Plasma & Materials Processing

The physics group Plasma and Materials Processing aims to understand the interaction of plasmas with materials at an atomic level. Goal is to develop novel fabrication processes for thin film materials as well as to provide solutions to applications requiring advanced thin film processing and nanopatterning. The groups’ research is application-oriented and is directly relevant for many current and future developments, such as in nano-electronics, solar cells, and many other renewable energy technologies.

To study plasma and surface interactions during processing in real time, the group employs a large set of existing and newly-developed plasma and surface diagnostics, the majority of which is incorporated into the NanoLab@TU/e organisation.

Atomic Layer Deposition

The PMP group is internationally renowned for its expertise in atomic layer deposition (ALD), in particular for its work on plasma-assisted ALD. The group has pioneered many new developments in ALD such as the application of ALD in silicon photovoltaics, the use of in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry during ALD, and the development of novel nanopatterning approaches based on selective area ALD. The group has also contributed to the development of thermal and remote plasma ALD tools and processes by Oxford Instruments.

Diagnostics

The PMP group makes extensive use of the diagnostic tooling available within NanoLab@TU/e, such as the X-ray Diffractometer and X-ray Photoelectron Spectrometry. With these tools, the group obtains fundamental insights into interface properties between different layers as well as the reaction mechanisms involved. This knowledge enables them to design new ways of materials processing, for example to functionalize or passivate thin layers of materials used within solar cells.

Read more about the research of P&MP