PhysicistScientist- X-Ray Source Modeling

Who We Are

Applied Materials is the global leader in materials science and engineering solutions that are at the foundation of virtually every new semiconductor chip and advanced display in the world. The equipment that we create and service is essential to advancing AI and accelerating the commercialization of next-generation semiconductor chips. Join us and push the boundaries of materials science and engineering in a company at the foundation of the electronics industry. The work we do together advances the worlds technology.

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Role summary

Own the physics modeling that sets the performance limits of our X-ray sources: electron optics from cathode to target thermal behavior of components under high electrical power density and X-ray generation and transport through to the detector. You will be the person the team trusts to say what a design will do before it is built and to say how confident you are.

Responsibilities

• Simulate electron optics end to end: thermionic emission space-charge-limited transport focusing and aberration deflection and spot formation in realistic geometry with realistic applied fields.
• Build coupled electrothermal models of beam power deposition on targets apertures and grids: conjugate heat transfer radiative exchange transient and duty-cycled loading thermally driven distortion and the feedback of that distortion onto beam and spot performance.
• Model X-ray generation and transport: bremsstrahlung and characteristic emission yield from transmission and reflection targets self-absorption in target and substrate spectral shaping by filtration and windows downstream optics and detector response.
• Quantify and communicate uncertainty: convergence and mesh studies sensitivity to material property data and geometric tolerance and an explicit statement of what each model can and cannot predict.
• Design the experiments that test the models. Identify which measurable actually discriminates between competing hypotheses then work with the lab to execute and interpret.
• Translate sensitivity results into design and manufacturing decisions: drawing tolerances alignment budgets process windows.
• Script and version simulation workflows so parametric studies are reproducible and re-runnable by someone else.
• Contribute to technical customer engagements
• Mentor junior physicists and engineers in modeling practice including the habit of validating before believing.

Required

• MS or PhD in physics applied physics EE ME nuclear engineering or a related field plus roughly 5 years applying simulation to physical hardware.
• Demonstrated ownership of at least two of: charged particle optics thermal and structural analysis materials under high thermal load X-ray generation and optics.
• Fluency in finite element methods and their limits plus working knowledge of at least one other relevant numerical approach: boundary element particle-in-cell Monte Carlo radiation transport or ray tracing.
• Multiphysics tools (COMSOL Opera CST ANSYS Lorentz FEniCS or comparable) driven through their scripting interfaces rather than the GUI alone.
• Python C or C for pre- and post-processing data reduction and optimization loops.
• Version control as a default habit.
• A track record of comparing model to measurement finding them in disagreement and diagnosing why.

Preferred

• Monte Carlo radiation transport (Geant4/TOPAS PENELOPE EGSnrc) for electron-target interaction spectrum and dose.
• X-ray optics simulation (SHADOW/OASYS XRT McXtrace SRW) and dynamical diffraction calculation for crystal optics.
• Cathode and emission physics: dispenser cathodes LaB₆ or CeB₆ field emission lifetime and poisoning mechanisms.
• High-vacuum practice: outgassing thermal management across brazed and welded joints contact conductance high-voltage holdoff and breakdown.
• Adjacent-field background: accelerator or beamline physics electron microscopy vacuum electronics (TWT klystron magnetron) medical or industrial X-ray tubes e-beam lithography semiconductor metrology.
• Design of experiments numerical optimization surrogate or reduced-order modeling.
• Comfort working from mechanical CAD including defeaturing and model prep.

Business Expertise

• Has knowledge of best practices and how own area integrates with others

Leadership

• Acts as a resource for colleagues with less experience; may lead small projects with manageable risks and resource requirements

Problem Solving

• Solves complex problems; takes a new perspective on existing solutions; exercises judgment based on the analysis of multiple sources of information

Impact

• Impacts a range of customer operational project or service activities within own team and other related teams; works within broad guidelines and policies

Interpersonal Skills

• Explains difficult or sensitive information; works to build consensus

Additional Information

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The salary offered to a selected candidate will be based on multiple factors including location hire grade job-related knowledge skills experience and with consideration of internal equity of our current team addition to a comprehensive benefits package candidates may be eligible for other forms of compensation such as participation in a bonus and a stock award program as applicable.

For all sales roles the posted salary range is the Target Total Cash (TTC) range for the role which is the sum of base salary and target bonus amount at 100% goal achievement.

Applied Materials is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color national origin citizenship ancestry religion creed sex sexual orientation gender identity age disability veteran or military status or any other basis prohibited by law.

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