Most manufacturing of nano-scale devices involves painstaking methods that build structures atom-by-atom.

Plasmas can deposit atoms, by the millions, in just millionths of a second.

Until recently it was thought that the inherent randomness of plasma would limit any attempts at high-precision control of the deposition process. However Ostrikov and his colleagues have developed ways to control the plasma’s characteristics - pressure, temperature or voltage - so that the plasma forms itself into intricate nano-structures such as cylinders or pyramids.

As well as developing mathematical models for these self-organised complex systems and the surfaces to which they attach, Ostrikov leads a team which has developed innovative plasma sources that can create the nano-structures predicted by his models.

This research has applications in nano-electronics, nano-optics and biomedicine, as well as quantum dots for nano-lasers, ultra-thin solar cells or quantum computing.

Beyond the lab, Ostrikov has looked at nano-fabrication in nature. In his soon-to-be-published book “Plasma Nanoscience: From Nature’s Mastery to Deterministic Nanofabrication,” he also looks at nano-particles around red-giant stars, and discusses the creation of the first building blocks of life on primordial earth.

More information: Phil Dooley, 0414 94 55 77 outreach@physics.usyd.edu.au