​​Wafer Fab Technician – Photolithography & Wet Etch​ at Semtech in City of Industry, CA

Job description

Location: Rowland, CA (Onsite) Position Summary: The Wafer Fab Process Technician serves as a key production and technical leader whose primary responsibility is running volume production in support of daily wafer fabrication schedules, while also ensuring process stability, recipe control, and yield performance across InP photonic device lines, specifically InP Buried Heterostructure (BH) DFB lasers and BH Gain Chips (GC). The majority of this role’s hands-on time is spent operating the photolithography module (coat/develop track systems, steppers/scanners, and associated litho metrology) to keep volume production lots moving on schedule, with additional ownership of wet etch steps, including stripe and Mesa etch, supporting MOCVD epitaxial regrowth of InP current-blocking layers used to form the buried heterostructure. Operating with minimal supervision in a III-V cleanroom environment, the Technician plays a vital role in meeting fab throughput targets, leading root-cause investigations for process excursions, maintaining strict Process-of-Record (POR) discipline, and mentoring junior technicians and operators to support reliable, high-yield, high-volume manufacturing. Responsibilities: Photolithography & Wet Etch Production Operations (50%): Serve as the primary production technician for the photolithography module, executing coat, expose/align, develop, and descum process steps to keep InP BH DFB laser and BH GC wafer lots moving through volume production on schedule Operate and monitor litho track (coat/develop) systems and steppers/scanners, maintaining critical dimension (CD), overlay, and film thickness within specification for every lot Execute wet etch steps, including stripe etch and Mesa etch, that directly support MOCVD epitaxial regrowth of InP current-blocking layers for buried heterostructure formation; control etch time, temperature, and chemistry to hold mesa profile, undercut, and etch depth targets Perform wet bench operations including dielectric mask removal, resist strip, and pre-regrowth surface cleans, and maintain wet bench chemistry through scheduled bath changes, concentration checks, and etch-rate monitors Prioritize and sequence hot lots, engineering wafers, and standard production lots in the litho and wet etch bays to sustain high tool utilization and meet daily/weekly throughput targets Perform in-line CD, overlay, etch depth, and defect inspection and first-wafer/first-lot qualification checks prior to releasing lots downstream Troubleshoot routine litho tool, wet bench, and process issues in real time to minimize downtime and protect production schedule adherence Advanced Process Troubleshooting & Root Cause (20%): Lead root-cause investigation for process excursions and drift across assigned process modules (e.g., litho CD shift, resist adhesion or defectivity, wet etch rate drift, mesa profile or undercut variation) Design and run targeted process checks (short-loop wafers, engineering splits) to isolate root cause Partner with Process Engineering on corrective action design and verification Process Control & SPC Ownership (20%): Own SPC control charts and control-limit reviews for assigned process area, including photolithography CD, overlay, and wet etch rate and depth metrics Own and maintain process recipes and POR documentation for assigned process area, with emphasis on photolithography track and expose recipes and wet etch procedures Evaluate and implement engineering-approved recipe changes; verify post-change process stability Support qualification of new or modified process steps DOE, Qualification & Training Support (10%): Support execution of DOEs, process qualifications, and NPI process runs Train and mentor Operators on photolithography and wet etch production operation, chemical handling, process control methods, and troubleshooting technique Minimum Qualifications: Associate degree in electronics, chemistry, materials science, or related technical field preferred; equivalen