Research Interests and Level of Expertise

ALP (Ångström-Level Processing)

  • precursor evaluations 
  • process developments 
  • reaction mechanism studies 
  • nucleation & selectivity studies 
  • surface modification & cleaning; 

expert level

since 2008:
ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition) 
of oxides (Al2O3, HfO2, ZrO2, Ta2O5, RuO2), nitrides (TaxNy), and metals (Ru, Au)  

since 2015:
asD (Area-Selective Deposition) 

since 2017:
ALE (Atomic Layer Etching) 
of oxides (Al2O3, ZrO2, SiO2, SiCOH) and nitrides (SiNx) 

since 2018:
MLD (Molecular Layer Deposition)
of polymers (Nylon 2,6) 

Surface Analyses/ Metrology

In Situ

since 2008:
SE (Spectroscopic Ellipsometry),
especially with real-time sampling > 1 Hz;
expert level

In Vacuo

since 2010:
PES (Photo-Electron Spectroscopy)

  • XPS (x-ray photo-electron spectroscopy);
    expert level
  • UPS (ultraviolet photo-electron spectroscopy)

since 2013:
SPM (Scanning Probe Microscopy)

  • AFM (atomic force microscopy);
    expert level
  • STM (scanning tunneling microscopy), including
    STS (scanning tunneling spectroscopy)

On Site

since 2009:
QMS (Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry)

Ex Situ 

since 2009:
Electrical Characterization, such as

  • 4PP (four-point probe)
  • current–voltage
  • capacitance–voltage
  • TVS BTS (triangular voltage sweep under bias and temperature stress)

since 2011:
XRD (X-Ray Diffraction) 

since 2011:
XRR (X-Ray Reflectometry)

since 2015:
Raman Spectroscopy

since 2021:
GIWAXS (Grazing-Incidence Wide-Angle X-Ray Scattering) 

Nanotechnology

nano-manufacturing

nano-fabrication

nano-characterization

nano-electronics

nano-materials

Thin Films

Materials Science

since 2008:
ruthenium and ruthenium oxide

since 2013:
high-k oxides (Al2O3, HfO2, ZrO2, Ta2O5)

since 2013:
graphene

since 2018:
polymers (Nylon 2,6)

Vacuum Technology

since 2008:
high- and ultra-high vacuum components, such as

  • various pump types & sizes
  • cross-flow & showerhead reactor designs
  • seals, gas tubes, fittings, valves
  • drives
  • heaters, etc.

Physical Chemistry

surface chemistry

chemical physics

Optics