Project 10 (AQura)

Title: Analytical potential of new double focussing GD-MS instrument.

Researcher: Petr Smid and Maxim Voronov (ER)

Coordinator: DEG; Other partner: EMPA, IFW

State of the Art:

HR-GD-MS was introduced in the market for the quality control of materials in the electronics materials industry. The instrumentation used so far was developed more than 20 years ago. Recent introduction of new high resolution instrumentation now offers a step forward in the application potentials of HR-GDMS. This instrumentation provides the capability of fast scanning and the introduction of RF-sputtering for non-conducting material. Also the enhanced capabilities sensitivity will introduce new applications in semiconductor material investigation.

Objective and Innovation:

To investigate the analytical potential (for bulk analysis and depth profiling) of the newly developed double focusing GD-MS instrumentation, using both dc and RF discharges. To explore the analytical potential of the new HR instrumentation for bulk and depth profile, equally for conducting and non conducting (ceramic, organic polymers), i.e. dc and RF. Support for the introduction of the RF-technique in the industrial R&D environment, comparison of instrumentation (also to RF-GDTOF) and bringing up to date research and development from instrument and application development institutional to the industrial materials research and investigation. Development of new applications for industrial materials problems regarding trace and ultra-trace analysis of nano-bulk materials and layers (non-conducting ceramic, polymers, semiconductor layers for printed electronics and solar cell application and development).

About Petr Smid

I come from Plzeň (Pilsen), the Czech Republic. I am 31; my hobbies are hiking and canoeing. I am married and have one daughter.

I obtained my Master Degree in Mathematical and Physical Engineering at the University of  West Bohemia, Faculty of Applied Sciences. In my diploma work, I was involved in the project of Dr Zdeněk Weiss on zinc and zinc-aluminium reference materials and on improvement of an analytical method for depth profiling analysis of zinc coated steel. During my PhD study, I worked on analytical applications of GD-OES in characterization of coatings containing nitrogen, and also started to collaborate with Prof Edward Steers on the project of investigation of the effects of nitrogen on analytical glow discharges. I finished my PhD in 2003 after which I spent 15 months at Imperial College London as a Royal Society/NATO postdoctoral fellow. In this project, I was using high resolution Fourier Transform Spectrometers for the investigation of the effect of molecular gases (hydrogen and nitrogen) on Grimm type glow discharges. When this project was over, I took up a post at an industrially oriented research institute SKODA VÃZKUM, at the metallographic department. Apart from everyday work on material analysis and testing, I was also involved in the research project on 'Research and development of new diagnostic techniques for characterization material degradation and life-time assessment of steam turbines'. Before this GLADNET Research Training Network was approved, I decided to return to the GDS field and was appointed as a Pillow Memorial Postdoctoral Fellow at London Metropolitan University. In July 2007, I was appointed as an ER at the same establishment and my main interests has been investigation and understanding of the processes which occur in the discharges when small amount of molecular gas is present. Im currently working at AQura GmbH

It is clear from the previous text that I have spent most of my career in glow discharge spectroscopy. I find this field very exciting mainly because of its multidisciplinarity. Also, GDS is still a progressively developing analytical technique so that both fundamental studies are needed and new analytical applications keep appearing. Furthermore, the fact that the majority of the institutes active in glow discharge spectroscopy (both from academia and industry) have now joined in the EC Research Training Network is an excellent opportunity for everyone involved to get further experience and knowledge in the field. It is also a great chance to meet new people, get acquainted with new techniques by visiting other partners' labs and hopefully to find direction in the future career. 

Maxim Voronov worked on this project prior to Petr. Maxim is now working for IFW in Dresden.

Publications:

V.Hoffmann, V.V.Efimova, M.V.Voronov, P.Smid, E.B.M.Steers; "Measurement of voltage and current in contiuous and pulsed rf and dc discharges"; Journal of Physics: Conference Series 133 (2008) 012017 DOI:10.1088/1742-6596/133/1/012017