I
am a third-year student at Loughborough University, studying for an integrated masters in Natural Sciences. I opted for a Materials Science and Chemistry pathway in my first and second year and have now chosen to specialise in Materials Science for my last two years of undergraduate study.
I first met representatives from Paragraf at a Careers Fair hosted by my university. The company’s extensive research into graphene is what initially attracted me to talk to the careers team. I left the conversation feeling excited about the ground-breaking research they are conducting within the semiconductor industry. My interest in graphene began during my A-levels and has only grown since starting university. I am fascinated by the wonder material and the ability it has to significantly improve day-to-day life. I built on this in my second year when I was given the opportunity to research further into semiconductors, looking at how they work and the materials which can be used to make them. A summer internship at Paragraf seemed like the perfect opportunity to continue to grow my understanding of the industry and gain hands on experience in a field I have genuine interest in.
During my time at Paragraf, I worked in the innovation team on a high-frequency device design project, taking electrical measurements using a probe station and imaging wafers using Atomic Force Microscopy. I was able to correlate dielectric quality using a combination of these measurements that allowed us to optimise the dielectric deposition process. We then put these layers through a full process flow to ascertain their effect on the overall device performance.
This summer internship has provided me with valuable, hands-on experience that I will be able to take back to university and apply to my final two years of study. I’ve gained confidence in my scientific ability and strongly believe that my time here has helped to shape the rest of my academic journey. Having the opportunity to work with individuals who are at the top of their field has been an invaluable experience. Everyone made me feel so welcome and encouraged me to grow not only as a scientist, but also as an individual. I look forward to returning to Loughborough to complete my third year, using all the skills I have learnt during my time at Paragraf. I want to take the time to thank everyone at Paragraf for the opportunities you have provided me with this summer, it has been a truly inspirational experience.
