Postdoctoral Research Fellow / May, 2020 — Present

Research Associate / February, 2020 — April, 2020

PhD Research Engineer / December, 2016 — March, 2020

Developed functional CNT-based micro-contacts for electromechanical probing at the micron scale, allowing for fabrication of thousands of contacts comparable to current commercial semiconductor testing technologies. Created highly stretchable wearable strain sensors using CNT-elastomer hybrid films capable of detecting both large and small-scale human motions. Established expertise in low-temperature catalytic CVD growth of carbon nanotubes and graphene. Designed and developed a high-precision electromechanical testing rig for characterizing CNT-based hybrid structures in situ. Managed PhD project and collaborated with University of Surrey and Smiths Interconnect USA, leading to publications and patents. Maintained thin film deposition facilities and provided technical training, including health & safety. Supported new PhD/MSc students and encouraged participation in publishing and conferences. Achieved two 1st-author and 10 co-authored high-impact papers, 1 US patent application, and 10 conference presentations.

Graduate Teaching Assistant / January, 2019 — September, 2020

Assisted in undergraduate labs and lectures; provided academic support and evaluated coursework in electronic engineering subjects.

Team Lead Senior Process Engineer II, Vertical Furnace and Epitaxy / August, 2023 — Present

Led advanced technology development for Reduced-Pressure (RP) Epi and Vertical Furnace (VF) applications at a key technology customer. Spearheaded lifecycle management of NPI and improvements, delivering cutting-edge solutions for vertical furnace and Epi applications. Led qualification of multiple vertical furnace processes, driving new application adoption and market penetration. Implemented advanced modifications to enhance VF and Epi system performance. Provided customer-centric technology solutions and issue resolution, building strong relationships and resolving complex technical inquiries. Conducted on-site customer training. Optimized Epi VF diffusion and LPCVD processes, driving efficiency and innovation through standardized Best-Known Methods (BKMs). Mentored three junior engineers and provided quarterly process training for FSEs. Conducted advanced experiments to meet customer needs and integrate new technologies. Initiated strategic technology collaboration with internal stakeholders and contributed to technology and product roadmaps. Led the transfer of advanced Epi vertical furnace diffusion and LPCVD processes from R&D to customer sites and copy-exact fabs.

Senior Process Engineer I, Vertical Furnace / June, 2021 — July, 2023

Worked with semiconductor processing equipment to research, develop, and optimize VF processes focused on oxidation, annealing, curing, and deposition (LPCVD) of thin films. Developed new applications of thin films and processes in logic, memory, analog, and power technologies. Designed and conducted experiments, performed measurements, and interpreted complex experimental data. Led new process qualification, training, and transfer at key customer sites, qualifying new processes developed by ASM's lab on vertical furnaces. Trained local ASM and customer process engineers on running processes, tuning recipes, and understanding process structures. Engaged with key US/EU customer stakeholders on future technology development through in-depth discussions and technical roadmap meetings. Managed and resolved escalations and process issues at US and EU customer sites, applying root cause analysis and problem-solving techniques. Acted as the local Statistical Methods Champion, providing expertise in Engineering Statistics and Data Analysis (ESDA), Design of Experiments (DOE), and JMP software troubleshooting. Led the successful introduction of ASM's 300 mm VF platform SONORA at four global customer sites, improved multiple customer recipes, filed one US patent application, and enabled more than 70 reactors at customer sites to run full production nodes.

Postdoctoral Researcher / May, 2020 — May, 2021

Focused research on TopoChip technology, which utilizes semiconductor microfabrication technologies to create a high-throughput platform for screening bio-active surface topographies. Worked on equipping implants with micro/nanopatterns to design and fabricate next-generation implantable devices. Responsible for all cleanroom fabrication and materials characterization methods for the research group, working closely with PhD and master students. Managed the research group website. Successfully delivered a work package, co-authored 2 research articles, and simplified and mainstreamed cleanroom microfabrication for the research group.

Graduate Research Assistant (MASc Project) / July, 2015 — October, 2016

Conducted collaborative research with General Motors R&D Centre in MI, USA, to study lightweight alloys for automotive applications. Investigated the tribological behavior of cylinder bore-piston ring assembly to reduce friction and improve efficiency of internal combustion engines. Explored the impact of diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings and surface finish methods on tribological behavior. Acquired expertise in producing tribological coatings using deposition techniques such as magnetron sputtering (nitride and oxide coatings) and PECVD (DLC coatings). Regularly held meetings with GM engineers, prepared quarterly technical reports, and traveled to GM R&D Centre. Produced a 1st-author journal article in the top tribology journal and two international conference presentations. Investigated coating technology is now being used in mass production by GM Motors.

Graduate Teaching Assistant / September, 2015 — October, 2016

Conducted lab sessions in stress analysis and materials engineering; graded assignments and provided tutoring.