New research engineer bolsters MNTL's etching capabilities

It’s been a whirlwind few weeks for Lavendra Mandyam, who arrived in the United States from India in late August and started work as the new research engineer at the Micro + Nanotechnology Lab the next day. An expert in dry etch semiconductor processing and equipment, Mandyam is responsible for maintaining MNTL’s Oxford reactive ion etch tools and training students how to optimize their device fabrication techniques.

A graduate of Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in southern India, Mandyam (BS electronics and communications 2011) was a senior facilities technologist at the National Nanofabrication Centre located at the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering on the Indian Institute of Science campus, where he taught students etching methods and analyzed process data results to help them make better performing devices. He also fabricated and characterized MEMS RF switches, MEMS pressure sensors, and poly-silicon-gate NMOS transistors, among other devices. 

“IISc is one of the best universities in India, and the University of Illinois is one of the best universities in the world,” Mandyam said. “I wanted to take my career to the next level, which is why I took the job with MNTL.”

Although he was the youngest engineer at IISc, Mandyam quickly established himself among the cleanroom staff, rising to become the senior engineer after three years. “I trained more than 160 students there, which is critical because they wanted to be able to do their research while using the tools independently,” Mandyam said.

According to Mandyam, he looks forward to transferring his dry etch expertise to students now and learning how to use additional MNTL cleanroom tools like plasma thermal and vapor deposition systems. He will also help research engineer colleagues Edmond Chow and Yaguang Lian conduct new student safety training.

In his spare time, Mandyam enjoys photography, chess, archery, and cricket.