Fundamentals of plasma-surface interactions in complex materials processing

作为蒙特利尔大学物理系新聘的教授，我计划开发一个关于复杂材料加工中等离子体表面相互作用的雄心勃勃的研究计划。我的研究的驱动动机是与推进宏观和微观层面的理解低温等离子体处理中所涉及的物理和化学现象的关键需求有关，这是优化薄膜和纳米材料特性所需的。一个特别的重点将放在生长，功能化，和纳米级蚀刻的非晶和纳米晶半导体氧化物，如氧化锌，铟锌氧化物，铟镓氧化物，铟镓锌锡氧化物。这些材料显示出用于各种先进电子、光电和光子器件的前景，包括柔性和廉价的薄膜晶体管、太阳能电池、气体和生物传感器。研究将通过一个详尽的，多学科的方法实现，通过关联使用各种各样的光学，电学和波诊断获得的等离子体特性，通过原位和非原位分析确定的加工材料的特性，以及微和纳米制造设备的特性。从这些基础研究中产生的基础知识预计将在等离子体加工工具的优化和开发中发挥至关重要的作用，这些工具是应对当前和未来微纳米器件制造挑战所必需的。该计划也是对加拿大实际研究工作的一个很好的补充，特别是与最近由CFI和魁北克政府授予的“等离子体科学与应用研究”的实施有关的研究。此外，由于它同时涉及低温等离子体的物理学，表面和界面的物理和化学，以及先进的微米和纳米器件的设计，制造和表征，该计划预计将导致高素质的研究人员的培训，具有独特的跨学科技能，可以很容易地集成在加拿大的各个高科技部门。

As a newly hired professor in the physics department of Université de Montréal, I am planning to develop an ambitious research program on plasma-surface interactions in complex materials processing. The driving motivation of my research is related to the crucial needs for advancing the macro and microscopic level of understanding of physical and chemical phenomena involved in low-temperature plasma processing, as required for optimizing the characteristics of thin films and nanomaterials for a given technological application. A particular emphasis will be put on the growth, functionalization, and nanometer scale etching of amorphous and nanocrystalline semiconducting oxides such as zinc oxide, indium zinc oxide, indium gallium oxide, and indium gallium zinc tin oxide. These materials show promises for a wide variety of advanced electronic, optoelectronic, and photonic devices, including flexible and inexpensive thin film transistors, solar cells, gas and bio-sensors. Studies will be realized through an exhaustive, multi-disciplinary approach by correlating the plasma characteristics obtained using a wide variety of optical, electrical, and wave diagnostics, the properties of processed materials determined by both in-situ and ex-situ analysis, and the characteristics of micro- and nanofabricated devices. The basic knowledge generated from these fundamental studies is expected to play a crucial role in the optimization and development of plasma-based processing tools that will be needed to meet current and future challenges in micro and nanoscale device manufacturing. This program also represents an excellent complement to actual research efforts in Canada, in particular those associated with the implementation of the "Laboratoire en Science et Applications des Plasmas" recently awarded by the CFI and Quebec government. Moreover, since it deals simultaneously with the physics of low-temperature plasmas, the physics and chemistry of surfaces and interfaces, and the design, fabrication, and characterization of advanced micro and nanoscale devices, this program is expected to lead to the training of highly qualified researchers with unique intersciplinary skills that can easily be integrated in various Canadian high-technology sectors.