Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology
Address
Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 2
17489 Greifswald
Germany
Contact
Contact person: Prof. Dr Klaus-Dieter Weltmann
Phone: +49 3834 5543 00
Fax: +49 3834 5543 01
Website
About us
The Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP Greifswald) is the largest non-university institute in the field of low temperature plasmas, their basics and technical applications in Europe. In addition to application-oriented research, INP promotes the development of plasma-assisted processes and products. The institute carries out research and development from idea to prototype. The topics focus on the needs of the market. At present plasmas for materials and energy as well as for environment and health are the focus of interest. Innovative product ideas of the research of INP are transferred by the spin-offs of the institute. INP promotes actively the training and further education of scientific and technical junior staff in the field of low temperature plasma physics in collaboration with universities, research institutions and industry. The institute is organized as a non-profit organization and is a member of the Leibniz Association since its foundation.
Research
The Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP Greifswald) is the largest non-university institute in the area of low temperature plasmas in Europe, including their basic research and technical applications.
The research is organized in the two research divisions Plasmas for
- Materials and Energy (Head: Prof. Thomas Schoenemann) and
- Environment and Health (Head: Prof. Klaus-Dieter Weltmann)
each covering four research programs at present.
Research Division Plasmas for Materials and Energy
The research division Plasmas for Materials and Energy combines the topics of the production of functional surfaces, thin films and catalytic materials by means of plasma processes with diagnostic methods for plasma process monitoring and issues of electrical power and process engineering especially in the field of arcs. The combination of electrical engineering with plasma technology constitutes the origin of the gas discharge physics. As unique selling point, the strategy of the research division pursues the consequent coupling of scientifically sophisticated plasma modelling with spatially and temporally high-resolution diagnostic methods for application-relevant issues in the topics mentioned above using state-of-the art experimental laboratories. The focus of the basic research is on the specific surface treatment by means of non-thermal plasmas at atmospheric pressure as well as on the interaction of thermal plasmas with electrodes. Plasma technology allows uniquely the generation of application-specific surface and material properties, up to new materials in the photovoltaic and hydrogen technology. The control of arcs and other plasma phenomena is essential for the device functionality in the electrical power supply and the process reliability in applications of the process engineering like welding.
Research Division Plasmas for Environment and Health
The research division Plasmas for Environment and Health focuses on interdisciplinary topics and uses the synergies of the groups of themes biological surfaces, plasma medicine, decontamination and bioelectrics. Atmospheric-pressure plasma sources, like dielectric barrier discharges, jet plasmas, microwave plasmas and microplasmas, represent an essential link and are investigated extensively. The close combination of physicists, biologists, chemists, pharmacists and engineers under one heading is unique in the world to date.
Industry Services
From the Research to the Application, from Idea to Product – Cooperation and Technology Transfer at INP
The successful regional, national and worldwide cooperation with companies and institutions of all sizes and sectors is particularly important for INP. The employees of the institute work in bilateral projects or research clusters together with companies, universities and scientific institutions. The institute raises a considerable part of its third-party funds through cooperation with industry. In recent years third-party funds of about 4.4 million euro have been raised solely through cooperation with industrial companies.
The close networking with a multitude of regional and supra-regional institutions from science and industry as well as with representatives of chambers and associations contributes significantly to the success and strengthening of the technology transfer of INP. In order to supplement the research portfolio of the institute towards the market, neoplas GmbH was established as technology transfer centre in 2005.