“Atomic scale processing using plasmas and atomic layer deposition has the wonderful mix of requiring more fundamental understanding and being industrially relevant.”

Harm Knoops is a part-time Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Physics, Plasma & Materials Processing at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). In addition, Knoops is an Atomic Scale Segment Specialist for Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology (OIPT). His current work covers the fields of (plasma-based) synthesis of thin films, advanced diagnostics and understanding and developing plasma ALD. His main goals are to improve and advance ALD processes and applications for Oxford Instruments and its customers. His recent advances in applying RF substrate biasing during plasma ALD and the growth of 2D-MoS2 by plasma ALD have been well-received by the field.  

Furthermore, Knoops aims at a better understanding and utilization of plasma processes for plasma ALD and related applications and processes and is also involved in understanding growth of 2D materials and atomic layer etching (ALE). Knoops has 40 published papers in peer-reviewed journals with 9 papers as first author, 1 of which is a review paper. He has an H-index of 22 (Web of Science www.isiknowledge.com/wos) and 1126 citations in peer-reviewed journals.

Harm Knoops obtained his PhD degree in Applied Physics at Eindhoven University of Technology in 2011 with his thesis titled Atomic Layer Deposition: From Reaction Mechanisms to 3D-integrated Micro-batteries. In a work visit during his PhD to Argonne National Labs (USA), he focused on loss processes in ozone-based ALD and linked these to a similar mechanism in plasma ALD. Prior to joining OIPT in the beginning of 2014, he spent several years in post-doc positions related to plasma processing, solar cells and ALD. After his postdoc and while working at OIPT and TU/e he has focused on advancing the deposition and understanding in the ALD of nitrides which led to improvement of silicon nitride ALD and the understanding of redeposition effects in plasma ALD.