Partial Support for Graduate Summer Institute on Complex Plasmas

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CBET-0820597, LopezThere is presently a strong resurgence of interest in the role of plasmas in particular complex plasmas that include additional particle species of nanometer- to micrometer-size such as dust. Part of the driving force for this interest is plasma uses in semiconductor plasma processing and in large fusion devices. Whether desirable or undesirable, it is often crucially important to understand the dynamics of dust particles, the chemical processes at their surfaces, their interactions with the host plasmas, and other factors. Microplasmas are at the center of another rapidly evolving field because they can operate at substantially higher pressures than conventional plasmas. Such an environment aids many interesting applications including high-power lasers, opening switches, novel plasma processing applications and sputtering, electromagnetic absorbers and reflectors, remediation of gaseous pollutants, medical sterilization and biological decontamination, and excimer lamps and other non-coherent vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) light sources.This award provides partial support for American graduate and postdoctoral students to participate in an international Graduate Summer Institute on Complex Plasmas, which will be held from July 30 to August 7, 2008 at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. The stated goal is educational advancement of the scientific challenges and technological opportunities afforded by complex plasmas. Its broad yet rigorous curriculum will lead to further advancement in this new and emerging field by attracting young American researchers in significant numbers since they will encounter scientific challenges as well as technological opportunities in these areas upon which they can build a successful academic or industrial career. Further, the emerging complex plasma applications appear to be a remarkable fertile field for small, high-tech start-up companies which will perceive this field as a favorable innovation source for marketplace realization of basic plasma concepts.Graduate and postdoctoral students attending the school will be trained to work on plasma physics as it is involved in technologically important areas where plasma processes are employed. In addition to comprehensive and thorough introductions to the subjects involved, there will be in-depth contributions at the summer school treating particularly important topics, including experimental techniques and computer simulations. The exposure to top European plasma researchers will also be of great value to the American students involved.