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Laser-Ablation Materials Postdoc Researcher

Project Description:

Adhesion and Thermomechanical Property Measurements of Underfill Materials using Laser-Ablation. Design and develop a laser-based measurement platform to quantify the adhesion and mechanical properties of underfill materials commonly used in microelectronics packaging. Temperature and humidity control, along with the development of experimental protocols for the laser-ablation test platform, are necessary to enable successful thermomechanical evaluation of representative underfill materials. The candidate will participate in the design and development of a laser-based mechanical test that can withstand elevated temperatures and humidity levels. Additionally, the collected data will be analyzed to obtain adhesion and mechanical property data, which will aid in the design of the model underfill materials.

Key Responsibilities: 

  • Design, construction, and evaluation of an environmental chamber with humidity and temperature control and sensing for laser-ablation experiments
  • Evaluate polymeric materials, elastomers, thermosets, and composites for underfills
  • Collaborate on the development of mechanical property data sets (e.g., adhesion energies, shear modulus, dissipation factor) to aid in underfill materials development
  • Prepare technical documentation, including protocols, data analysis, and NIST best practice guides
  • Present research findings to internal NIST teams, external industry, and academic stakeholders

Desired Qualifications: 

  • A Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or a related field
  • Research experience with characterizing polymer glasses, thermosets, elastomers, and composites
  • Experience integrating devices with optical measurements (e.g., X-ray scattering, atomic force microscopy, electron microscopy), including experience with data collection and analysis of optical signals and images, is a plus
  • Strong chemistry or materials background, experimental design, and data analysis skills
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Other Details:

  • Full-time: the participant is expected to work 40 hours a week
  • Location: the participant will work at the NIST Gaithersburg Campus.
  • Duration: this is expected to be a seven-month position. Extensions are sometimes granted depending on the availability of funds.