Experience

Automation Engineering Inc. (AEi)

• Senior Systems Engineer

  • Jan 2016 - Present

  Wilmington, MA



Axcelis Technologies

• United States
• Semiconductor Manufacturing
• 700 & Above Employee

• Member Technical Staff II - Engineering Electrical Systems

  • Mar 2011 - Present

  Ion implantation systems are fully automatic complex electro-mechanical systems that operate in semiconductor fabs 24/7 and are used in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). These systems use basic physics methods to produce ion beams used to implant ions into semiconductor wafers. An ion implantation system costs ~$3,000,000. The ion implantation system end station is the part of the system that handles semiconductor wafers. Wafers are brought to the system in cassettes. The end… Show more Ion implantation systems are fully automatic complex electro-mechanical systems that operate in semiconductor fabs 24/7 and are used in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). These systems use basic physics methods to produce ion beams used to implant ions into semiconductor wafers. An ion implantation system costs ~$3,000,000. The ion implantation system end station is the part of the system that handles semiconductor wafers. Wafers are brought to the system in cassettes. The end station takes wafers from cassettes into the vacuum process chamber, scans the wafers through the ion beam, and returns wafers to cassettes. Wafers can be processed at rates exceeding 500 wafers per hour. Accomplishments: -Specified and integrated custom purchased wafer handling robots. Robots are purchased without servo amplifiers and controls. Integration of robots includes integrating commercial servo amplifiers and closing servo loops using Delta Tau PMAC controllers. Robot use brushless DC servo motors. -Specified and supervised implementation of PMAC and VxWorks based software tools used to measure and track wafer handling timing and code execution as wafers are processed. Designed and implemented MATLAB based software tools to analyze data from the PMAC/VxWorks tools. These tools allow for accurate time measurement and analysis of wafer handling operations and are used to improve system wafer throughput, to understand code execution, and find software bugs. -Modified wafer handling operations to increase system throughput to meet and exceed the 500 wafer per hour specification. -Tuned servo control loops for purchased and custom robot axes. -Determined and fixed root causes of wafer handling system failures to improve system reliability. -Identified problems with and improved accuracy of present wafer notch aligner system and developing Cognex vision based wafer notch aligner. -Identified and worked with suppliers to fix problems in purchased amplifiers. Show less



GSI Group

• Spectator Sports

• Senior Principal Engineer

  • Mar 1998 - Feb 2011

  Senior Principal Engineer, Memory Repair Systems Group 3/2000-2/2011 Overall: Instrumental in the primary developments leading to each of the last 3 new model systems and the next model system. These primary developments include: ­- New XY stage motion trajectories, XY stage servo control improvements, & system structural improvements (M45x). ­- Improvements to system structural dynamics (M450T). ­- New design higher performance XY stage (M55x). ­- Dual beam system… Show more Senior Principal Engineer, Memory Repair Systems Group 3/2000-2/2011 Overall: Instrumental in the primary developments leading to each of the last 3 new model systems and the next model system. These primary developments include: ­- New XY stage motion trajectories, XY stage servo control improvements, & system structural improvements (M45x). ­- Improvements to system structural dynamics (M450T). ­- New design higher performance XY stage (M55x). ­- Dual beam system (future model). Precision high-performance wafer XY stage: ­- Overall responsibility for the memory repair system wafer XY stage. The XY stage holds and accurately positions, at high speed, the semiconductor wafer under the stationary focused laser beam during wafer processing. System accuracy: Responsible for memory repair system accuracy. Memory repair system accuracy is |mean|+3≤150nm. Mechanical structural dynamics: Realized structural mechanical dynamics significantly reduced system accuracy and throughput. Led two projects that increased system structural natural frequencies and damping leading to major improvements in accuracy & throughput. Throughput: Identified and implemented methods to increase system throughput. These methods included XY stage improvements and trajectory improvements, improvements to system structural mechanical dynamics, and multi-beam acousto-optic beam deflector (AOBD) methods. Fiber lasers: Led projects that developed a number of custom pulsed MOPA fiber lasers at two outside suppliers. This work included specifying lasers & laser test methods, testing lasers, and working with suppliers to understand and fix problems. These lasers operate at 1065 nm and 1164 nm wavelengths and have square temporal pulse shapes of variable widths. Solved a difficult polarization problem. Engineering Manager, Industrial Products Group 3/98-3/2000 Show less



MRS Technology, Inc.

• Japan
• Research Services

• Director of Technology

  • 1986 - 1998

  Director of Technology 6/96-3/98 Electrical Engineering Manager 9/93-6/96 Electrical Engineer 1/87-9/93 Manufacturer of semiconductor photolithography equipment used by major corporations world wide for the manufacture of flat panel displays. These ~$2M tools automatically process flat panel displays imaging 1um to 3um resolution features with sub-micron placement accuracy on 500mm x 500mm glass substrates. These complex tools are software controlled, include an optical… Show more Director of Technology 6/96-3/98 Electrical Engineering Manager 9/93-6/96 Electrical Engineer 1/87-9/93 Manufacturer of semiconductor photolithography equipment used by major corporations world wide for the manufacture of flat panel displays. These ~$2M tools automatically process flat panel displays imaging 1um to 3um resolution features with sub-micron placement accuracy on 500mm x 500mm glass substrates. These complex tools are software controlled, include an optical imaging system, numerous motion control systems many with sub-micron accuracy, optical alignment systems, optical focus systems, substrate handling systems, complex automatic calibration systems, numerous sensors, and are designed for high productivity. Show less


IBM
• IT Services and IT Consulting
• 1 - 100 Employee
• Electrical Engineer

  • 1981 - 1984