Module: Fundamentals of Industrial Plasmas

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title	Fundamentals of Industrial Plasmas
Module Code	PS508A (ITS) / PHY1000 (Banner)
Faculty	Science & Health	School	Physical Sciences
Module Co-ordinator	Paul Swift
Module Teachers	-
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	7.5
Pre-requisite	Not Available
Co-requisite	Not Available
Compatibles	Not Available
Incompatibles	Not Available

Repeat examination
Reassessment of this module is by way of a repeat examination in the resit period. There is no reassessment of the continuous-assessment component of this module.

Description

Present the fundamental principles of partially ionised, chemically active plasma discharges and their use in surface processing and other industrial applications. Introduce plasma behaviour by drawing on examples from nature and by pointing out specific plasma properties which are useful in technological applications. Provide an introduction to plasma measurement techniques and to the basic interactions between plasmas and surfaces.

Learning Outcomes

1. Describe the distinguishing features of a plasma.
2. Identify the critical plasma parameters as pertain to industrial plasmas.
3. Evaluate the importance of plasmas in industry.
4. Identify the requirements for plasma generation and characterisation.
5. Apply physical principles to written numerical problems.
6. Communicate their ideas with their colleagues.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Independent Study	150	No Description
Online activity	30	No Description
Total Workload: 180

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Indicative Syllabus
Definition of a plasma: Relevant concepts from gas (kinetic) theory. Charged particle interactions. Collective phenomena and Debye shielding. Ambipolar diffusion and plasma sheaths. Plasma chemistry: Collisions and cross sections. Plasma composition.Plasma generation: Non-equilibrium and energy transport. Plasma formation and decay.Plasma properties: Particle and energy balance. Scaling laws.Industrial applications: Discussion of certain applications, and the properties of plasma that are most relevant to those applications.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	25%	Examination Weight	75%

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Course Work Breakdown
Participation	On-line participation	10%	Every Week
Loop Quiz	Five bi-weekly quizzes.	15%	Every Second Week

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories: Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module. Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module. Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

M. A. Lieberman and A. J. Lichtenberg: 2005, Principles of Plasma Discharges and Materials Processing, 2nd ed., Wiley-Interscience,
P. Chabert and N. Braithwaite: 2011, Physics of Radio-Frequency Plasmas, Cambridge University Press,

Other Resources

None