Product Description

This complete introduction to plasma physics and controlled fusion by one of the pioneering scientists in this expanding field offers both a simple and intuitive discussion of the basic concepts of this subject and an insight into the challenging problems of current research. In a wholly lucid manner the work covers single-particle motions, fluid equations for plasmas, wave motions, diffusion and resistivity, Landau damping, plasma instabilities and nonlinear problems. For students, this outstanding text offers a painless introduction to this important field; for teachers, a large collection of problems; and for researchers, a concise review of the fundamentals as well as original treatments of a number of topics never before explained so clearly. This revised edition contains new material on kinetic effects, including Bernstein waves and the plasma dispersion function, and on nonlinear wave equations and solitons.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #132039 in Books
• Published on: 2006-05-31
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 421 pages

About the Author

Prof. Chen is a plasma physicist with a career extending over 48 years and encompassing both experiment and theory. He has devoted about a decade each to the subfields of magnetic fusion, laser fusion, plasma diagnostics, basic plasma physics, and low-temperature plasma physics. Most plasma students are familiar with his textbook Introduction to Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. His current interest is in plasma processing of semiconductor circuits, especially the radiofrequency sources used to make computer chips, and in the physical processes that permit etching millions of transistors on a single chip. To learn more about this, please visit the site for UCLA's Low Temperature Plasma Technology Laboratory (LTPTL): http://www.ee.ucla.edu/~ltptl/. Though formally retired from teaching, Prof. Chen still maintains an active research group with graduate students and postdocs.

Customer Reviews

First Look at Plasma and Modeling Plasma Behavior
This book "Part I" is an excellent read to get a first look at plasma and modeling plasma behavior. The author has adequately illustrated the concepts, terminology and relevant mathematics with simple figures and appropriate reference to fluids and electromagnetism fundamentals.

Better than Bittencourt.
Good solid introduction to plasma physics. Fairly general introduction geared towards advanced undergraduates and grad students. There are better books which concentrate on applications, both of which I own. Sturrock for geophysical and earth plasma physics and Kulsrud for astrophysics.

Plasma physicists do it with confinement
I took an intro to plasma physics class using this book at the undergraduate level - and this book was perfect. It has a good blend of experimental evidence, theory, and math. The derivations are really good, you can follow along in the margins. The pictures are clear and beautiful, the page layout easy on the eyes. This is not a graduate text, but aimed at the advanced undergrad level. You should already know calculus, complex analysis, EM, and linear algebra before learning this material.