Professional Profile
Nanofabrication and process integration engineer with 5+ years of hands-on cleanroom experience developing and integrating III–V and lithium niobate on insulator (LNOI) photonic devices. Skilled across the full semiconductor process flow, including electron-beam and optical lithography, ICP-RIE etching, metal deposition, PECVD, thin-film processing, metrology, and device characterization. Proven track record of taking new processes from concept through experimental validation to reproducible multi-lot implementation, with deep expertise in III–V quantum cascade laser (QCL) fabrication, III–V/Ge photonic integration, and LiNbO3 process development. Adept at process optimization, root-cause troubleshooting, SOP development, and data analysis, and experienced in driving cross-functional process integration.
Core Cleanroom & Process Skills
Device Platforms
III–V and thin-film lithium niobate photonic devices, from concept to multi-lot fabrication.
- InAs/AlSb QCLs
- DFB gratings
- III–V/Ge integration
- LiNbO3 (LNOI)
Thin-Film Deposition
Metal and dielectric deposition for contacts, insulation, and hard masks.
- E-beam evaporation
- Sputtering
- PECVD
- SiNx / SiO2 hard masks
Lithography & Patterning
High-resolution pattern definition with dose and proximity-effect optimization.
- Electron-beam (EBL)
- Photolithography
- Dose mapping
- Proximity effect correction
- Mask / layout prep
Etching & Surface Prep
Optimizing profile angle, selectivity, and uniformity on LiNbO3, SiNx, and SiO2.
- ICP-RIE
- CHF3/Ar
- III–V wet etching
- RCA / SC-1 cleans
Metrology & Inspection
Structural, optical, and film characterization to close the loop on every process step.
- SEM
- FIB
- AFM
- Profilometry
- Ellipsometry
- FTIR
Packaging & Process Handoff
Device assembly and documentation that lets other teams reproduce the process.
- Wire bonding
- Packaging
- Optical coupling
- SOP documentation
Research & Industrial Experience
- Drove process maturation for LiNbO3 CRIGF devices from single-wafer R&D to multi-lot research production, achieving lot-to-lot reproducibility.
- Transferred EBL → ICP process flow for TFLN CRIGF devices with sub-100 nm CDs and reproducible lots; authored SOPs and release criteria adopted across teams.
- Developed LiNbO3 surface preparation enabling exfoliation-free, sub-100 nm SiNx thin-film pattern transfer with improved first-pass success rate; standardized the pre-clean procedure.
- Optimized ICP–RIE for LiNbO3/SiNx/SiO2: 72° sidewalls, ~2:1 selectivity, ±20 nm CD uniformity.
- Reduced lithography CD variation by ~30%, decreasing rework and stabilizing downstream etch results.
- Implemented resist and hard-mask variants, improving etch-rate stability and yield; established a metrology database and workflows for statistical analysis and release audits.
- Coordinated cross-team process handoff to ensure seamless process integration.
- LiNbO3
- SiNx
- ICP–RIE
- Yield
- Process Control
- SOPs
- Fab Operations
- Designed and fabricated long-wavelength (10–15 µm) InAs/AlSb DFB QCLs using COMSOL and Nextnano, achieving a record-low threshold current density of 0.6 kA/cm2 through band-structure and grating optimization.
- Designed and fabricated InAs/AlSb QCLs on Ge substrates, achieving performance parity with native InAs, including characterization of optical output and thermal stability.
- Developed spin-on-glass (SOG) insulation for QCLs, reducing performance drift by >13%.
- Optimized dry and wet etching recipes for QCL fabrication, improving yield and reproducibility.
- Performed comprehensive optical, electrical, and thermal characterization of QCLs, including cryogenic temperature measurements to evaluate low-temperature performance and reliability.
- Applied QCL technology to highly sensitive breath analysis; led QEPAS/LITES VOC (BTEX) detection projects achieving ppb-level sensitivity using QCLs fabricated in-house.
- III–V Semiconductors
- InAs/AlSb
- DFB QCL Fab
- Fab Optimization
- Process Control
- Trace Gas Sensing
- Developed FBG inclination sensors with ±0.008° tilt resolution.
- Designed temperature-compensated encapsulation for FBG optical sensors for long-term field deployment.
- FBG Sensors
- Strain Transfer
- Tilt Measurement
- Thermal Compensation
Education
Thesis: Long-wavelength QCLs for BTEX and propane detection through QEPAS.
Read Thesis