LOW TEMPERATURE PLASMAS AND MICROELECTRONICS

31. Low temperature plasmas and microelectronics Maximum Phase I Award Amount: $200,000 Maximum Phase II Award Amount: $1,100,000 Accepting SBIR Phase I Applications: YES Accepting STTR Phase I Applications: YES Low-temperature plasmas (LTPs) have continued to play major roles in breathtaking technological advances, ranging from the development of cost effective lighting to advanced microelectronics, that have improved the quality of our lives in many ways. LTPs are continuing to enable technological advances in new fields, such as destruction of antibiotic resistant bacteria and cancer therapy in plasma medicine. All of these advances are enabled by the unique properties of low-temperature, non-equilibrium plasmas and the chemistry they drive. Building upon fundamental plasma science, further developments are sought in plasma sources, plasma-surface interactions, and plasma control science that can enable new plasma technologies, marketable product, or impact in other areas or disciplines leading to even greater societal benefit. The focus of this topic is utilizing fundamental plasma science knowledge and turning it into new applications. LTP science and engineering addresses research and development in partially ionized gases with electron temperatures typically below 10 eV. This is a field that accounts for an enormous range of practical applications, from light sources and lasers to surgery and making computer chips, among many others. The commercial and technical value of LTP is well established where much of this benefit has resulted from empirical development. As the technology becomes more complex and addresses new fields, such as advanced microelectronics and biotechnology, empiricism rapidly becomes inadequate to advance the state of the art. Predictive capability and improved understanding of the plasma state becomes crucial to address many of the intellectually exciting scientific challenges of this field. All low-temperature plasma proposals must have a strong commercialization potential. Grant applications are sought in the following subtopics: a. LTP Science and Engineering for Microelectronics and Nanotechnology This subtopic is focused on improving our current understanding and scientific knowledge in the area of plasma-surface interactions and plasma assisted material synthesis related to advanced microelectronics and nanotechnology. Current challenges include: synthesis of new materials, nanomaterials, nanotubes, and complex materials, continuing miniaturization of integrated circuits, and advanced fabrication techniques for microelectronic devices, etc. Questions Contact: Nirmol Podder, Nirmol.Podder@science.doe.gov b. LTP Science and Technology for Biomedicine This subtopic is focused on improving our current understanding and scientific knowledge in the area of plasma-liquid and plasma-biomatter interactions related to plasma biomedicine. Current challenges include: development of microplasmas and plasma jet for biomedical applications such as wound healing and cancer therapy, effective inactivation of antibiotic resistant bacteria, understanding the mechanisms by which microorganisms and chemical compounds are inactivated in food sanitation, etc. Questions Contact: Nirmol Podder, Nirmol.Podder@science.doe.gov c. Other Emerging LTP Technologies In addition to the specific subtopics listed above, the Department invites grant applications in other emerging areas of plasma applications, including plasma catalysis involving plasma reactivity and catalyst selectivity, plasma assisted combustion involving improved efficiency of chemical processing, plasma separation technology, water purification technology, etc. Questions Contact: Nirmol Podder, Nirmol.Podder@science.doe.gov References: 1. U.S. Department of Energy. Basic Research Needs Workshop for Microelectronics. U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, October 23-24, 2018, https://science.osti.gov/-/media/bes/pdf/reports/2018/Microelectronics_Brochure.pdf?la=en&hash=5FEFD0131FA3DA1CC8C3196452D1AFB5558DE720 2. U.S. Department of Energy Office of Fusion Energy Science. Plasmas at the Interface of Chemistry and Biology. Report on the Panel on Frontiers of Plasma Science, chapter 5, 2016, https://science.osti.gov/-/media/fes/pdf/program-news/Frontiers_of_Plasma_Science_Final_Report.pdf?la=en&hash=85B22EBF1CF773FFC969622524D603D755881999 3. U.S. Department of Energy Office of Fusion Energy Science. Low Temperature Plasma Science. Report of the Department of Energy, 2008, https://science.osti.gov/-/media/fes/pdf/workshop-reports/Low_temp_plasma_workshop_report_sept_08.pdf 4. 4. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Plasma Science: Enabling Technology, Sustainability, Security, and Exploration. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2020, https://doi.org/10.17226/25802