Ion Implantation and Annealing Applications, Science and Technology

Dr. Wilfried Lerch (m) holds a Diploma and a Ph.D. in physics both from Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster (now University of Münster). After working on the basic diffusion mechanism during rapid thermal annealing he joined ast elektronik GmbH in 1994 which later became Mattson Thermal Products GmbH. Until 2008 he was responsible for process technology at customer sites but also for advanced next generation technology and equipment development of lamp-based systems (RTP and Flash). Since 2008 he serves as co-chair of the German Ion Implantation and Annealing User Group and works in the Semiconductor Technology Committee of SEMI Europe. From 2009 to January 2018, he joined centrotherm international AG and was responsible for R&D and technology of all front-end and back-end semiconductor products (furnaces, lamp-based and low-temperature microwave-based equipment as well as soldering tools). Starting 2018 he is working as technology consultant (SkyLark.Solutions) in the field of semiconductor process technology, equipment development as well as process consulting for efficient equipment manufacturing. Additionally in 2020 he joined the Fraunhofer EMFT as head of the Silicon Device and Technology department leading a 200 mm CMOS pilot manufacturing cleanroom.

Dr. Current earned his PhD in Solid-State Physics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in 1974. He has held roles in research, process engineering, and technical marketing at organizations such as Applied Materials, Xerox PARC, Trilogy Systems, Signetics/Philips, Cornell University, and RPI. Currently, he is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Silicon Genesis, focusing on proton implant-based layer transfer for advanced packaging and 3DIC stacking. From 2003 to 2007, he was Director of Technical Marketing at Frontier Semiconductor, developing metrology tools for sheet resistance and leakage current. Dr. Current has also been a Visiting Professor at Kyoto University (1990-1992) and National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan (2015). He has authored over 260 publications and multiple patents, co-chaired eight international conferences, and contributed to semiconductor roadmaps (1994-2009). His work includes pioneering ion-beam processing and annealing techniques for IC and photonic devices and co-chairing the SEMI Standards sub-committee for SOI wafers (2000-2002). He was the founding president of the Greater Silicon Valley Ion Implant Users Group (1983), elected to the Bohmische Physical Society (1982), and is an emeritus member of the American Vacuum Society (AVS), with leadership roles in MRS, AVS, ECS, and SPIE.