Nikhil Tiwale
Nanofabrication Staff Scientist, Electronic Nanomaterials, Center for Functional Nanomaterials

Brookhaven National Laboratory
Center for Functional Nanomaterials
Bldg. 735, Room 1021
P.O. Box 5000
Upton, NY 11973-5000
(631) 344-3782
(631) 992-2814
ntiwale@bnl.gov
Expertise | Research | Education | Appointments | Publications | Highlights | Awards
Expertise
- Micro/nanofabrication - Electron beam lithography (EBL), Photolithography
- Atomic layer deposition (ALD) & vapor-phase infiltration (VPI)
- Oxide/hybrid semiconductors & nanocomposits
- Microelectronic & optoelectronic device characterization
Research Activities
Lithography-based nanopatterning & hybridization for enhancing materials & devices
- Direct-write scalable processes for integration of microelectronics, optoelectronics & photonics
- Hybrid photoresists for high-fidelity nanolithography - EBL & extreme ultraviolet (EUV)
- Ultrathin & geometry-driven nanoelectronics through atomic/molecular layer processing
Education
Ph.D., University of Cambridge, UK (2017)
- Engineering - Solid State Electronics and Nanoscale Science
- Dissertation: Zinc oxide nanowire field-effect transistors for sensor applications [DOI: 10.17863/CAM.14429] | Advisor: Prof Sir Mark Welland
B.Tech. + M.Tech., Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India (2012)
- Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science | Specialization – Ceramics and Composites
- Dissertation: Multi-point optical curvature measurement setup | Advisor: Prof Prita Pant
Professional Appointments
Center for Functional Nanomaterials | Brookhaven National Laboratory
01/2025 – Present Assistant Scientist
09/2022 – 12/2024. Research Staff 2
09/2021 – 08/2022 Scientific Associate
03/2018 – 09/2021 Research Associate
Adaptix Ltd
10/2017 – 03/2018 Silicon Process Engineer
Selected Publications
- Saifullah MSM, Rajak AK, Hofhuis KA, et al (2024) Approaching Angstrom-Scale Resolution in Lithography Using Low-Molecular-Mass Resists (<500 Da). ACS Nano. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.4c03939
- Lee W-I, Subramanian A, Kisslinger K, et al (2024) Effects of alumina priming on the electrical properties of ZnO nanostructures derived from vapor-phase infiltration into self-assembled block copolymer thin films. Materials Advances 5:5698–5708. https://doi.org/10.1039/d4ma00346b
- Michelson A, Subramanian A, Kisslinger K, et al (2024) Three-dimensional nanoscale metal, metal oxide, and semiconductor frameworks through DNA-programmable assembly and templating. Science Advances 10:. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adl0604
- Camino FE, Tiwale N, Hwang S, et al (2023) Mitigating challenges in aberration-corrected electron-beam lithography on electron-opaque substrates. Nanotechnology 35:065301. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6528/ad0908
- Subramanian A, Tiwale N, Lee W, et al (2023) Vapor-Phase Infiltrated Organic–Inorganic Positive-Tone Hybrid Photoresist for Extreme UV Lithography. Advanced Materials Interfaces 10:. https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.202300420
- Nowak SR, Tiwale N, Doerk GS, et al (2023) Responsive Blends of Block Copolymers Stabilize the Hexagonally Perforated Lamellae Morphology. Soft Matter. https://doi.org/10.1039/d3sm00142c
- Li Z, He J, Subramanian A, et al (2023) Unraveling the ultrahigh modulus of resilience of Core-Shell SU-8 nanocomposite nanopillars fabricated by vapor-phase infiltration. Materials & Design 227:111770. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2023.111770
- Senanayak SP, Dey K, Shivanna R, et al (2023) Charge transport in mixed metal halide perovskite semiconductors. Nature Materials 22:216–224. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-022-01448-2
- Russell ST, Bae S, Subramanian A, et al (2022) Priming self-assembly pathways by stacking block copolymers. Nature Communications 13:. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-34729-0
- Saifullah MSM, Tiwale N, Ganesan R (2022) Review of metal-containing resists in electron beam lithography: perspectives for extreme ultraviolet patterning. Journal of Micro/Nanopatterning, Materials, and Metrology 21:. https://doi.org/10.1117/1.jmm.21.4.041402
