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Dr Ron White

Senior Lecturer Room: MP143 Phone: +61 7 4781 4197 Email: ronald.white@jcu.edu.au

CAREER PROFILE:

I obtained a PhD in theoretical physics at JCU in 1997 under the supervision of Robert Robson and Kevin Ness.  Between 1997 and 2002, I obtained postdoctoral research experience in Australia, Japan and USA.  In July 2002, I was appointed to the position of Lecturer in Mathematics and Physics at JCU and promoted to Senior Lecturer in December 2004.

TEACHING:

The majority of my teaching has been in both the mathematics and physics disciplines on the Cairns campus of JCU. Currently I am teaching parts of PH1005 (Introductory physics), PH2002 (Structure of matter), PH2004 (Electriomagnetic phenomena), MA1721 (Computer mathematics) and MA1003 (Mathematical techniques). I am the co-ordinator of the off-campus delivery of MA1721 into the JCU satellite campuses in Sydney (ITTI) and Singapore (JCUS).

RESEARCH INTERESTS:

• Gaseous electronics (theoretical)

(i) Low-temperature plasma discharge modelling:  The evolution of cheap ultra large scale integrated circuits used in the electronics industry has changed the face of this planet perhaps more than any other activity in human history through the production of very cheap computers. The modelling of the processes involved in ultra large scale integrated circuit manufacture is a priority research area on the international scale. Integrated circuits are manufactured through a series of processes on the silicon wafer. The critical process is the ability to etch anisotropically which enables a reduction in the spacing between the 'tracks' and hence a reduction in the size of the features on the wafer and ultimately the size of the computer chip. Such etching is achieved in low-temperature plasma discharge technology. In order to obtain the optimum control required for the intended production of nanostructures, it is acknowledged that the design of future generation plasma discharges for microelectronic device fabrication is dependent on a detailed modelling of the discharge. This is a long term, multi-disciplinary project and PhD projects are available in this area.

(ii) Swarm physics:

The e-H2 vibrational cross-section debate: The project addresses a long-standing controversy in the field of atomic and molecular physics - the magnitude of the vibrational cross-section in molecular hydrogen. Three independent techniques have yielded results which vary by up to 50% or more, with no two techniques overlapping. By itself, this might appear merely a problem of esoteric significance, but in reality this is one of the great problems still facing atomic and molecular physicists. Whatever the origin of the discrepancy, the implications are of concern and the implications extend well beyond the field of atomic and molecular physics. This is because H2 is the simplest of molecular systems, and if there is a problem with it, then a shadow of doubt is cast over all electron-molecule cross sections, however obtained. The seriousness of the problem has long been recognised, and there has been a considerable effort over the years aimed at its resolution, without success. This project is continuing and has explored many facets of problem. PhD projects are available in this area.

Mercury free lamp sources:  Zinc has been recently suggested as an attractive less toxic replacement for mercury to make high-pressure gas discharge lamps. Modelling the operation of these lamps requires knowledge of the electrical conductivity in the buffer gas containing Zn. Unfortunately neither experimental cross sections nor mobility coefficients for zinc are readily available. It is highly unlikely that the experimental swarm technique used to determine such properties for mercury vapour could be repeated for zinc vapour due to the high vapour temperatures required for such measurements. Neither are there any single-scattering beam experiment data available for zinc vapour. Hence, the only recourse appeared to be the use of theoretical electron impact cross-sections in a Boltzmann equation analysis to theoretically determine transport properties of electrons in zinc vapour. PhD projects are available in this area.

• Soil physics (experimental/computational):

Knowledge of the net ecosystem exchanges of carbon with the atmosphere and carbon partitioning within ecosystems are essential to modelling future climate change. The carbon flux team at JCU is currently in a long-term project which is quantifying the carbon budget in the tropical rainforest at Cape Tribulation. It is part of a national project (OZFLUX) involving collaborators from 10 universities and research organizations in Australia. Current honours and masters projects available include: (i) Monitoring changes in the soil-surface carbon dioxide flux in a tropical rainforest at the Canopy Crane site at Cape Tribulation. (ii) Testing and benchmarking a prototype soil-surface CO2 flux device developed at JCU which may facilitate a move toward future commercialisation of the product. The project also enables the changes induced by the chamber’s operation to be quantified, minimised and their physical nature understood.
• Spectroscopy (experimental):

JCU and the Queensland Department of Primary Industries has recently signed an MOU to establish the Rapid Assessment Unit at JCU. The unit will initially focus on the use of Near Infrared Spectroscopy to non-invasively assess the composition of matter. Current projects include the application of NIR technology to (i) determining fruit quality attributes non-invasively in at-line and in-field settings and (ii) oil quality in Sandalwood cores. Postgraduate projects are available in this area.

