Wafer Fab Technician – PECVD, Dry Etch & Wet Etch
About The Position
The Wafer Fab Process Technician is a production and technical leader responsible for running volume production in support of daily wafer fabrication schedules and maintaining process stability, recipe control, and yield performance across InP photonic device lines, including InP Buried Heterostructure (BH) DFB lasers and BH Gain Chips (GC). The role focuses primarily on operating PECVD dielectric deposition systems, ICP/RIE dry etch systems, and wet etch benches. These processes include dielectric masking, Mesa etching, and surface preparation for MOCVD epitaxial regrowth of InP current-blocking layers, as well as dielectric passivation of finished devices. Working with minimal supervision in a III-V cleanroom, the Technician supports fab throughput, investigates process excursions, maintains Process-of-Record (POR) discipline, and mentors junior technicians and operators to support reliable, high-yield, high-volume manufacturing. The position may require flexibility to support engineering runs or excursions outside standard shift hours.
Requirements
- Associate degree in electronics, chemistry, materials science, or a related technical field preferred; equivalent experience is considered.
- 5–10 years of experience in semiconductor or photonics wafer processing, including direct III-V/InP process experience.
- Strong working knowledge of PECVD dielectric deposition (SiO2, SiNx), plasma dry etch, wet etch, and in-line fab process steps.
- Hands-on proficiency operating deposition, etch, and metrology tools, including ellipsometer/reflectometer, profilometer, SEM, and defect inspection, in a volume production setting.
- Working knowledge of plasma etch behavior, including rate, selectivity, profile, polymer effects, and chamber conditioning, as well as dielectric film properties and stress.
- Ability to independently lead complex process troubleshooting and root-cause investigations.
- Demonstrated ability to sustain lot throughput and cycle-time targets in a high-volume deposition and etch production area.
- Strong ownership mentality and independent judgment.
- Effective communication with operators, technicians, and process and equipment engineers.
- Ability to mentor and train junior staff.
- Ability to work in a cleanroom for extended periods across multiple process bays, including sustained time in PECVD and dry etch bays.
- Ability to work around chemicals, including acids and solvents, and process gases while following proper safety procedures.
Nice To Haves
- Direct, hands-on experience operating PECVD and ICP/RIE plasma dry etch systems in a high-volume production environment.
- Hands-on wet etch and wet bench experience with III-V materials and dielectrics.
- Associate degree in electronics, chemistry, materials science, or a related technical field.
Responsibilities
- Operate PECVD, dry etch, and wet etch modules to keep InP BH DFB laser and BH GC production lots moving on schedule.
- Operate PECVD systems to deposit SiO2 and SiNx dielectric films for etch/regrowth masks and passivation, maintaining film thickness, refractive index, uniformity, and stress within specification.
- Operate ICP/RIE systems for dielectric mask patterning and InP/InGaAsP Mesa etch steps supporting MOCVD epitaxial regrowth; control etch rate, selectivity, sidewall profile, and depth.
- Execute wet etch and wet bench steps, including stripe etch, BOE oxide removal, resist strip, and pre-regrowth surface cleans; maintain bench chemistry through scheduled bath changes and concentration checks.
- Perform chamber cleans, seasoning, and scheduled preventive maintenance on PECVD and dry etch tools; qualify chambers with monitor wafers before returning tools to production.
- Prioritize and sequence hot lots, engineering wafers, and standard production lots across deposition and etch bays to maintain tool utilization and meet throughput targets.
- Perform in-line film thickness, refractive index, etch depth, and defect inspections, and conduct first-wafer and first-lot qualification checks before downstream release.
- Troubleshoot routine PECVD, dry etch, and wet bench tool and process issues to minimize downtime and protect production schedules.
- Lead root-cause investigations for process excursions and drift, including film thickness or stress non-uniformity, etch rate or profile drift, particle adders, and wet etch undercut variation.
- Design and run targeted process checks, including short-loop wafers and engineering splits, to isolate root causes.
- Partner with Process Engineering and Equipment Engineering to design and verify corrective actions.
- Own SPC control charts and control-limit reviews for assigned processes, including PECVD film thickness, refractive index, and stress; dry etch rate and depth; and wet etch rate metrics.
- Own and maintain process recipes and POR documentation for assigned processes, especially PECVD and dry etch recipes.
- Evaluate and implement engineering-approved recipe changes and verify process stability after changes.
- Support qualification of new or modified process steps, DOEs, process qualifications, and NPI process runs.
- Train and mentor Operators in PECVD, dry etch, and wet etch production operation, process control methods, and troubleshooting techniques.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
Associate degree
