Postdoctoral Researcher – Ultra-wide Bandgap Power Electronic Device Fabrication

National Laboratory of the Rockies • Golden, CO

12d • Onsite

About The Position

A postdoc position is available in the Materials, Chemical, and Computational Sciences Directorate in the area of ultra-wide bandgap (UWBG) power electronic device fabrication. The position will involve the fabrication of high breakdown voltage and high forward current power diodes and transistors based on gallium oxide (Ga2O3), aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN), and other UWBG semiconductors. Emphasis will be placed on (1) TCAD design of device structures capable of high breakdown voltages and high forward currents, and on (2) the fabrication of these devices using power device processing and fabrication methods in a clean room. The position will focus on reducing interface defects and improving breakdown voltage in Ga2O3 power diodes and may also support a basic science project that involves fabrication and characterization of horizontal and vertical AlGaN devices. The job duties include device design, epitaxial material synthesis, device fabrication, and device characterization. The postdoc position is a 3-year, renewed after each year of performance.

Requirements

• Must be a recent PhD graduate within the last three years.
• Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.
• Demonstrated prior hands-on experience in fabrication, characterization, and design of semiconductor devices in a cleanroom environment
• Track record in wide band gap semiconductor applications such as power electronics, light emitting diodes, RF transistors, photodetectors, etc

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience using physics-based software packages (such as TCAD) to design semiconductor devices.
• Experience with epitaxial growth of ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors, such as molecular beam epitaxy or metal-organic chemical vapor deposition.
• Experience with gallium oxide or aluminum gallium nitride materials and power devices, and their dielectric passivation and electric field management.
• Awareness of semiconductor device physics such as figures of merit, defects and dopants, chemical compatibility, band offsets.
• In-depth knowledge on one or several materials characterization methods, such as diffraction, spectroscopy, microscopy, material property measurements.
• Prior examples of stewardship (installation, maintenance, repair, etc) of complex laboratory equipment, including physical vapor deposition systems.
• Active computer skills in programing (e.g. LabView, C/Igor Pro, Python, Matlab, etc.), statistical data analysis, and/or software development.
• Strong self-motivation, multitasking capability, time-management skills, and track record in scientific communication
• Mentorship experience with undergraduate or graduate students.
• Prior experience (e.g., intern) in an industrial or national laboratory R&D setting.

Responsibilities

• TCAD design of device structures capable of high breakdown voltages and high forward currents
• Fabrication of devices using power device processing and fabrication methods in a clean room
• Reducing interface defects and improving breakdown voltage in Ga2O3 power diodes
• Fabrication and characterization of horizontal and vertical AlGaN devices
• Device design
• Epitaxial material synthesis
• Device fabrication
• Device characterization

Benefits

• medical, dental, and vision insurance
• short-term disability insurance
• pension benefits
• 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match
• life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance
• personal time off (PTO) and sick leave
• paid holidays
• performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component
• relocation expense reimbursement

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree