KenNeth W. Cross
1220 Caminito Septimo; Cardiff, CA 92007 / (760) 944-9778 / [email protected]
Widely-skilled UHP Process (Chemical)
Engineer with Semiconductor Fab and Fab-Gases O.E.M. experience including
DUV-Pumped halide plasma (etch, chamber-clean, etc.) R&D seeks new challenges
·
Process
Engineering of UHP population-inverted / plasma gas systems from theoretical
(chemical /kinetic /thermodynamic modeling) to empirical (SPC /
six-sigma DOE - D.M.A.I.C.- based) system optimization across various ranges of
parameter values, substrate gases / mixtures, applications, and energy
densities
·
Ultra-High-Purity
Fluoride, Chloride, Bromide, Oxide, etc. Gas Mfg., Purification, Delivery,
Reaction / Utilization, and Recovery Process Design & Development
(componentry and systems)
Experience
·
Knowledge
in UHP HazGas process design issues such as contamination modes, surface
passivation, hydride & particle generation, fluoropolymer (seal) erosion
corrosion, vac. component degradation, etc.
·
Knowledgeable in performances of specific fluoropolymer
compounds under differing Halide-gas seal service, and most chemical and
physical properties of semiconductor mfg. support process materials.
·
Demonstrated
Expertise with Deposition, Etch, Chamber/surface clean Plasma (& gas
recovery) Systems
·
Knowledge
and experienced with (non-directed and magnetron – type) AC, DC, and mixed-wave
Plasma Generators including custom and off-shelf power supplies from Advanced
Energy Systems and MKS.
·
Skilled in design, spec, & implementation of sensing
& control systems for challenging applications.
·
Product
Design and Development on AutoCAD (R13 - R2000i), Mechanical Desktop, and
SolidWorks.
·
Project Management & Lead Engineer for
plasma/excited-state gas projects under various corp. structures
·
Adept with UHP process / product rollout from R&D to
Engineering and Production
·
16 years’ experience in engr. / product development
environment incl. 10 yrs in semiconductor support.
BOC EDWARDS CORPORATION, San Marcos, CA 1996
- Present
Senior
Development Engineer
·
Designed,
built, started up, tested, ran, & maintained UHP reaction and
separation/purification processes for production & packaging of chemical
precursors used in the manufacture of semi-conducting devices.
§ Achieved product purities to sub-ppb levels in most contaminants
§ Purified compounds and metallic container surfaces to <= 10 ppb H2O per lbmol N2 surrogate gas
· Supervised contractors, qualified & selected vendors, validated methods, controlled design docs
·
Invented
variety of liquid, gas, and plasma based and electro- and chemical Surface
Treatment Processes.
§ First to incorporate ultrasonic cleaning into UHP gas production cylinder preparation
§ First to Electro-polish Nickel, SS, and Aluminum surfaces of certain geometries and morphologies
§ First to successfully clean inside of gas cylinders with glow discharge plasmas
· Awarded several Innovation Awards and US Patents / Invention Records (see RECOGNITION section).
·
Employed
statistical techniques for empirical discovery and continuous process
improvement.
§ Reduced organic and particulate contamination of UHP chemicals by >4 generations
§ Reduced Fluorine waste by ~ 85% in Etch Cycle of Novellus and AP Chambers
§ Improved WF6 recovery by ~18%
· Generate controlled documentation to support system start-up, operation, & planned maintenance,
·
Designed
process panel layouts for UHP Gas reaction, distillation, and absorption
systems
·
Mass &
Energy Balances, PFD’s, PID’s, specified componentry for the sensing and
control
·
Designed
cryogenic distillation systems for corrosive metal- and hydrogen-halides
Kenneth
W. Cross page
two
IPEC / Athens Corporation, Oceanside, CA 1994
- 1995
R&D
Engineer
·
Designed
and built Reaction (production), purification, and delivery systems.
·
Design,
build, and test processes and machinery for electrochemical synthesis of
oxidizing compounds for wafer etching and related applications
·
Troubleshoot
wastewater neutralization systems: Spec
and install controls, tune and maintain system.
