Abrasive Slurries and Recycling Expert for Solar and Semiconductor Wire Saw Operations

Expertise

• Semiconductor and solar wire saw operation and processes.
• Suspension carrier and slurry product development with 14 patents applications pending.
• Slurry and wire saw process modeling systems to optimize slurry performance and wire saw cut parameters.
• Development, application, test method development, manufacturing processes, and production usage of unique long-term stable suspension carrier systems, slurry recycling processes, environmental waste reduction, cost reduction and materials conservation techniques for the wire saw and abrasive slurry industries.
• Design, operation and development of spent slurry recycling techniques, equipment systems, processes for recovery of spent abrasive slurry from wire saw ingot slicing.
• Polymer identification techniques such as D.T.A., T.G.A., G.P.C., H.P. membrane osmometry and others.
• Photo-resist synthetic, formulation, and processing. Familiar with most photolithographic fabrication processes, techniques and instrumentation.
• Pellicle formulation, fabrication and applications (4 patents filed).
• Microelectronics Integrated Circuit Fabrication Industry; wafer processing; specialty electronics chemicals development, applications and recycling techniques.

Experience

Undisclosed Company, Founder and President, 2000 - Present

• Design, set-up of state-of-the-art research and development, applications, Q.C. laboratories for development of world's first "long-term" stable suspension carrier system for wire saw abrasive slurry slicing of Si ingots into wafers for semiconductor and solar applications.
• Development of first PEG based carrier system that provides long-term stable abrasive slurries for wire saw slicing (SSL Carrier System).
• Primary technology source for design and operation requirements for full carrier system manufacturing plant capable of producing up to 10,000 gals. of SSL carrier and customer specified slurries.
• Major contributor to development design and construction of world's first wire saw slurry recycling plant for recovery of spent wire saw SSL slurry used by semiconductor and solar wafering customers.
• Co-inventor of world's first 100% water based stable slurry suspension carrier system (LVS).
• Primary responsibility for patent application preparation for all developments and filed patent applications.
• Primary inventor of corrosion inhibitor system for use with water based carriers and wire saw slurries.
• Contributor to development of modeling system used to optimize slurry usage on any wire saw for best performance at lowest cost.
• Primary instructor to new and existing employees on wire saw processes, run parameters, integration of abrasive slurry into wire saw set-up and parametric importance of slurry - wire saw interactions that result in overall wafer quality level.
• Designed and built full technical, Q.C., applications and production infrastructure in less than 2 years.
• Company designed and built state of the art manufacturing plant for full production of highest purity form of aqueous-HA product line for Semiconductor and pharmaceutical markets.
• Negotiated and implemented global representation organization for product sales throughout Europe, U.S., Japan, Singapore, Korea and Taiwan.
• Three patents issued for company developed advanced technology and purification processes.
• Contract guaranteed sales revenues of $6 million in hand at start of manufacturing.

Ashland/ACT (Business Unit of Ashland Chemical Co.), Director, 1994 - 1997

• Increased business revenues from $14 million in three years to $5 million.
• At least 60% revenue growth for 4 consecutive years.
• Recipient of Business Profitability award from Ashland Corporate 2 consecutive years.
• Grew ACT to world's second largest supplier of semiconductor based stripper products and technology behind EKC Tech., Inc. with revenues near $50 million per year.
• Ashland Chemical "Outstanding Business Unit Performance."
• Ashland Chemical "Outstanding Business Unit Award."
• Ashland Chemical "ISO Certification Achievement Award."

ACT Inc., Allentown, PA, Co-Founder and President, 1987 - 1991

Chief Technology Officer and BOD Chairman, 1991 - 1994

• Co-founded ACT with $6,000, built infrastructure, technology base, advanced products and customer base from successful funding grants.
• Designed and built technical laboratories, production facilities, tolling partner, packaging and logistics infrastructure under minimal budget resources.
• Designed and built sales and marketing strategy, customer presentations, value added proposition presentations, represented based sales force.
• Designed and built first global technical applications department for advanced semiconductor stripper products and technology.
• Primary or co-inventor of all company products (10-15 patents issued).
• Grew revenue base from $0 to over $14 million over a 6 year period with no external investors, save but BFP of PA.
• Gross revenue growth rate hit 100% per year, for 4 consecutive years.
• Market potential and global acceptance of ACT established advanced stripper products and technology attracted several major acquisition candidates.
• Recipient of Ben Franklin annual "New Product" award in recognition of significant advances made in the Semiconductor I.C. fabrication industry.

Environmental Management Assoc., Inc., Bethlehem, PA, Vice President R&D, 1985 - 1987

• Principle inventor of major products (i.e. resist strippers), 3 patents issued.
• Full establishment of market accepted stripper product line.
• Inventor of new resin system for photo mask protection - 1 patent filed.
• Set up and establish full Q.C. and applications labs.
• Designed and built class 100 clean room.

J.T. Baker Chemical Company, Phillipsburg, N.J., Principal Scientist and Project Leader, 1979 - 1985

Photoresist and Electronic Chemicals

• Principal inventor of non-toxic, sink disposal positive resist stripper - 5 patents issued; PRS-1000.
• Sole inventor of newly introduced anti-reflective coating used to eliminate standing wave effects on photoresists coated on reflective substrates - 2 patent disclosures filed.
• Principal inventor of new experimental high temperature positive photoresist utilizing proprietary synthetic photosensitizer-binder resin systems - 2 patent disclosures in progress.
• Sole inventor of proprietary resin system used as protective pellicle for projection and stepper masks - 3 patents issued.

Honors & Publications

Academic and Professional Affiliations

• American Chemical Society
• SPIE (Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers)
• SEMI (Semiconductor Equipment and Materials Institute)
• SEMI-Photolithographic Chemicals Subcommittee

Awards

• Ashland Chemical "Record Profitability Award"
• Pennsylvania Ben Franklin Partnership New Product Innovation
• PA Ben Franklin Partnership Entrepreneurial Grant Awards
• Ashland Chemical "Outstanding Business Unit Performance'
• Ashland Chemical "Outstanding Business Unit Award"
• Ashland Chemical "ISO Certification Achievement Award"

Publications and Patents

• Five publications and 21 patents.

Education

• Ph.D. Organic Chemistry, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI
• M.S. Organic Chemistry, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI
• B.S. Chemistry, Rose Polytechnic Institute, Terre Haute, IN