The basic physics of weakly ionized plasmas will be taught based on the single particle, fluid, and kinetic theory of interacting charged particles and neutrals. The emphasis will be given on the physics parameters relevant to atmospheric pressure plasmas. Practical problems will be examined such as gas breakdown, plasma diagnostics, and biomedical and industrial applications of atmospheric plasmas.

General Physics or equivalent

Homework/projects 60%, Exam 30%,
Class attendance/participation 10%

Principles of Material Processing by Plasma: MA Lieberman and AJ Lichtenberg, Wiley 2nd ed. (2005)
Fundamentals of Plasma Physics: Paul M. Bellan, Cambridge University Press (2006)

[Week]
[1] Basic concepts in Plasmas
- Plasma taxonomy
- Cross-section, Mean free path
- Debye shielding/length/sphere
- Quasi-neutrality
[2] Motion of a single charged particle
- Adiabatic invariants
- Electrical properties of plasma
- Susceptibility (electromagnetic, electrostatic)
- Wave dispersion
[3] Global modeling: Lieberman ch. 10
[4] Plasma sources: Lieberman ch. 11
[5] Atomic processes in plasma
- Coulomb collisions; Polarization collisions
- Collisional processes in Plasmas
- Various inelastic collisions with neutrals
- Transport processes in plasmas
[6] Gas breakdown models: Lieberman ch. 14
- Paschen’s criteria
- Extended Paschen's law in high frequency discharges
[7] Plasma applications
[8-10] Sheath physics
- Child-Langmuir sheath
- Enthalpy
- Space-charge limited current
- Electrical properties of sheath
[11-12] Particle-wave interactions: Landau damping
[13-14] Fluid model of plasma
- Boltzmann equation (two-term approx.)
- Electron drift-diffusion
- Heavy-species transport
* Final exam.

Tranditional lectures based on handouts.
Physical meanings of plasma processes/properties will be explained using both analytical derivations and numerical simulations.