C. Christopher Klepper
Distinguished R&D Staff ; Principal Scientist for the US-ITER DRGA Project
Contact
kleppercc@ornl.govBio
(Brief Biographical Sketch)
Chris Klepper (Ph.D. 1985, UT-Austin) is a fusion energy researcher, plasma technologist and fusion diagnostics expert, with over 30 year of experience in both national laboratory and private sector R&D environments. Has worked extensively in the environment of international fusion energy collaborations, leading several US Department of Energy projects while on long-term assignment in France and in the UK. Has also led projects for other US government agencies, including the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Health, the Domestic Nuclear Detection Agency and the Department of Commerce. Some of these projects were developed and carried out in collaboration with US industries, including Caterpillar Inc. and Zimmer Biomet. Currently, serving as Scientific Coordinator for international collaboration Experiments aimed to understand the relative contribution of the main chamber to impurity sources in the all-tungsten wall of the WEST super-conducting fusion energy device at Cadarache, France; also as Principal Scientist for the ITER Diagnostic Residual Gas Analyzer, whose Design and Manufacturing is the responsibility of the US Domestic Agency. He is the US Member in the ITPA TG on Diagnostics. Senior Member of the IEEE since 2005. Member of the APS and alumnus of Sigma Pi Sigma and Phi Beta Kappa.
List of granted US patents
“Method and Apparatus for the Production of Thin Film Coatings,” US Patent No. 7,749,564 B2 (with Bao Feng et al., Caterpillar, Inc., Peoria, IL and E.P. Carlson of HTR, Corp., VA, US) Granted July 2010
“Microwave processing of pressed boron powders for use as cathodes in vacuum arc sources,” US Patent No. 6,562,418 (with M.S. Morrow-Y12/Bechtel, C.C. Tsai –ORNL/UT-Battelle, R.C. Hazelton, J.Niemel) awarded on May 13, 2003.
“Method and Apparatus for Depositing Ceramic Films by Vacuum Arc Deposition,” US Patent No.6,495,002 (with R.C. Hazelton, J. Niemel, M. Keitz and E.J. Yadlowsky) posted on December 17,2002
“Species-Selective Pressure Gauge with Extended Operation,” US Patent No. 6,351,131 (with R.C.Hazelton, J. Niemel, M. Keitz and C. Vidoli) awarded in 2002
A list of the most recent, ORNL associated journal and conference papers is provided below. For a more complete list, including outside the fusion energy science field, please also see my Publons and ORCID profiles (links provided on the right hand side of this page).