Open To Work
Sarah Zomparelli
Ontario Power Generation
Hamilton,ON
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Career advancementCompany CultureSummary
Ambitious Engineering Physics master's student specializing in Au-assisted nanowire growth for quantum photonic devices. Experienced in MOCVD/MOVPE growth, electron microscopy, and optical characterization. Contributed to systems and safety analysis during a reactor safety engineering internship. Pursuing research roles to enhance skills in semiconductor nanofabrication and quantum optics.
1
year of professional experience
Work History
Reactor Safety Program Support Intern
1 Year 2 Months- Applied station design safety analysis and probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) methods to enhance reactor safety review processes
- Conducted reliability assessments of credited electrical and emergency safety systems at Darlington and Pickering NGS, reinforcing safety protocols
- Analyzed impacts of hundreds of testing schedule changes, ensuring compliance with CNSC safety guidelines and maintaining operational integrity
Education
Master of Science - Engineering Physics
- Thesis: Au-Assisted VLS Growth of GaP/GaAs/GaP Axial Quantum Dot Nanowires on Si(111) for Single-Photon Emission. Supervisor: Prof. Ray LaPierre
Bachelor of Engineering - Engineering Physics
Skills
Photoluminescence measurements
Scanning electron microscopy
Transmission electron microscopy
Semiconductor epitaxy
Probabilistic safety analysis
Risk assessment methods
Projects
Graduate Research - Au-Assisted Nanowire Growth for Single-Photon Emission
McMaster University, LaPierre Group (CEDT), May 2026 – Present
- Investigating Au-catalyzed VLS growth of GaP/GaAs/GaP axial quantum dot nanowires on Si(111) via MOCVD/MOVPE, targeting deterministic single-photon emission
- Identified and addressed a literature gap in Au-catalyzed GaP growth on Si(111) using a vertical/close-coupled-showerhead MOCVD reactor, synthesizing growth parameters from adjacent studies (substrate, catalyst, and reactor-geometry precedents) to inform an experimental growth approach.
- Conducting structural and optical characterization using electron microscopy (McMaster's CCEM) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy
SPICE — Tabletop Hanbury Brown-Twiss (HBT) Interferometer for Undergraduate Quantum Optics
Capstone Project, September 2025-May 2026
- Designed and built a low-cost tabletop HBT interferometer to demonstrate the discrete (anti-bunched) nature of light, targeting g²(τ) measurements to distinguish coherent, thermal, and single-photon sources
- Modeled the full optical path (laser, ND filters, 50/50 beamsplitter) and detector chain, calculating photon flux and expected detection rates (~4 photons/μs) while accounting for component losses and 30% detector quantum efficiency
Timeline
Reactor Safety Program Support Intern
Ontario Power Generation
05.2024 - 07.2025
McMaster University
Master of Science from Engineering Physics
McMaster University
Bachelor of Engineering from Engineering Physics