Nanotechnology has garnered a lot of attention in recent times. As the scope of applications grow, so do the challenges, because every application is unique.
Prasanna V Krishnan, our next pathbreaker, works as Engineering Manager at Obducat Tech AB (Sweden), a world leader in a process called Nano-Imprint Lithography, used in devices like phone cameras, AR/ VR glasses, medical test instruments and next gen power storage.
Prasanna talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about his experiences in cutting edge research in the fields of plasma polymerization, lithography and nanotechnology in general.
For students, Nanotechnology will drive the green revolution which will fuel better energy generation, use and storage, in order to transition to a fossil fuel free future.
Prasanna, Your background?
I’m from Chennai, Tamil Nadu. I would consider myself as a product of a middle-class society in India (40 years ago). Hard work and education were the cornerstones of success then. My father is a science graduate and was fortunate to apply his education at work in a private engineering company. He did not opt to be a bank employee with a cushy government job as was the norm some 50 years ago. My mother is a retired schoolteacher and has maintained a fervor for education by garnering degrees throughout her adult working life.
During my junior college years, I opted for MPC with computer science as I had no interest in cutting open rats or frogs. There was every indication that I loved the sciences back then. The elective in Computer Science laid the foundation for my interest in coding and honed my analytical abilities. I was active on the playground though not excelling in any sport particularly. I’ve never been a fan of reading fiction. I’ve had a penchant for working as a handyman, fixing tube lights, pressure cookers and to service my cycle among other things around the house and for the neighbors. Through such experiences, I picked up simple concepts of how different electrical gadgets worked and mechanical design aspects of cycles, mopeds and even the pressure cooker.
What did you do for graduation/ post-graduation?
I am a graduate in Mechanical Engineering and a post-graduation in Materials Science & Engineering (University of Cincinnati)
What were some of the influences that made you choose such an offbeat, unconventional and unique career?
My choice of graduate education / training was primarily derived from being an automobile enthusiast. I wanted to work with engines and drivetrains. Being a mechanic’s apprentice without an education wasn’t an option. Halfway through my graduate education, a strong interest in materials developed. Materials play a key role in improving performance of mechanical elements and are important for tooling and final quality of finished goods. My father was closely associated with research in polymeric materials, which was a well-established industry in the 90s. He shared a lot of his experience in working with engineered plastics. This deepened my curiosity in the subject by the time I graduated.
Deviating from convention and with the urge to study materials, I opted to pursue a post-graduation on that subject.
How did you plan the steps to get into the career you wanted? Tell us about your career path
Curiosity was the primary driver throughout my graduation and post-graduation phase. I knew that not many graduate programs in the US would support mavericks like me with a scholarship program. Since I could not hope to support myself financially, I had to play the waiting game with admissions to universities in the US.
My advisor at the Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Cincinnati was looking for a mechanical engineer to design a custom plasma CVD (chemical vapor deposition) tool for an industrial partner. This helped me secure a research assistant position with him and pursue a graduate education in Materials Engineering.
The research assistant position gave me the opportunity to acquire hands-on experience with a lot of tools in materials processing. My research was on plasma polymerization. This is a vital process in most modern-day semiconductor fabs.
The rigorous coursework in a completely different subject and the steep learning curve dissuaded me from pursuing further education. I knew I had the foundation to start my career.
Unfortunately, 9/11 coincided with my graduation and saw the immigration laws get tighter and semiconductor manufacturing jobs vaporize. There was no room for someone who was perceived to have had a ‘confused’ approach to education.
This was by far the single most influential (turning point) in my career. Adamant not to quickfix my career learning in JAVA or C++, I decided to return to India to look for an opportunity to apply my education.
After my return to India, I worked as an Engineer at G-Plast (Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu). My father helped me get a job through his contacts for the sake of keeping my sanity. The position was that of a floor engineer overseeing the production and quality control of injection molded plastics.
Even though a temporary stint, this experience would help me later in my career, working with polymers.
My next job was as Process Engineer at Microcircuit Technology (Singapore)
The dream to work in a semiconductor fabrication unit became a reality with this opportunity.
