BIOGRAPHY

Tuomo Suntola graduated MSc (1967) and PhD (1971) in Electron Physics in the Electrical Engineering Department at Helsinki University of Technology. He entered to materials sciences and thin film technologies by solving the late 60’s mystery of the nanosecond switching mechanism in “Ovonic” thin film devices as his doctoral dissertation. His first industrial work was “Humicap®” thin film humidity sensor for Vaisala Oy (1973) which still, almost 40 years later holds the world market leader’s position in humidity sensing. He was invited to Instrumentarium Oy where he in 1974 introduced the Atomic Layer Epitaxy (ALE) process which after development for productional capability in became the leading technology for electroluminescent flat panel displays. After further development at Microchemistry Ltd the ALE technology and machinery reached the requirements for advanced semiconductor processing. Renamed as Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) the technology has merged into IC manufacturing, enabling extreme conformality and controlled processing of ultra-thin material layers of a few atomic layers. Suntola’s technologist’s career produced many important patents, vital industrial applications, and scientific papers. His technological impact was complemented by work on photovoltaic devices and insightful analyses of global energy challenges.

Considerations of the foundations of physics and the linkage of basic theories to practice served as a side path and inspiration for Suntola's technological developments – leading finally to the Dynamic Universe model as a holistic view of physical reality.

Education, employments

Helsinki University of Technology, Electrical Engineering Department, M.Sc. (1967), Ph.D.
(1971 Scientist at State Research Centre, VTT, (1968-1973)

- Development of Humicap humidity sensor for Vaisala Oy

Chief Scientist Instrumentarium Oy/Director of Display Division, Lohja Corparation (1974-1987)

- Development of Atomic Layer Epitaxy, ALE (Atomic Layer Deposition, ALD) for manufacturing of electroluminescent thin film dispays. Since 1989 ALE-EL electroluminescent displays have been produced by Planar Systems Inc., Espoo, Finland

Managing director of Microchemistry Ltd, subsidiary of Neste/Fortum Corporation (1987-1997)

- Development of solar cell technologies
- Extension of the use of Atomic Layer Deposition to the manufacturing of heterogeneous catalysts
- Development of the ALD technology and equipment for semiconductor applications

R&D Fellow, Fortum Corporation (1997-2004), retired 2004

Nominations, memberships

Docent at Physics Department of Tampere University of Technology since 1975

- lectures on semiconductor physics (1972-78)

Member of the Finnish Academy of Technology, TTA since 1983, board member 1988-93.

Member in the World Energy Council (WEC) working group "Energy Technologies for the 21st century" 2003-2004

Member of the Finnish Society of Electronics Engineers (EIS)

Board member, Picosun Oy

Member of the Finnish Society for Natural Philosophy, board member 2007-2010

Chairman of Physics Foundations Society

Honors and awards

Award for Invention of Humidity Sensor

Granted by the Foundation of Finnish Inventions, 1978

Award for Electroluminescent Display Technology

Granted by the Association of Finnish Electric and Electronics Industries, SETELI, 1980

Outstanding Paper Award for Atomic Layer Epitaxy for Producing EL Thin Films

Granted by the Society for Information Displays (SID), USA, 1980

Honorary Award for The Development of Manufacturing Technology for Electroluminescent Display Devices

Ganted by the Foundation of Technology in Finland, 1981

The Finnish Engineering Achievement Award 1985 for Electroluminescent Display Technology

Granted by the Engineering Society in Finland, 1985

Order of the Lion of Finland - Knight 1st Class, 2001

European SEMI Award 2004

"For the development of the ALD technology to semiconductor applications", Semicon Europe 2004, Munich http://www.picosun.com/

Publications

Atomic Layer Deposition (ALE) / Atomic Layer Epitaxy(ALE), Thin Film Devices

Renewable Energies and Climate change

Fundamentals of Physics

Patents

US patents with Suntola as the main inventor. Data: The original application date (foreign patent priority in the US)/filed in the US, US patent number, Inventors, Title with link to the United States Patent Office Data Base.

1972-11-12/1979-08-21, US 4,164,868 Suntola

Capacitive humidity transducer

1974-11-29/1977-11-15, US 4,058,430 Suntola, Antson

Method for producing compound thin films

1979-02-28/1983-11-01, US 4,413,022 Suntola, Pakkala, Lindfors

Method for performing growth of compound thin films

1980-08-20/1983-06-14, US 4,388,554 Suntola, Antson

Electroluminescent display component

1980-04-24/1983-08-02, US 4,396,864 Suntola et al.

Electroluminescent display component

1981-12-11/1983-06-28, US 4,389,973 Suntola, Pakkala, Lindfors

Apparatus for performing growth of compound thin films