The Swissvacuum Prize for Outstanding Thesis in the Field of Vacuum
© 2024, CH
he Swissvacuum Prize for Outstanding Thesis in the Field of Vacuum, awarded almost annually since 2013, has announced its 2023 laureate: Caroline Hain. Caroline was honoured for her research in Plasma-Assisted Hybrid Vapour Deposition Technology for Thin Film Fabrication, which she performed in collaboration between EPFL’s PV-Lab and BFH’s group for Plasma Surface Engineering under the joint supervision of Dr. Aïcha Hessler-Wyser and Dr. Thomas Nelis, respectively.
The Swissvacuum Prize for Outstanding Thesis in the Field of Vacuum, awarded almost annually since 2013, has announced its 2023 laureate: Caroline Hain. Caroline was honoured for her research in Plasma-Assisted Hybrid Vapour Deposition Technology for Thin Film Fabrication, which she performed in collaboration between EPFL’s PV-Lab and BFH’s group for Plasma Surface Engineering under the joint supervision of Dr. Aïcha Hessler-Wyser and Dr. Thomas Nelis, respectively. Her innovative work combines microwave plasma and High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HiPIMS) to develop advanced thin films, with selected case studies including diamond-like carbon (DLC), indium nitride (InN), and zinc tin nitride (ZTN). Utilising cutting-edge in situ diagnostics, such as optical emission spectroscopy (OES), time-resolved Langmuir probe measurements, and a prototype energy-resolving TOFMS (E-TOFMS) developed by TOFWERK, she gained in-depth insights into the deposition environment, enabling controlled material tailoring for specific applications. Notably, Caroline is the first woman to receive this award.