ETTOURI Rim

Categories: PROFESSOR AND RESEARCHER, TEAM PCM

Associate Professor

Functions :

2023-present: Associate Professor, IMN – Nantes University – Institut des Matériaux de Nantes Jean Rouxel (IMN) – Plasmas and Thin Films team (PCM)
2022-2023: Temporary Teaching and Research Associate (ATER), GREMI – University of Orléans
2022: Postdoctoral researcher, GREMI – Université d’Orléans
2019-2022: CIFRE doctoral student / Microsystems engineer, MISTIC SAS – GREMI, Université d’Orléans

Qualifications :

2022: PhD in Plasma Physics, Université d’Orléans, High-aspect-ratio titanium etching for biomedical innovations
2019: Research Master in Microelectronics and Nanoelectronics, Aix-Marseille University
2018 : Engineering degree, Mines Saint-Étienne, specializing in nanoelectronic devices

Expertises :

Multi-scale modeling of low-pressure plasma processes
Reactive plasma etching: RIE, DRIE, Bosch, cryogenic, ALE
Plasma deposition: HiPIMS, e-HiPIMS, magnetron sputtering
Plasma-surface interactions and Monte Carlo simulations
Plasma/sheath/surface coupling for describing micro- and nanoscale processes
Progressive integration of artificial intelligence approaches for plasma process optimization
Plasma and materials characterization: Langmuir probe, RFEA, OES, mass spectrometry, XPS, SEM, AFM, DRX
Cleanroom microfabrication and structuring of MEMS materials

Main research themes:

My research activities focus on the understanding, modeling and optimization of plasma processes used for the etching and deposition of functional thin films. They are part of a multi-scale approach combining plasma description, transport of charged and neutral species, plasma-surface interactions and morphological evolution of processed materials.

The main areas of development are

multi-scale modelling of plasma etching processes for micro- and nanofabrication ;
deep etching of titanium and functional materials for MEMS applications;
modelling of Bosch-type cyclic and cryogenic etching processes;
HiPIMS and e-HiPIMS modelling of deposition processes for titanium-based thin films;
development of plasma/sheath/surface models coupled with Monte Carlo simulations;
the use of experimental data and artificial intelligence approaches to improve prediction and optimization of plasma processes.

Current research projects :

Multi-scale plasma modeling in high-power pulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS and e-HiPIMS)
Development of temporal models to describe ionization, species transport and dominant mechanisms in Ti/Ar and Ti/Ar/N₂ plasmas applied to thin film deposition.
Plasma etching of titanium for MEMS and functional materials
Study and modeling of titanium etching mechanisms in fluorinated, chlorinated and mixed chemistries, taking into account plasma-surface interactions and morphological evolution of structures.
Modeling Bosch and cryogenic processes for deep etching
Development of physical and numerical approaches to understanding passivation, adsorption, desorption and erosion phenomena in cyclic etching processes.
Modeling and AI for plasma process optimization
Coupling physical models, experimental data and machine learning tools to improve process performance prediction and reduce development times.

Activities in the research community :

Member of the GDR EMILI steering committee
Active member of the cold plasma community
Participation in the organization of conferences, scientific days and workshops on plasmas, etching and deposition processes
Involvement in scientific dissemination and scientific leadership within the PCM team

Teaching

I teach in the Physics Department of the UFR Sciences et Techniques de Nantes Université, mainly in the Electronics, Electrical Energy, Automation (EEA) specialization.

My teaching interests include

electricity and associated mathematical tools ;
plasma physics and plasma processes ;
microfabrication and etching/deposition processes;
introduction to artificial intelligence for electronic systems ;
educational projects involving modeling, intelligent sensors and plasma processes.

I’m also involved in supervising internships, master’s projects and doctoral work on plasma process modeling and its application to functional materials.

Biography

French :

Rim Ettouri is a lecturer at Nantes University, within the Institut des Matériaux de Nantes Jean Rouxel (IMN), in the Plasmas and Thin Films (PCM) team. His research focuses on the multi-scale modeling of low-pressure plasma processes, in particular for the etching and deposition of functional materials used in micro- and nanotechnologies.

Her work aims to link plasma physics, species transport, plasma-surface interactions and materials evolution to better understand and optimize manufacturing processes. It is developing approaches combining global models, sheath description, Monte Carlo simulations and surface modeling, with a progressive integration of artificial intelligence tools for process analysis and optimization.

Holder of a PhD in plasma physics obtained in 2022 from the University of Orléans, she worked on the plasma etching of high-aspect-ratio titanium for biomedical MEMS applications, in partnership with the company MISTIC. After a post-doctorate at GREMI, she joined IMN in 2023. Her current activities include titanium etching, silicon etching, Bosch and cryogenic processes, and HiPIMS and e-HiPIMS plasma modeling for thin-film deposition.

In parallel with her research activities, she teaches in the EEA program at Nantes University and is involved in the scientific activities of the cold plasma community.

English

Rim Ettouri is an Assistant Professor at Nantes University, within the Institut des Matériaux de Nantes Jean Rouxel (IMN), in the Plasma and Thin Films (PCM) group. Her research focuses on the multi-scale modeling of low-pressure plasma processes, especially for etching and deposition applications in micro- and nanotechnologies.

Her work aims to connect plasma kinetics, species transport, sheath dynamics, plasma-surface interactions and material evolution in order to better understand and optimize plasma-based manufacturing processes. She develops modeling approaches combining global plasma models, sheath descriptions, Monte Carlo simulations and surface interaction models, with a growing interest in artificial intelligence tools for process analysis and optimization.

She received her PhD in plasma physics from the University of Orléans in 2022, where she worked on high-aspect-ratio titanium plasma etching for biomedical MEMS applications in collaboration with the startup MISTIC SAS. After a postdoctoral position at GREMI, she joined IMN in 2023. Her current research activities include titanium plasma etching, Bosch and cryogenic etching processes, and the modeling of HiPIMS and e-HiPIMS plasmas for thin-film deposition.

Alongside her research activities, she teaches in the Electronics, Electrical Energy and Automation curriculum at Nantes University and is actively involved in the low-temperature plasma research community.

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