Internship - Droplet Generation Research

Introduction

ASML US, LP brings together the most creative minds in science and technology to develop lithography machines that are key to producing faster, cheaper, and more energy‑efficient microchips. We design, develop, integrate, market, and service these advanced machines, which enable our customers—the world’s leading chip makers—to reduce the size and increase the functionality of their microchips, which in turn leads to smaller, more powerful consumer electronics.

Our headquarters are in Veldhoven, the Netherlands, and we have 18 office locations around the United States including main offices in Wilton, CT, Chandler, AZ, San Jose, CA and San Diego, CA.

We are presenting you with a unique and exciting opportunity to join a dynamic and innovative source research team, focused on conceiving and demonstrating the technologies required for next generations of high‑power extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light sources. Based on a laser‑produced plasma (LPP), our light source relies on a wide range of unique and challenging technologies, ranging from laser light amplification and high‑power optical systems that generate the laser pulses needed for EUV generation to electro‑optical signal detection and algorithm‑based actuation for process control.

You are invited to bring your passion, knowledge and expertise in areas of applied physics, plasmas, metrology, optics, controls, lasers, and experimental design to push the boundaries of these technologies forward.

A key ingredient in the EUV generation process is a stable source of molten tin droplets. These droplets provide the fuel for the laser‑produced plasma and serve as the heartbeat for synchronizing the EUV source. The challenge is to reliably produce nearly perfect droplets of molten tin at a rate of tens of thousands of times per second with speeds of dozens of meters per second and position stability within a fraction of a droplet diameter.

The successful candidate will be comfortable operating in this diverse mix of physics, engineering, and materials science in order to define the droplet generator architecture for the next generation EUV source. A strong experimental mindset is needed to measure complex phenomena and decipher the relevant physics, enabling our team to predictably control tin droplet behavior.

• Identification of key scientific learning objectives and corresponding experimental design which will further the technological progress of the EUV generation process
• Demonstration of system‑wide performance targets to meet the future technology roadmap
• Develop and execute system and subsystem performance tests, analyze test results and extract actionable knowledge from sub‑module to full‑system levels
• Troubleshoot issues with tin delivery sub systems, ultra‑high vacuum systems, and optical modules on our test benches in order to improve our understanding of the fundamentals of droplet generation
• Document learning and communicate knowledge to engineering and product development teams to guide product improvement and release of new product nodes
• Work independently and in teams to deliver on a stated objective, whether it be the pursuit of new knowledge, the demonstration of a new capability, or the characterization of existing performance
• Performs other duties as assigned or required

• PhD [ongoing] or MS degree [ongoing] in Materials Science, Physics, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent field.
• Coursework related to data analytics, acoustics, fluid flow, and high‑strength materials is a plus.
• Deep understanding of scientific methods that guides in designing and executing research experiments with limited oversight is highly desired.
• Experience with designing a DOE, building experimental test setups, including setup layout, design, rapid prototyping, metrology selection, setup troubleshooting and respective upgrades is highly desired.
• Experience with microfluidics, liquid jet breakup and droplet coalescence in particular; piezoelectricity; and/or acoustics is highly desired;
• Experience with high pressure applications such as water jet cutting, jet breakup, and nozzle…