Rob Eschbach

What kind of scientist are you, and what do you do? I lead a team of engineers dedicated to solving our customers' problems related to delivery of our precursors from the containers that we package our chemistries inside. We are fascinated with understanding what happens inside of the seemingly mechanically simple “container”.

The containers are vaporizers/sublimators whose mechanical design have substantial impacts on our customer’s deposition processes. We run computational fluid dynamics (CFD) using multiphysics couplings to help us understand the flow, heat transfer, and mass transfer phenomenon occurring inside our containers.

Many people may not be familiar with paragliding, but it is a form of aviation where the pilot launches a parachute-like wing from a mountain and may soar in natural updrafts without the assistance of any powered engine. The sport requires an intimate knowledge of weather and physics to successfully ride the invisible thermal updrafts. Thermals are natural convection fueled by the energy provided by the sun. The convection transports water vapor from the ground and deposits it in the atmosphere in the form of clouds. A paraglider pilot must understand the mechanics of all these transport phenomena to successfully stay aloft and fly far. The mechanics are sometimes very similar to those found inside of our containers.

Tell us about what you are working on and how this is an example of materials innovation?  I love being a scientist and engineer because it challenges me everyday and satisfies my innate curiosity to learn more about how the universe works. Physics drives every natural phenomenon around us, both at work and in our daily lives. The applications are endless and understanding the way they work allows us to utilize them to our advantage.