Emerging Applications of Ions and Plasmas

This book discusses recent advances in the science and technology of charged particles and emerging frontiers in applications of ions and plasmas. In particular, this includes: ion/plasma interactions with soft matters, especially, interrogating local bio cells, bio systems, liquids and gels; interactions with ambient environments; processes associated with fine-scale characterization of materials, materials modification, new material discovery, and above all, plasma chemistry. The book takes a broad view of the underlying problems with a distinct aim to engage young researchers and even advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students. The first few chapters discuss relevant broad science issues covering ions and plasmas as well as methodologies for their manipulations; in addition, mathematical and computational tools for analysis are highlighted through simple examples. This background knowledge, in turn, develops a solid foundation for the chapters on numerous emerging application areas. A balance between science and engineering, along with relevant computational modeling, simulation, and exploitation of data, is maintained throughout. Prospective outlooks for the future are discussed. Overall, this book offers a lens for the reader to get acquainted with active and fruitful emerging application domains for future explorations.

Samar K Guharay, Ph.D. (1980) in Physics, University of Calcutta, India is currently an Adjunct Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Old Dominion University, Virginia, USA. This recent activity follows his past professional background from 1980 to 2022 in the academia and research laboratories. Dr. Guharay’s research highlights at the Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics, University of Maryland at College Park, USA spanned across spectroscopic studies of high-temperature plasmas, low-energy ion beam transport for high-energy accelerators, and focused ion beams for applications in semiconductor devices. Later, his research work at the MITRE Corporation, Virginia, USA encompassed sensing of trace materials, near real-time modeling and simulation, and complex systems analysis including financial economics. His simultaneous engagements in the academia resulted in offering courses on Nanocharacterization as an Affiliate Professor at George Mason University and research and advising as an Adjunct Professor at Washington State University. Dr. Guharay’s activities included collaborative work at Princeton University Plasmas Physics Laboratory, MIT Plasma Fusion Center, Nagoya University and National Institute for Fusion Science Japan, and Centre d’Études Nucléaires de Grenoble, France. He was in the faculty of Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics and Institute for Plasma Research, India during 1980s. Dr. Guharay was a Guest Professor of Nagoya University and Doshisha University, Japan. He holds two US patents. With the objective to foster collaborative studies including students from diverse disciplines his current academic endeavors center around developing interdisciplinary courses on inclusive knowledge integrating natural and social sciences and engineering.

M. Wada received the B.S. and M.S. degrees from Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan, in 1976 and 1978, respectively, and the Ph.D. degree from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1983. He worked on the space development program and high energy density secondary battery systems at Hitachi Ltd. from 1983 to 1987. From 1987 to 2024, he worked on plasma science and plasma-material interaction at Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Life and Medical Sciences and Faculty of Science and Engineering of Doshisha University.  After leaving the faculty position, he continues his study on atmospheric pressure plasma, and negative ion surface production at the Institute of Research Initiatives and Development, Doshisha University. He was a visiting professor at Juelich Research Center in Germany, Ecole Centrale Lille in France, National Institute of Fusion Science in Japan, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.