Nikhil Tiwale
Scientific Associate, Electronic Nanomaterials - Nanofabrication Facility, 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
Nikhil is a Materials scientist adept in lithography & nanofabrication with 9+ years of hands-on experience in cleanroom-based processing; materials & device characterization. His research is focused on top-down lithography-based nanostructuring for enhancing semiconducting materials & devices.
Expertise | Research | Education | Appointments | Publications | Highlights | Awards
Expertise
- Micro/Nano-fabrication - Electron Beam Lithography, Photolithography
- Atomic layer deposition (ALD) & infiltration synthesis
- Oxide/hybrid semiconductors & dielectrics
- (Opto-)electronic devices & sensors
Research Activities
Infiltration synthesis-based material hybridization for innovation in nanolithography, nanofabrication, and (opto-)electronic devices.
- Infiltration synthesis of thin-film hybrid resists for next-generation nanolithography
- CMOS-process-compatible nanofabrication of high-performance field-effect transistors (FET) & photodetectors
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]
- 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
Professional Appointments
- Center for Functional Nanomaterials | Brookhaven National Laboratory
Scientific Associate III (Sept. 2021 - Present)
Research Associate (Mar. 2018 - Sept. 2021) - Adaptix Ltd
Silicon Process Engineer (Oct. 2017 – Mar. 2018) - Nanoscience Centre | University of Cambridge
Cleanroom Equipment Instructor (Apr. 2014 – May 2017)
Selected Publications
- Tiwale N, Subramanian A, Freychet G, et al (2021) Hybrid resist synthesis by ex-situ vapor-phase infiltration of metal oxides into conventional organic resists. Advances in Patterning Materials and Processes XXXVIII. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2583908
- 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
- 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
- Zhou Y, Tiwale N, Yin Y, et al (2021) Effects of polymer grain boundary passivation on organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite field-effect transistors. Applied Physics Letters 119:183303. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0065164
- Subramanian A, Tiwale N, Lee W-I, Nam C-Y (2021) Templating Functional Materials Using Self-Assembled Block Copolymer Thin-Film for Nanodevices. Frontiers in Nanotechnology 3:. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnano.2021.766690
- 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
- Tiwale N, Subramanian A, Kisslinger K, et al (2020) Infiltration synthesis of hybrid nanocomposite resists for advanced nanolithography. Advances in Patterning Materials and Processes XXXVII. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2552164
- 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
- Subramanian A, Tiwale N, Nam C-Y (2018) Review of Recent Advances in Applications of Vapor-Phase Material Infiltration Based on Atomic Layer Deposition. JOM 71:185–196. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-018-3141-4
- Aziz A, Tiwale N, Hodge SA, et al (2018) Core–Shell Electrospun Polycrystalline ZnO Nanofibers for Ultra-Sensitive NO2 Gas Sensing. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 10:43817–43823. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.8b17149
- Tan EKW, Rughoobur G, Rubio-Lara J, et al (2018) Nanofabrication of Conductive Metallic Structures on Elastomeric Materials. Scientific Reports 8:. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-24901-2
- Tiwale N (2015) Zinc oxide nanowire gas sensors: fabrication, functionalisation and devices. Materials Science and Technology 31:1681–1697. https://doi.org/10.1179/1743284714y.0000000747
Research Highlights
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Top-10 Areas of Amazing Science at Brookhaven Lab in 2021
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Resisting Moore's Law Limits with Hybrid Materials
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Next-Gen Semiconductor Manufacturing Tech Wins DOE National Pitch Competition
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Tracking Electrons on the Move in Twisted Graphene
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Layered Graphene with a Twist Displays Unique Quantum Confinement in 2-D
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Using Nanoparticles to Reveal Polymer Nanoarchitectures
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Nikhil Tiwale: Practicing the Art of Nanofabrication: selected for U.S. DOE Press Release
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“Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Photoresists for Next-Generation Microelectronics”, Top 100, Create the Future 2020 Design Contest, Tech Brief Media Group, Dec. 2020
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Catching Light with 3D Hybrid Nanostructures
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Enhancing Materials for Hi-Res Patterning to Advance Microelectronics : selected for U.S. DOE Press Release
Awards & Recognition
- SPIE Advanced Lithography + Patterning 2021 C. Grant Willson Best Paper Award
- Winner of the Poster Presentation Session (NSLS-II and CFN Users' Meeting 2019)
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Outstanding Oral Presentation Award (Early Career Research Symposium 2018)

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