SCHOLARLY ACTIVITIES:

• Invited review article:  An invited review for the Applied Surface Science journal (Elsevier publishing) on the development of charged particle transport theory in radio-frequency electric and crossed electric and magnetic fields.  The article has been subsequently published by Elsevier in the book “Advances in low-temperature RF plasmas: Basis for process design” (Elsevier, 2002).

• Invited international conference papers:   Invited speaker at the 2^nd International Symposium on Plasma Processing, Canberra (2002).  Co-author of an invited papers at (i) International Symposium on Electron- and Photon- Molecule Collisions and Swarms (ICPEAC satellite) in Prague, Czechoslovakia (2003) (ii) SPIG 1998 (Belgrade)  and (iii)  BANPIS in Hakone, Japan (1998).

• International lectures: 

• Division of Applied Physics, University of Belgrade, Yugoslavia (2002).

• Institut fur Niedertemperatur Plasmaphysik, Griefswald, Germany (2002).

• Physics Dept., University of Oklahoma, USA (2000)

• Dept of Plasma Electronics, Keio University, Japan (1995,1999)

• Service as a referee for grant applications:  MRG and PG panels in 2002 and 2003. 

• Service as a referee for journal publications:  Institute of Physics (J. Phys. D, New Journal of Physics, Plasma Sources Sci Technol), Journal of Computational Physics (American Physical Society) and Computer Physics Communications (Elsevier).

COMPETITIVE FUNDING:

Year	Funding Body - Scheme	Project title	Amount ($)
2005	ARC-Discovery*	Resolution of the e-H2 vibrational cross-section controversy: New transport theory (White, Robson, Morrison)	318,220
2005	ARC-Linkage*	Prediction of fruit quality by non-invasive assessment, with special reference to avocado (LP0562294) (White, et al.)	256,666
	ARC-Linkage*	Robust calibration transfers in Non-Invasive Technologies (LP0562547) (Gadek, White, et al.)	299,529
	JCU-PGS	NIR spectroscopy of Sandalwood oil (White, et al.)	48,950
	JCU-PGS	Pathways of agricultural contaminants (Lottermoser, Nelson, White, et al.)	48,814
2004	JCU - MRG	Plasma-wafer interface modeling (White)	7200
2003	JCU - MRG	Kinetic theory of non-central forces (White)	4000
	JCU - MRG	Soil CO2 flux in tropical rainforests (White)	13000
2002	JCU - MRG	Negative diffusion in magnetized plasmas (White)	7618
2001	JCU - MRG	Transport in O2 and Ar/O2 magnetron discharges (White)	5000
	JCU - MRG	Electron transport in gases (White, Steele, Robson)	8640
2000	JCU - MRG	Plasma discharge modelling (White)	5000
1999	ARC – IREX	Boltzmann equation modeling of capacitively and inuductively coupled plasma discharges (White)	8150
	JCU - MRG	Modelling of magnetron discharges used in microelectronic device fabrication (Ness and White)	9143
1998	JCU – MRG	Optimisation of power output from CO2 laser (Robson, White, Ward)	9500
1997	JCU – MRG	ECR discharge modeling (White)	4000
1996	JCU – MRG	RF discharge modelling (White)	2000
1995	ARC small	Mathematical and computer modeling of discharges in gases (Robson, Ness and White)	7500

* denotes applied for

STUDENT PROJECTS

Year	Name	Degree	Topic
2005 -		PhD, Masters, Hons	Projects are available: See Research Interests for details, or contact via email
2004 - 2007	#Sasa Dujko	PhD	Kinetic modeling of plasma discharges
1996 - 1999	*Bo Li	PhD	Hydrodynamic and non-hydrodynamic charged particle swarms
2000	*Darryl Smart	Hons	Monte-carlo simulations of gaseous electronics phenomena

^*Principal supervisor, ^#Co-supervisor

PUBLICATIONS:

