Postdoctoral Research Associate – Nanofabrication and interference EUV lithography

Overview

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The Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN) at Brookhaven is a DOE-funded national scientific user facility, offering users a supported research experience with top-caliber scientists and access to state-of-the-art instrumentation. The CFN mission is advancing nanoscience through frontier fundamental research and technique development and is the nexus of a broad collaboration network. Each year, CFN staff members support the research of nearly 600 external facility users.

Three strategic nanoscience themes underlie the CFN scientific facilities:
The CFN conducts research on nanomaterial synthesis by assembly designing precise architectures with targeted functionality by organizing nanoscale components. The CFN researches and applies platforms for state-of-the-art techniques for Accelerated Nanomaterial Discovery, integrating synthesis, advanced characterization, physical modeling, and computer science to iteratively explore a wide range of material parameters. The CFN develops and utilizes advanced capabilities for studies of Nanomaterials in Operando Conditions for characterizing materials and reactions at the atomic scale in real-world environments.

The CFN is seeking a talented Postdoctoral Research Associate to conduct research on advancing extreme ultraviolet (EUV) based interference lithography (IL) and developing nanofabrication strategies for EUV IL masks. You will explore advanced nanofabrication methods based on electron beam lithography and reactive ion etching, targeting the development of EUV IL masks with sub-30 nm feature sizes to enable sub-15 nm patterning.

This work is part of a larger effort to design photoresist materials for the next-generation EUV lithography for Angstrom-era semiconductor chip manufacturing. This project will also explore optical modeling and computational lithography through collaborations with scientists at National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) and Computing and Data Sciences (CDS)  will work under the supervision of Dr. Chang-Yong Nam (Electronic Nanomaterials Group).

• You will use advanced electron beam lithography (EBL) and inductively coupled reactive ion etching (ICP-RIE) to fabricate EUV IL masks with sub-30 nm feature sizes.
• You will characterize fabricated EUV IL masks using electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray scattering, or optical methods.
• You will use EUV IL to pattern and characterize novel photoresist materials for next-generation EUV lithography.
• You will collaborate with scientific staff with diverse backgrounds including materials science, nanofabrication, optical modeling, X-ray scattering, and AI algorithms and computer science.
• You will disseminate research findings via paper publications and external presentations.

• You have a Ph.D. in a relevant discipline (Materials Science, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline), conferred within the past five years or to be completed prior to the starting date.
• You have demonstrated experimental expertise in fabricating nanostructures by EBL and dry etching (using ICP source using chlorine and fluorine chemistries), along with physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and/or atomic layer deposition (ALD).
• You communicate effectively, verbally and in writing, evidenced by peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations/proceedings.
• You are committed to creative and independent research, teamwork, and fostering an environment of safe scientific work practices.
• You are committed to cultivating an inclusive and respectful workplace environment.

• You have experience or working knowledge in interference lithography, and related optical modeling.
• You have experience in nanofabrication of X-ray optics.
• You have experience in materials characterization and analysis based on, for example, optical ellipsometry, X-ray reflectivity, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), AFM, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) etc.
• You have working knowledge in complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) processes used in the semiconductor industry.
• You have experience in working at synchrotron X-ray beamlines.

• This is a 2-year Postdoc Assignment.
• BNL policy requires that after obtaining a PhD, eligible candidates for research associate appointments may not exceed a combined total of 5 years of relevant work experience as a post- doc and/or in an R&D position, excluding time associated with family planning, military service, illness, or other life-changing events.

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