PREP0004149 Plasma Nanocalorimetry Senior Researcher

In-Situ Plasma Nanocalorimetry Senior Researcher

Project Description:

The Materials Measurement Laboratory of the National Institute of Standards and Technology is seeking qualified persons (U.S. Citizens Preferred) to join a multi-disciplinary team of scientists working to advance the current state-of-the-art in nanocalorimetry-based measurements for monitoring of semiconductor manufacturing processes. This individual will work closely with the leaders of this multi-effort project, but will personally be responsible for incorporating these novel sensors into a custom plasma chamber and determining their utility for in-situ characterization of plasma-based etching and deposition processes.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Design and assemble a custom plasma reactor that integrates NIST-produced nanocalorimetry sensors as well as other common plasma diagnostic tools
• Perform experiments using a variety of plasma types and conditions relevant for semiconductor manufacturing processes, utilizing nanocalorimetry along with other plasma diagnostic techniques for in-situ monitoring
• Data interpretation to understand the parameters during plasma processes and assess the feasibility of using nanocalorimetry as a process monitoring technique
• Publish results in peer-reviewed scientific journals and present results at scientific conferences

Desired Qualifications: 

• U.S. Citizen preferred
• Ph.D. in materials science, physics, chemistry, chemical engineering, or related field
• Hands-on expertise in the design and assembly of custom plasma reactors, as well as experience using plasma diagnostic techniques such as Langmuir and optical probes
• Experience with calorimetry-based measurements of temperature and/or thermal properties of materials
• Understanding of measurements of radical/ionic fluxes and energy distributions at the substrate level, as well as deep knowledge of plasma-surface interactions
• Strong written and oral communication skills; ability to work independently and as part of a team

Other Details:

• Full-time: the participant is expected to work 40 hours a week
• Location: the participant will work at the NIST Gaithersburg Campus.
• Duration: this is expected to be a one-year position. Extensions are sometimes granted depending on the availability of funds.