Senior researcher
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.
This opportunity is to be an associate researcher in the Materials Measurement Science Division for
a term of 1 year, with options to renew. Associate researchers are NOT Federal Employees, but they
work aside NIST researchers and with NIST’s often world class instrumentation. U.S. Citizens hired into associate positions may have the opportunity to seek longer term Federal Employment.
Nanocalorimetry for In-Situ Plasma Monitoring (CHIPS Funded Project)
- 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.
- U.S. Citizens Preferred
Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:
- 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.