Full-Time
Wet Etch Process Engineer
Coherent
5,001-10,000 employees
Global laser technologies and systems supplier
No salary listed
Celina, TX, USA
In Person
On-site role in Sherman, TX; standard on-site safety and cleanroom requirements.
Bachelor's, Master's, PhD
 Process Engineering |
|---|
Get referred to Coherent
See people who can refer or advise you
- Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D. in Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
- 10+ years of hands-on experience in semiconductor wet etch process development, particularly for GaAs and InP-based optoelectronic devices.
- Strong expertise in wet etch chemistry, selectivity optimization, surface roughness control, and etch stop layers.
- Hands-on experience with metrology techniques such as SEM, AFM, ellipsometry, profilometry, XPS, and XRD for process verification and defect analysis.
- Deep understanding of etching challenges for VCSELs, photodiodes, and EMLs, including precise mesa formation, sidewall passivation, and optical performance impact.
- Proficiency in SPC, DOE, and data-driven process optimization.
- Ability to work in a cleanroom environment and collaborate with cross-functional teams, including device engineers, production teams, and R&D groups.
- Experience in high-volume semiconductor manufacturing or advanced R&D prototyping for optoelectronic devices.
- Familiarity with chemical safety, fume hood operations, and waste disposal protocols for semiconductor wet etch processing.
- Familiarity with automation (SECS/GEM), scripting, or AI-driven process control, including FDC and APC.
- Develop and optimize wet etch processes for VCSELs, photodiodes, and edge-emitting lasers on GaAs and InP substrates.
- Define and control etch chemistry, etch rate, isotropic vs. anisotropic etching, selectivity, and undercut management to meet stringent device performance criteria.
- Utilize metrology tools such as AFM, SEM, ellipsometry, profilometry, XPS, XRD, and optical interferometry for process characterization and defect analysis.
- Troubleshoot etch process deviations, material compatibility issues, and surface roughness effects, implementing corrective actions to ensure high device yield and process stability.
- Work closely with device engineers and integration teams to integrate wet etch processes into the overall semiconductor fabrication flow.
- Establish and maintain SPC methodologies for process monitoring and continuous improvement.
- Evaluate and qualify new wet etch chemistries, process automation techniques, and etch equipment to enhance process capabilities.
- Develop and document etch process recipes, SOPs, failure analysis reports, and best practices for knowledge sharing and training.
- Mentor junior engineers and provide technical leadership in wet etch process development for optoelectronic applications.
Coherent designs and sells lasers, laser-based technologies, and complete laser system solutions for commercial, industrial, and scientific uses. Its products include laser sources and components, as well as turnkey systems for applications such as microelectronics manufacturing, materials processing, medical diagnostics, and research; revenue comes from hardware sales, services, and recurring consumables and software. It serves OEMs, end-users, and government agencies worldwide, competing by offering a broad, integrated portfolio of laser products and system solutions across multiple industries. Its goal is to expand product lines and services to help customers deploy and scale laser-based technologies in manufacturing, research, and defense applications.
Company Size
5,001-10,000
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Santa Clara, California
Founded
1966
Get referred to Coherent
See people who can refer or advise you
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Q4 FY2026 revenue reached $2.05 billion, and Q1 FY2027 guides to $2.4 billion.
- Data center and communications revenue hit $1.62 billion, up 58.6% year over year.
- PhotonLink launches at ECOC 2026, with initial revenue targeted for December 2026.
What critics are saying
- Industrial revenue fell 15.8% in Q4 FY2026, exposing dependence on AI infrastructure.
- Full-year operating cash flow dropped sharply in FY2026, constraining aggressive capacity spending.
- If AI transceiver demand normalizes after 2027, Coherent’s valuation and expansion thesis collapses.
What makes Coherent unique
- Jim Anderson’s vertical integration spans lasers, wafers, optics, and integrated photonics.
- NVIDIA’s March 2026 $2 billion investment validates Coherent’s AI networking position.
- PhotonLink and 300mm SiC substrates expand Coherent beyond transceivers into platform materials.
Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?
Benefits
Hybrid Work Options
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↓ -8%1 year growth
↓ -8%2 year growth
↓ -11%Lumentum and Coherent, optical component makers for AI data centers, saw shares drop sharply on Tuesday. Lumentum fell 9.9% to $873.31, while Coherent declined 12.8% to $306.43 amid broader selling in richly valued AI-related stocks. The declines weren't company-specific. Both firms recently reported strong results. Lumentum doubled its revenue to $1.01 billion in its fiscal fourth quarter ended 27 June, up 109% year over year. The company expects $1.225 billion to $1.275 billion in revenue this quarter. Adjusted gross margin reached 50.4%, with adjusted earnings per share of $3.23. Management guided to $4.05 to $4.35 this quarter. Coherent posted a record quarter with guidance for continued growth. Both companies cited strong demand for optical components used in AI data centers.
