Texas Instruments Silicon Photonics Process Engineer 

United States, Texas, Dallas 

350761085

As a member of Kilby Labs you’ll have the chance to interact with many product groups and functions, work with an interdisciplinary team, and bridge from lab to fab to develop technologies to enable new markets.

About the Position

Kilby Labs is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Silicon Photonics Process Engineer to lead the development and implementation of fabrication processes for cutting-edge photonic integrated circuits (PICs). This role is responsible for the design, implementation, and scaling of PIC fab processes for datacom optical transceiver chips and other PIC-based products.The role includes working closely with chip design, architecture, fabrication, test, and product engineering teams to make innovative, high performing, power efficient, and cost-effective PIC solutions. Additionally, the role requires a focus on high-yield, reliable, and cost-efficient manufacturing. We are seeking a creative problem-solver who can develop unique, breakthrough technologies that leap-frog the state of the art as well as contribute across various aspects depending on project needs.

Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

• Develop and optimize fabrication processes for silicon photonic PICs, including both predefined and new custom processes, and scale to high volume manufacturing.
• Contribute to the design and optimization of photonic PICs using software simulation systems, layout experiments or analytical solutions.
• Work closely with photonic and electronic design, architecture, systems, and packaging teams to translate design and layout rule requirements into manufacturable processes.
• Develop process characterization, optimization, and troubleshooting procedures and methods to improve performance and yield, including development of process monitors, test structures critical to quality parameter specifications, metrology and inspection procedures, and correlations with device performance data.
• Work with internal and external fabs to ensure process compatibility and quality.
• Work with characterization and test teams to develop wafer level test procedures and translate measured data to process improvements.
• Analyze process monitor and test data, perform failure analysis and implement corrective actions to address process-related issues.
• Develop and maintain process reporting and documentation, including process flow descriptions, quality specifications, goal plotting, and yield reports.
• See designs through to mass production by collaborating with product engineering and operations teams.
• Drive cost and power reduction generational improvements.
• Participate in R&D to develop next generation technology solutions, drive IP development.

Minimum Requirements:

• Master’s/Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Applied Physics, Photonics, Optical Communications or related field.
• 5+ years of industry experience with Si photonics processes (e.g. for fabrication of waveguides, splitters, gratings, modulators, and detectors) and their volume manufacturing.
• Experience with silicon photonics component design (waveguides, splitters, gratings, modulators, and detectors) & photonics simulation tools,
• Deep understanding of process integration, silicon-photonic materials and optical physics, and silicon-photonic fabrication processes.
• Track record of delivering silicon photonics integrated solutions on key development projects, where responsibilities may include silicon-photonics component design, silicon-photonics process integration and silicon-photonics process flow development.
• Experience with process characterization and metrology techniques such as SEM, AFM, and ellipsometry.
• Experience with PIC design, layout, and fabrication, and experience contributing to PIC tapeouts.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with volume manufacturing of high speed integrated photonic devices
• Knowledge of photonic device design (high speed and passive) and/or device physics, and important device performance metrics.
• Experience with characterization and testing of photonic devices.
• Experience with using process monitor and test data analysis tools and statistical analysis tools such as JMP or statistical libraries (e.g. matlab, python).
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ideal candidate must also excel at promoting new ideas, building collaborative relationships, working across organizations.