Research

Introduction

This SRC programme aims to develop the scientific and technological knowledge needed for present and future manufacturing applications using plasmas, with a specific emphasis on nano-scale products, process reliability, manufacturing costs and advanced materials processing. The issues addressed include fundamental studies of plasmas under vacuum conditions and at atmospheric pressure. These fundamental studies inform and underpin technologically motivated programmes, including diagnostic and sensor development, modelling of plasma equipment, development of process control strategies, and application studies, such as the development of functional surfaces for biomaterials. In particular, we propose to focus on etching of low-k dielectric materials using low-pressure plasmas, and on functionalizing surfaces using atmospheric pressure plasmas. The strategic aim of this SRC programme is to support industries adopting plasma technology for manufacturing. These industries presently include many key contributors to the Irish economy, and if there is to be future growth in manufacturing technology, that growth will depend in part on the availability of the supporting knowledge base and human capital that this SRC will develop. This work programme integrates academic and industrial elements, with the aim of developing advanced plasma processing techniques of direct interest to the industrial partners, at the same time participating at a high level in international scientific discourse.

Background and Overview of Research Programme

Plasma processing is an enabling technology with broad applications of great eco-nomic significance. Plasma technology can be employed to manufacture products that are cheaper and of superior quality than those produced by competing technologies, and in some cases entirely unique products that cannot be manufactured in any other way. The range of products and industries that depend on plasma processing technology is wide, and includes semiconductor devices, medical devices, solar cells, photonic devices, and many more. Therefore, any economy that aspires to be a base for high technology manufacturing, as Ireland does, needs expertise in plasma technology.

Low-temperature plasma physics is also scientifically rich. Topics in this sub-field are regularly discussed in the pages of Physical Review Letters and other leading journals, and often such publications have high impact. Some of the participants in this programme are regular contributors to these discussions. We therefore believe that this area of work presents a rare opportunity to carry out high impact basic science in a field with rather immediate application. A plasma is a physically and chemically complex system. It is usually difficult to determine which plasma parameters are critical to a process, and, consequently, development and optimisation of plasma processes is often a lengthy and expensive undertaking. It is generally accepted that this is unsatisfactory, and that economic exploitation of plasma processing is facilitated by the introduction of tools to speed process and product development. Such tools include diagnostics, models, and methodologies for process development, optimisation and management. Our aim in this project is to develop such tools, and deploy them in contexts that will have in some cases a short term industrial impact, and in all cases will be of medium to longer term commercial interest to our industrial partners. These contexts include optimisation of existing processes and development of novel products and processes. Much of this work will be directed towards the fundamental science of the field, and will be broadly applicable. In the present project, however, we will not undertake this broad application, but rather engage in two sharply defined areas. These are:

• Low pressure plasma processing, with application to etching of low-k dielectric materials for semiconductor devices
• Atmospheric pressure plasma processing, with application to functional coatings across wide areas and irregular shapes.

The reasons for these choices are elaborated below. There are three categories of competencies entailed in these investigations. All of the partners in the project bring expertise in at least one of these:

• Understanding the plasma (Turner, Hopkins, Swift, Chabert, Lieberman, Kushner, Gans, Graham, Law, Karkari)
• Developing the processes (Dowling, Daniels, Holohan, Baklanov, the industrial partners collectively)
• Characterizing the process outcome (McNally, Dowling, Al-Rubeai, Monaghan, Baklanov, the industrial partners collectively).

Our promise is that if each of these competencies exists for a given process, then all the elements are in place to develop the process scientifically, and to add value by means such as evolving a process control and management strategy.