Coherent begins sampling 300mm silicon carbide substrates for AI chips. Coherent launched customer sampling of 300mm high thermal conductivity silicon carbide substrates for leading AI semiconductor partners, advancing its materials platform for HPC infrastructure. Coherent COHR-45.37(-12.92%) has begun customer sampling of 300mm high thermal conductivity silicon carbide (SiC) substrates for leading AI semiconductor partners, the company disclosed on August 17, 2026 via GlobeNewsWire. The substrates are designed to advance Coherent's materials platform for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure applications. The announcement comes five days after Coherent posted Q4 FY2026 earnings that beat estimates, with data center revenue climbing 66% year over year. Read more market news on the Market News hub. What happened. Coherent launched customer sampling of its 300mm high thermal conductivity SiC substrates, targeting leading AI semiconductor companies. The 300mm wafer size aligns with advanced semiconductor manufacturing node requirements, where larger substrates improve economies of scale for chip production. On the August 12 Q4 FY2026 earnings call, CEO Jim Anderson had already previewed Coherent's move into advanced materials. He cited "advanced materials for data center thermal and power management" as one of several new revenue streams expected to ramp over the coming quarters. Anderson separately noted that Coherent's thermodynamic cooling materials could "improve thermal performance and enable higher XPU performance," with initial revenue anticipated in the second half of calendar 2027. The SiC substrate announcement reinforces that framing. Silicon carbide's high thermal conductivity makes it suitable for managing heat in AI accelerators and dense HPC deployments, where power density is a key constraint. COHR shares fell 5.48% on August 18 to $317.29, with a market cap of $62.07 billion. The stock has gained approximately 480% over the past 24 months as AI networking demand surged. Why it matters. Coherent is best known as a photonic components supplier for AI data center networks, but the SiC substrates initiative signals a deliberate push into materials science beyond optics. The announcement positions Coherent as a substrate provider to semiconductor fabricators rather than purely a component supplier. On the Q4 call, Anderson emphasized that Coherent's competitive differentiation rests on vertical integration and manufacturing scale. Extending that integration into substrates could deepen customer lock-in with AI chipmakers and open a new revenue line within the same customer base. CFO Sherri Luther flagged new product ramps across 1.6T transceivers, optical circuit switching, co-packaged optics, multi-rail systems, and thermal management solutions as drivers for FY2027 margin expansion. For researchers tracking Coherent's diversification beyond photonics, the SiC substrate sampling is an early signal that the materials platform is progressing toward commercial qualification. What to watch next. Monitor three concrete follow-ups tied to this announcement: * Customer qualification timeline: The sampling phase precedes volume qualification. Watch for any update in Coherent's Q1 FY2027 earnings call (scheduled around November 4, 2026) on whether any AI semiconductor partners have moved toward purchase agreements. * Revenue ramp guidance: Anderson pegged the thermal management revenue ramp to the second half of calendar 2027. Any revision to that timeline, either acceleration or delay, would be material for FY2027 consensus estimates. * SIc substrate capacity disclosure: Coherent has not disclosed specific production capacity for its SiC substrate platform. The next investor presentation or 10-K filing (due in August 2026) may contain updated details on wafer fabrication capabilities. Coherent guides Q1 FY2027 revenue of $2.2 billion to $2.4 billion with EPS of $1.85 to $2.05. The company expects to reach its first $3 billion quarterly revenue milestone by the end of fiscal 2027.
Coherent Corp. has begun sampling 300mm high thermal conductivity silicon carbide substrates to leading AI semiconductor partners. The milestone advances the company's materials platform for thermal management in artificial intelligence and high-performance computing systems. As AI processors move towards higher power densities, heat removal is becoming a primary constraint on system performance and datacenter efficiency. Coherent's silicon carbide substrates are engineered to improve heat spreading by up to 25% compared to current solutions whilst maintaining compatibility with existing semiconductor manufacturing platforms. The company's vertically integrated capabilities in silicon carbide crystal growth, wafering, polishing, and characterisation provide control across the production process. Craig Mullaney, Senior Vice President at Coherent, said the company is helping build the materials foundation for future AI infrastructure by combining decades of silicon carbide expertise with scalable 300mm manufacturing.
CNBC's Jim Cramer analysed the contrasting market reactions to earnings reports from optical technology companies Lumentum Holdings and Coherent Corp. on 12 August. Lumentum reported fourth quarter fiscal 2026 revenue of $1.01 billion, up 109% year-over-year, beating estimates. Non-GAAP earnings per share reached $3.23, exceeding expectations by $0.26. The company guided first quarter fiscal 2027 revenue between $1.225 billion and $1.275 billion, with EPS of $4.05 to $4.35. Coherent posted fourth quarter fiscal 2026 revenue of $2.05 billion, a 34% year-over-year increase, surpassing estimates by $70 million. Non-GAAP EPS of $1.74 beat expectations by $0.12. The company forecast first quarter fiscal 2027 revenue between $2.2 billion and $2.4 billion. Despite strong results, Coherent shares fell in after-hours trading following an 8% gain during regular hours. Cramer attributed the decline to profit-taking after the stock's earlier rally.
The US Department of Labor reported that the producer price index for final products remained unchanged in July, against expectations of a 0.1% increase. Core PPI rose 0.4%, exceeding the consensus estimate of 0.3%. Both headline and core PPI increased 4.7% annually. Crude oil prices fell around 2% after the International Energy Agency warned that global oil demand would decline more than previously forecast. The Strait of Hormuz remained blocked, with traffic falling to a three-month low. Following the inflation data and falling oil prices, yields on US government bonds declined, with the 10-year Treasury falling 2 basis points. Initial jobless claims rose to 209,000 for the week ended 8 August, above estimates of 203,000.