I have always had an interest in gaining laboratory experience in a real, professional work setting. This goal has been fulfilled as I joined Indium Corporation as the Soldering Application Intern this summer. Working under the SAFI-Tech group in research and development (R&D), I enjoy the opportunity to familiarize myself with the lab and the technologies involved.
The primary focus of the SAFI-Tech group is developing supercooled liquid metal solder products. What sets them apart is that the solder powder remains in a liquid state even at room temperature, all thanks to the supercooling process. “Supercooled” is a strange state in physics where a material stays in its liquid phase even below their freezing point, in which they normally would become solid. Many practices and equipment need to be leveraged to achieve supercooling, most of which I have been lucky to learn about from the experts here at Indium Corporation.
我学到的第一件事就是制造铋晶体，这对研发工作至关重要。研发工作需要大量的高纯度材料，因此在导师的指导下，我协助制造了整整一公斤的高纯度铋！现在回想起来，铋结晶是我在实验室期间最简单的实验。随着我使用更先进的设备并深入研究其背后的材料科学，事情才变得越来越复杂。
随后是三项令人难以置信的技术培训：耐驰差示扫描量热仪（DSC）、Keyence 数字显微镜和 Microtrac 激光衍射仪（LD）。差示扫描量热仪（DSC）是 SAFI-Tech 翅膀的支柱，是一种使用热分析方法检测样品的设备。它利用热量的差异来提高样品和参照物的温度，以绘制温度函数图。我接受的培训不仅包括操作机器本身，还包括为机器制作样品，这本身又是一个精细而精确的过程。
I then learned about the use of the Keyence microscope, which has the powerful ability to seamlessly view high-resolution images in complete focus. The craziest part about the machine is that it can automatically magnify from 20x to 2,500x, way beyond the magnification of any microscope I have used before! The LD, on the other hand, is a tool that uses the angle of deflection from a laser beam and scattering angles to characterize the particle size of a solution. Like the DSC, the LD requires specific procedures and set-ups to be used properly. It is normally used to check the particle sizes of solder powder batches as the goal is to make them a certain dimension.
What good are the technologies if there is nothing to apply them to, so after learning all the equipment, I finally got to make supercooled liquid metal powder myself. I was able to shadow my supervisor first as they performed the experiment, critically observing the steps and rehashing them in my head. When it was my turn, my supervisor was there to guide me through the entire process, from start to finish, offer help when needed, and answer any questions I had. Besides lab work, I used my downtime to learn more about the soldering industry and the science behind what I was doing. I also kept a notebook to thoroughly log down my experiments with steps performed, materials, remarks, etc.
I had a great time familiarizing myself with the laboratory setting and feel motivated to continue improving my skills and knowledge in SAFI-Tech. As much as I enjoy growing my engineering skills here, I am also deeply impressed by Indium Corporation’s values of respect, appreciation, and achievement. Witnessing the Indium Way and how that played out in a professional setting first-hand was an eye-opening experience, and it reinforced my positive view on the company prior to interning. I hope that by the end of this internship, I can walk away knowing that I have contributed meaningfully to my team and the company besides gaining valuable experience for my career.
