Faculty Directory

Oehrlein, Gottlieb S.

Oehrlein, Gottlieb S.

Professor
Fellow, AVS
Fellow, International Plasma Chemistry Society
Fellow, International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
Materials Science and Engineering
Institute for Research in Electronics & Applied Physics
Maryland Energy Innovation Institute
2119 Chemical and Nuclear Engineering Building

EDUCATION

  • Ph.D., Physics, State University of New York at Albany, 1981
  • M.S., Physics, State University of New York at Albarny, 1978
  • Vordiplom, Physics, Wurzburg University, Germany, 1976

BACKGROUND

Professor Oehrlein received a Vordiplom in physics from Würzburg University (Germany) in 1976, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in physics from the State University of New York at Albany in 1978 and 1981, respectively. Prior to joining the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland in 2000, Professor Oehrlein was a member of the Department of Physics faculty at the State University of New York–Albany from 1993 to 2000, and a research staff member in IBM's Division of Research at the T.J. Watson Research Center, in Yorktown Heights, NY.

HONORS AND AWARDS

  • Distinguished Scholar-Teacher Award, University of Maryland (2024)
  • Nishizawa Award, International Symposium on Dry Process (2019)
  • John Thornton Memorial Award, American Vacuum Society (2019)
  • Most Valuable Reviewer, Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology (2019)
  • Fellow, International Plasma Chemistry Society (2017)
  • IBM Faculty Award (2010)
  • Plasma Prize, Plasma Science and Technology Division, American Vacuum Society (2005)
  • Invention of the Year Finalist for Method and Device for Nanoscale Plasma Processing of Materials (US Patent #7470329), UMD Office of Technology Commercialization (2003)
  • IBM Faculty Award (2002)
  • Fellow, International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (2000)
  • Fellow, American Vacuum Society (1998)
  • Thinker Award of Tegal Corporation, SEMICON West (1993)
  • Electronics Division Award of the Electrochemical Society (1992)
  • Six IBM Invention Plateau Awards (1982-1993)
  • IBM Outstanding Technical Achievement Award (1989)
  • Solid State Science and Technology Young Author's Award of the Electrochemical Society (1985)
  • State University of New York Chancellor's Honors Convocation Award for Academic Excellence and a Distinguished Dissertation (1982)
  • Fellow of the Institute of International Education, New York (1980)
  • Presidential Fellow, State University of New York, Albany (1978-1981)

Google Scholar

Professor Oehrlein's research interests include scientific and technological aspects of materials processing using partially ionized gases or plasmas.  Low-temperature plasmas are characterized by a gas temperature that remains close to ambient temperature, whereas the electron and ion temperatures can be much higher.  These kinds of plasmas enable unique processing of advanced materials at both low pressure and atmospheric pressure.  A great deal of the work in Prof. Oehrlein's research group is focused on understanding the interactions of plasma with surfaces of materials and how plasma-surface interactions may be controlled to alter properties of materials in desirable ways.

  • Applications of low-temperature plasma science and technology to materials processing
  • Surface chemistry and physics of thin film growth
  • Etching and modification
  • Plasma-surface and plasma-polymer interactions
  • In-situ plasma and surface diagnostics
  • Physics and chemistry of ion-induced surface processes and of imaging and templating materials
  • Nanoscale structure and device fabrication and characterization
  • Surface and bulk defects of materials

 


For a complete list of publications, please visit Professor Oehrlein's web site

Maryland Engineers Recognized with UMD Faculty Honors

Six Clark School faculty members are among the university's 2024 convocation honorees.

Ten Maryland MSE Faculty Members Ranked in Top 2% of World Scientists

Elsevier releases updated science-wide database

10 Maryland MSE Faculty Members Ranked in Top 2% of World Scientists

Report prepared by Stanford University experts.

2020 Dean's Doctoral Student Research Awards

The competition recognizes distinguished graduate student researchers in order to help propel their careers and demonstrate the value of high-quality engineering research.

MSE Graduate Student Adam Pranda Wins 2019 AVS Award

Pranda was honored at the 2019 AVS International Symposium and Exhibition last week.

