Dr. Steven Shannon will partner with the University of Michigan through a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) fusion energy sciences grant titled “Controlling Charged Particle Fluxes to Surfaces in Low Temperature Plasmas: Charging of Micro- and Nano-scale Features”.

This grant will explore pathways to manipulate surface charges generated on surfaces by a plasma to improve computer chip manufacturing processes. This effort will advance plasma assisted manufacturing technology to maintain the pace of Moore’s Law and provide valuable training in the area of advanced manufacturing to nuclear engineering students at NC State.

Shannon works in the area of industrial applications of plasma discharges. Plasmas are currently used for everything from decorative enhancement of bathroom fixtures to fabrication of the next generation of micro- and nano- scale devices. Plasma systems for industrial applications is a multi-billion dollar industry. His research focuses on enhancing current plasma applications being used and developed today and developing new plasma applications for next generation material and device fabrication.