Molecular Physics, Plasmas and Applications

Head of Research: Susana Sério

The Laboratory of Plasmas and Applications (LPA) was founded in 1994 by Professor Manuel Maneira, who was one of the founding members of CEFITEC.

The activity of LPA focuses on the experimental investigation of anomalous luminescent discharges in magnetron cathodes, the establishment of theoretical models for these discharges and in technological and industrial applications using the magnetron sputtering systems, for obtaining functional thin films.

The Atomic and Molecular Collisions Laboratory (LCAM - Laboratório de Colisões Atómicas e Moleculares) was founded in 2004 with the main goal on focusing the research activities and scientific cooperation on the electronic state spectroscopy of biological relevant, atmospheric (and aeronomic) and the semiconductor industry molecules, radiation effect in biological systems as well as negative ion formation by electron transfer processes in atom(potassium)-(bio)molecule collisions.

At the moment the research motivations are on the VUV electronic state spectroscopy by synchrotron radiation, negative ion yields by electron attachment in the gas phase and electron stimulated desoprtion in the condensed phase with low energy electrons (<20 eV) and electron scattering of biological relevant and aeronomic molecules, the latter including global warming, ozone depletion and seeking environmentally friendly molecules for plasma processing. Other current research interests are the reactivity of co-adsorbed species in ices in the interstellar medium.