Information about the Department

Research activity

 The main directions of Plasma Physics Department (PPD) research activity are:

  • Interaction of ions and plasma with condensed matter mainly related to the plasma surface interaction in fusion devices and plasma technologies (Prof. Leon Begrambekov, Prof.Valery Kurnaev, Prof. Alexander Pisarev, 10 Ass. Prof., researchers and engineers, 10PhD students): experiments and computer simulations. Main facilities –“Large MEPhI Mass Monochromator” with MEIS analysis, Low energy monochromator “Medion”, Linear plasma-beam simulator PR-2, multipurpose plasma irradiation facility MICMA with TDS analysis, UVH TDS stand, magnetron, glow discharge and other gas-discharge facilities, different analytical tools including HITACHI T-1000, VEGA 3 SBH electron microscopes, secondary ion, Auger electron spectrometers.

In this field the Leading Scientific School of Russia “The low pressure plasma interaction with surface” НШ-6751.2012.2 operates.

  • Pulsed hot plasma and its diagnostics – (Prof. Alexander Sajelov, Prof.Gayar Salakhutdinov, 5 Ass. Prof, researchers and engineers, 3 PhD students). Main facilities: PFM-72 plasma focus facility, 2 micropinch facilities, Marshall plasma gun, X-ray spectrometers, laser interferometers, mass analyzer and others devices.
  • Physics and application of low-pressure gas-discharges (4 Ass. Prof. and researchers, 3 engineers, 3 PhD students). “Pinch” facility with crossed electric and magnetic fields and pulsed magnetron discharge, plasma-beam in longitudinal magnetic field facility, magnetic trap with microwave plasma “Magnetor”.
  • Theoretical research of transport and dynamic effects in gases and plasma, transport in multicomponent plasmas and solids (Prof. Vladimir Zhdanov, 2 Ass. Prof., 2 PhD students)

 

PPD organizes regular conferences:

  • “Modern methods of plasma diagnosis and their application” (conference held once every two years)
  • “Plasma surface interaction” (annual conference held within Annual Winter MEPhI Scientific Session)
  • Two-day section on plasma physics and nuclear fusion within Annual Winter MEPhI Scientific Session)
  • International ISI conference on ion surface interaction (held once every two years jointly with the Moscow State University and Moscow Aviation Institute)

Details of scientific activity one can find in Annual Reports of PPD published since 1993.

The conferences.

 

 

Education

PPD realizes bachelor and master programs in Nuclear Physics and Engineering (#140800).

4 master programs are: general plasma physics, physics of nuclear fusion, plasma processes in devices and installations, plasma surface interactions. Master's thesis can be based on experiments, computer simulations and/or theory and be carried out in MEPhI,

Features of the learning: focus on creativity, individual approach, large number of scientific and engineering topics and freedom of its choice, modern computer and information technologies, some issues of electric safety, additional language training.

PPD encourages students to participate in research groups. The best students in science and education are sponsored. Master

PPD cooperates in science and education with leading national scientific centers NRC Kurchatov Institute, TRINITI, Lebedev Institute RAS, General Physics Institute RAS, Space Research Institution, RFNC-VNIIEF and others as well as with international organizations and foreign institutions and Universities: IPP, FZJ (Germany), ITER, CEA Kadarashe (France), EU (Erasmus Mundus in fusion physics and engineering), Tokyo University, Nagoya University, Kuyshi University (Japan), UCSD, University of Illinois (USA), Nuclear Center of Kazakhstan, Lviv Polytechnic and others. PPD has grants and contracts with Russian Ministry of Science and Education, SC “Rosatom”, RFBR and other instititions and firms.