Course detail
Plasma Chemistry
FCH-MC_PLAAcad. year: 2025/2026
This course is focused on basic properties and processes taking place in plasma, including their diagnostics and possible applications. Students are introduced to plasma thermodynamics and kinetics (non-equilibrium and equilibrium plasma, collision processes, distribution functions, basic transport processes in plasma). Lectures also provide a list of basic methods of plasma diagnostics (spectral, probe, and corpuscular methods). The main part of the course deals with plasma in labs, its properties, particular types of electrical discharges, its generation and possible applications (dc, ac, RF, MW, discharges in liquids, plasma excited at high pressure, capacitive and inductive coupled plasma). A list of plasma chemical processes contains especially reactions in active and post-discharge plasma, surface treatment of various materials, creation of thin layers (PE CVD, PA CVD), plasma polymerization, plasma spraying, sputtering, and etching. Moreover, lasers, plasma displays, eletric arc, electric beam, and plasmas as illumination tools belong to special ideal as well as non-ideal plasma kinds using assisted chemical reactions.
Language of instruction
Number of ECTS credits
Mode of study
Guarantor
Entry knowledge
Physics - mass point motion, electric field and current, magnetic field
Mathematics - differential equations
Rules for evaluation and completion of the course
none
Aims
Passing the course provides students knowledge of plasma fundamental, principles of plasma generation and its diagnostics and present technology of plasma chemistry.
Study aids
Prerequisites and corequisites
Basic literature
Janča J., Kudrle V., Eliáš M., Zajíčková Z.: Fyzika plazmatu I. Masarykova Univerzita, Brno 2003 (CS)
Recommended reading
Kulhánek P.: Teorie plazmatu. ČVUT, Praha 2008 (CS)
Roth J. R.: Industrial Plasma Engineering Volume 1: Principles. Institute of Physics Publishing, Bristol and Philadelphia 1995. (EN)
Roth J. R.: Industrial Plasma Engineering Volume 2: Applications to Nonthermal Plasma Processing. Institute of Physics Publishing, Bristol and Philadelphia 2001. (EN)
Classification of course in study plans
- Programme NPCP_CHCHTE Master's 1 year of study, summer semester, compulsory
- Programme NKCP_CHCHTE Master's 1 year of study, summer semester, compulsory
Type of course unit
Lecture
Teacher / Lecturer
Syllabus
2. Basic collision processes, cross section, collision frequency
3. Plasma kinetic theory, Boltzmann kinetic equation, velocity distribution functions
4. Physical plasma properties
5. Laboratory plasma breakdown conditions in gases, Townsend´s theory of electron avalanches, Paschen´s law
6. Laboratory plasma: electric discharges in gases and liquids
7. Plasma diagnostics: spectral and optical methods
8. Plasma diagnostics: probe and corpuscular methods
9. Introduction to plasma chemistry, conditions for realization of plasma-chemical reactions, reactions in non-equilibrium chemical kinetics, kinetics of plasma-chemical reactions
10. Plasma polymerisation, surface treatment of synthetic and natural materials
11. Selected plasma-chemical technologies: plasma etching, sputtering and spraying, thin film deposition (PE CVD, PA CVD)
12. Special kinds of plasma with participation of chemical reactions: illumination techniques, plasma displays, chemical lasers
13. Electric arc, electron beam processing
Guided consultation in combined form of studies
Teacher / Lecturer