Future trends in plasma science

Abstract

Plasma technology is a key and cross-sectional technology with a high potential for innovation and added value. Especially during the last years, the number and impact of possible applications of plasma technology has grown immensely. In 2013 the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement n° 316216 awarded a major project called “PlasmaShape” to the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP). PlasmaShape combined a set of measures representing the addressed fields of activity such as research infrastructure, recruitment of top-class researchers as well as the cooperation with experts on an international level. During PlasmaShape established senior scientists and ambitious young researchers from all over the world met in several workshops and two big scientific events named “Future in Plasma Science” to discuss and develop new strategic areas in plasma science by discussing the role of plasma research and development for Future and Emerging technologies (FET). They identified six topics for structuring the events in such a way as to cover all essential fields of plasma science; these choices of topics also prepared the ground for ensuing discussions of likely future developments, aided by the researchers' collective scientific background knowledge. A tangible goal and result of PlasmaShape was the start of a consensus paper which identifies the importance of plasma science and technology initially until 2030. This paper is a consensus of the attending plasma science community developed and should serve as a strategic paper to be presented to funding authorities, politics and more likely to future cooperation partners from industry. The consensus paper depicts the possibilities plasma science can offer to face future and emerging challenges in the next decades, covered with parts as Success Stories, Established Potentials, Unique Solutions, Emerging Applications, Research Needs and Vision. To underspin the consensus paper theme-specific white papers were prepared to show in more detail the scientific challenges in plasma research.1-4 These White Papers are published in the January issue of Plasma Processes and Polymers by Wiley-VCH and I am proud to announce that they will strengthen the Consensus Paper in this special issue. As Scientific Director and CEO of INP I would like to say special thanks to the contributing colleagues from 18 nations from entire world (Australia, Belgium, Czech Republic, PR China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, USA) and about 60 senior and young scientists who have participated in this project and in various events Contact: Prof. Dr. Klaus-Dieter Weltmann CEO / Scientific Director Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology Felix-Hausdorff-Straße 2, 17489 Greifswald, Germany Tel.: +49 3834 554310 E-Mail: weltmann@inp-greifswald.de