REFEREED JOURNAL PAPERS AND BOOK CHAPTERS:

26. R.D. White, R.E. Robson, K.F. Ness and T. Makabe, “Electron transport in 0₂ magnetron discharges”, J. Phys. D  (accepted - Jan 05)

25. R.D. White, R.P. McEachran, R.E. Robson, M.T. Elford and K Bartschat, “Cross sections and transport properties for electrons in Zn vapour”, J. Phys. D 37, 3185-3191 (2004)

24. R. E. Robson, R.D. White and Z. Lj. Petrovic, “Fluid equations for low-temperature plasmas and charged particle swarms: Formulation and foundations”, Rep. Prog. Phys. (submitted)

23. R.D. White, R.E. Robson, B. Schmidt and Michael Morrison, "Is the classical two-term approximation of electron kinetic theory satisfactory for swarms and plasmas", J. Phys. D 36, 3125-3131 (2003)

22. R. E. Robson, R.D. White and Michael Morrison, "Some fundamental questions concerning the kinetic theory of electrons in molecular gases and the e-H--2 vibrational cross-section controversy", J. Phys. B 36, 4127-4143 (2003).

21. R.D. White, K.F. Ness and R.E. Robson, “Development of charged particle transport theory in radio-frequency electric and crossed electric and magnetic fields”, Advances in low-temperature RF plasmas: Basis for process design, pp 26-49 edito rs: T. Makabe et al. (Elsevier, 2002)

20. B. Li, R.D. White and R.E. Robson, “Spatially periodic structures in electron swarms: ionization, NDC effects and multi-term analysis”, J. Phys. D 35, 2914-2924 (2002)

19. R.D. White, M. Morrison and B. Mason, "On the use of classical transport analysis to determine cross sections for low-energy e-H2 vibrational excitation", J. Phys. B 35, 605-626 (2002)

18. R.D. White, K.F. Ness and R.E. Robson, “Development of charged particle transport theory in radio-frequency electric and crossed electric and magnetic fields”, Appl. Surf. Sci. 192, 26-49 (2002) – Invited review article

17. R.D. White, R.E. Robson and K.F. Ness, "Computation of electron and ion transport properties in gases", Comput. Phys. Comm. 142, 349-355 (2001)

16. R.D. White, “Mass effects of light ion swarms in a.c. electric fields”, Phys. Rev. E 64, 056409 (2001)

15. R.D. White, R.E. Robson and K.F. Ness, "Visualization of ion and electron velocity distribution functions in electric and magnetic fields", J. Phys. D 34, 2205-2210 (2001)

14. B. Li, R.D. White, R.E. Robson and K.F. Ness, "Transport coefficients in crossed E and B fields: Empirical relations and non-conservative collisional effects", Ann. Phys. 292, 179-198 (2001)

13. R.E. Robson, B. Li and R.D. White, "Spatially periodic structures in electron swarms and the Franck-Hertz experiment", J. Phys. B 33, 507-520 (2000)

12. B. Li, R.E. Robson and R.D. White, "The Franck-Hertz experiment revisited", Physics of Ionised Gases, eds. N. Koncevic and M. Cuk, (Plenum, NY, 1999)

11. R.D. White, R.E. Robson and K.F. Ness, "On approximations involved in the theory of charged particle transport in gases in electric and magnetic fields at arbitrary angles", IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 27(5), 1249-1252 (1999)

10. R.E. Robson, B. Li and R.D. White "The Franck-Hertz experiment: A kinetic theory perspective", Physicist 36(4), 146-149 (1999)

9. R.D. White, K.F. Ness and R.E. Robson, "Velocity distribution functions for electron swarms in methane under the influence of electric and magnetic fields at arbitrary angles", J. Phys. D 32, 1842-1850 (1999)

8. R.D. White, K.F. Ness, R.E. Robson, B.Li, "Charged particle transport in gases in electric and magnetic fields at arbitrary angles: Multi-term solution of Boltzmann's equation", Phys. Rev. E 60(2) 2231-2249 (1999)

7. R. D. White, R.E. Robson and K.F. Ness, "Non-conservative charged particle swarms in a.c. electric fields", Phys. Rev. E 60(6) 7457-7472 (1999)

6. R.D. White, R.E. Robson and K.F. Ness, "Multi-term solution of the reactive space-time dependent Boltzmann equation", J. Vac. Sci.Technol. A 16(1) 316-323 (1998)

