Patrick I.
Oden, PhD
Engineering Physicist, Senior Member of
Technical Staff
Texas Instruments, Inc., Digital Light Processing
(DLP®) Products
Educational path
· BS, Physics (Montana State University)
· PhD, Solid State Surface Physics (Arizona State
University)
Special training
for nanotechnology
I have been involved with 'nanotechnology' my
entire professional career. My background started
off dealing with scanning probe microscopy in
its early 'hey-day' of the 80s and 90s. This was
used as leveraging to get involved with microelectromechanical
systems (MEMS) and pursue a career with a highly
successful MEMS product for a stable and respectable
company. I feel that anytime you use the length
scales Angstroms or nanometer most often in your
line of work – you are 'in' nanotechnology. Our
line of work in DLP® employs force interactions
governed at the atomic dimension to dictate certain
key attributes of our technology. Having a physics
background gives one a more rounded prospective
when dealing with not only mechanics, but also
with optics and chemistry as we normally do in
our group.
Tips/Advice to jumpstart
a career in nanotechnology
Fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals. Without
a detailed knowledge of a system (or your best
stab at it), you are reduced to random walks to
solutions and most likely, still left without
a fundamental knowledge to build off of for future
efforts (i.e., system is treated as a 'black-box'
with input/output knowledge only). With this stated,
I find my breadth of knowledge with a physics
background has been a very beneficial launch pad
to impacting our organization and address issues.
Why did you choose
the field of nanotechnology?
Our entire world is governed by the same basic
physical force interactions – which manifest themselves
with interesting twists at times. It is exciting
to be involved with technology which attempts
to tap into this for our specific end/goals while
knowing that so many other systems in our environment
apply similar (or more complicated) interactions
for other ends/needs. This can be sobering when
the realization is made that what we are doing
is very simple compared to what is employed by
'Mother Nature'.
How did you first
get into nanotechnology?
As stated before, my scanning probe microscopy
background was an interrogation tool-set used
to look at the forces/consequences in nanotechnology
as applied to surfaces.
What is it like
to work in nanotechnology?
Very rewarding. I truly enjoy my job. I have a
responsibility around fundamental knowledge and
understanding of our technology and relish the
richness and opportunities for personal growth
it presents me in an industrial environment.
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