Alabama Plasma Technology (APT) Series

The Auburn CPU2AL Team will be offering a course entitled Introduction to Spectral Diagnostics, 

Date to be determined

This self-paced course is intended to help participants understand plasma processes and interactions in low-temperature plasma (LTP) environments. This knowledge can be used to develop new technologies for aerospace, manufacturing, medicine, agriculture, and food safety. Potential applications include superhard materials, prosthetics, and food disinfection. 

The course is designed to be an interactive way to self-learn the basics of spectroscopic plasma diagnostics for LTP plasmas. As such, the course will cover the following topics:

  • Basic principles of spectroscopy.
  • Background quantum mechanics and atomic theory.
  • Basic setup and calibration of spectrometers.
  • Data acquisition and analysis.
  • Wavelength and intensity spectroscopic techniques.
  • Line ratio diagnostic techniques.
  • Population modeling of plasmas using generalized collisional-radiative methods.

 

Instructions for Registering to Take the Course

  •  Register for the course via https://aub.ie/spectroscopy 
  • Click the “$499 Enroll” button for the Introduction to Spectral Diagnostics Online Course. 
  • You will be prompted to enter your full name and email address in order to create a Canvas Catalog account if you do not already have one, or you can click to sign in if you do.  
  • NOTE for Auburn students: This is different from the Canvas account you use to log in to your academic classes at Auburn University!   
  • CPU2AL participants will receive a promotion code, which will discount the course 100 percent. If you have the Promotion Code, enter this code and click “Apply”. This will make the course available to you at no cost.
  • Click “Proceed to Payment.” You should receive a “Course Invitation” email from Instructure Canvas which will provide you with the link to Get Started in the course.  

Suggested Prerequisites:

  • Undergraduate quantum or modern physics or equivalent
  • First-year calculus or math physics or equivalent
  • Some familiarity with coding/data analysis using something like Fortran, C++, Python, Mathematica, etc.

For more information, feel free to contact Stuart Loch lochstu@auburn.edu  or Ivan Arnold ivanarnold@auburn.edu. 

 

Other Training Opportunities

TBA

Past Training Opportunities

Diagnostics for Plasmas and Gases January 5-6, 2019

This course presents diagnostic techniques for the measurement of plasmas and gases. These
include passive optical methods such as emission spectroscopy, laser diagnostics such as laser-induced
fluorescence and Rayleigh scattering, and physical probe diagnostics such as Langmuir probes. The course will be taught by experts in each diagnostic and cover the background theory, practical considerations, data analysis, and applications. The course is intended for new practitioners such as students, young professionals, test engineers, or anyone else with interest in deploying diagnostics in their work. As such, the material will be presented in a tutorial format to cover the fundamentals through use and applications.

 

Minority Serving Institution Faculty Workshop: June 29 through July 1, 2018

This workshop is designed for physics faculty and is centered around an inexpensive DC discharge experiment that they can build at their home institutions and that serves as an experimental introduction of plasma physics for undergraduates.  The workshop covers the underlying plasma theory and several experiments that can be conducted with the same setup.  All travel, housing, and meals will be covered by PPPL, as well as an equipment grant to partially cover the costs of building the DC discharge experiment at the participants’ home institutions.  
July 18 through 20, 2018
This workshop targets first and second-year undergrads and introduces them to plasma physics from an experimental and a theoretical perspective.  The objective is for participants to gain an introductory understanding of the field of plasma physics and opportunities within.  All travel, boarding, and meals will be covered by PPPL. Underrepresented students are especially encouraged to apply. 
PPPL Graduate Summer School: August 13 through 17, 2018
This is one-week summer school targets early graduate students in all fields of plasma physics and engineering.  3 mini-courses will be taught throughout the week focusing on Plasma Turbulence, Magnetic Reconnection and Dynamo, and Plasma Diagnostics.  Travel grants are available.