- Subramanian A, Tiwale N, Kisslinger K, Nam C (2022) Reduced Stochastic Resistive Switching in Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Memristors by Vapor-Phase Infiltration. Advanced Electronic Materials 2200172. https://doi.org/10.1002/aelm.202200172
- Dai Z, Gao Z, Pershoguba SS, et al (2021) Quantum-Well Bound States in Graphene Heterostructure Interfaces. Physical Review Letters 127:. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.127.086805
- Tiwale N, Senanayak SP, Rubio-Lara J, et al (2021) Solution-Processed High-Performance ZnO Nano-FETs Fabricated with Direct-Write Electron-Beam-Lithography-Based Top-Down Route. Advanced Electronic Materials 7:2000978. https://doi.org/10.1002/aelm.202000978
- Tiwale N, Subramanian A, Dai Z, et al (2020) Large mobility modulation in ultrathin amorphous titanium oxide transistors. Communications Materials 1:. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43246-020-00096-w
- Subramanian A, Tiwale N, Doerk G, et al (2019) Enhanced Hybridization and Nanopatterning via Heated Liquid-Phase Infiltration into Self-Assembled Block Copolymer Thin Films. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 12:1444–1453. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.9b16148
- Tiwale N, Subramanian A, Kisslinger K, et al (2019) Advancing next generation nanolithography with infiltration synthesis of hybrid nanocomposite resists. Journal of Materials Chemistry C 7:8803–8812. https://doi.org/10.1039/c9tc02974e
- Tiwale N, Senanayak SP, Rubio-Lara J, et al (2019) Optimization of Transistor Characteristics and Charge Transport in Solution Processed ZnO Thin Films Grown from Zinc Neodecanoate. Electronic Materials Letters 15:702–711. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13391-019-00173-4
Research Highlights
Patents and records of inventions
- “Inorganic-Infiltrated Polymer Hybrid Thin Film Resists for Advanced Lithography,” BNL Record of Invention, March 2019 | U.S. Patent 12140865 B2, November 2024
- “Substrates for Optical and Electron Microscopy of 2D Materials”, BNL Record of Invention, June 2021 | U.S. Patent Application 18/119347, March 2023
- “Metal-oxide infiltrated organic-inorganic hybrid resistive random-access memory (ReRAM) devices”, BNL Record of Invention, June 2021 | U.S. Patent Application 17/854529, June 2022
Media Coverage
- Brookhaven's Top 10 Discoveries of 2024: Hacking DNA to make next-gen materials
- Hacking DNA to Make Next-Gen Materials
- A Bright Future for Extreme UV Lithography at Brookhaven Lab
- Scientists Build Nanoscale Parapets, Aqueducts, and Other Shapes
- Top-10 Areas of Amazing Science at Brookhaven Lab in 2021: Nanoscience discoveries with big commercial potential
- Next-Gen Semiconductor Manufacturing Tech Wins DOE National Pitch Competition
- Layered Graphene with a Twist Displays Unique Quantum Confinement in 2-D
- Nikhil Tiwale: Practicing the Art of Nanofabrication: selected for U.S. DOE Press Release
- Enhancing Materials for Hi-Res Patterning to Advance Microelectronics : selected for U.S. DOE Press Release
Research Highlights
- Innovative Photoresist Chemistry Brings Angstrom-Scale Patterning Within Reach
- Novel Photoresist Chemistry Enables Lithography Approaching Angstrom-Scale Resolution
- Unlocking a Diversity of Self-assembled Nanostructures by Layering
- Storing Electronic Data in Nanostructured Hybrids
- Resisting Moore's Law Limits with Hybrid Materials
- Tracking Electrons on the Move in Twisted Graphene
- Using Nanoparticles to Reveal Polymer Nanoarchitectures
- Catching Light with 3D Hybrid Nanostructures
Awards & Recognition
- Work included in Brookhaven's Top 10 Discoveries of 2024
- Best poster award -2nd place at 2022 EUVL Workshop & Supplier Showcase (virtual)
- SPIE Advanced Lithography + Patterning 2021 C. Grant Willson Best Paper Award
- Work included in Top-10 Areas of Amazing Science at Brookhaven Lab, 2021
- Top 100 entry in Create the Future 2020 Design Contest, Tech Brief Media Group, Dec. 2020
- Winner of the Poster Presentation Session (NSLS-II and CFN Users' Meeting 2019)
- Outstanding Oral Presentation Award (Early Career Research Symposium 2018)
- Cambridge-India Partnership Scholarship by Cambridge Trusts, United Kingdom, 2012-15
- National Talent Search Exam (NTSE) Scholarship, India, 2004

Brookhaven National Laboratory
Center for Functional Nanomaterials
Bldg. 735, Room 1021
P.O. Box 5000
Upton, NY 11973-5000
(631) 344-3782
(631) 992-2814
ntiwale@bnl.gov