Diagnostics of cold and highly reactive plasmas applied to complex materials processing

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Since 2008, I have been leading at U. Montréal a research program on the physics of plasma-surface interactions in complex thin films and nanomaterials processing. In this context, important research efforts were devoted to the development of advanced plasma sources, plasma diagnostics, and in-situ surface characterization tools to monitor the number density and energy distribution of charged and reactive neutral species as well as the reaction kinetics driving their interactions with plasma-exposed substrates and chamber walls. This research has been extremely successful, providing significant advances on many aspects related to the plasma deposition and plasma etching dynamics of multi-component oxide and nitride thin films relevant for electronics, optoelectronics, and MEMS. Novel applications have also been explored, including the value maximization of selected Canadian wood species through plasma functionalization using the flowing afterglow of a cold, dielectric barrier discharge (DBDs) at atmospheric-pressure. Over the next five years, I intend to pursue my investigations of cold and highly reactive plasma sources and to explore new fields of applications in complex materials processing that intimately combine plasma physics and chemistry with nanoscience and nanotechnologies. The impact of this research is expected to be tremendously extended with the completion of the "Laboratoire d'interactions plasmas-couches minces et plasmas-nanomatériaux (LIPP)" recently awarded by the CFI and Quebec government. Some of the instruments acquired through this grant are unique in the world, and thus allow unprecedented experimental capabilities to develop and implement innovative processes based on cold and highly reactive plasmas. The main outcome of this proposal is the generation of new knowledge on front-edge materials processing methods. The research is obviously precompetitive, but has a strong potential to contribute to the development of novel applications in fields of strategic importance for the Canadian economy. Another outcome is the training of a significant amount of HQP with multidisciplinary skills that are directly relevant to Canada's high-techology sectors.