Mark J. Kushner
University of Michigan

Abstract

Plasma surface interactions are indispensable in materials processing over a large range of applications and a wide range of pressures.  Tremendous progress has been made in optimizing reactive fluxes in low pressure plasmas for microelectronics fabrication.  Tradeoffs between damaging fluxes and rapid rates of etching or deposition are based on understanding how incident reactive fluxes affect both the surface and sub-surface of the materials.  These investigations continue to provide unexpected results.  The recent discovery of VUV photon stimulated etching of Si and aging of porous materials by VUV photons has refocused attention on the influence of plasma generated, short wavelength fluxes on materials processing.  At the other extreme is the use of atmospheric pressure plasmas for modification and functionalization of organic materials and liquids.  Those organic materials now include living tissue – the discipline of plasma medicine.  Plasma modification of metals, semiconductors and organic polymers is typically desired only on the top surface.  Plasma treatment of liquids and living tissue is intended to influence processes well below the surface.  Using results from computational investigations, we will discuss the common themes (e.g., real-time-control) in this broad range of low temperature plasma-surface interactions.  Examples will be taken from microelectronics fabrication, polymer processing and plasma medicine.

Bio of Dr. Mark J. Kushner

Mark J. Kushner received the BS and BA from the University of California-Los Angeles, and the MS and Ph.D. in Applied Physics from the California Institute of Technology.  He served on the technical staffs of Sandia National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Spectra Technology before joining the University of Illinois in 1986 where he was the Founder Professor of Engineering.  In January 2005, Dr. Kushner joined Iowa State University as Dean of Engineering where he established the Engineering Policy and Leadership Institute.  Prof. Kushner joined the University of Michigan as founding director of the Michigan Institute for Plasma Science and Engineering and George I. Haddad Collegiate Professor in September 2008.  Prof. Kushner’s research area is the fundamentals and applications of low temperature plasmas on which he has extensively published. He is a Fellow of several societies and has received several awards including the APS Allis Prize. He is a member of the US National Academy of Engineering.