prof. RNDr. Mirko Černák, CSc.
Founder and former director of CEPLANT
Our story
The CEPLANT R&D centre was established in December 2010 as a semi-independent unit operating on the pillars of our home department, the Department of Physical Electronics (since 2023 the Department of Plasma Physics and Technology), Masaryk University in Brno. CEPLANT follows a tradition of applied plasma physics research at the department. This tradition has roots lasting for more than 60 years. Through the times it has resulted in several innovations successfully transferred into the industry.
The CEPLANT infrastructure was established through the initiative of Prof. Mirko Černák and with funding from the Operational Programme Research and Development for Innovations of the European Regional Development Fund and the Czech state budget during 2010–2014 (total budget: 8.5 million EUR). Since 2015, CEPLANT has been partially financed by the National Programme of Sustainability from the Czech state budget and other national or international funding schemes. Thanks to the international orientation of CEPLANT, international funds have been gradually increasing over the last few years.
CEPLANT has significantly expanded the portfolio of instrumentation and human resources at the department. This has led to a significant increase in the quality and quantity of all scientific outputs - publications, projects, collaborations, patents or contract research. We are engaged in basic and applied research in the field of low-temperature plasma and electric discharge physics. In the field of nanotechnology, we study the formation of nanostructures and thin films, and are involved in diagnostics, modelling and subsequent analysis.
In 2018, CEPLANT was included in the prestigious network of Large Research Infrastructures. These infrastructures are defined as research facilities of significant scientific, financial, and technological complexity. These unique centres are indispensable for research and development activities not only at the national level but also internationally. CEPLANT offers Czech and international researchers access to its experimental facilities and state-of-the-art laboratories in the Open Access mode.
The remaining cooperation (about 30%) is represented by contract research and cooperation with industrial partners. Since 2017, CEPLANT has been included in the KETs Centres map, which brings together major technology centres across Europe to strengthen industrial competitiveness. CEPLANT offers cooperation to Czech and foreign industrial partners with the help of national and international project support or contract research. These include instrument measurements, analyses, surface treatments and computer simulations.
The Centre for Technology Transfer (CTT) supports the application of MU research and development results in practice. It offers advice on technology transfer and intellectual property for scientists and companies. ROPLASS Ltd. was established in 2011 as a spin-off company of MU specializing in the commercialization of atmospheric pressure plasma sources based on licenses purchased from MU. It is dedicated to the development of innovative technologies for surface treatment of polymeric materials.
Since 2019, CEPLANT has been included in the list of Large Research Infrastructures supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic. This step strengthened the role of CEPLANT as an important research center offering its services to both research and business entities. The aim of the project R&D Centre for Plasma and Nanotechnology Surface Modifications (LM2018097) is to support the development of the new large research infrastructure of CEPLANT at Masaryk University and to provide open access to its instrumentation and know-how in the field of environmentally-friendly plasma technologies and nanotechnologies. With its focus, CEPLANT successfully covers the entire value chain from basic research through applied research conducted with businesses to technology transfer of plasma technologies for specific industrial applications.
Mirko Černák, founder and former director of CEPLANT, earned his PhD in Physics from Comenius University in 1985. He subsequently gained postdoctoral experience at several international institutions, including the Nagoya Institute of Technology and Shizuoka University in Japan, as well as CNRS in Paris, France. In 2003, he was appointed Professor of Plasma Physics at Masaryk University. From 2012 to 2018, he served as Director of the Department of Physical Electronics, now known as the Department of Plasma Physics and Technology. He led CEPLANT at Masaryk University from its inception until 2025. His main research interests include plasma physics, plasma chemistry, applied electrostatics, and both fundamental and applied studies of atmospheric pressure discharge mechanisms.
In 2025, Assoc. Prof. Dušan Kováčik, took over the leadership of CEPLANT, continuing the legacy of his predecessor, Prof. Mirko Černák. A long-standing member of the team since 2011, Dr. Kováčik earned his MSc. in Mathematics and Physics from Comenius University in Bratislava in 2001 and completed his PhD in Plasma Physics in 2007. As a senior researcher and associate professor, his work focuses on the development of atmospheric-pressure plasma sources and plasma surface modification techniques – including hydrophilisation, plasma-induced grafting, and plasma polymerisation – applied to materials such as polymers, foils, nonwovens, and nanofibres. His vision for CEPLANT emphasizes the practical impact of research, with a strong focus on technology transfer, system prototyping, and applications reaching Technology readiness level 7 and 8. As he often says: “Our research should not end in the lab – it should solve real problems and create real value."
doc. Mgr. Dušan Kováčik, PhD.
