The future health of the United States economy requires an American industry that is internationally competitive, energy efficient, nonpolluting, and capable of manufacturing a wide array of products with unprecedented performance. Advanced-plasma technologies can help make this a reality. The energetic nature of plasmas is ideal for materials synthesis, material joining, material fabrication, and surface- or bulk-property modification. Advantages over conventional manufacturing techniques include dry processing to minimize waste and hazardous chemicals, local deposition of energy to minimize energy use and avoid the harmful bulk heating of materials, and high-temperature or nonequilibrium processes that enable the manufacturing of materials and products with dramatically improved performance.
We are exploring a wide range of plasma technologies with direct applications to both industry and weapons-stockpile surety. We developed and currently operate the largest plasma-source ion implantation (PSII) facility in the world, a device used to harden the surfaces of various materials, such as machine tooling, to increase their durability. Our PSII effort includes the largest CRADA (cooperative research and development agreement) at Los Alamos, a four-year, $14 million joint venture with General Motors Corporation initiated in 1992. Other activities include other CRADAs, technical consulting agreements, and work-for-other research and development with Litton Electron Devices, Empire Chrome, Kodak, Black and Decker, Videojet Systems, Jasco Tools, Burkhardt America, and A.O. Smith. Our PSII facility was designated as a Department of Energy (DOE) users facility in 1994 to provide more flexible and timely response to industrial partners requests.
We are actively working with the semiconductor industry in areas of future technology needs in which we have (1) a highly unique and well- recognized worldwide leadership or (2) a complementary direction and need for established Laboratory, DOE, or Department of Defense (DoD) missions-the dual-benefit requirement. Our current program in detection, control, and understanding of particulate contamination in plasma processing is an example of the first criterion. This program supports U.S. leadership in this key technology and strengthens other Los Alamos programs in plasma applications, such as plasma etching as a means for environmental remediation and reclamation and for environmentally responsible weapons manufacturing (i.e., the second criterion).
Future private-sector market segments that will be impacted by plasma technologies are enormous. For example, nearly 35% of the process steps involved in the multibillion dollar fabrication of semiconductor devices now involves plasmas. This percentage is likely to grow as plasmas are used for environmentally benign cleaning and particulate control during manufacturing. P-24 will continue to lead Los Alamos development of plasma processing with dual-benefit industrial applications.
Return to the Plasma
Physics Group (P-24) homepage
The Physics Division
homepage
The Los Alamos National Laboratory
homepage