Semiconductor Process & Equipment Skills

Production floor experience and graduate process knowledge

Production Floor Equipment Work (ASML Wilton)

YieldStar Build, Alignment, and Qualification

Worked on the YieldStar 375F, 380G, and 1385 optical metrology systems on the Wilton production floor: sub-system assembly, optical alignment, functional testing, equipment calibration, station setup, and process development support.

Photolithography Process Domain

Two years on the ASML Wilton production floor, building the metrology systems that support EUV, DUV, immersion lithography, and multi-patterning processes. Familiar with mask alignment, overlay, critical dimension control, and resist processing concepts from coursework and from the production-floor context.

Sub-System & Sensor Alignment

Sensor alignment, UIA alignment, focus branch, Z-stage installation, Pupil Branch, Alignment Branch, Reference Branch, cables and covers, pre-qualifications, and final qualifications.

Final Qualifications

Measured sensor performance, calibrations, alignment of branch optics, objective lens performance, and diffraction-based overlay measurements.

Tools and Test Equipment

Standardized tools and electronic equipment for assembly, install, removal, testing, and troubleshooting: torque wrenches, electric and pneumatic screwdrivers, ball drivers, lifting equipment, computers, oscilloscopes, voltage and current probes, multimeters, micrometers, and calipers. Optical fibers, spectrometers, and power meters for results acquisition and analysis.

Root Cause Workflows

Performed root cause analysis on production issues with the SAP system, Opti Angle, and YieldStar software; developed corrective actions and monitored results.

Cross-Functional Work

Participated in cross-functional teams with manufacturing, quality, and procurement. Assisted with recommended changes in design, methods, and procedures to enhance product quality. Built Excel spreadsheets to track key performance indicators.

Full ASML Role Detail

Graduate Device Research (UConn)

AlGaN/GaN HEMT Electrothermal TCAD Modeling

Built coupled electrothermal TCAD models of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs to characterize self-heating, junction temperature behavior, and DC/RF performance trade-offs across bias conditions. Calibrated material parameters, mesh strategy, and contact models against published device data.

Wide Bandgap Device Physics

Wide bandgap device physics, electrothermal modeling, self-heating, and the connection between device-level findings and process integration, reliability, and yield. Includes work on vertical GaN power devices in the lab.

Sentaurus and Silvaco TCAD

Sentaurus and Silvaco TCAD for device process co-simulation, electrothermal modeling, and calibration against published data.

Full Graduate Research Detail

Independent Projects

DUV Energy Deposition: Monte Carlo vs Double Gaussian

Applied model-comparison study for EUV/DUV lithography. Benchmarks aerial-image energy deposition predicted by a Double-Gaussian PSF (FFT convolution) against a Monte Carlo particle model. Includes partial-coherence modeling, flare analysis, and swing curves.

Silicon Photonics Transceiver Simulation

25 to 50 Gbps silicon photonics transceiver simulation framework using Lumerical-style modeling. Compact model development, link budget analysis, and process variation sensitivity.

SPECTRA-Lab

In active development. A semiconductor characterization and manufacturing execution platform combining Python/FastAPI, Next.js 14, PostgreSQL, and Celery + Redis. Covers metrology, seven process control areas, SPC with Western Electric rules, ML and virtual metrology, and a LIMS/ELN.

Graduate Coursework & Lab Foundation

Process areas covered through UConn coursework, lab rotations, and independent study.

Thin Film Deposition

Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD, sputtering), Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD, including PECVD and LPCVD), Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), and high-k dielectrics. Coursework and lab familiarity.

Etch and CMP

Reactive Ion Etching (RIE), Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE), plasma chemistry, and Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP). Coursework and lab familiarity.

Process Control and Yield

Statistical Process Control (SPC), Design of Experiments (DOE), 8D root cause, FMEA, Pareto analysis, Minitab, JMP. Applied at ASML on production-floor root cause workflows.

Cleanroom & Quality Discipline

Cleanroom Protocols

Worked in ASML Wilton's cleanroom environment under strict safety procedures and 5S+1 requirements. Wore coveralls, hoods, booties, safety glasses, and gloves for the entire duration of 12-hour night shifts.

Quality & Traceability

Contamination control, ESD discipline, change control, and ISO 9001 quality system principles. Process and inspection documentation supporting traceability and continuous improvement.

Tools & Software

Device Simulation

Sentaurus TCAD Silvaco TCAD

ASML Production Software

YieldStar Software Opti Angle SAP

Programming & Data

Python MATLAB Minitab JMP Excel LaTeX

Related Certifications & Training

  • Six Sigma Green Belt: Process improvement and quality management methodology.
  • USPTO Patent Bar Examination: Registered with the USPTO Office of Enrollment and Discipline to sit for the Registration Examination for Patent Attorneys and Agents.
  • ASML System Training: Internal training on YieldStar systems and Wilton production-floor protocols.
  • Cleanroom Safety Training: Cleanroom protocols, contamination control, PPE, and 5S+1 methodology.
  • Chemical Handling Training: Safe handling of chemicals used in cleanroom and lab environments.