Michael A. Lieberman

Michael A. Lieberman is a Professor in the Graduate School at the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California, Berkeley. He joined UC Berkeley in 1966 and has received numerous accolades, including the Distinguished Teaching Award (1971) and Guggenheim Fellowship (1972-1973). His research focuses on low-temperature plasma physics and chemistry, particularly plasma-assisted materials processing, capacitive/inductive discharges, and nonlinear plasma dynamics.

Education:

• Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1966)
• B.S./M.S., Electrical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1962)

Research Interests: Prof. Lieberman's work bridges fundamental plasma theory and industrial applications. Key areas include:

• Modeling of electromagnetic effects in capacitive discharges
• Hybrid analytical/numerical simulations of plasma processes
• Nonlinear wave phenomena in RF plasmas
• Plasma-material interactions for semiconductor fabrication
• Development of global models for atmospheric-pressure discharges

Current projects (2018-2019) involve 2D fluid-analytical simulations, high-pressure discharge modeling, and particle-in-cell methods.

Publications Focus: Recent articles emphasize computational plasma physics, including PIC simulations of transport phenomena, sheath dynamics in electronegative plasmas, and resonance effects in RF heating. His work consistently advances predictive modeling for industrial plasma applications.

Awards & Honors:

• AVS Plasma Science Prize (2022)
• NPSS Marie Curie Award (2020)
• Will Allis Prize (2006)
• Von Engel Prize (2005)
• IEEE Plasma Science Award (1995)
• Fellowships: APS, AAAS, IEEE, AVS, IPCS, IOP

Collaborations & Support: Collaborates extensively with Prof. A.J. Lichtenberg (nonlinear dynamics/plasma textbooks). Research funded by DOE Office of Fusion Energy Sciences and Applied Materials/Display (AKT). Maintains active international partnerships in plasma diagnostics and simulation.