Colin Bryant Stevens, Ph.D.
(251) 680-8444 | colinbstevens@gmail.com | Austin, TX
Professional Summary
Highly accomplished and results-oriented MEMS Process Integration Engineer with 12 years of experience driving innovation in semiconductor technology development and manufacturing. Proven ability to lead complex projects, solve critical process issues under pressure, and deliver significant cost savings and performance improvements.
Expertise spans front-end process development, fab qualification, TSV integration, failure analysis, and quality control methodologies. Seeking to leverage extensive technical expertise and leadership skills to contribute to cutting-edge advancements in a challenging engineering role.
01 PROCESS LAYERS & CORE COMPETENCIES
MEMS Fabrication Processes
Device Architecture Expertise
Failure Analysis & Quality Tools
CAD Layout & Engineering Software
02 FABRICATION FLOW & PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Led the development and qualification of front-end process technologies for multiple MEMS pressure sensor product families, ensuring high performance and reliability for consumer, industrial, biomedical, and automotive safety applications.
- Resolved critical process technology issues against aggressive deadlines, accelerating time-to-market for new products.
- Executed successful fab qualifications for multiple product families based on newly developed technologies.
- Drove cost reduction and performance enhancement initiatives for pressure sensor and gyroscope product lines, directly contributing to securing the largest automotive sales contract in company history (>$1 Billion).
- Guided the development of an automotive MEMS Gyroscope technology flow to process freeze, meeting stringent automotive requirements for CPK, yield, and reliability per NXP BCAM standards.
- Served as Lead Engineer for a major technology transfer project, moving and requalifying MEMS technologies to a new external foundry; streamlined processes, reducing the schedule by 12 months and achieving $52 Million in cost savings.
- Developed manufacturable via-first and via-last Through-Silicon Via (TSV) processes (Polysilicon, Tungsten) for integration into next-generation MEMS technologies.
- Designed and executed Design of Experiments (DOEs) to systematically evaluate and implement process improvements.
- Performed comprehensive wafer inspections and electrical data analysis (JMP), initiating and interpreting failure analysis (SEM, FIB, TEM, etc.) to validate findings and guide process adjustments.
- Collaborated effectively with Fab Process, Equipment, Packaging, Product, and Test engineering teams to ensure process manufacturability and adherence to CAB requirements.
- Investigated and resolved Customer Quality Complaints (CQCs) related to MEMS fabrication using the Lean8D methodology, identifying root causes and implementing corrective/preventive actions.
- Enhanced performance of an existing production pressure sensor via process DOEs and pizza mask design matrix, improving short-term offset drift and temperature cycling stability.
- Partnered with product engineering to validate reliability improvements, enabling tighter product specifications and use in critical applications like COVID-19 ventilators.
Lean8D Root Cause Action: Resolved thermal-offset drift in consumer/medical sensors. Implemented a proprietary sacrificial oxide design & modified anti-stiction coating vapor bake recipe (HMDS). Enabled sensor deployment in medical ventilators during COVID-19 emergency.
- Designed and fabricated MEMS silicon structures supporting large-area (1 cm²), thin (3 µm) crystalline silicon membranes under high differential pressure (in collaboration with University of Missouri).
- Developed control/interface circuitry for various MEMS devices (actuators, gyroscopes, chemical sensors).
- Created ultra-low power magnetic MEMS current sensors for high-efficiency DC-DC buck converters.
- Fabricated and tested capacitive MOS structures for detecting high-energy radiation (Cobalt-60 gamma source).
- Developed a die recovery process from commercial packages using decapsulation (Nisene) for compact multi-chip modules.
- Investigated and resolved MEMS stiction issues using various drying techniques (evaporation, sublimation, CPD) and anti-stiction coatings (OTS, HMDS).
- Designed and fabricated high-density capacitors using high-aspect-ratio silicon etching and High-K dielectrics (HfO2, TiO2).
- Innovated a fabrication method using sacrificial structures in mask design to improve DRIE aspect ratios in deep trench etching.
03 EPITAXIAL FOUNDATIONS & EDUCATION
04 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & PUBLICATIONS
Introduces a novel process flow enabling high-strength eutectic sealing (Au-Si or Al-Ge) of MEMS cavities immediately following the vapor deposition of monolayer anti-stiction coatings, avoiding thermal degradation of the coatings.
Specifies a technique for masking non-planar wafer surfaces and deep cavities during chemical etching using laminated dry film resist, reducing defect rates in high-aspect-ratio trenches.
Presents circuit structures and fabrication steps to shield high-sensitivity capacitive devices from parasitic charges accumulated during plasma processing or long-term operational exposure.
Details a method of using sacrificial carbon polymers and low-temperature oxygen plasma releases to fabricate suspended beam actuators without micro-stiction failure.
11 Peer-Reviewed Publications in international symposium proceedings and journals (IMAPS, Journal of Applied Physics, Microelectronics Research & Development, Optoelectronics Letters).
Key Research Areas: MEMS device characterization under extreme environments, sacrificial structure mask layout optimizations for deep reactive-ion etching (DRIE), capacitive MOS radiation sensors, and anti-stiction monolayers (OTS, HMDS).