-low surface roughness and reliable metallization for next-generation RF applications. The main research objectives include:

• Exploration of Advanced Smoothing Techniques: Investigate conventional and emerging surface treatment approaches, such as plasma-assisted treatments, conformal coating, and other innovative methods, with particular emphasis on their applicability to complex 3D ceramic structures.
• Process Development and Optimization: Design and conduct systematic experiments to develop effective smoothing strategies for hard-to-reach surfaces, including inner walls, deep holes, narrow slots, and sharp edges. Optimize key process parameters to improve surface uniformity, minimize defects, and achieve ultra-low surface roughness.
• Surface Characterization and Experimental Validation: Evaluate surface morphology, roughness, coating uniformity, and structural integrity using advanced characterization techniques such as AFM, SEM, and optical profilometry. Establish correlations between processing parameters, 3D geometry, and resulting surface quality to identify promising and scalable solutions.

The expected outcome is the development of reliable and potentially scalable surface smoothing strategies for complex 3D ceramic components, providing essential process support for next-generation low-loss RF and microwave devices. Timeline Given our current project schedules, we are looking for master’s students available to start in spring 2027. Qualifications & Skills

• Background: Master’s degree in Materials Science, Chemistry, Radio frequency microwave.
• Communication: Strong command of English, both spoken and written.
• Team & Independence: Capable of working effectively both in teams and independently.
• Commitment to Quality: High attention to detail and dedication to producing high-quality work.
• Desirable Experience: Spray coating, Dip coating. Familiarity with multicultural and international work settings, and experience in a lab/testing environment.