Name: Jack Rogers
Expected Graduation: May 2020
Program of Study: Ph.D. candidate in Nanoscale Science
Internship Organization: SCREEN Semiconductor Solutions
Organization’s area of work: SCREEN is a global leader in the semiconductor equipment manufacturing industry. SCREEN provides tools and equipment for lithography, wet cleaning, thermal annealing, and metrology.
How did you find out about the SCREEN internship?
The SUNY Poly Office of Graduate Studies was notified about SCREEN’s inaugural internship program and announced the opportunity to the graduate student body.
What did you focus on during your internship program?
I was tasked with evaluating the effectiveness of a new dispense system for the single wafer cleaning tool. This mainly involved swapping dispense systems, running wafers through the tool, and measuring the adder particles which resulted from the chemical dispense process.
What is the real-world application of what you worked on?
I worked in a cleanroom, which is typical for the types of jobs in this industry. Similarly, the metrology tools I used while at SCREEN are ubiquitous in semiconductor characterization. I was also able to collaborate with a team in English and Japanese, and these language skills along with the experience of working in a foreign country, are very relevant for an increasingly international industry.
How did your coursework or other experiences at SUNY Poly prepare you for your internship?
SUNY Poly classes taught me the principles behind wafer wet cleaning, as well as metrology techniques such as dark field inspection and SEM, which I was expected to know for my project at SCREEN. My lab work is not especially related to the internship project, so I relied on things I learned in the classroom as well as on-the-job training.
What field do you plan to pursue after graduating from SUNY Poly? How do you think this internship experience will help reach your goals?
I will most likely pursue employment in the semiconductor industry, so the experience from my internship at SCREEN is directly relevant to any future job I may find. Not only did I make connections within SCREEN that could develop into a job, I also believe that my Japanese language skills and experience working for a major semiconductor company will make me attractive to employers.
What was the most beneficial part of your internship?
Getting hands-on experience with tools and processes that are used universally in the industry. On a personal level, immersion in a Japanese company helped me develop my language skills, and opened the door for a summer of incredibly rewarding trips around Japan.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I would like to thank my team over in Hikone for welcoming me into their group for 10 weeks, and especially Sachiko-san who coordinated with our Office of Graduate Studies to ensure this internship could take place and be successful. I have never met a more welcoming and kind group of people, and I am grateful for the opportunity to return to Japan while also preparing myself for my future career.