Interactions between micro-plasma devices
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen's University Belfast
Department Name: Sch of Mathematics and Physics
Abstract
Plasma - the 4th state of matter - is an ionized gas exhibiting collective phenomena. The outstanding role of plasmas in our daily lives remains largely hidden; many products could not exist without plasmas. They underlie technologies, such as TV-displays, mobile phones, solar-cells, nano-chip fabrication, aerospace applications, high-efficiency lighting, biomedicine, cancer treatment, etc. Plasmas are, therefore, often referred to as nano-scale engineering tools of the future.Both fascinating fundamental scientific issues and the enormous social impact that result from their applications drive the field of plasma science and technology. The unique property of low temperature plasmas lies in the fact that the plasma species are not in thermodynamic equilibrium. These plasmas consist of electrons, ions and neutrals. Electron temperatures are around 10000 - 50000 K, while the heavier ions and neutrals are around room temperature. The 'hot' electrons can provide a unique active chemical environment in a cold gas. This offers the facility for precise treatment and modifications of surfaces - even temperature sensitive surfaces such as semiconductors or bio-materials.Particularly challenging and at the same time highly promising is the emerging field of so-called micro-plasmas operated at ambient atmospheric pressure. Micro-plasmas are confined to dimensions on a micro-metre scale and are at present probably the 'hottest' topic in low-temperature plasma science. One can envisage the development of inexpensive disposable micro-plasma sources. High concentrations of radicals can be provided at low gas temperatures without complicated vacuum equipment, e.g. for sterilization and cancer treatments under atmospheric pressure conditions. These areas are frontier technologies with enormous future industrial benefit and social significance.The proposed project, on fundamental investigations of interaction mechanisms between multiple micro-plasmas, provides extraordinary opportunity to lift this research area to its next level. A key issue in understanding fundamental processes, towards their intelligent use for tailoring plasma properties, is insight into power coupling and plasma sustainment mechanisms. There has been some recent progress in understanding single micro-plasma devices, but the interaction of multiple micro-plasma devices is far more complex. In multiple devices, e.g. micro-plasma arrays, single devices interact with each other and their coupling can result in pattern and structure formation. Detailed studies of relevant interaction mechanisms are absent but crucial for further developments and exploitations of micro-plasma arrays. The key to understanding the interaction is to investigate details of energy transport mechanisms. Important factors are the individual roles of energy carrying particles (electrons, ions, radicals, metastables), radiation transport and photo-ionization, and material dependent surface reactions.Measurements on micro-plasmas are extremely challenging due to their very small structures (micron scale) and the collision dominated high-pressure environment requiring exceptionally high temporal resolution down to pico-seconds. Essential diagnostics are newly available modern optical diagnostic techniques and laser spectroscopy - both with pico-second resolution. The most promising approach is exploiting the synergy of these ultrafast diagnostic techniques and state-of-the-art numerical computer simulations.
People |
ORCID iD |
Deborah O'Connell (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Hirst AM
(2016)
Low temperature plasmas as emerging cancer therapeutics: the state of play and thoughts for the future.
in Tumour biology : the journal of the International Society for Oncodevelopmental Biology and Medicine
Privat-Maldonado A
(2016)
Spatial Dependence of DNA Damage in Bacteria due to Low-Temperature Plasma Application as Assessed at the Single Cell Level.
in Scientific reports
Alkawareek MY
(2012)
Eradication of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms by atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma.
in PloS one
Murakami T
(2014)
Afterglow chemistry of atmospheric-pressure helium-oxygen plasmas with humid air impurity
in Plasma Sources Science and Technology
Hurlbatt A
(2016)
Bridging the gap between global models and full fluid models: a fast 1D semi-analytical fluid model for electronegative plasmas
in Plasma Sources Science and Technology
Wagenaars E
(2012)
Two-photon absorption laser-induced fluorescence measurements of atomic nitrogen in a radio-frequency atmospheric-pressure plasma jet
in Plasma Sources Science and Technology
Wijaikhum A
(2017)
Absolute ozone densities in a radio-frequency driven atmospheric pressure plasma using two-beam UV-LED absorption spectroscopy and numerical simulations
in Plasma Sources Science and Technology
Niemi K
(2011)
The role of helium metastable states in radio-frequency driven helium-oxygen atmospheric pressure plasma jets: measurement and numerical simulation
in Plasma Sources Science and Technology
Greb A
(2015)
Influence of surface conditions on plasma dynamics and electron heating in a radio-frequency driven capacitively coupled oxygen plasma
in Plasma Sources Science and Technology
Murakami T
(2012)
Chemical kinetics and reactive species in atmospheric pressure helium-oxygen plasmas with humid-air impurities
in Plasma Sources Science and Technology
Description | We have investigated and understand the plasma generation and sustainment mechanism of atmospheric pressure plasmas, including the chemical kinetics. Our measurements of the reactive oxygen and nitrogen species have proven to be important for biomedical applications and other technologies. We have also successfully demonstrated inactivation of bacteria and a reduced survival of cancer cells in a near-patient model using these types of plasma sources. |
Exploitation Route | These findings will be important for the development of new plasma therapeutics e.g. sterilisation, wound healing, cancer treatments and atmospheric pressure plasma technologies e.g. CO2 to CO conversion. |
Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Chemicals,Energy,Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
Description | We are exploiting our findings on tailoring atmospheric pressure plasmas for various applications, including manufacturing, biorenewables and biotechnology e.g. from our mechanistic understanding of inducing cancer cell death we are developing plasma sources for potential cancer therapy. |
First Year Of Impact | 2013 |
Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment,Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
Impact Types | Societal,Economic |
Description | EPSRC Manufacturing the Future |
Amount | £1,979,776 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/K018388/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2013 |
End | 06/2018 |
Description | Leverhulme Trust Project Award |
Amount | £150,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | The Leverhulme Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2013 |
End | 12/2016 |