Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Honors AFOSR PM for Contributions to Plasma Physics

  • Published
  • By Maria Callier
  • Air Force Office of Scientific Research
ARLINGTON, Va. --  Air Force Office of Scientific Research Program Manager, Dr. Robert J. Barker will receive the 2009 Plasma Science and Applications Award next spring from the Plasma Science and Applications Committee (PSAC) of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). PSAC chose him because of his "outstanding contributions to the field of plasma Science in research or new applications."

Barker will accept the PSAC Award at the next IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science in San Diego, California.

"I feel greatly honored because I know many of the eminent researchers who have won this award in past years," he said.

Barker has been a trailblazer for over two decades in "Plasma Physics" with his research oversight in the areas of ionized gas, pulsed power, high power microwave sources, ion and electron beams and electron emission processes.

"A significant aspect of my job here is to help focus the attention and energies of the university research community onto particularly exciting new areas of exploration that hold exceptional promise for meeting Air Force requirements," said Dr. Robert J. Barker.

The Air Force is particularly interested in research Barker has supported in the area of cold air plasmas in which air molecules are broken down into ions and electrons. The resulting non-burning cold air plasma is very efficient at absorbing or bending microwave signals.

The plasmas are also effective in killing bacteria, viruses and spores on skin and other surfaces.

"By managing AFOSR research programs in these areas, I came to realize the efficiency enhancement offered by pulsing the sustaining electric fields for air plasmas on nanosecond timescales. By encouraging research on these plasmas, I was instrumental in launching significant international efforts on this promising new area," he said.

Barker has also been a leader in microwave vacuum electronics and high power microwaves. Each field uses intense electron beams flowing through a specially- designed vacuum region. Scientists in these disciplines held separate meetings and published their findings in different journals until Barker became interested in bringing them together.

"My close involvement in both fields showed me the significant benefit that could be gained if high power microwave sources were designed and constructed with much more attention to the need for ultrahigh vacuum levels and ultra-clean interior surfaces, which were proven attributes for devices created in the vacuum electronics research and development community. I championed these issues for years with significant improvements," he said.