Faculty Directory

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

• "Characterization and Mechanism of He Plasma Pretreatment of Nanoscale Polymer masks for Improved Pattern Transfer Fidelity," F. Weilnboeck, D. Metzler, N. Kumar, G. S. Oehrlein, R. L. Bruce, S. Engelmann, and N. Fuller, Appl. Phys. Letts. 99, 261501 (2011) (doi: 10.1063/1.3671995).
• "Plasma-Polymer Interactions: A Review of Progress in Understanding Polymer Resist Mask Durab ility during Plasma Etching for Nanoscale Fabrication," G. S. Oehrlein, R. J. Phaneuf, and D. B. Graves, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 29 [1], 010801 (2011). (doi: 10.1116/1.3532949)
• "Poly (2-vinyl naphthalene-b-acrylic acid) Block Copolymer Pattern Formation, Alignment and Pattern Transfer into Silicon by Reactive Ion Etching," Xin Zhang, Christopher Metting, R. M. Briber, Florian Weilnboeck, Sang Hak Shin, Ben Jones, and Gottlieb S. Oehrlein, Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics 212, 1735-1741 (2011). (doi: 10.1002/macp.201100232)
• "On the Absence of Post-Plasma Etch Surface and Line Edge Roughness in Vinylpyridine Resists," R. L. Bruce, F. Weilnboeck, T. Lin, R. J. Phaneuf, G. S. Oehrlein, B. K. Long, C. G. Willson, and A. Alizadeh, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 19, 041604 (2011). (doi: 10.1116/1.3607604)
• "Ion and Vacuum Ultraviolet Photon Beam Effects in 193 nm Photoresist Surface Roughening: The Role of the Adamantyl Pendant Group," T. Y. Chung, D. B. Graves, F. Weilnboeck, R. L. Bruce, G. S. Oehrlein, M. Q. Li, and E. A. Hudson, Plasma Processes and Polymers 8, 1068-1079 (2011). (doi: 10.1002/ppap.201100071)
• "Hydrogenation and Surface Density Changes in Hydrocarbon Films during Erosion Using Ar/H₂Plasmas," N. Fox-Lyon, G. S. Oehrlein, N. Ning, D. B. Graves, J. Appl. Phys. 110, 104314 (2011). (doi: 10.1063/1.3662953)
• "Molecular Structure Effects on Dry Etching Behavior of Si-containing Resists in Oxygen Plasma," R. L. Bruce, T. Lin, R. J. Phaneuf, G. S. Oehrlein, W. Bell, B. Long, and C. G. Willson, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 28 [4], 751 (2010). (doi: 10.1116/1.3455496)
• "Role of Polymer Structure and Ceiling Temperature in Polymer Roughening and Degradation during Plasma Processing: A Beam System Study of P4MS and P alpha MS," D. Nest, T. Y. Chung, J. J. Vegh, D. B. Graves, R. L. Bruce, T. Lin, R. J. Phaneuf, G. S. Oehrlein, B. K. Long, and C. G. Willson, J. Phys. D - Appl. Phys. 43, 085204 (2010). (doi: 10.1088/0022-3727/43/8/085204)
• "Relationship between Nanoscale Roughness and Ion-Damaged Layer in Argon Plasma Exposed Polystyrene Films," R. L. Bruce, F. Weilnboeck, T. Lin, R. J. Phaneuf, G. S. Oehrlein, B. K. Long, C. G. Willson, J. J. Vegh, D. Next and D. B. Graves, J. Appl. Phys. 107, 084310 (2010). (doi: 10.1063/1.3373587)
• "Electron, Ion and Vacuum Ultraviolet Photon Effects in 193 nm Photoresist Surface Roughening," T. Y. Chung, D. Nest, D. B. Graves, F. Weilnboeck, R. L. Bruce, G. S. Oehrlein, D. Wang, M. Li, and E. A. Hudson, J. Phys. D - Appl. Phys. 43 [27], 272001 (2010). (doi: 10.1088/0022-3727/43/27/272001 )
