Shao-Chun Liu
IC Failure Analysis Engineer
Hsinchu
Summary
IC Failure Analysis Engineer with 5+ years of hands-on experience in SEM-based physical failure analysis, delayering, and inline defect investigation. Adept at defining FA strategies, driving root cause analysis, and working cross-functionally to improve product quality and reliability. Seeking to leverage expertise to deliver impactful failure analysis and actionable insights in semiconductor R&D or manufacturing environments.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
RDA Engineer
Micron Technology, Inc.
01.2025 - Current
- Perform root cause analysis (RCA) for memory products across FEOL / MOL / BEOL process stages.
- Collaborate with process integration, defect analysis, reliability, and equipment teams to resolve yield and quality issues.
- Drove inline defect investigation by identifying characteristic random particles and defining physical failure analysis (PFA) strategy.
- Utilized cross-section SEM and EDX analysis to trace particle origin to a specific process tool excursion, with dominant C/N/O composition and minimal metal content.
- Enabled equipment corrective action and effective yield recovery by clearly identifying defect origin, mechanism, and process impact.
Failure Analysis Engineer / SEM Team Lead
Integrated Service Technology Inc. (iST)
01.2019 - 01.2024
- Conducted IC sample preparation, delayering, and SEM-based defect localization for advanced nodes (3nm / 5nm / 7nm FinFET).
- Led SEM team as first-line supervisor, responsible for manpower planning, training, project execution, and new tool ramp-up.
- Defined FA approaches and collaborated closely with FIB teams to optimize analysis strategies for advanced device structures.
- Initiated digital workflow integration to replace manual reporting, improving tool utilization by ~13%.
- Served as primary technical interface for customer communication and internal experiment coordination.
- Awarded Top 5% Company Performance Award and Outstanding Employee (2023).
Education
M.S. - Applied Technology
01.2025
Thesis: Destructive Analysis Methodologies for GaN-on-Si HEMTs
B.S. - Medical Laboratory Science & Biotechnology
06.2014
Skills
Failure Analysis: SEM, delayering, cross-section analysis, defect localization, IC sample preparation
Process Knowledge: FinFET, GaN HEMT, FEOL / MOL / BEOL fundamentals
Analysis Capability: Inline defect screening, PFA strategy definition, root cause analysis
Collaboration: Cross-functional communication, process and equipment coordination
Timeline
RDA Engineer - Micron Technology, Inc.
01.2025 - Current
Failure Analysis Engineer / SEM Team Lead - Integrated Service Technology Inc. (iST)
01.2019 - 01.2024
Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology - B.S., Medical Laboratory Science & Biotechnology
National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University - M.S., Applied Technology