Cold-plasma modification of polymers and deposition of thin polymer fIlms is a branch of science characterised by an increasing popularity in the last few years for the targe number of new industrial processes which have been realised by its application. Most plasma scientists can attest this through their everyday experience: many technologists, independently of the size of their company address demands for new products in e. g. electronics, automotive components, optics, food and pharmaceutical packaging, biomedical and surgical equipments, etc. The unique common need of this variety of applications is that the products feature "surfaces" with tailored and unusual properties, which enable their use where otherwise would be impossible to conventional materials. Plasma produced-, or plasma modified-polymers can, in fact, be considered an entirely novel class of materials with tuneable properties showing e. g. chemical inertness or enhanced reactivity, hardness, variable refractive index, hydro-phobicity and -philicity , adhesivity, dyebility, blood compatibility, bacterial infection resistance, etc. The NATO-ASI course on PLASMA TREATMENT AND DEPOSmON OF POLYMERS, held May 19-June 2, 1996, in Acquafredda di Maratea, ltaly, has been designed with an effort to balance not only industrial applications, fundamental bases of plasma physics and chemistry, and diagnostics, but also different international schools of plasma processes with their different or controversial approaches.

Plasma technology is a rapidly growing field of science and technology with a boom of industrial applications. Panel display technology, solar cell development as well as tissue engineering and prostheses are just a few examples of significance to physicists, chemists, biologists and engineers alike. Edited and compiled by scientists with a global reputation in plasma research, this monograph compiles contributions on the latest results in plasma technology.
From the Contents:
Basic Approaches to Plasma Production and Control
Plasma Sources and Reactor Configurations
Advanced Simulations for Industrial Plasma Applications
Modeling and Diagnostics of He Discharges for Treatment of
Polymers
Three-Dimensional Modeling of Thermal Plasmas for the Design
of Sources
Radiofrequency Plasma Sources for Semiconductor Processing
Advanced Plasma Diagnostics for Thin-Film Deposition
Plasma Processing of Polymers by a Low-Frequency Discharge
Fundamentals on Plasma Deposition of Fluorocarbon Films
Plasma CVD Processes for Thin Film Silicon Solar Cells
VHF Plasma Production for Solar Cells
Growth Control of Clusters in Reactive Plasmas
Micro- and Nanostructuring in Plasma Processes for Biomaterials
Chemical Immobilization of Biomolecules on Plasma-Modified
Substrates
In Vitro Methods to Assess the Biocompatibility of Plasma-Modified Surfaces
Cold Gas Plasma in Biology and Medicine
Mechanisms of Sterilization and Decontamination of Surfaces
Application of Atmospheric Pressure Glow Plasma
Hydrocarbon and Fluorocarbon Thin Film Deposition
Remark on Production of Atmospheric Pressure Non-thermal
Plasmas
Present Status and Future of Color Plasma Displays
Characteristics of PDP Plasmas
Recent Progress in Plasma Spray Processing
Electrohydraulic Discharge Direct Plasma Water Treatment
Processes
Development and Physics Issues of an Advanced Space Prop