Day-to-Day Responsibilities
Research and develop semiconductor materials such as silicon, germanium, gallium arsenide, silicon carbide and gallium nitride for new chip and device requirements.
Prepare and check wafers and crystals, controlling purity and crystal structure, because small impurities or crystal faults can make a device fail.
Design and run doping, diffusion and thin-film deposition experiments, and record the results carefully.
Characterise materials with tools such as X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy and electrical measurements to confirm structure and properties.
Analyse defects and yield loss with process and device engineers, and recommend changes to materials or process conditions.
Follow cleanroom, safety and chemical handling standards, and document procedures for audits and quality checks.
Write technical reports, present findings to cross-functional teams and keep up with new research.
