Expert in Nanomanufacturing Processes

Available for your Consulting and Expert Witness Needs

1) Equipment design : Expert has designed and simulated (CFD, thermal) several high throughput ALD reactors. He has a thorough understanding of gas flow patterns, which leads him to propose innovative design features . He has a good understanding of the IP in the field (assessment of possible infringement) and has also created IP (see e.g. US patent 707118 B1). ALD equipment designed by expert has been in use for years in a leading high volume manufacturing environment. Design of precursor trap to optimize pump lifetime.

2) Process Development & Continuous improvement : Expert has been involved in process development & continuous improvement of ALD dielectrics, including electrical ( C-V probe), optical and structural characterization of films Uniformity, throughput, step coverage , micro contamination optimization.

1) Equipment Design and Operation Expert has hands-on and managerial experience in ion source and ICP reactor design, operation and maintenance, gasbox design, in-situ metrology , troubleshooting of equipment malfunction 2) Process Optimization Expert has extensive hands-on and managerial experience with process qualification, advanced process control, uniformity, repeatability optimization, process integration in an industrial context

3) Physics of the sputtering process: Sputter yields, halogen-surface interaction, damage, redeposition, reflected neutrals,.. Expert has performed extensive research on beam-surface interaction, Molecular dynamics modeling

1)Development, of industrial PVD equipment, process engineering and continuous improvement for production-level applications in several industries such as semiconductor (Cu, Ta, TaN ) RF-MEMS & wireless ( AlN FBAR, Pt/Ti metallization for), data storage (GMR, TMR, high moment, Al2O3 etc), EUV, CIGS photovoltaics ( Mo, TCO,CIGS), etc. Expert was leading development of the first generation GMR deposition tool and process for hard disk manufacturing at CVC products. This equipment took about 80 % marketshare in 18months, in an application that is generally considered to be one of the first industrial applications of nanotechnology (See e.g. 2007 Physics Nobelprize press release)

2)Thorough knowledge and modeling experience of fundamental physics of plasma formation, plasma surface interaction and film formation process ( 20 yrs experience ; 70+ publications including 16 invited reviews). Hands on experience with : Mass spectrometry, in-situ sensors,emission spectroscopy, Langmuir Probe, Molecular Dynamics, Particle In Cell, FEA,..

3)Extensive experience qualifying, troubleshooting and continuously improving PVD process in a manufacturing environment. Uniformity, repeatability, equipment malfunction, contamination, material property optimization,... etc. On-site crisis resolution (root cause analysis,...

1) Processing : Expert has been involved in industrial implementation of several magnetic thin film materials such as AMR, GMR,NOL-GMR, TMR, hard bias, high moment, for applications such as magnetic recording heads, magnetic field sensors, IC-integrated magnetic coils, MRAM. Every single hard disk head manufacturer uses or has used one or more magnetic film deposition or etch process to which expert has contributed.

2) Device Design : Expert has had several years experience performing electrical and magnetic device characterization, leading to IP generation ( several US patents on magnetic devices).

1) Design and Engineering of System : Materials & components ( O-rings, valves, feedthroughs ,..) pumping schemes ( cryo, turbo, ion, getter, water,..), bake-out procedures , gauges(ion gauge, baratron(R), QMS,..) , control systems ( PLC, profibus,..)

2) Implementation of (U)HV in a manufacturing environment : feasibility, best practices ( training of technicians ), comprehensive contamination control ( gas purification systems,..).

He developed several Monte Carlo codes, including a 3D dsmc code on unstructured grids, fully compatible with CAD interfacing, specially adapted for the application on vacuum process equipment. He has a thorough hands-on knowledge of state of the art CFD ( finite volume techniques).