Activities in the Centre for Non-equilibrium Processes are oriented to the studies of the non-equilibrium plasmas and its application in Nano-technologies, etching of intergrated circuits and environmental research.

Gaseous electronics laboratory is involved in research in physics of ionized gases motivated by possible non-equilibrium plasma applications. There are studies in charged particle swarms, low pressure breakdown and discharges and kinetics and applications of collisional plasmas. Transport theory for electrons and ions is developed both in simple analytic forms such as momentum transfer theory and in more elaborate forms.

Monte Carlo simulations are performed for dc and radio-frequency fields in order to explore new kinetic phenomena and non-local transport and to provide a foundation for plasma modeling. Measurements of transport coefficients, excitation coefficients in particular, provide experimental basis for swarm analysis in order to obtain complete sets of absolute cross sections for electron and ion scattering. Simple models of low current discharges including high E/N dark discharges, breakdown and rf plasmas are developed. When possible, these models are compared to the experimental data on low current breakdown and dark, normal and abnormal glow discharges.

Studies of capacitively and inductively coupled non-equilibrium plasmas are based on diagnostics and on plasma modeling. Plasma chemical and surface reactions are analyzed and their influence on plasma kinetics and surface processing is analyzed. Kinetics of dielectric barrier discharges, pseudo spark switches and microwave discharges were also part of our interests as a foundation for development of relevant plasma technologies. Applications of plasmas that are considered or demonstrated include plasma etching and ashing, thin film deposition, surface cleaning, treatment of polymers, textiles and organic matter such as seeds of plants, removal of air pollutants, atmospheric discharges and fast recoverable gas switches for high powers. Areas of interest also include biomedical applications of plasmas and microwave applications.

Activities of the Environmental Physical Laboratory include fundamental and applied research related to atmospheric processes, transport and transformation of pollutants (particulate matter and gaseous species) and their impact on environment.