Harshal Gade
Hillsboro,USA
Summary
Highly skilled process engineer and researcher with close to 4 years of experience in the semiconductor industry in areas of electronic material development and production and some experience in the solar industry. Expertise in analyzing process data and identifying opportunities to implement innovative solutions leading to 5% benefit in manufacturing availability, 3% reduction in defects and 16% improvement in material properties. Good leadership skills in lab tools and leading modules from a safety, quality and output standpoint.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Process Engineer
Illuminate USA
03.2025 - Current
- Working towards manufacturing solar panels as per customer and market needs
- Planning process optimization projects to reduce defect rate in solar panel production
- Pioneering safety, output and quality standards for company
- Participating in company audits and developing SOPs various processes in production
Senior Technology Development and Process Integration Engineer
Intel Corporation
03.2021 - 12.2024
- Responsible for a broad range of engineering duties, including production sustaining by decreasing downtime of FAB tools, monitoring quality using statistical processes control and data analysis skills.
- Research expertise in various thin film depositional techniques such as PECVD, Spatial ALD, PVD, CVD and plasma dry etch techniques involved in the wafer processing, fabrication and manufacturing of chips with advanced nodes (7nm, 5nm and 3nm)
- Installed, qualified and development of FOAK tools and processes necessary for improved capacity in high volume manufacturing
- Process flow review, planning, analyzing DOE and wafers FA to troubleshoot inline or CD defects
- Efficient in working in fast paced manufacturing (HVM) with emphasis on safety, quality and output
- Working with equipment suppliers to identify shortcomings, propose and evaluate process and hardware modification to mitigate the issues
- Experience in collaboration with technical procurement within an organization to establish path for future R&D.
- Working with TD groups for the development of new high k materials for thin films and etch applications
- Led working groups with vendors and ran focus teams with various stake holders to run DOEs and to integrate various ideas towards a finished product
Education
Ph.D. - Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
University of Akron
12.2020
M.S. - Chemical and Environmental Engineering
University of California, Riverside
06.2016
B.S. - Chemical Technology
ICT, Mumbai
07.2014
Skills
- Process development and optimization
- Material characterization
- Thin films deposition (CVD, PVD and ALD)
- FOAK tools (install, qual and troubleshoot)
- Design of Experiments
- Statistical analysis (Using SQL and JMP)
- High k materials
- FMEA and ISO Audit
- Failure analysis
- Device Fabrication
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Leadership
- Analytical reasoning
- Conflict Resolution
- Problem solving
- Constructive feedback
- Organizational skills
- Adaptability
- Innovation
Intel Highlights (Awards and Patents)
- 3 Departmental Awards for various process optimization projects as below
- Installation and qual of new 6-pin susceptor leading to improvement of WIW range from 21% to 5%
- Qual and implementation of new ampoule refill BKM to decrease re-qual post refill by 2.5 hrs every 2 days leading to 5% MA benefit
- Installation and qual of new F9 Filter to improve defects and MA by 3%
- Patent filed and award for "Capacitors with amorphous oxide layer for high capacitance and low leakage". (AE7755)
- Distinguished invention award for "NH3 Plasma to Tune Etch Rate of TiO Helmet".
Internships
- 1) Parker Hannifin Corporation (Summer 2019), BWF Unit, Oxnard CA
- Batch process optimization and production of tubular filter elements of various industry grades
- Filter characterizations such as AFR, Aerosol filtration, Wet and Dry burst testing, Crush testing, Oil coalescence testing
- 2) Parker Hannifin Corporation (Summer 2020), IGFIG Unit, Haverhill MA
- Sensor testing and validation (Temperature, Pressure, Conductivity Sensors)
- Substrate synthesis optimization and characterization (Tensile strength, porometry, bubble point, Frazier test)
- PROP 65 (Leachable and Extractible testing using GC/MS)
- Beer filtration and throughput performance testing using different solution cast membranes
- Graduate Student Researcher
- Ph.D. University of California, Riverside Aug 2016 - Apr 2021 (4 years 9 months)
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Akron Advisor: Prof. George Chase
- Thesis title: Polarized PVDF nanofibers in filtrations and separations
Declaration
I thereby confirm all the above-mentioned information is true to the knowledge and facts
HONORS AND AWARDS
Young Scientist Award, American Filtration Society, 2024, 2nd Prize in Poster Competition, AFS Conference, Spring 2019, Honorable mention in Poster Competition, AFS Conference, Fall 2019, Deans Distinguished Fellowship, UC Riverside, 2014, Travel Grant in World Filtration Congress, WFC, 2020, Coalescence Filtration Nanofibers Consortium Fellowship, 2016-2020.
LIST OF PUBLICATIONS
- 4 Book Chapters, 7 Journal Articles, 8 Conference Papers, 150+ citations
- Google scholar link : https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C38&q=Harshal+Gade&oq=
Timeline
Senior Process Engineer
Illuminate USA
03.2025 - Current
Senior Technology Development and Process Integration Engineer
Intel Corporation
03.2021 - 12.2024
M.S. - Chemical and Environmental Engineering
University of California, Riverside
B.S. - Chemical Technology
ICT, Mumbai
Ph.D. - Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
University of Akron