NPRE 423

Engineering at Illinois Engineering at Illinois

Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering

NPRE 423

COURSE OUTLINE

Course Number: NPRE 423

Title: Plasma Laboratory

Catalogue Description: Laboratory experiments relating to plasma engineering and fusion energy will be conducted in small groups. Topics in ultra-high vacuum technology rf and dc electric plasma probes, measurements of dc and pulsed magnetic fields, dynamics of a theta pinch, and laser interferometry to measure plasma density, may all be included. Prerequisite: NPRE 421 and NPRE 451.

Course Topics and Hours
Principle Topics Covered Hours (Approximate)
Vacuum Technology 2 weeks
Use, prediction of performance and measurements of all types of UHV pumps, gauges and practices
RF Plasma and Probes 2 weeks
Measurements of time-resolved electrons temperature and density with various probe techniques
Magnetic Fields 2 weeks
Measurements of static and dynamic magnetic fields, coil design
Nitrogen Laser Plasma Interferometry 2 weeks
Production of a plasma-based laser and use to measure plasma density
Theta Pinch 2 weeks
Study of the dynamics and characteristics of a confined plasma
Special topics (may substitute for any 2 week section)
* each week consists of two hours of lecture and 1 four hour lab

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Basic Texts: Laboratory handouts

Prerequisites: NPRE 421 or NPRE 451

Purpose of Course:

  • This course will count as a NPRE restrictive group and a technical elective for other majors in the College of Engineering.
  • This course is designed to familiarize students who may seek graduate school or employment in areas of plasma engineering or fusion energy development with essential laboratory skills relevant to the field.
  • Nuclear Engineering majors are required to take 2 hours of specialized laboratory work, chosen according to their interest. These labs are NPRE 453 which covers fission reactor operations, NPRE 432 which covers nuclear materials.
  • NPRE 444 nuclear analytical techniques and this course, NPRE 423.
  • These topics are not covered by other laboratory classes on campus and are relevant to a number of research groups outside the Nuclear Engineering Department. Electrical and Computer Engineering graduate students working in Gaseous Electronics Laboratory and the Microelectronics Laboratory as well as Materials Science and Engineering students working in Thin Films are likely to enroll in this class. The level of complexity of the material is consistent with graduate credit.

Instructor: David N. Ruzic

Credit: 2 Semester Hours or 1/2 Unit

Meeting hours per week: Lecture 2 hours per week; Lab 4 hours per week

Class registration opacity: 40 per section

Semesters course offered: REFER TO MASTER LISTING

Other notes:

Course last revised: January 2007

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