CEPLANT director
- Prof. Černák and the CEPLANT team were awarded from the Central European Initiative in the program From Research to Enterprise.
- The Association for Foreign Investment (AFI) and the American Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic (AmCham) awarded Prof. Černák with the prize of The Best Cooperation of the Year.
Structure
As a designated Large Research Infrastructure supported by the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, CEPLANT plays a pivotal role in advancing environmentally friendly plasma technologies. CEPLANT standing within Masayk University structure remains unchanged since its establishement in 2010. CEPLANT operates under the Department of Plasma Physics and Technology, Faculty of Science. The organizational structure of Masaryk University and its Faculty of Science is illustrated below (left: university, right: faculty).
The organizational structure of CEPLANT is built around a comprehensive governance framework that ensures scientific excellence, operational effectiveness, and strategic international alignment. It comprises three key committees: the Advisory Board, the Internal Scientific Board, and the International Scientific Committee. These bodies collectively guide CEPLANT’s research direction, internal quality assurance, and global collaboration efforts in plasma-based technologies. The following schematic outlines the internal organization of CEPLANT and its governance framework.
Collaborative Ecosystem
Large Research Infrastructures
Advanced research in physics and materials science depends on costly, large-scale infrastructures, best utilized through international collaboration. These shared facilities drive innovation and ensure efficient use of global scientific resources.
NCC MATCA (Materials, Advanced Technologies, Coatings and their Applications)
MATCA delivers advanced technology solutions – from 3D printing to plasma and laser systems – by uniting top experts from academia and industry. It supports fosters innovation, education, and public engagement in technologies.
European Cluster for Collaboration Platform (ECCP)
The ECCP connects cluster stakeholders across Europe and beyond, fostering innovation through collaboration. It supports modern policies that build dynamic ecosystems for entrepreneurship and emerging industries.
BalticNet-PlasmaTec (BNPT)
The BNPT is an international plasma technology cluster in northeastern Germany, uniting 79 members from startups to research institutions. It supports innovation through joint projects and offers consulting, training, financing, and promotional services.
The EDUC-WIDE project is the research arm of the EDUC Alliance, fostering collaboration through shared infrastructures, seed projects, and initiatives in Open Science, Research Assessment, and Career Diversity. It focuses on strengthening Widening Country universities to boost their role in the European Research Area.
RADIUS Center
Radius Development Centre offers internships that connect students with research and industry, turning academic knowledge into real-world experience. With 23 partners, it helps students gain hands-on skills in science, technology, and economics.
GlaCerHub project is the creation of an excellent and sustainable place-based innovation ecosystem in the Slovak and Czechia, two widening countries, in the advanced glass and ceramics area, two relevant domains of cutting-edge science and innovation.
Czech Technology Platform for Textile (CTPT)
The CTPT is an is a collaborative association of companies, research institutions, and educational organizations within the Czech textile and clothing industry. Since its founding, CTPT has focused on fostering innovation and competitiveness through strategic planning, expert collaboration, and expanding its member base. Its long-term vision is to cultivate an innovative environment that supports the growth of textile and clothing plants across Czechia.
The initiative brings together companies and research institutions engaged in roll-to-roll surface functionalization technologies. Its primary aim is to foster innovation by promoting technological advancement and supporting partner organizations through the provision of specialized services and expertise. Participation in this initiative is ensured through the ROPLASS spin-off.
The Czech Vacuum Society is an interest group of experts in the field of vacuum physics, technology and their applications. It is a member of IUVSTA. The Czech Vacuum Society organizes regular events, in particular the Summer School of Vacuum Vechnology and the meeting of users and manufacturers of vacuum technology PRAGOVAC.
Key Enabling Technologies (KETs) – a group of six technologies: micro and nanoelectronics, nanotechnology, industrial biotechnology, advanced materials, photonics, and advanced manufacturing technologies – increase industrial innovation to address societal challenges and creating advanced and sustainable economies.