Dhruv Fomra

Working on scalable heterogeneous integration solutions towards chips that will power useful quantum computers.

Worked on system-level development and validation of advanced etch hardware and processes (surface modification), for critical applications on N+1 nodes, focusing on performance, reliability, and customer deployment in high-volume semiconductor manufacturing. Key contributions: ► Resolved a major customer escalation by identifying integration-driven performance degradation and coordinating cross-functional fixes, retaining >$20M in business for the next technology node. ► Mentored junior process engineers by translating process physics into actionable insights, improving their ability to independently design and debug experiments. ► Led development and release of a new hardware feature (multi-zone pedestal), driving design reviews, failure mode analysis, and validation across process, hardware, and field teams. ► Defined and evaluated system performance for hardware and etch process CIP features, identifying failure modes early in the development lifecycle - implementing Lam's SHIFT LEFT to reduce costs, improve yield, and increase speed. ► Influenced roadmap decisions without formal authority by translating customer needs into targeted experiments and trade studies, shaping feature prioritization and resource allocation. ► Identified and resolved a sensing reliability issue (residual gas analysis), restoring confidence in diagnostic data used for system-level decisions.

As a Research Associate at National Institute of Standards and Technology, I led the development and validation of integrated photonic systems, working across design, fabrication, and characterization while coordinating with multiple internal and external teams. Key contributions: ► End-to-end system development: Led prototyping of integrated photonic systems, - from high fidelity optical/ thermal/ electrical simulations (COMSOL/ Lumerical), to complex nano fabrication, to test, with a focus on performance validation and rapid iteration. ► Served as the primary interface for fabrication and material requirements across multiple groups, aligning device needs with process capabilities and enabling fast turnaround through structured feedback loops and process control. ► Designed and implemented high-speed integrated photonic based EO modulators (>100 GHz), integrating FEM simulations, GDS-based layouts, aligned lithography, and process development to achieve functional device performance. ► Collaborated with AIM Foundry on photonic tape-outs, performing design rule checks and developing script-based GDS workflows (GDSFactory) to ensure manufacturability and successful fabrication. ► Developed and optimized material processes (e.g., ZnO conductive coatings) to address system-level constraints such as charge accumulation, achieving ultra-low optical loss coatings within rapid timelines. ► Engineered fabrication workflows for sub-10 nm silicon carbide emitter tips using gas-assisted FIB, enabling improved emission performance through precise control of geometry and material properties. ► Worked across fabrication, metrology, and design to identify process limitations and sources of variability, improving device yield and reliability.

Lead the development of an ultra-fast (sub-ps) active metasurface, controlled through optical modulation, for adiabatic frequency shifting and modulation applications.

As a Graduate Research Assistant, I worked on the design, development, and validation of integrated photonic systems, collaborating across materials science, device engineering, and nonlinear optics groups. Key contributions: ‣ Designed and validated optical sensing and measurement systems, including custom waveguide-coupled and free-space setups, ensuring measurement accuracy, repeatability, and reliable characterization of photonic devices. ‣ Developed and simulated integrated photonic device concepts (FEM/FDTD) for applications in quantum dot trapping and enhanced single-photon emission. ‣ Modeled linear and nonlinear optical material properties using full Mueller matrix ellipsometry, enabling accurate extraction of material parameters and supporting system-level understanding of device performance. ‣ Managed and optimized Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) processes for plasmonic materials (TiN, Al:ZnO), achieving record-low optical losses and establishing stable, repeatable process conditions; trained 20+ users and maintained tool reliability through detailed process tracking. ‣ Worked across fabrication, characterization, and modeling workflows to identify sources of variability and improve system-level performance of photonic devices. ‣ Contributed to collaborative research efforts resulting in 1 provisional patent, 13 peer-reviewed publications, and 1 book chapter.

I worked on prototyping a solar blind UV Photodetector, made of Aluminum Gallium Nitride, at the Center for Nano science and Engineering (CeNSE). Working with graduate students, this involved developing the entire process flow, right from growth using Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Depositor (MOCVD) to patterning using Optical Lithography and deposition using an electron beam depositor. I also co-authored a paper on the analysis of delays in a 2D MoS2 lateral bipolar junction transistor (BJT), which was published at the International Conference on Emerging Electronics (ICEE) at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay.

I improved the efficacy of cleaning solutions by incorporating Titanium Di Oxide nanoparticles, and stabilized the nanoparticles by capping with a quat-amine. Simultaneously, I also conducted a comprehensive study on the varying levels of efficacy of the anti-microbial nature of sphagnum moss and determined that it was ineffective against gram positive bacteria. Interning at 3M gave me the opportunity to work with seasoned researchers in an industrial setting with a focus on commercialization of technology.

Worked on data analysis pipelines for natural language processing of unstructured customer data.