Episode 31 features German ALD professor, Dr. Martin Knaut. Martin is the chair for the Institute of Semiconductor and Microsystems Technology at TU Dresden and the atomic layer processing group leader. He is also a founding member of the Atomic Layer Process Innovation Network, or ALPIN, organizer of the annual ALD for Industry event, and runs a small in situ tool development company, called ALS Metrology. With a long career working with ALD in Dresden, at the likes of Infineon and Qimonda, Martin has witnessed the ebbs and flows of the semiconductor industry in the state of Saxony.

Martin and Tyler discuss the goal of the Silicon Saxony organization, how we can better recruit students in microelectronics, and why he originally started the Atomic Layer Process Innovation Network. They also discuss his company, ALS Metrology, the importance of using in situ monitoring for process development, and his work on flash-enhanced ALD.

In this episode:

00:00 Intro

01:48 Martin’s background & semiconductors in Dresden

10:00 Recruiting issues for microelectronics

17:29 ALPIN & ALD for Industry events

29:34 ALS Metrology

34:57 Importance of in situ monitoring

41:59 Flash-Enhanced ALD

53:55 Concluding remarks