Ajai Iyer Email & Phone Number

Vantaa, Uusimaa, Finland

Canatu Oy, manufactures innovative carbon nanobud based thin film products under stringent ISO 5 cleanroom conditions for a wide range of applications.Member of cross functional inter-departmental team selected by senior management to research, develop and establish roll to roll system to manufacture new transparent conductive film based products using CVD synthesized carbon nanobuds. • Process owner for multiple CVD reactors for synthesis of carbon nanobuds. Responsible for process control, process optimization, upgrade and maintenance of CVD reactors. Achieved reduced equipment and process downtime by implementing company wide maintenance protocols and setting up SOP to train and assist technicians for responsible equipment.• Instrumental in transferring multiple new processes from R&D phase to production phase. Conducted prototype and process validation tests to validate and optimize process steps. Implemented SPC to ensure process quality. Involved in process failure mode analysis and creation of control plans to mitigate yield loss. Responsible for product/process documentation and change management.• Manager of semi-automatic Roll to Roll system for fabrication of transparent conductive films from carbon nanobuds on plastic substrate. Responsible for sourcing, installation and testing of state-of-the-art equipment for roll-to-roll system to improve efficiency and yield. Responsible for the site testing and measurement system analysis (MSA) of all measurement equipment involved in process/product creation. • Key person to document and communicate to stakeholder’s test results of products and processes in development phase. Ensured seamless integration of product quality requirements from the initial test phase to final release for production phase and created awareness of quality standards in the organizational chain to continuously improve Product and Process Quality.

Espoo, Uusimaa, Finland

As post-doctoral researcher, I was responsible for a work package in Academy of Finland funded project “CloseLoop” which aimed at improving the ease of recycling batteries using thin film techniques. The work package aimed at using PVD thin film techniques to improve battery life and at end-of-life cycle allow easier recycling of critical elements from the batteries.• Initiated studies on end-of-life cycle of batteries.• Instrumental in trialing several thin film approaches to make recycling easier.• Ideation and trial of methods to change anode/cathode to increase the battery life and then allow easier recycling.• Performed extensive characterization of battery anode/cathode thin films to gain understanding of end-of-life cycle process.

Espoo, Finland

As Doctoral candidate, the major project undertaken was, Academy of Finland funded project "HISCON", which aimed at fabricating, optimizing and characterizing carbon nanomaterial based composite thin films for hybrid applications. • Responsible for formulating detailed research plan and performing feasibility studies of different research avenues.• Fabrication of carbon nanomaterial composite thin films using physical vapor deposition methods.• Extensive characterization of fabricated composite films using • electron microscopy,• optical spectroscopy, • surface analysis methods and • nano-mechanical tests• Optimization of the fabrication parameters.• Project management, involving coordination with collaborators and stakeholders to report on project progress.• Dissemination of project results as publications.During this period additional responsibility was also undertaken, viz:• Course assistant for Bachelor's and Master’s courses in Materials Science• Plan and organization Thin film technologies Master’s course content• Supervisor for Student laboratory courses for Thin film technologies• Guide to Master’s students for individual research projects

Ooty, India

My tenure at GRAPES-3 astro-particle experiment was as part of a small, highly trained group of engineers of the field station complement. During my tenure I have been primarily involved with electronics research & development.• Member of core electronics research and development team tasked with upgrade of the data acquisition systems. Synchronous, Asynchronous as well as mixed circuit design implementation was done by me. Successfully completed 7 digital circuit design projects in my tenure including implementation to CPLD’s & FPGA’s. Also involved in testing of APD for CERN LHC experiment.• Team leader of the maintenance team for the experiment. Responsible for the maintenance and upgrade of 400 plastic scintillation detectors with photomultipliers,  1500 gas filled particle counters and data acquisition systems with associated electronics of GRAPES-3 experiment• Team Leader (Operations) managing a team of data collators/analysts. Responsible for data debugging and statistical predictions of operational health of the experiment based on data correlation. In this role I was the liaison with maintenance team, as well as geographically distant experimental staff Administrative and Organizational:• Equipment survey & procurement • Involved in organizing of one International and five National level conferences on Astro-particle physics• Training of new recruits• Member of interview panel

Doctor Of Science (Technology), Materials Science

The doctoral degree was awarded based on the public defense of my doctoral thesis titled "All carbon hybrid multi-functional composite.

Master Of Science, Nanotechnology & Advanced Electronic Devices, 81.5%

Bachelor Of Engineering, Electronics & Communications, 76.21%

Higher Secondary, 81%