Lam Research
Process Engineer 5
- Compensation
- Not disclosed
- Location
- US-CA-Fremont (1003)
- Work setup
- Onsite
- Seniority
- Not specified
- Employment
- Not specified
- Experience
- 5+ years
- Category
- Industrial engineering
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- Master’s degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry or Physics or related field with 8+ years of experience; or a PhD with 5+ years’ experience; or equivalent experience.
Nice to have
- In-depth background in plasma etch, including Reactive Ion Etching (RIE) and Atomic Layer Etching (ALE), on Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) and/or Capacitively Coupled Plasma (CCP) systems.
- Hands-on experience with patterning processes such as EUV and 193i pattern transfer, multi-patterning (SADP/SAQP), hardmask open, and high-aspect-ratio etch of dielectric, conductor, or metal films.
- Understanding of plasma physics and plasma-surface interactions, and their effect on etch rate, selectivity, profile, and CD control.
- Experience with etch and patterning metrology and characterization (CD-SEM, cross-section SEM/TEM, OCD, AFM) and related failure analysis.
- Familiarity with working in a laboratory and on semiconductor equipment, including surface preparation and analytical techniques.
- In-depth understanding of Statistical Process Control (SPC) and/or Design of Experiments (DOE).
- Highly proficient in MATLAB, Python, or other similar scientific computing language.
- Experience with statistical tools (JMP, Minitab, etc.) and structured problem-solving methodologies.
- Working knowledge of deposition processes (ALD, CVD, PECVD, PVD) and materials characterization, and how they integrate with etch in patterning flows.
- Experience working in a collaborative and matrixed environment with diverse teams, semiconductor customers, and/or partners.
Full description
The group you’ll be a part of
The Office of the CTO is where innovation takes center stage. We inspire our global technical community to take on grand challenges, understand emerging trends, identify the critical inflections, and drive our sustainability, Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices that will define the next generation of semiconductors and continued impact.
The impact you’ll make
As a Process Engineer at Lam, you will operate on cutting-edge technology, harnessing atomic precision, material science, and surface engineering to push technical boundaries. Your role involves developing new and advanced process formulations, defining equipment hardware to meet processing requirements, evaluating test data, and coordinating design requirements to ensure compatibility of processing methods. Your expertise and knowledge play a crucial role our customers success, making an impact on the next generation of semiconductor breakthroughs.
What you’ll do
- Conduct plasma etch process research, development, and evaluation in support of Lam’s cutting-edge etch equipment and systems, with emphasis on RIE and patterning applications.
- Develop and optimize etch processes for advanced patterning schemes, including EUV and hardmask pattern transfer, multi-patterning (SADP/SAQP), high-aspect-ratio features, and tight CD control.
- Characterize and improve etch performance, including profile, CD uniformity, selectivity, line edge and line width roughness (LER/LWR), loading, and defectivity, to increase yields and reduce production costs.
- Compile and analyze process and metrology data (CD-SEM, cross-section SEM/TEM, OCD) to establish next steps in process development and determine appropriate limits and variables for process specifications.
- Collaborate internally to plan, collect data, analyze results, and report on customer demos for etch and patterning applications.
- Partner cross-functionally with lithography, deposition, and integration teams, and with customers, to understand patterning roadmaps, process flows, inflection points, requirements, and business challenges.
- Contribute to next-generation etch product development and release activities supporting the semiconductor roadmap.
- Provide leadership, clear direction, and guidance to process technicians to support execution activities.
- Work closely with customers to introduce and drive adoption of new etch and patterning technologies at customer sites.
Who we’re looking forMinimum Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry or Physics or related field with 8+ years of experience; or a PhD with 5+ years’ experience; or equivalent experience.
Preferred qualifications
- In-depth background in plasma etch, including Reactive Ion Etching (RIE) and Atomic Layer Etching (ALE), on Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) and/or Capacitively Coupled Plasma (CCP) systems.