Materials tell the story. Process makes it repeatable.
Diwakar ShuklaPortrait study
I connect materials behavior with process conditions—using fabrication, characterization, and structured experimentation to make technical systems more reliable.
From the microstructure to the manufacturing floor.
My work sits where material response meets manufacturing reality. At Universal Instruments, I developed electrochemical methods to study oxidation in gallium-based thermal interface materials and connect surface chemistry with thermal performance and reliability.
That work builds on semiconductor fabrication training at the Cornell NanoScale Facility and earlier quality engineering experience in steel and industrial manufacturing. Across those environments, my approach is consistent: isolate the variables, measure what matters, and turn the evidence into a process decision.
Current focus
Semiconductor processing and materials reliability
Working mode
Experiment → characterize → diagnose → improve
Education
Cornell M.Eng. ’26 · PEC B.Tech. ’25
02
Selected work
Featured case studies
01
Surface chemistry · thermal reliability
Quantifying oxidation in liquid-metal thermal interfaces
A measurement problem at the intersection of electrochemistry, materials characterization, and electronics reliability.
Y / 04
X / 12
Ga alloyOxide interfaceSubstrate
Process study / interface
Context
Gallium-based liquid metals can provide high-performance thermal contact, but oxide formation changes how the material behaves at an interface. A useful process needs a repeatable way to measure that oxide—not just observe it.
My contribution
At Universal Instruments, I developed potentiostatic methods to dissolve, re-plate, and quantify oxide, then used microscopy and diffraction to examine the material under controlled environmental conditions.
Engineering value
The work established an experimental route for relating oxide content to thermal performance and long-term reliability, giving the broader study a more measurable process variable.
Process
01
Control
Prepare the material condition
Control exposure and handling so oxide formation can be compared across samples.
02
Measure
Convert surface oxide into a signal
Use potentiostatic electrochemistry to dissolve and re-plate oxide in a quantifiable workflow.
03
Correlate
Connect chemistry to performance
Pair SEM and XRD observations with thermal behavior to examine reliability implications.
Potentiostatic electrochemistry
SEM
XRD
Thermal performance
Environmental control
02
Cleanroom · semiconductor process flow
From patterned wafer to electrical measurement
Hands-on nanofabrication training across pattern transfer, thin-film deposition, metrology, and electrical characterization.
Y / 04
X / 12
Process study / wafer
Context
Semiconductor work depends on the full process chain: each fabrication step creates requirements for the next, and small deviations become visible in metrology or device measurements.
My contribution
During my apprenticeship at the Cornell NanoScale Facility, I worked through that chain using the SUSS MA6, AJA sputtering, Angstrom e-beam evaporation, KLA-Tencor profilometry, and electrical measurement tools.
Engineering value
The apprenticeship developed practical fluency in how lithography, deposition, film geometry, and electrical response fit together as one controlled fabrication process.
Process
01
Pattern
Define device geometry
Use photolithography and the SUSS MA6 to establish the patterned process layer.
02
Deposit
Build the thin-film stack
Apply sputtering and e-beam evaporation with attention to material and process conditions.
03
Verify
Measure structure and response
Use profilometry, Hall effect, and four-point probe measurements to evaluate the result.
SUSS MA6
AJA sputtering
E-beam evaporation
P-7 profilometry
Hall & four-point probe
03
Quality engineering · steel processing
Turning recurring steel defects into process action
A production-quality investigation spanning defect detection, metallurgy, and corrective action in a rolling-mill environment.
Y / 04
X / 12
Process study / steel
Context
Streaks, seams, and nitrogen pickup in billets and blooms can carry defects downstream. The challenge was to separate symptoms from process causes while production continued.
My contribution
At Arora Iron & Steel Rolling Mills, I combined visual and non-destructive inspection with root-cause analysis to trace defect patterns and support corrective actions in the mill process.
Engineering value
The resulting process improvements contributed to a 25% increase in mill efficiency while strengthening the connection between quality evidence and operating decisions.
Process
01
Detect
Map the defect signature
Use complementary NDT methods to locate surface and internal discontinuities.
02
Diagnose
Trace likely process causes
Relate seam and streak patterns and nitrogen pickup to upstream process conditions.
03
Improve
Translate evidence into action
Support corrective measures that could be applied and evaluated on the mill floor.
MPI
Liquid penetrant testing
X-ray
Ultrasonic testing
Root-cause analysis
Additional technical work
Further experiments and design studies
01
Ferroelectric solid electrolytes
Synthesized and characterized Li₂.₉₉Ba₀.₀₀₅ClO and Li₃ClO anti-perovskite solid-electrolyte compositions.
Compared SPH and CEL approaches in ABAQUS for modeling structural response under blast loading.
ABAQUS · SPH · CEL · simulation comparison
03
Experience & education
Technical range, built in real process environments.
Professional experience
Aug 2025 — May 2026
Universal Instruments Corporation
Co-Op
Developed potentiostatic electrochemical methods to quantify oxide in gallium-based liquid-metal thermal interface materials, supported by SEM imaging and XRD under controlled environmental conditions.
Jan 2026 — Apr 2026
Cornell NanoScale Science & Technology Facility
Apprentice
Built cleanroom process experience across photolithography, sputtering, e-beam evaporation, profilometry, Hall-effect measurement, and four-point-probe characterization.
Jan 2024 — Jun 2024
Arora Iron & Steel Rolling Mills
Quality Assurance Intern
Investigated billet and bloom streaks, seam defects, and nitrogen pickup using non-destructive testing and root-cause analysis; corrective actions contributed to a 25% improvement in mill efficiency.
Jun 2023 — Sep 2023
Mishra Boiler Pvt. Ltd.
Summer Intern
Studied welding-related defects in AISI 304 components and supported a maintenance reduction of 30%; also evaluated rivet-based edge joining using AutoCAD and ABAQUS.
Education
Aug 2025 — May 2026
Cornell University
Master of Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering
Steel Has a Personality Too: The Story Behind the TTT Diagram
A human-centered story about how time, temperature, and cooling paths transform steel into pearlite, bainite, or martensite—and shape its final personality.
