The PSTD program showcases cutting-edge advancements in plasma science, encompassing fundamental research in plasma physics and chemistry, plasma-matter interactions, and innovative applications in plasma processing. Our vibrant international community, comprising experts from academia, national laboratories, and industry, convenes to explore the latest breakthroughs in plasma research. Key focus areas include semiconductor fabrication, catalysis, artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), advanced packaging, plasma sources and diagnostics, sustainability, and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology, where plasma serves as a critical enabling tool.
The PSTD program spans the entire week, featuring a comprehensive schedule of oral presentations in morning and afternoon sessions, complemented by an extensive poster session on Thursday evening. The week commences with Monday morning talks on plasma processes for advanced logic and EUV patterning, highlighted by three invited speakers. The afternoon features a plasma modeling session focused on capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) reactors, led by the 2024 Plasma Prize recipient, Dr. Shahid Rauf. Tuesday morning sessions address plasma processes for advanced memory and cryogenic plasma processing, followed by afternoon discussions on advanced packaging and sustainability.
Wednesday includes a morning session on catalysis, with afternoon sessions dedicated to emerging devices, atmospheric plasmas, and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) modeling. Thursday morning focuses on plasma sources, diagnostics, and control, while the afternoon hosts an AI/ML session and a special FLASH session, where poster presenters deliver concise 2–3-minute previews of their work ahead of the evening’s poster session. The program concludes on Friday morning with the AVS John Thornton Award lecture by Prof. Ellen Fisher, alongside sessions on plasma applications in chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), and EUV technology.
Throughout the week, invited talks will cover critical topics, including atomic-level control of plasma etching, nonthermal plasmas for advanced logic, memory, and EUV applications, plasma-surface interaction control, plasma damage mitigation, and comprehensive modeling sessions spanning CCP, ICP, and AI/ML applications. Additional highlights include advancements in plasma-enabled advanced packaging, catalysis, and deposition. The program also features presentations by PSTD student finalists competing for the prestigious Coburn and Winters Student Award. Plasma-related topics will also appear in concurrent sessions, such as Atomic Scale Processing (AP) and Electronic Materials and Photonics (EM1).
Call for Late Breaking Abstracts: Submissions are accepted until August 18, 2025.
Plasma Etching, Deposition, and Processing for Advanced Device Fabrication: State-of-the-art front (FEOL) and back (BEOL) end-of-line patterning and processing for logic devices, emerging memory applications, quantum devices, and photonics; advanced packaging, chiplets & heterogeneous integration.
Plasma Enhanced Atomic Layer Processing: Area selective deposition, characterization, and metrology to enable atomic scale processing, atomic layer process chemistry, surface reactions, and atomic layer etching. Novel thin film deposition processes and material synthesis studies are also encouraged.
Plasmas and Plasma-Surface Interactions – Experiment and Modeling: Fundamental understanding of plasma-surface interactions, modeling, and simulation challenges associated with plasma-based materials synthesis, processing, and etching; kinetic, fluid, hybrid, and data-driven models; control; and experimental validation of simulations.
Plasma Sources, Diagnostics, Sensing, and Control: Novel plasma generation schemes and (ion beam) sources at low and high pressures; plasma diagnostics; pulsed plasmas and waveform shaping; process sensing and control schemes.
Plasmas for Chemical, Energy, and Sustainable Applications: Emerging venues where plasmas provide unique advantages in chemical, environmental, energy, and biological applications. New plasma processes for sustainable technologies (chemical conversion, batteries, fuel cells, electrochemistry, photovoltaics, low GWP gases) and atmospheric pressure processing. Making today’s processes more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.
Areas of Interest: PS is seeking abstracts in the following areas:
- Plasma Processing for Advanced Logic and Memory Device Fabrication
- Plasma Processing for EUV and High-NA EUV
- Plasma Processing for Advanced Packaging Technologies
- Plasma Processing for Emerging Device Technologies
- Area Selective Processing and Patterning
- Plasma ALD/ALE
- Plasma Processes for Coatings and Thin Films
- Plasma Surface Interactions
- Plasma Modeling
- Plasma Sources, Diagnostics, Sensing and Control
- Atmospheric Pressure Plasmas and their Applications
- Plasma Chemistry, Catalysis, Environment and Sustainability
PS1: Plasma Processes for Coatings and Thin Films
PS2: Advanced Logic
Invited Speakers:
- Stefan Decoster, IMEC Belgium
- Koji Eriguchi, Kyoto University, Japan, “Current Status and Future Perspectives of Plasma-Induced Damage and its Characterization”
- Cedric Thomas, Tokyo Electron US, “Challenges and Perspectives in Process Control for Next Generation Devices”
PS3: Advanced Memory
PS4: Plasmas in Advanced Packaging
Invited Speakers:
- Fee Li Li, IBM
- James Papanu, Tokyo Electron Ltd., Japan, “Critical Plasma Processing Steps for Fusion and Hybrid Bonding Applications”
PS5: Plasma Surface Interactions
Invited Speakers:
- Christophe Cardinaud, Universite de Nantes, France
- Michele Sarazen, Princeton University, “Elucidating Complex Interactions in Non-Thermal Plasma-Assisted Reactions on (Supported) Porous Catalysts”
PS6: Plasma Chemistry and Catalysis
Invited Speakers:
- Wallis Scholl, Colorado School of Mines, “Interaction of Etching Plasmas with Polyurea Films deposited by Molecular Layer Deposition for Surface and Sidewall Passivation”
- Hartmut Wiggers, Universitaet Duisburg-Essen, Germany, “Gas-Phase Plasma Synthesis as a Method for Producing Nanomaterials with Special Properties”
PS7: Plasmas for Emerging Device Technologies
Invited Speakers:
- Patricia Pimenta-Baros, CEA-LETI, France, “Main Etching Challenges in the GaN-based Devices Patterning”
PS8: Sustainability and Plasmas
- David Speed, GLOBALFOUNDRIES, NY, “Sustainability Challenges in Plasma Processing and Call to Action”
PS9: Atomic Level Processing in Plasma
Invited Speakers:
- Stacey Bent, Stanford University, “Area Selective ALD for Future Engineering Challenges”
PS10: Plasma Modelling
Invited Speakers:
- Vladimir Kolobov, University of Alabama at Huntsville, “Modeling: Integrating AI with Traditional Methods”
- Shahid Rauf, Applied Materials, “Plasma Prize 2024 Award Talk: Plasma Prize 2024 Award Talk: Some Tales from Our Model Validation Adventures”
- Abhishek Verma, Applied Materials, “Machine Learning Surrogates for 2D Plasma Modeling”
PS11: Atmospheric Plasma
PS12: Plasma Sources, Diagnostics and Control I & II
Invited Speakers:
- David Pai, Ecole Polytechnique, France, “Scratching the Surface: Physics, Chemistry, and In-situ Diagnostics of Solids and Liquids in Contact with Atmospheric-Pressure Plasmas”
- Jente Wubs, Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands, “Absolute Atomic Density Measurements in Hydrogen- and Oxygen-Containing Plasmas”
PS13: Plasma Science and Technology Poster Session