New hyperspectral imager with Bragg tunable filters for multiscale and multiphase analysis of non-equilibrium plasmas

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Since 2008, the applicant has been leading at U. Montréal an ambitious research program on the physics of non-equilibrium and highly reactive plasmas applied to complex materials and nanomaterials processing. Since 2016, he also holds a Canada Research Chair (PPHARE).******In this context, the new hyperspectral imager with Bragg tunable filters recently developed by a Québec company, Photon etc., will be used as an innovation platform for multiscale and multiphase analysis of the fundamental properties of such plasmas sustained at low and atmospheric pressures by low- and high-frequency electromagnetic fields. Compared to the usual optical mappings for which a measurement is taken either spectrally by moving the probed area or spatially by changing the nature of the optical filter selecting the wavelength slice probed by the camera, hyperspectral imaging offers, for the first time, the possibility of recording an electromagnetic spectrum continuously with very high spectral and spatial resolutions over the entire 2D area of the plasma, including very close to surfaces.******Since this hyperspectral imager has been only used for optical characterization of materials and that plasma measurements have not yet been realized, the applicant is convinced that, given his well-established expertise in plasma spectroscopy, he is in a unique position to realize breakthrough studies in plasma science with potentially very high technological impact in materials and nanomaterials processing. Therefore, any delay in acquisition of the equipment would obviously prevent the applicant to conduct innovative and pioneering research in a highly competitive field at the international level and thus to maintain his leadership in plasma spectroscopy worldwide. But more importantly, if the research capabilities of the new system developed in Québec are not rapidly tackled by Canadians, the applicant is afraid that these innovative and pioneering plasma spectroscopy studies will be performed by other world-class laboratories elsewhere in the world. ******In the short term, the hyperspectral imager will be fully utilized by the applicant and his impressive research team (6 M.Sc. students, 4 Ph.D. students, and 2 PDFs). It will also be used by other team members of the Plasma Physics Group at U. Montréal, in particular by the personnel of profs. Hamdan, Margot, and Moisan. In order to maximize the degree of utilization, the hyperspectral imager will be placed on a moving table to ensure rapid and efficient displacement from one plasma reactor to the other. ******For several years now, the applicant has been adopting practices that promote equity, equality, diversity, and inclusion in all of his recruiting and research activities in order to enhance the excellence of his training and his research in plasma science and engineering. In this respect, he stands out remarkably in his discipline (physics) with, for example, a significant number of women and visible minorities.**