· Tested, maintained, and upgraded distillation systems for wafer etchant chemistries at Intel / Rio Rancho.
· Tuned control systems, sourced spare parts, rudimentary Planned Maintenance scheduling
· Maintain Equipment in GMP operation
Somacare Systems, Highland Park,
CA 1992
- 1993
Sole Proprietor
·
Manufactured,
sold, and distributed my own formulation of industrial shampoos
Desalination
Systems / TriSep, San Marcos & Goleta, CA 1989
- 1992
Process
Engineer
·
Increased
productivity: Develop and implement manufacturing processes, develop product
testing
·
Improve
product quality: of reverse-osmosis and micro / nano filtration membranes.
ChemMetals, Baltimore, MD 1987
- 1988
Process
Engineer
·
Process
development and optimization at a manganese ore refinery.
·
Improved
processes and controls for the manufacture of manganese chloride and various
manganese oxide-based compounds.
Ross, Murphy,
& Finkelstein,
Baltimore, MD 1986
- 1987
HVAC
Engineer / Trainee
·
Performed
HVAC / facilities energy studies / calculations for large buildings.
·
Used Trane
Co. software to back out design data for comprehensive HVAC system
optimization.
Environmental Elements Corp, Baltimore, MD 1984 - 1986
· Performed assembly, installation, start-up, controls checks, system efficiency tests, and operator training on automatically regenerating water purification / polishing systems for commercial and municipal facilities.
· Managed technicians, chemists, geologists and work crews (concrete workers, carpenters, general laborers).
· Set up tertiary water treatment systems at more than 50 locations across the continent.
· This position entailed hands-on construction of large filter systems, training and supervising a variety of tradesmen, millwrights, and skilled labor crews, verifying control circuit logic, debugging/diagnosing control system and process equipment failures, tuning process equipment, and training operators.
Kenneth W. Cross page
three
US
Patent Award # 6361020, “GigaValve Apparatus for dispensing UHP Gases with
Modular Assembly”
US
Patent Appl. # A00A237, “Apparatus and
Process for cleaning UHP gas cylinders with glow-discharge plasmas of noble and
non-noble gases”
US
Patent Appl. # M00A212, “Microenvironment
for the valving of UHP Gas Cylinders”
US
Patent Appl. # M00A211, “Neck Insert
for eliminating micro-rough portion from wetted Area of gas cylinder”
BOCE
Innovation Award: Plasma Treatment for
UHP Gas Cylinders
BOCE
Innovation Award: Ultrasonic Surface
Treatments for UHP Surfaces.
BOCE Innovation Award: Fluorine Recycle Unit
·
Virginia
Polytechnic Institute: (Virginia Tech - Blacksburg, VA) B.S., Chemical
Engineering, 5/1984, Virginia Polytechnic Institute: (Virginia Tech - Blacksburg,
VA) Minor, Chemistry, 5/1984
·
Post grad
Lab- and course-work in Chemical Engineering, concentration on surface
chemistry, continuous solvent extraction & process engineering. About 1/3
to M.S. before accepting 1st job, 1984
·
NC State
(Raleigh-Durham, NC) I.E.S. Six Sigma Green / Black belt Training, 2002
·
ASM Prof.
Technical Series: Mechanisms and Practices in Corrosion for scientists and
engineers, 2000
·
ASM Prof.
Technical Series: Advanced Metallurgy for scientists and engineers, 2000
·
Dale
Carnegie Institute Certification:
Effective Employee Relationships & Interaction Management Principals
and Techniques, 1992
A.I.Ch.E. member since 9/1983
ASM member since 1/1998
BioCh.E. Group, VPI&SU 1984
Chemical Analysis, Intermediate, Currently used, 12 years
Machinist/Mechanic/Millwright, Advanced, Currently used, 25 years
Chemical Technician, Advanced, Currently used,
18 years
Electrical Technician, Intermediate, Currently
used, 15 years
CAD Designer, Intermediate, Currently used, 6
years
Solid Modeling, Intermediate, Currently used,
4 years
PC Architecture, Intermediate, Currently used,
6 years