About Us

Introduction

The National Centre for Plasma Science and Technology is a strong multidisciplinary research centre with research staff from the faculties of science and health and engineering and computing at DCU and including groups at NUI Maynooth and IT Tallaght. At the time or writing the centre consists of approximately 80 members with well funded programs in basic scientific research, technological applications and industrial collaborations. The mission for the centre is threefold, to be:

A world class centre for plasma related research
A national centre for education, training, and industrial support
A national centre that translates research outputs into social and economic benefit

Our core competence is the depth of basic plasma related scientific knowledge of our staff and this is evidenced through our strong international reputation, proven publication and citation track records, strong international collaborations, and significant scientific discoveries.

Plasma science and technology is a platform that underpins numerous technological applications such as nanotechnology and advanced coatings and global industries including semiconductor manufacturing, medical devices and lighting. The global plasma technology industry is estimated to be > $100bn and rapidly growing. Leveraging off our solid foundation in basic scientific understanding and capability, we are organised into four application theme areas as follows:

Sustainable Energies from Plasmas

The NCPST energy research programme is primarily concerned with the development of fusion power through participation in the international ITER programme. We are the leader and coordinator of the Irish Fusion Association. Our primary technical contribution is in the area of plasma heating system modelling and design.

In 2000 we established a web based Grad Dip/M.Sc in Plasma and Vacuum Technology, jointly with Queens University, Belfast. This programme is marketed internationally and has been very successful, particularly with industry based students. In addition the centre provides training services directed at engineers, technicians and operators working in high technology fields who need an understanding of vacuum and plasma technology.

The NCPST is committed to strong interactions with industrial partners supporting indigenous enterprise. We have a vibrant entrepreneurial and commercialisation and have successfully spun-out several ventures.

Nanoscience and Photonics

The main thrust of the work in this area is the study and control of the interaction of light with matter, and the ways in which such interactions are affected by extreme dimensionality in space and time. The work involves the growth, characterisation, processing and utilisation of photonic and opto-electronic materials and nanostructures, in addition to study of the generation and utilisation of laser-produced plasmas and their properties in the visible, UV, VUV and x-ray, including spatial mapping and time-resolved behaviour. The materials and nanostructure effort is particularly centred on wide bandgap inorganic semiconductors such as ZnO, GaN, CuCl and also in the area of electronic materials such as Si and SiGe.

Modelling

Plasma processes are highly complex, non-linear, and difficult to control and characterise, requiring complex models, advanced sensors and diagnostic techniques for the most demanding applications. To date we have worked on processes used in the fabrication of ultra miniaturised electronic and photonic devices, laser processing and micromachining, and surface coatings for biomedical and mechanical applications.

Instrumentation and Measurement

Astrophysics

The primary activities of the plasma astrophysics programme is in the area of galaxy and star formation and evolution, and high energy astrophysics. The work in our centre is primarily modelling, simulation and computational astrophysics. The group collaborates widely both nationally and internationally and observational data is obtained through numerous international collaborations.