• "Photoresist Modifications by Plasma Vacuum Ultraviolet Radiation: The Role of Polymer Structure and Plasma Chemistry," F. Weilnboeck, R. L. Bruce, S. Engelmann, G. S. Oehrlein, D. Nest, T.-Y. Chung, D. Graves, M. Li, D. Wang, C. Andes, and E. A. Hudson, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 28 [5], 993 (2010). (doi: 10.1116/1.3484249)
• "Real-Time and Post-Plasma Studies of Influence of Low Levels of Tungsten on Carbon Erosion and Surface Evolution Behaviour in D₂ Plasma," F. Weilnboeck, N. Fox-Lyon, G. S. Oehrlein, and R. P. Doerner, Nucl. Fusion 50, 025027 (2010). (doi: 10.1088/0029-5515/50/2/025027)
• "Surface and Near-Surface Modifications of Ultralow Dielectric Constant Materials Exposed to Plasmas under Sidewall-Like Conditions," Ming-Shu Kuo and G. S. Oehrlein, J. Vac. Sci. & Technol. B 28 [6], (2010). (doi: 10.1116/1.3499271)
• "Mechanistic Study of Ultralow K-Compatible Carbon Dioxide in situ Photoresist Ashing Processes. I. Process Performance and Influence on ULK Material Modification," Ming-Shu Kuo, A. R. Pal, G. S. Oehrlein, P. Lazzeri, and M. Anderle, J. Vac. Sci. & Technol. B 28 [5], (2010). (doi: 10.1116/1.3482343)
• "Mechanistic Study of Ultralow k-Compatible Carbon Dioxide in Situ Photoresist Ashing Processes. II. Interaction with Preceding Fluorocarbon Plasma Ultralow k Etching Processes," Ming-Shu Kuo, A. R. Pal, and G. S. Oehrlein, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 28 [5], 961 (2010). (doi: 10.1116/1.3482353)
• "Influence of C₄F₈/Ar Based Etch and H₂ Based Remote Ash Processes on ULK Materials Modifications," M.-S. Kuo, X. Hua, G. S. Oehrlein, A. Ali, P. Jiang, P. Lazzeri, and M. Anderle, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 28 [2], 284 (2010). (doi:10.1116/1.3308623)
• "Stages in the Interaction of Deuterium Atoms with Amorphous Hydrogenated Carbon Films: Isotope Exchange, Soft-Layer Formation, and Steady-State Erosion," G. S. Oehrlein, T. Schwarz-Selinger, K. Schmid, M. Schlüter, and W. Jacob, J. Appl. Phys. 108, 043307 (2010). (doi:10.1063/1.3474988)
• "Plasma-Surface Interactions of Advanced Photoresists with C₄F₈/Ar Discharges: Plasma Parameter Dependencies," S. Engelmann, R. L. Bruce, M. Sumiya, T. Kwon, R. Phaneuf, G. S. Oehrlein, C. Andes, D. Graves, D. Nest, and E. A. Hudson, J. Vac. Sci. & Technol. B 27 [1], 92 (2009). (doi: 10.1116/1.3054342)
• "Real-Time Studies of Surface Roughness Development and Reticulation Mechanisms of Advanced Photoresist Materials during Plasma Processing," A. R. Pal, R. L. Bruce, F. Weilnboeck, S. Engelmann, T. Lin, M.-S. Kuo, R. Phaneuf, and G. S. Oehrlein, J. Appl. Phys. 105, 031133 (2009). (doi: 10.1063/1.3055268 )
• "Low-Temperature Plasma-Assisted Nanotransfer Printing between Thermoplastic Polymers," D. Y. Lee, D. R. Hines, C. M. Stafford, C. L. Soles, E. K. Lin, and G. S. Oehrlein, Adv. Mater. 21, 1 (2009). (doi: 10.1002/adma.200803121)