GOALI: ADVANCING THE UNDERLYING SCIENCE OF IN-LINE RF METROLOGY AND PULSED RF POWER DELIVERY FOR LOW TEMPERATURE PLASMA HEATING

This project will advance a class of manufacturing processes that are critical to the high technology economy of the United States through a unique academic / industry partnership that will advance manufacturing through science-based understanding and application of learning to systems used in a plurality of domestic industries spanning electronics, energy, and the environment. These manufacturing processes utilize reactive plasma systems that are driven by radio frequency power sources. Specifically, this program will advance the knowledge of pulsed radio frequency heating to advance plasma assisted manufacturing capability for future technology manufacturing nodes. Pulsed Radio Frequency (PRF) heating of these plasmas demonstrates unprecedented dynamic range in its ability to modify plasma chemistry and plasma/surface interactions. The advancement of stable, manufacturing worthy systems that employ PRF will enable new processes for applications of broad national interest including integrated circuit fabrication, energy production, and medical applications.

This project will advance the understanding of plasma response to transient RF systems by correlating measured plasma conditions via a suite of time resolved diagnostics to waveform-resolved voltage, current, and phase measurements made with an in-line RF measurement system capable of resolving the transient response of the electrical system to levels of accuracy previously not available to the scientific community. This project will leverage this unique academic/industry partnership to develop educational modules that will be incorporated into not only an established STEM program in plasma science, but also into freely accessible continuing education modules for mid-career technologists considering a focus in low temperature plasma applications in their profession. Finally, this project will develop instructional, visually stimulating media designed to educate high-school level science teachers on the application of plasma science in an array of industries that are tangible to the typical high school student, such as microelectronics, display technology, and photovoltaic fabrication.