CV

Education

• Ph.D in Materials Science, Arizona State University, 2020
  • Dissertation Title: “Synthesis, Characterization, and Optimization of Superconductor-Dielectric Interfaces”
• M.S. in Materials Science, Arizona State University, 2014
  • Thesis Title: “Analysis of Proximitized Molybdenum-Copper Superconducting Bilayers”
• B.S.E. in Materials Science & Engineering, Arizona State University, 2011

Work experience

• 2011-2020: PhD Research Assistant
  • Arizona State University
  • Supervisor: Professor Nathan Newman
  • Investigated physical causes of microwave loss at resonator interfaces by fabricating prototype devices, and identifying chemical, structural, and electrical properties of interface defects using characterization techniques such as DLTS, TOF-SIMS, and atomic resolution TEM. Developed low-microwave loss deposited dielectric films to enable new device architectures and products.
  • Developed deposition techniques for fabrication of integrated low-TLS loss high-ε dielectric thin-films with high TC superconductors by using buffer layer structures.
  • Designed methods for failure analysis and benchmarking prototype devices and commercial products through chemical, electrical, and structural characterization.
• 2011-2014: Masters Student Researcher
  • Arizona State University
  • supervisor: Professor Nathan Newman
• August 2010- May 2011: NASA Space Grant Intern
  • Arizona State University
  • Researched the effects of ion irradiation on Josephson Junctions and superconducting electronics using α-particle accelerator. Deposited film structures, performed irridiation, measured and simulated layer intermixing using RBS and SRIM/TRIM software.

Skills

• Thin-film deposition, materials growth, and device fabrication techniques:
  • Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE)
  • Sputter-deposition
  • Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD)
  • Ion Milling
  • Reactive Ion Etching (RIE)
• Materials and Device Characterization Techniques
  • Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (TOF-SIMS)
  • Rutherford Backscatteirng Spectroscopy (RBS)
  • X-Ray Diffraction (XRD)
  • Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS)
  • Cryogenic Electrical property characterization (resistivity-temperature, current-voltage, capacitance-voltage, Hall)
  • Transmission Electron Microscopy (basic hands-on experience, moderate experience with interpretation of images, diffraction, and analytical techniques)
• Ultra-high vacuum systems; design, maintenance, and operation

Technology Skills

• FCC Amateur Radio Technician license KI7DOI - build and operate RF equipment
• Electronic device repair troubleshooting, and fabrication skills:
  • Soldering, oscilloscope, instrument calibration and repair
  • prototyping with Arduino and Raspberry Pi
• Proficient with Linux and other open source software
• Basic programming with BASH, MATLAB, Mathematica, LabView, HTML/CSS
• “Editing” level proficiency with Python, javascript

Publications

Experimental study of the kinetically-limited decomposition of ZnGeAs2 and its role in determining optimal conditions for thin film growth

Experimental study of the kinetically-limited decomposition of ZnGeAs2 and its role in determining optimal conditions for thin film growth. M Vahidi, ZZ Tang, J Tucker, TJ Peshek, L Zhang, C Kopas, RK Singh, M Van Schilfgaarde, N Newman. Journal of Crystal Growth 338 (1), 267-271 (2012) DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2011.11.004

Growth and characterization of Ba(Cd1/3Ta2/3)O3 thin films

Growth and characterization of Ba(Cd1/3Ta2/3)O3 thin films. LT Liu, C Kopas, RK Singh, RM Hanley, N Newman. Thin Solid Films 520 (19), (2012) DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2012.06.034

Effect of Helium Ion Irradiation on the Tunneling Behavior in Niobium/Aluminum–Aluminum Oxide/Niobium Josephson Junctions

Effect of Helium Ion Irradiation on the Tunneling Behavior in Niobium/Aluminum–Aluminum Oxide/Niobium Josephson Junctions. Tiantian Zhang, Cameron Kopas, Lei Yu, Ray W Carpenter, Makram A Qader, Mengchu Huang, Rakesh K Singh, John Mardinly, Robin Cantor, John M Rowell, Nathan Newman IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity 23 (4), 1101610-1101610 (2014) DOI: 10.1109/TASC.2013.2256358.

