REC “Ion Plasma Technologies” — G. Morfill
11 Oct 2012
Gregor Morfill, Ph.D., prof., The head of the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics
The new Center is currently being built and should be ready in early 2013. We plan to cover a number of important areas of modern plasma physics, chemistry and technology. Our major principle will be a natural transition from teaching and training to basic research and applications.
Plasma activities will take place and the examples of plasmas
Laboratories. There will be three laboratories, equipped to the latest standards:
Complex plasma (on Earth and in space). This research opens up the field of strongly coupled plasmas for detailed investigations at the “atomistic” level. Here fundamental properties of matter will be investigated and interdisciplinary links to fundamental properties of matter will be explored.
Plasma sources and plasma coating technologies. This concentrates on the development of new plasma instruments based on arc and magnetron systems, including the development of ion-plasma technologies for surface modification.
New materials. Particular emphasis is on the development of multilayer mono- and polycrystalline structures, new fullerene-related materials and plasma-assisted epitaxial growth of semiconductors.
Educational aspects. There will be a full set of teaching courses, lab work (including experiments on the International Space Station), student seminars and workshops.
Research. Research opportunities will be provided at all levels, from Graduate Students to Postdocs, in the following areas:
Complex plasmas. Research into strong coupling phenomena at the most basic (individual particle) level.
Plasma sources and plasma coating technologies. Investigation of plasma generation and acceleration in industrial plasma devices, modeling of plasma synthesis of nanopowder.
New materials. Physics of interlayer diffusion in solids, development of physical and technological principles for diagnostics of multilayer thin-film structures.
Networking. Through connections with research institutes throughout the world, as well as industry, ample opportunity for networking and contacts for research opportunities will be provided for those interested.