Watch Professor Thiel's "Inside CNSE" video interview on the dual beam microscope and its applications 

Read Professor Thiel's Nanotechnology Now article: Critical Dimension Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy 

Degrees

• Ph.D. (Materials Science), University of Washington, Seattle, 1995
• M.S. (Materials Science), University of Washington, Seattle, 1990
• B.S. (Physics; Metallurgical Engineering), University of Washington, Seattle, 1987

Professional Experience

• Professor and Head of NanoEngineering, College of Nanoscale Engineering and Technology Innovation, SUNY Polytechnic Institute (2017 - present)
• Professor and Associate Head of Nanoscience, College of Nanoscale Science, SUNY Polytechnic Institute (2014 - 2017)
• Professor of Nanoscience, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, University at Albany (2009 - 2014)
• Director, Metrology Division, SEMATECH, Inc. (2007 - 2014)
• Associate Professor of Nanoscience, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, University at Albany (2004 - 2009)
• Assistant Director of Research, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, UK (1999 - 2004)
• Postdoctoral Research Associate, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, UK (1995 - 1999)

Research Topics

• Advanced metrology for semiconductor manufacturing
• Low vacuum scanning electron microscopy
• Electron/ion beam induced chemistry
• Ion-solid interactions

Research Description

Professor Thiel's research is concerned with the development of new characterization tools and methodologies appropriate for nanotechnology. Very often, physical properties are limited by structural, chemical, and electronic inhomogeneities on the nanometer scale. As devices and processes become smaller, it therefore becomes more and more critical to understand and measure structure - property relationships on atomic dimensions. Accordingly, the major thrust of Thiel's research is in developing electron, ion, and photon based tools and techniques. Please visit the Thiel Research Group webpage for further information.

Selected Publications

1. Book chapter (invited) Variable Pressure Scanning Electron Microscopy in Springer Handbook of Microscopy, Springer (2019).
2. M. Mukhtar, B.D. Bunday, K. Quoi, M. Malloy, and B. Thiel, “Measuring MultiElectron Beam Imaging Fidelity with a Signal-to-Noise Ratio Analysis”, Journal of Micro/Nanolithography, MEMS, and MOEMS 15, 034004 (2016).
3. M. Malloy, B.Thiel, B.D. Bunday, S. Wurm, M. Mukhtar, K. Quoi, T. Kemen, D. Zeidler, A. Eberle, T.Garbowski, G. Dellemann, and J.H. Peters, “Massively Parallel E-Beam Inspection: Enabling Next-Generation Patterned Defect Inspection for Wafer and Mask Manufacturing”, SPIE Advanced Lithography, 942319-942319-10 (2015).
4. A.L. Eberle, R. Schalek, J.W. Lichtmann, M. Malloy, B. Thiel, and D. Zeidler, “Multiple-Beam Scanning Electron Microscopy“, Microscopy Today 23, 12 – 19 (2015). (Cover story and issue cover graphic)
5. B. Thiel, M. Lercel, B. Bunday and M. Malloy, “Assessing the Viability of Multi-Electron Beam Wafer Inspection for sub-20nm Defects”, Proc. SPIE 9236, Scanning Microscopies 2014, 92360E (2014).
6. C. Settens, B.D. Bunday, B. Thiel, R.J. Kline, D. Sunday, C. Wang, W. Wu, and R. Matyi, “Critical Dimension Small Angle X-ray Scattering Measurements of FinFET and 3D Memory Structures”, SPIE Advanced Lithography, 86810L-86810L-9 (2013).

J. Li, M. Toth, K.A. Dunn, and B.L. Thiel,
Interfacial Mixing and Internal Structure of Pt-Containing Nanocomposites Grown by Room Temperature Electron Beam Induced Deposition
Journal of Applied Physics 107, xxx-xxx (2010). (in press)

A. Botman, C.W. Hagen, J. Li, B.L. Thiel, K.A. Dunn, J.J.L Mulders, S. Randolph, and M. Toth
Electron Postgrowth Irradiation of Platinum-Containing Nanostructures Grown by Electron-Beam-Induced Deposition from Pt(PF3)4
Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B 27, 2759-2763 (2009).

V. Tileli, W.R. Knowles, M. Toth and B.L. Thiel
Noise Characteristics of Gas Cascade Amplification in Low Vacuum SEM
Journal of Applied Physics 106, 014904 - 014911 (2009).

J. Li, M. Toth, V. Tileli, K.A. Dunn, C.J. Lobo, and B.L. Thiel
Evolution of the Nanostructure of Deposits Grown by Electron Beam Induced Deposition
Applied Physics Letters 93, 023130-023133 (2008).

C.J. Lobo, M. Toth, R. Wagoner, B.L. Thiel, and M. Lysaght
High Resolution Radially Symmetric Nanostructures from Simultaneous Electron Beam Etching and Deposition
Nanotechnology 19, 025303-025309 (2008).

S.O. Kucheyev, M. Toth, T.F. Baumann, A.V. Hamza, J. Ilavsky, W.R. Knowles, C.K. Saw, B.L. Thiel, V. Tileli, T. van Buuren, Y.M. Wang, and T.M. Willey
Structure of Low-density Nanoporous Dielectrics Revealed by Low Vacuum Electron Microscopy and Small Angle X-ray Scattering
Langmuir 23, 353-356 (2007).

M. Toth, W.R. Knowles and B.L. Thiel
Secondary Electron Imaging of Non-Conductors with Nanometer Resolution
Applied Physics Letters 88, 23105-23107 (2006).

B.L. Thiel, M. Toth, R. Schroemges, J.J.S. Scholtz, G. van Veen and W.R. Knowles,
A Two Stage Gas Amplifier for Ultra-High Resolution Low Vacuum Scanning Electron Microscopy
Review of Scientific Instruments 77, 0337051-0337057 (2006).

B.L. Thiel and M. Toth
Secondary Electron Contrast Mechanisms in Environmental SEM: Characterization of Dielectric Substances
Journal of Applied Physics 97, 051101-051118 (2005). [Invited Focused Review]

B.L. Thiel
Imaging and Analysis of Dielectric Materials by Low Vacuum Scanning Electron Microscopy
Institute of Materials Reviews, Vol. 49, 109-122 (2004).

B.L. Thiel
Master Curves for Gas Amplification in Low Vacuum and Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy
Ultramicroscopy, Vol. 99, 35-47 (2004).

A.M. Donald and B.L. Thiel
ESEM Contrast and Applications to Wet Organic Materials, in Impact of Electron and Scanning Probe Microscopy on Materials Research
NATO ASI series, D.G. Rickerby (ed.), Kluwer, 415-444 (1999). [Invited]

J.J. Scholtz, W.R. Knowles, B.L. Thiel, G. vanVeen, and R.P.M. Schroemges
Particle-Optical Device and Detection Means

US patent #6,972,412 B2 (ultra-high resolution secondary electron detector for low vacuum scanning electron microscopes) December 6, 2005.

Awards

Sir Isaac Newton Trust Research Fellow, Cambridge University (1999 - 2004)