I am a materials scientist and yield development engineer with experience spanning autonomous TEM workflow development, semiconductor defect analysis, and microscopy-driven research across industry and academia. My background combines TEM/STEM, FIB/SEM, thin-film characterization, and Python/MATLAB-based data analysis for both high-throughput manufacturing and fundamental materials studies.
Hello! Let's take a quick tour through my story, which is as interesting as it is diverse. I was born and raised in Korba, Chhattisgarh, where I spent my childhood and completed my high school education. The next chapter of my life took me to Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, for my higher secondary schooling, marking my first steps out of my comfort zone.
The plot thickened when I secured a spot at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, in Mumbai, for my undergraduate studies. There, I pursued a degree in Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science, delving into the complexities of materials and their applications. My most notable academic endeavor was my collaboration with Professor Aswani Yella, focusing on the development of earth-abundant photovoltaic light harvesting materials. This project was not just about academic growth; it was about contributing to a sustainable future.
After completing my bachelor's degree with honors, I transitioned into the professional world, joining the copper manufacturing industry as an associate manager and R&D engineer. This role was my first real-world application of the theories and concepts I learned in college, especially in data analytics and Six Sigma techniques.
In 2019, I embarked on a new adventure, starting my Ph.D. research in Materials Science and Engineering at Arizona State University. Here, I was involved in a Department of Energy-funded project focused on the non-destructive visualization of deflection and calculation of bending stress in photovoltaic modules, under Professor Mariana Bertoni's guidance. This work not only expanded my technical skills but also allowed me to explore coding in MATLAB and Python, diving into computer vision and machine learning.
My journey continued as I joined another research group in 2021, focusing on the ULTRA EFRC project with Professor David Smith. My research now revolves around the structural and chemical characterization of wide and ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors using transmission electron microscopy, a fascinating peek into the atomic level of materials.
Away from the labs and lecture halls, my life takes on a lighter note. I'm an avid chess player, with a fluctuating blitz rating around 1550 on chess.com, a testament to my love for strategy and competition. Cricket has always been a passion, though finding opportunities to play can be a challenge. Tech gadgets? Absolutely. If there's a new piece of technology out there, I'm likely tinkering with it.
So, there you have it, a blend of rigorous academic pursuit and a dash of leisure and hobbies, making up the unique story of me. Thanks for joining me on this journey!
I am a doctoral candidate in Materials Science and Engineering at Arizona State University, with a background in Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science from IIT Bombay. My research focuses on the characterization and processing of wide and ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors, particularly in thin films such as gallium nitride, boron nitride, aluminum nitride, and diamond.
I possess advanced skills in TEM/STEM for high-resolution imaging and analytical analysis, and am proficient in dual-beam FIB/SEM systems for sample preparation. These competencies have been instrumental in my research on semiconductor heterostructures and heterointerfaces.
In addition to technical expertise, I bring experience in MATLAB, Python, and R for image processing and data analytics, and have practical industry experience in process optimization from my tenure as an R&D engineer and associate manager at Sterlite Copper Vedanta Ltd.
Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
Advisor: Regents’ Professor David J. Smith
GPA: 4.00/4.00
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, Mumbai, India
GPA: 8.42/10.00
Supporting technology development and yield enhancement in the Foundry Quality and Reliability Lab (FQRL) through autonomous TEM (AutoTEM) workflows, enabling faster process maturity and integration feedback for products such as Intel 3, Intel 4, Meteor Lake, and Granite Rapids.
Contributed to transferring and establishing TEM workflow capability from Intel TD in Oregon to Intel Foundry in Arizona, implementing ExSolve-TEMLink-Metrios (ETM) for cross-sectional analysis and Helios ETM (HETM) and Inline-Hybrid ETM for defect marking and analysis.
Refining and developing TEM automation recipes using Thermo Fisher's iFast Developers Kit, increasing weekly throughput from approximately 150 to 400+ sites and reducing the failed-site rate from approximately 15% to under 5%.
Responsible for two ExSolve FIB systems and two TEMLink tools while serving as the lab delegate and primary point of contact between the Intel 3/4 Program Integration Engineering Team and FQRL.