Growth and characterization of Ba(Cd1/3Ta2/3)O3 thin films

Growth and characterization of epitaxial Ba(Co, Zn)1/3 Nb2/3O3 thin films. Y Li, C Kopas, M Huang, K Bunish, N Newman. Journal of Crystal Growth 387, 81-85 (2014) DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2013.10.047

In-situ electron paramagnetic resonance studies of paramagnetic point defects in superconducting microwave resonators

In-situ electron paramagnetic resonance studies of paramagnetic point defects in superconducting microwave resonators. S Zhang, C Kopas, B Wagner, D Queen, N Newman. Applied Physics Letters 109 (12), 122602 (2016). DOI: 10.1063/1.4962953

Magnetic properties of chromium-doped Ni80Fe20 thin films

Magnetic properties of chromium-doped Ni80Fe20 thin films. Alex Devonport, Alena Vishina, RK Singh, Matthew Edwards, Kaiwen Zheng, John Domenico, ND Rizzo, Cameron Kopas, Mark van Schilfgaarde, Nathan Newman. Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials 460 pp. 193-202 (2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.jmmm.2018.03.054

The influence of substrate temperature on the properties of pyrite thin films deposited using a sequential coevaporation technique

The influence of substrate temperature on the properties of pyrite thin films deposited using a sequential coevaporation technique. A. Walimbe, A. Wertheim, A. Ravi, C. Kopas, et. al. Thin Solid Films 669, pp 49-5 (2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2018.10.022

Low-temperature synthesis of 2D anisotropic MoTe2 using a high-pressure soft sputtering technique

Low-temperature synthesis of 2D anisotropic MoTe2 using a high-pressure soft sputtering technique. Kentaro Yumigeta+, Cameron Kopas+, Mark Blei, Debarati Hajra, Yuxia Shen, Dipesh Trivedi, Pranvera Kolari, Nathan Newman, Sefaattin Tongay. Nanoscale Advances (2020) DOI: 10.1039/D0NA00066C

(In review) Integrated High-Temperature YBa2Cu3O7-δ Superconductor-High-Performance Microwave Dielectric Thin Film Structures.

(preprint)Characterization of the Chemical and Electrical Properties of Defects at the Niobium-Silicon Interface.

(preprint) Low microwave loss in deposited Si and Ge thin-film dielectrics at near single-photon power and low temperatures. C. Kopas, J. Gonzales, S. Zhang, D. Queen, B. Wagner, N. Newman. (2020) https://arxiv.org/abs/2011.08359

(preprint) Ge thin-films with tantalum diffusion-barriers for use in Nb-based superconductor technology.

(preprint) Tantalum Ge thin-films with tantalum diffusion-barriers for use in Nb-based superconductor technology. C. Kopas, S. Zhang, J. Gonzales, D. Queen, B. Wagner, R. Carpenter, N. Newman

Low microwave loss in deposited Si and Ge thin-film dielectrics at single-photon power and low temperatures

Conferences

• Session Chair: Lawrence Symposium on Epitaxy (Februrary 2020)
• Session Chair: Lawrence Workshop on Solid-State Technology (Februrary 2019)
• In-situ characterization of performance degrading defects in superconductor- dielectric microwave resonators (Workshop on Low Temperature Electronics, September 2016)

Service and leadership

• Mentor for high-school lab intern in the SCENE program (2015-2018)
  • All student mentees “placed” and won awards in their categories at the Arizona State Science and Engineering fair
• Vice-President for Central Arizona Grotto chapter of the National Speleological Society (2016-2018)
  • Cave exploration, conservation, and mapping. Training new cavers, and organizing meetings.
• Founder and producer of LASER Podcast (2013-Present)
  • Publish, organize and moderate discussions documenting recent scientific papers; recordings have over 20,000 downloads