When I think back on my time in the semiconductor industry, it feels like I was standing right at the intersection of precision, scale, and innovation. I started my career as an Equipment Engineer, working in a fast-paced cleanroom environment where every decision mattered. My department was Etch, the critical stage of chip manufacturing where carefully controlled chemical and plasma processes remove material layer by layer, shaping the nanoscale features that make modern electronics possible.
Working in etch gave me a front-row seat to the importance of precision on the smallest scales. I spent my days monitoring tool health, implementing process controls, and solving equipment issues that could impact quality and yield. Whether it was optimizing pump-down times, tracking etch rates, or troubleshooting plasma uniformity, the work demanded both technical rigor and creativity. Small defects at this stage didn’t just affect a wafer. They could ripple out to impact thousands of devices downstream. It was this responsibility that taught me the true meaning of quality control and pushed me to think critically about processes at the micro- and nanoscale.
That foundation has naturally shaped the next step in my journey: I’m now pursuing a Master’s in Nanoscience and Molecular Technology at the University of Alicante, with a research focus on spintronics. Spintronics, or spin electronics, represents an exciting frontier in nanoelectronics, where the intrinsic spin of electrons is harnessed alongside their charge to create faster, more energy-efficient devices. It’s a field that connects deeply to my background in semiconductors while opening new doors into the physics and materials science that drive innovation at the nanoscale.
For me, this transition is more than just a career pivot, it’s an evolution. My time in the semiconductor industry gave me hands-on experience with complex processes and taught me the importance of reliability and precision in manufacturing. Now, as I dive into spintronics, I’m excited to apply that same mindset to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in nanotechnology.
It feels like the perfect blend of where I’ve been and where I’m going: from plasma etchers in the fab to the quantum properties of electrons in the lab. I can’t wait to see what discoveries lie ahead!