My name is Filipe Laíns and I'm from Portugal. I don't really have any formal background in physics, but I have always been curious and interested in tinkering.
I currently work as a software developer at Quansight Labs, the non-profit division of Quansight (a data science company), where I work on supporting the scientific Python community, with a focus on Python packaging. I am involved in various open-source projects, which you can find out more about in my Github profile and website, but the project that ends up consuming most of my time is Python, for which I am one of the Core Developers.
On top of my open-source contributions, my hobbies include electro-metrology, semiconductor manufacturing, optical microscopy, SEM, nuclear physics, etc.
Some of the projects I am currently working on are:
- Building a laser ablation microscope
- The system will consist of a Mitutoyo FS60 microscope head with a nanosecond Nd:YAG laser mounted on top.
- The main goal being to use this system in semiconductor applications, like precision resistor trimming, and laser fault injection.
- Building a CNC microscope for high-resolution semiconductor imaging
- The system will consist of a Mitutoyo VMU-V microscope unit, mounted on a motorized Z stage, and a motorized XY stage.
- The main goal is to take several pictures of an IC die with a high-resolution objective and then stitch them together into a single high-resolution image, which can then be uploaded to places such as https://siliconpr0n.org/.
- Building a multipurpose high-vacuum chamber
- The system will consist of a large vacuum chamber I picked some time ago from ebay (picture), and an Edwards EXT255Hi turbo-molecular pump. The turbo-molecular pump may later be upgraded to a Pfeiffer TPU-180H, if I manage to get TCP-380 controller I have to work.
- The goal is to use it for various nuclear physics experiments, and also build a sputtering and/or physical vapor deposition system, which can then be used to apply coatings, as part of a semiconductor manufacturing process.
- Fixing a Jeol JSM-5600LV SEM
- I bought this SEM some time ago as a supposedly working unit, but I haven't managed to actually run it successfully. It hiccups during the pump-down procedure, and I haven't managed to figure out how yet. This model was the first of Jeol's SEMs to replace discrete control circuits with microcontrollers, so it has been quite tricky to debug.
- After getting this system to a working state, I would like to try to use for electron beam lithography by making a fast beam blanker attachment, allowing it to be used to manufacture semiconductors.
- Additionally, I also have an Amptek X-123SDD x-ray spectrometer system with a detached preamp+detector assembly, which I am planning to fit into the SEM for EDS (energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy).
- Building a photolithography stepper
- The system will consist of an old Zeiss S-Planar f1.6 50mm for 436nm photolithography lens, which can take a 10.2x10.2mm mask and project it into a wafer or other substrate with a resolution of 1285lp/mm.
- Building a Raman spectrometer
- This still is in a very early planning stage, but the plan is to build a Raman spectrometer probe/head, probably for 532nm, as high power lasers and sharp edge cut-off filters are available for that wavelength, and use an Ocean Optics S2000 spectrometer to capture the Raman spectrum. The wavelength might change to a bigger value if I manage to find a suitable high-ish power laser, and a sharp cut-off filter, for a reasonably affordable value.
I would also like to build my own spectrometer, as I think that's an interesting project, but that isn't in the pipeline just yet. I do have a couple photomultiplier tubes, which I think could be suitable for the probe, but I still need to source the scintillator, but this currently isn't very high in my hardware acquisition priority list. I am keeping an eye out for scintillators and probes on ebay, in case a good deal shows up.
Cheers,
Filipe
