Introduction to Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion

Syllabus

Basic plasma concepts

• Definitions of plasma, plasma parameters, Debye shielding, single particle dynamics

Plasmas as fluids

• Plasma fluid equation of motions, plasma drift in EM fields

Waves in plasmas

• Plasma oscillations, electron and ion plasma waves

Kinetic theory

• Equations of kinetic theory, derivation of the fluid equation

Nonlinear effects

• Sheaths, shock waves

Relativistic plasmas

• The ponderomotive force, relativistic transparency, Wakefield Generation, plasma optics, laser-Ion acceleration

Controlled fusion energy

• Inertial confinement fusion, magnetic confinement fusion

 Books

Introduction to Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion / Francis F. Chen

A Superintense Laser-Plasma Interaction Theory Primer / Andrea Macchi