Process Engineer, Photomask Inspection

Photomask Inspection Engineer

Micron Technology is a world leader in innovating memory and storage solutions that accelerate the transformation of information into intelligence, inspiring the world to learn, communicate and advance faster than ever.

As a Photomask Inspection Engineer at MTC, you are responsible to monitor, maintain and improve reticle pattern inspection and automatic defect classification (ADC) processes to ensure mask quality. You will work with the rest of the engineering team, as well as the manufacturing and sustaining engineering team to define opportunities for improvement and investigate and implement comprehensive long-term solutions.

Responsibilities:

Develop solutions for EUV inspection, defect avoidance, ADC (automatic defect classification)

• Lead/participate in continuous yield improvement and cost reduction activities
• Monitor tool health and respond to trends and OOS tool and process conditions
• Research, develop and implement new inspection processes, sensitivities and techniques to support Micron’s reticle roadmap
• Engage with equipment suppliers to evaluate and qualify next-generation inspection tools and improve capabilities of current systems
• See opportunities to improve inspection processes and suggest projects to close these gaps
• Ensure accuracy and consistency of inspection results, implement defect classification improvements to eliminate errors and improve efficiency.
• Provide authority insight into tool and process capabilities, advise other teams on most appropriate techniques for data collection depending on the test requirements
• Collaborate with other engineering teams in R&D and high-volume manufacturing (HVM) to support their inspection needs through data analysis
• Mentor and train manufacturing personnel and other engineers
• Drive automation and efficiency efforts to improve KPIs such as first time success rate, nuisance/false alarm reduction, equipment availability and RPT.
• Evaluate and qualify new capital equipment in partnership with inspection process and equipment engineering teams.
• Ensure Micron and MTC are prepared for industry inflection points such as EUV pellicle adoption or high-NA lithography by understanding requirements, evaluating performance gaps and ensuring return on investment and capital timing are aligned to Micron’s technical roadmap.
• Leverage AI tools to improve efficiency

Day-to-day activities: Work with software and equipment vendors to develop and improve ADC (automatic defect classification) algorithms. Work with inspection tool vendors to improve reticle pattern inspection sensitivity. Monitor SPC (statistical process control) and investigate inspection results. Work with FEOL (front end of the line) engineering teams to address defect issues, and support fixing via analysis of inspection results. Assess defect printability performance based upon actinic images and WPC (wafer-print-check) and adjust specs or improve modeling to ensure reticle quality. Ensure all printing defects are detected by pattern inspections, and error rate in shipment is zero.

Qualifications:

• Experience in semiconductor or reticle fab inspection (RDA) area preferred
• EUV reticle inspection experience is a plus
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Highly motivated with the ability to work with limited guidance

Education requirements:

• B.S. or higher degree in engineering field, physics, optics or mathematics

Micron is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, citizenship status, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.