In Singapore, I had the opportunity to work in most front-end processes including lithography.
It was now time to come back to India. Videocon (a former home appliance manufacturer) was looking for talent to drive their foray into plasma TV manufacturing. With my experience from Singapore, I was able to easily convince the recruiters. Videocon was doing research on a new type of Plasma TV with improved materials. This experience helped me understand the process of research in the industry. The job also brought me to Europe, where the production plant was to be set up. I joined as Assistant Manager at Videocon / VDC Tech s.p.A (India/Italy)
Plasma is referred to as the 4th state of matter. The sun is surrounded by plasma. The simplest way is to imagine it is like an ionized gas. In this ‘gas’ or environment, a host of new reactions can be performed that are not possible in a lab. These reactions yield compounds that can further cross-link to form polymers. They can also be tuned with the right combination of gases to produce UV light that are then converted to red, green, and blue in a plasma TV.
By offering a unique environment to produce new materials or destroy, plasma can be directed in a chamber to act in a focused manner to enable sub-micron (nano) machining. This ability is widely employed in semiconductor fabs.
Plasma TVs were popular technology as they offered superior frame rates as compared to the nearest rivals, the LCD at that time. However, they have been discontinued due to the availability of better tech.
How did you get your first break?
My first break was the opportunity to work in a fab environment in Singapore. A nondescript ad in the local newspaper caught my attention. Much to my surprise, it was not a scam.
What were some of the challenges you faced? How did you address them?
Challenge 1: It was physically demanding. I had to work 12 hour shifts on my feet, 7 days a week. I was away from home for 16 hours and had little time for friends or family. However, I was driven by the desire to learn.
Challenge 2: People from different ethnic backgrounds posed a constant power struggle to stay afloat.
Challenge 3: Food and housing. Being a vegetarian, living in shared accommodation and being away from home 16 hours was tough. It was addressed only when I moved back to India.
Where do you work now? What problems do you solve?
I am currently an Engineering Manager at Obducat Tech AB, Sweden. This is where everything comes together : Mechanical engineering, Materials engineering, Lithography and Research. Obducat is the world leader in a process called Nano-Imprint Lithography. ‘Litho’ is the process of patterning a silicon chip to form billions of transistors like the computer chip you are using to read this article. Our tools use state of the art mechanics and optics to generate nanometer (one billionth of a meter) scale patterns. These patterns are found in several devices like, phone cameras, AR/ VR glasses, medical test instruments and next gen power storage.
Nanotechnology has garnered a lot of attention in recent times. As the scope of applications grows, so does the challenge. Each application is unique. For example, did you know that your phone camera lens is layered with several different materials and may even have nanoscale patterns? Performance enhancements for a newer generation of phones can come with a different pattern scheme. Although this sounds simple enough, it is not. My job would be to ensure that these new nano patterns can be embedded on lenses.
What skills are required for your role? How did you acquire the skills?
You need advanced knowledge of physics and materials. I have relevant education in both.
What’s a typical day like?
Since our tools are built in a cleanroom (a facility that is 1000 times cleaner than an operation theater), most of my day is spent inside one.
Most of the time spent on the computer (all of 30 mins in a day) goes towards scripting and responding to emails. Collaborations are face to face and rarely on “Teams” (Microsoft). New designs for tools have to be developed, tested and approved all the time.
What is it you love about this job?
The dynamism. You are not only leaning on the job, but also learning about new and cool devices which could use this technology.
How does your work benefit society?
Nanotechnology will drive the green revolution which will fuel better energy generation, use and storage, communications and a fossil fuel free future.
Tell us an example of a specific memorable work you did that is very close to you!
Unfortunately, there is no specific moment that checks out as memorable. There are a lot of things to be proud of. The journey itself has been memorable and continues to be.
Your advice to students based on your experience?
‘Difficult is solved immediately, the impossible just takes a little longer’
Future Plans?
My career has taken me to many places, but far away from family. In the recent past, India has shown a surge in interest to develop the semiconductor fab ecosystem. I see this as an opportunity to return to my roots. Hopefully, I get to work with one of the young minds reading this article.