This proposed project would involve an assessment of the basic science underlying low-temperature plasma processes of importance to industry, particularly in materials processing and semiconductor fabrication. The Plasma Science Committee, recently constituted under the auspices of the NAS/NRC with a charge to take a unified look at the plasma field, and funded by several federal agencies including the NSF (ENG, PHY, GEO), has established a subcommittee to study the area of low-temperature plasma science and technology. The subcommittee has recommended holding a workshop of some 10 specialists to take an indepth view of the research needs and opportunities within this area: (i) to identify key research problems in plasma physics and chemistry and the interaction of plasmas with surfaces; (ii) to evaluate the potential impact of advances in low-temperature plasma science on surface processing technology, with an emphasis on semiconductor applications; and (iii) to expose the scientific, technological and educational issues to the plasma science community.