Completed Technology & Manufacturing Group (TMG) D1 Thin Films Technology (TFT) Level-1 certification covering fab safety and operations, Fab UI and web analytics, and JMP-based data workflows.
Conducted in-depth TEM/STEM analysis of epitaxial cubic boron nitride/diamond heterostructures grown via PECVD technique, analyzing structural and chemical properties, defect types/densities, and heterointerfaces.
Collaborated with two scientific groups to investigate bulk/surface acoustic phonons in turbostratic BN and c-BN films, and to determine the impact of vibrational properties and interfacial structures on thermal transport.
Conducted detailed structural and chemical analysis of AlBN/sapphire heterostructures, revealing phase segregations, high densities of threading dislocations and inversion domain boundaries.
Studied the morphology of nitrogen-doped nanoCarbon films grown on different diamond surfaces with varying biases to improve bulk and interface conductivity.
Developed and optimized a mathematical model to calculate deflection and bending stress in solar modules using X-ray tomography (XRT), employing Parameter Estimation and Inverse Problems for enhanced accuracy in deflection estimations from simulations.
Devised techniques using OpenCV in Python and Image Processing Toolbox in MATLAB for automatic extraction of X-ray signals (Kalpha-1 and Kalpha-2) from noisy images, reducing user error and enhancing precision in deflection calculations.
Scrutinized the de-selenization process to correlate selenic acid stability with the pH of the venturi solution, improving selenium purity.
Enhanced exportable-grade copper production from 87.5% to 95% by applying Six Sigma techniques and developing a CART model with 85% accuracy to optimize critical process parameters.
Synthesized SrAl2O4 and SrSn2O4, achieving a tenfold increase in luminescence duration compared with industry standards.
Enhanced afterglow in SrAl2O4 and SrAl2Si2O8 glass-ceramics by 3.4x through stoichiometry and heat-treatment optimization.
Synthesized CuSbS2 and CuBiS2 nanocrystals and optimized particle size to improve power-conversion efficiency to approximately 1.5%.
Refined antimony sulfoiodide (SbSI) nanocrystal synthesis to reduce the band gap from 2.1 eV to 1.84 eV and improve quantum efficiency by 15%.
Outstanding Research Award, ASU
Honored for impactful research by Graduate & Professional Student Association (GPSA).
Undergraduate Research Award, IITB, India
One of 10 awardees from more than 950 students for their exemplary research contribution.
Certified User: Thermo Fisher ExSolve, Helios 5 EXL, Helios 5UX, FEI Nova 200 NanoLab
Certified User: Metrios, Philips-FEI CM-200 FEG, JEOL 2010F, Talos F200i, Talos L120C
X-ray topography (XRT), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging and EDS, TEM sample preparation using mechanical polishing and Ar-ion milling with a Precision Ion Polishing System (PIPS), and familiarity with the fundamental principles and processes of ECR PECVD, MOCVD, MBE, and ALD.
Proficient in Image Processing Toolbox
Skilled with OpenCV, abTEM, and pySTEM packages
Thermo Fisher's iFast Developers Kit, JEMS, Digital Micrograph, Origin, Minitab, RStudio, EDAX TEAM, ImageJ, and CrystalMaker
Fundamentals of Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials & Device Applications | Semiconductor devices and Processing | Thin Films Lab | Materials Science of Energy Applications | Structure of Materials | Thermodynamics of Materials | Mechanical Behaviour of Materials | Diffusion and Kinetics | Electron Microscopy-I | Electron Microscopy-II | Electron Microscopy Lab-II | Advanced Scanning Electron Microscopy | WBG/UWBG Semiconductors & Devices
Advanced Numerical Linear Algebra | Multivariable Calculus | Differential Equations | Linear Algebra | Data Analytics | Numerical Analysis
Basics of Finite Element Analysis - I (NPTEL) | Analytics Edge (edX, MIT) | Neural Networks and Deep Learning (Coursera) | MS-Excel-VBA (CU Boulder) | Virtual Summer School Machine Learning for Electron Microscopy