5. R.E. Robson, R.D. White and T. Makabe, "Charged particle transport in harmonically varying electric fields: Foundations and phenomenology", Ann. Phys. 261(1) 74-113 (1997)

4. R.D. White, M.J. Brennan and K.F. Ness, "Benchmark simulations of electron swarms in crossed electric and magnetic fields", J. Phys. D 30 810 (1997)

3. R.D. White, R.E. Robson and K.F. Ness, "Anomalous anisotropic diffusion of electron swarms in AC electric fields", Aust. J. Phys. 48 927 (1995)

2. R.E. Robson, K. Maeda, T. Makabe and R.D. White, "Frequency variation of the mean energy of RF electron swarms", Aust. J. Phys. 48 335 (1995)

1. K.L. Bristow, R.D. White and G.J. Kluitenberg, "Comparison of single and dual probes for measuring soil thermal properties with transient heating", Aust. J. Soil Res. 32 447 (1994)

CONFERENCE PAPERS/ABSTRACTS:

28. S. Dujko, Z.M. Raspopovic, Z.Lj. Petrovic, R.D. White and R.E. Robson, “Benchmark Calculations of Electron Transport in RF Fields”, In: Ljupco Hadzievski (Ed) International Symposium on Physics in Ionised Gases, Vinca Institute of Nuclear S ciences, pp. 109-113 (2004)

27. R.D. White, R.P. McEachran, R.E. Robson, M.T. Elford and K Bartschat, “Cross sections and transport properties for electrons in Zn vapour”, VUV14, Cairns (2004).

26. K.F. Ness, R.D. White and T. Makabe, “Electron transport is argon and oxygen mixtures in the presence of crossed electric and magnetic fields”, Gaseous Electronics Meeting, Canberra (2004)

25. R.D. White, R.E. Robson, K.F. Ness, Z. Lj. Petrovic, Z. Raspopovic and S. Dujko, “Transient kinetic phenomena of electron swarms in electric and magnetic fields”, Gaseous Electronics Meeting, Canberra (2004)

24. R.E. Robson, R.D. White and M.A. Morrison, "The enduring electron-hydrogen controversy: Is a new transport theory required?", Int. Symp. on Electron- and Photon- Molecule Collisions and Swarms (ICPEAC satellite), Prague (2003) - Invited Pap er.

23. R.D. White, R.E. Robson and Z. Lj. Petrovic, “On recent developments in swarm transport theory”, 2nd International Workshop on Plasma Processing/GEM, Canberra (2002) – Invited Speaker

22. R. Leuning, H.A. Cleugh, S. Zegelin, D. Hughes, J. Finnigan, H. Keith, L. Hutley, J. Beringer, N. Tapper, S. Turton, M. Liddell, D. Blake, R.D. White, D. Campbell, O. Roupsard, “OzFlux: Recent developments in flux measurements in Australia, New Zealand and Vanuatu, and developments in flux measurement theory and practice”, Circum-Pacific Workshop: Interaction of the Pacific Atmosphere-Ocean System on Circum-Pacific Carbon Balance, Hawaii (2002). (http://gcrgweb.sdsu.edu/Hawaii/index.html)< /p>

21. R.D. White, K.F. Ness and R.E. Robson, “Development of charged particle transport theory in radio frequency electric and crossed electric and magnetic fields”, International Workshop on Basis for Low Temperature Plasma Applications, Hakone, Japan (2001) - Invited Paper.

20. R.D. White, K.F. Ness and R.E. Robson, "Computation of ion and electron transport properties in gases", Conference on Computational Physics CCP2000, Gold Coast, Australia (2000)

19. R.D. White and T. Makabe, "Electron transport coefficients for O2 magnetron discharges", Japan Society of Applied Physics, Tokyo, Japan (2000)

18. R.D. White, R.E. Robson and K.F. Ness, "Visualization of velocity distribution functions in electric and magnetic fields", Gaseous Electronics Meeting XI, Armidale, Australia (2000).

17. B.Li, R.E. Robson and R.D. White, "Multiterm solution of the spatially inhomogeneous Boltzmann equation", Gaseous Electronics Meeting XI, Armidale, Australia (2000).

