Nikhil Tiwale

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, Laser direct writing
• Atomic layer deposition (ALD) & vapor-phase infiltration (VPI)
• Oxide/hybrid semiconductors & nanocomposits
• Microelectronic & optoelectronic devices

Research Activities

Lithography-based nanopatterning & hybridization for enhancing materials & devices

• Direct-write scalable processes for monolithic 3D integration (M3DI) of microelectronics, optoelectronics & photonics
• Novel hybrid photoresist materials for next-generation nanolithography - EBL, extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography and beyond
• 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 (Research Staff 3)
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

• Swieca GB, Lee W-I, Ha S, et al (2025) Inspection of next-generation EUV resists with nano-projectile secondary ion mass spectrometry. Journal of Micro/Nanopatterning, Materials, and Metrology 24:. https://doi.org/10.1117/1.jmm.24.2.024003
• Chung C, Li R, Veith GM, et al (2025) Accelerating Discovery of Solid-State Thin-Film Metal Dealloying for 3D Nanoarchitecture Materials Design through Laser Thermal Gradient Treatment. Small. https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202501739
• Teng F, Zhang H, Nykypanchuk D, et al (2025) Macroscale-area patterning of three-dimensional DNA-programmable frameworks. Nature Communications 16:. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58422-0
• Michelson A, Shani L, Kahn JS, et al (2025) Scalable fabrication of Chip-integrated 3D-nanostructured electronic devices via DNA-programmable assembly. Science Advances 11:. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adt5620
• Le DN, Lee W-I, Hwang SM, et al (2025) In Situ Analysis of Electron-Induced Chemical Transformations in Vapor-Phase-Synthesized Al-Based Inorganic–Organic Hybrid Thin Films for EUV Resist Platform. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 17:18720–18730. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.4c19426
• Le DN, Veyan J-F, Chu TTH, et al (2024) Electron-induced chemical transformation of vapor-phase synthesized hybrid resist materials for EUV and beyond EUV lithography. MRS Advances 10:341–346. https://doi.org/10.1557/s43580-024-01075-w
• 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

• “Metal-oxide infiltrated organic-inorganic hybrid resistive random-access memory devices”, BNL Record of Invention, June 2021 | U.S. Patent 12356877 B2, July 2025
• “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

Media Coverage

• DNA Helps Electronics to Leave Flatland
• 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 -2^nd 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