UMD Graduate Student Kang-Yi Lin Receives 2019 ALD/ALE Award

Lin was honored at the 2019 ALD/ALE International Conference this summer.

MSE Professor Recognized by AVS and Dry Process Symposium

Gottlieb Oehrlein bestowed the John Thornton Memorial Award and the DPS Nishizawa Award.

Novel Food Sanitation Method Uses Plasma Science to Sterilize Food with the Flip of a Switch

Researchers published findings showing 99% E.coli elimination using nothing but air and a little electricity.

 Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology Recognizes Oehrlein

MSE faculty member recognized for coauthoring various scientific works.

Rubloff One of 9 Finalists for UMD Invention of the Year

Office of Technology Commercialization to announce winners at the Celebration of Innovation and Partnerships, April 29.

Bartis Wins Wylie Fellowship for Research on Plasma for Disinfection

Award supports students in final stages of dissertation work.

Invention of the Year Finalist

unprecedented etching control of a material, one atomic layer at a time

“Milestone for Atomic Layer Etching” Highlighted by AVS

UMD–IBM’s new technique is precise, controlled, and self-limiting.

Bartis and Wan Join Future Faculty Program

Program prepares graduate students for a career in academia.

Over Half of Tenured MSE Professors Are UMD "Research Leaders"

Division of Research honors faculty for funded research.

How Technology Choices Affect Us All: I-Course Examines Contexts and Consequences

ENMA 289A designed to fulfill core physical science requirement for students in non-science majors.

MSE Faculty Are UMD "Research Leaders"

Half of department's full-time faculty honored by Division of Research.

Three MSE Students Win NSF Graduate Research Fellowships

Epstein, Godo and Nilsson receive highly competitive awards.

Oehrlein, Phaneuf Paper Among AVS' Most Downloaded

Work covers plasma-polymer interactions in photolithography at the nanoscale.

Olatunji Godo Wins L-3 Scholarship

Merit-based award supports Clark School students, Great Expectations campaign.

Plasma for Disinfection Study Wins DOE Grant

Oehrlein, Seog will be first to characterize effects on biological molecules at the monolayer level.

Oehrlein Receives IBM Faculty Award

Gift recognizes importance of nanofabrication research to electronics industry.

Feodor Lynen Fellow Joins MSE and IREAP

Evelina Vogli to study use of plasma in specialized coating production.

Bruce Wins 2009 AVS Student Merit Award

Grad student recognized for plasma etching work.

Alumnus Publishes Book on Plasma Etching

Sebastian Engelmann (Ph.D. '08) outlines improvements to nanoscale device manufacturing.

Bruce Attends US-Australian Program in Sydney

ARNAM/NSF programs pairs graduate students for collaborations.

Bruce to Attend NSF Program in Australia

Program fosters collaborations, provides project leadership training.

Oehrlein Studies Plasma/Wall Interactions on Sabbatical

Professor invited to Germany for his expertise on plasma-surface interaction.

MSE Faculty Continues to Produce "Research Leaders"

Professors honored for their efforts to bring sponsored research funds to campus.

5 MSE Professors Recognized for Sponsored Research

Briber, Oehrlein, Phaneuf, Rubloff, and Wuttig honored at luncheon.

Oehrlein and Phaneuf Receive NSF Grant for Nano Research

Two MSE professors were awarded a NSF-NIRT grant for $1.2M to investigate "Nanotechnological Manufacturing: Nanostructured Polymers Designed for Plasma/Energetic Beam Templating of Materials".

65th Annual Physical Electronic Conference

Taesoon Kwon and Tabassom Tadayyon-Eslami, both MSE graduate students working in Professor Raymond Phaneuf’s research group, participated in the 65th Annual Physical Electronics Conference, held at the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison, Wisconsin from June 20-22, 2005.

Toshiba's Tomohiro Iguchi arrives as ISR Visiting Scientist

August 2004—Researcher will be working on microelectronics process technology.

  • International Plasma Chemistry Society (2017)
  • International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (2000)
  • American Vacuum Society (1998)