16. R.D. White, J. Holdsworth, R.E. Robson , "Visualization of velocity distribution functions in the bulk of low-temperature plasmas in electric and magnetic fields", Australia/Japan/US Workshop on High Performance Computing and Advanced Visua lization in Plasma Physics Research, Townsville, Australia, (1999).

15. B. Li, R.E. Robson and R.D. White "Multi-term solution of spatially inhomogeneous electron relaxation in gases", Int. Symp. on Electron- and Photon- Molecule Collisions and Swarms (ICPEAC satellite), Sendai, Japan (1999).

14. R.D. White, R.E. Robson, K.F. Ness, "Self-consistent coupling of multi-term solutions of the electron and ion Boltzmann equations for space-charge effects", Int. Symp. on Electron- and Photon- Molecule Collisions and Swarms (ICPEAC satellit e), Sendai, Japan (1999).

13. R.E. Robson, B. Li and R.D. White, "The Franck-Hertz experiment revisited", Symposium on Phenomena in Ionised Gases SPIG98, Zlatibor, Yugoslavia (1998) - Invited Paper

12. B. Li, R.E. Robson and R.D. White, "Spatially periodic relaxation of electron swarms as an eigenvalue problem", Gaseous Electronics Meeting, Sydney (1998).

11. R.D. White, K.F. Ness, B. Li and R.E. Robson, "Electron swarms in electric and magnetic fields: Multi-term solution of Boltzmann's equation", Gaseous Electronics Meeting, Sydney (1998).

10. R.D. White, B. Li and R.E. Robson ,"Doubly-anisotropic diffusion in arbitrarily oriented electric and magnetic fields", Int. Symp. on Electron- and Photon- Molecule Collisions and Swarms (ICPEAC satellite), Engelberg Switzerland L22/1-2 (19 97).

9. R.D. White, R.E. Robson and K.F. Ness, "Multi-term solution of the reactive space-time dependent Boltzmann equation" XXIII Int. Conf. on Phenomena in Ionised Gases (ICPIG), Toulouse France (1997).

8. B.Li, R.E. Robson and R.D. White, "Reactive charged particle transport in crossed electric and magnetic fields", XXIII Int. Conf. on Phenomena in Ionised Gases (ICPIG), Toulouse France (1997).

7. R.D. White, R.E. Robson and K.F. Ness "Multi-term solution of the reactive space-time dependent Boltzmann equation", BANPIS Tokyo Japan (1997).

6. R.D. White, "Reactive electron swarms in a.c. electric fields", Gaseous Electronics Workshop, Cairns (1996).

5. R.D. White, "Boltzmann equation treatment of reactive swarms in a.c. electric fields", Ninth Gaseous Electronics Meeting, Adelaide (1996).

4. R.D. White and R.E. Robson, "Anisotropic diffusion of electrons in r.f. electric fields using a multi-term solution of Boltzmann's equation", XXII Int. Conf. on Phenomena in Ionised Gases (ICPIG), Hoboken USA (1995).

3. R.D. White, R.E. Robson and K.F. Ness, "Boltzmann equation treatment of r.f. electron swarms in the presence of density gradients", Int. Symp. on Electron-and Photon- Molecule Collisions and Swarms (ICPEAC satellite), Berkeley USA (1995).

2. R.D. White and R.E. Robson, "Multi-term solution of the Boltzmann equation for electron swarms in d.c. and a.c. electric fields", 11th AIP Congress, Brisbane (1994).

1. R.D. White and R.E. Robson, "Multi-term solution of the Boltzmann equation for electron swarms using pseudospectral methods", Eighth Gaseous Electronics Meeting, Canberra, (1994).

CONSULTANCY REPORTS:

2. R.D. White and D. Blake, “Simulation of the Patrol Boat Fleet Requirements for the Australian Defence Force”, Tender for Replacement Patrol Boat Fleet for Australian Defence Force. Commissioned by NQEA Pty Ltd (2001-2002) pp. 102.

1. K.F. Ness and R.D. White, "US Patent Application of J. O’Dwyer: Self-ventilating shoes”. Commissioned by J. O'Dwyer  (1995) pp. 12.

PUBLISHED TECHNICAL REPORTS:

R.D. White and KL. Bristow. "Non-linear Marquadt Curve Fitting Program for Determining Soil Thermal Properties from Dual Probe Heat Pulse Data". CSIRO Div. Soils Tech. Rep. 57 (1993).