Nepal Chandra Roy

VUB, Microlab Cleanroom, Belgium | EIC HaloFreeEtch project

• Developed halogen-free silicon etching processes using reactive ion etching (RIE) and atomic layer etching (ALE), with emphasis on process control, selectivity, and reproducibility.
• Plasma diagnostics in combination with computational modelling to correlate discharge conditions with etch behavior and surface modification mechanisms.
• Designed scalable PECVD-based functional coating processes for microchannel systems, addressing film uniformity and process stability.

• Developed plasma-assisted functional coatings incorporating sulfonic, amide, cyano, and carboxylic groups, achieving controlled surface chemistry and enhanced reproducibility.
• Implemented scalable in-situ coating deposition within microchannel systems, improving uniformity and ensuring process stability.
• Designed and fabricated microchannel-embedded silicon and polymer chips, integrating plasma processing steps to optimise microfabrication workflows.

Chemistry of Plasma-surface interactions

• Plasma-based conversion of hydrocarbons (CH₄, C₂H₆) using rotating gliding arc (RGA) plasmas, supported by extensive plasma diagnostics.
• Plasma diagnostic-driven analysis (e.g. optical and electrical diagnostics) to link discharge conditions with carbon formation mechanisms and material properties.

• Investigated nitrogen fixation in atmospheric and low-pressure plasmas (air, N₂/O₂), with and without catalysts, using plasma diagnostics to elucidate chemical reaction pathways.
• Developed and characterized biomedical plasma-deposited multifunctional coatings for wound-healing applications, using atmospheric plasma processing and surface analysis.