Santosh M.

Developed thin films while analyzing trade-offs among the performances (resistivity, stress, fluorine concentration, uniformity, throughput etc.) • Developed process/ hardware to improve the etch uniformity using continuous and pulsed RF plasma • Improved the throughput of a low temperature & low pressure ALD / CVD process by 4 folds • Worked and played key role in solving customer (Asian & North American) related issues & conducting demos • Developed void less, low stress and high throughput tungsten fill process (ALD / CVD) for memory applications • Processed and analyzed large data for a comprehensive study of resistivity of Lam processes • Designed a detailed training program for Tungsten deposition tool (ALTUS) and trained new hires • In film metal contamination and particle troubleshooting

>>Thin film piezoelectric device embedded stainless steel shims • Invented a novel batch fabrication process to ensure yield effective thin film device fabrication • Developed thin film 'Smart Shim Transducer' technology from proof-of-concept to bulk production • Characterized AlN thin films deposited under different N2/Ar ambience by powder XRD technique • Analyzed Al target poisoning during physical vapor deposition (Reactive Sputtering) of AlN thin films • Performed characterization / analysis of AlN dielectrics by SEM, EDS and thin film stress analyzer >>Flexible / transferable thin film thermocouples for engineering applications • Innovated a plasma surface treatment process to transfer flexible thin film devices onto metal foils • Measured and analyzed in situ temperature during the operation of Lithium Ion Battery pouch cell and ultrasonic metal welding process using copper transferred flexible thin film thermocouples >>Thin film piezoelectric and thermocouple device embedded diamond inserts • Proposed & designed radiation induced surface processing to embed thin film devices into diamonds • Analyzed / quantified defect concentration in single/poly crystalline diamonds by EPR measurements • Performed Raman spectroscopy measurements to determine sp3/sp2 carbon concentration in diamond

Semiconductor Properties Laboratory Profound knowledge and experience in semiconductor characterization techniques: • Hall effect measurement (Van der Pauw Technique) Measurement of resistivity, carrier concentration and mobility in doped and undoped semiconductor samples at room temperature and cryogenic temperatures • CV characterization of MOS capacitors High and low frequency measurements of MOS capacitor’s CV characteristics to compute doping concentration, threshold voltage, oxide interface charge density. • Optical characterization of semiconductors (Absorption and Photoluminescence Techniques) Band gap measurement of semiconductors such as GaAs, InP, AlGaAs, InGaAsP and extraction of composition of In, Ga, As, and P in the semiconductor alloys • Optical characterization of semiconductors (Stimulated Emission Technique) Characterization of the laser diodes as a function of cavity length through P-I curve and extraction of internal cavity loss, threshold gain, threshold current density etc. • CV characterization of semiconductors using mercury probe station Measurements and extraction of doping concentration and spatial carrier profile in semiconductor wafers through schottky contact method

>>Tribo X-ray escence by contact surface charging of semiconductor membrane • Simulated stick-slip model of suspended Si membrane using COMSOL and evaluated the active area of Si membrane coming in contact with the substrate under various distributed electrostatic load • Optimized device dimension and electrical parameters using COVENTOR >>Fabrication / Characterization of Doped Nano Electromechanical Systems (DNEMS) • Surface doped Si samples using Spin on Doping technique and annealed using RTA in Ar ambience • Measured doping concentration on Si surface using Hall effect measurement techniques >>Testing and characterization of Optocoupler system for ground loop elimination • Assembled components and tested Optocoupler systems to reduce ground loop noise during testing of quantum/ solid state devices.

Project: High efficiency solid state 3D thermal neutron detectors Investigated the effect of surface charge on the semiconductor P-I-D based Neutron detectors to improve the detector efficiency. This detector program was initiated to combat terrorism activities by developing a detector which could detect the neutrons emitted from radioactive materials present in explosive devices. This program was initiated & funded by the Department of Homeland Security. • Performed a comparative study of pillar and planar thermal neutron detectors through C-V, I-V characterization • Extracted surface charge density of pillar diodes by fitting the experimental C-V, I-V results with COMSOL simulation results • Investigated the effects of surface charge and recombination velocity on detector efficiency • Theoretically evaluated dielectric constant of 10B (boron isotope) using SILVACO modelling tool

>>Inductive Microcantilever sensor • Designed and developed a novel microcantilever sensing technique based on inductive effect • Simulated and optimized inductive microcantilever sensor parameters using ANSOFT and PSPICE • Fabricated proof of concept inductive cantilever sensor in clean room >>Microcantilever-MagFET sensor • Modeled microcantilever-Magnetic Field Effect Transistor (MagFET) sensor • Simulated the fabrication process and device characteristic of MagFET using Synopsys tools: Sentaurus Process, Sentaurus Device