Public Physic Colloquium in the Winter Terms 2009/2010 in Münster
Place:     Germany, 48149 Münster, Wilhelm-Klemm-Str. 10, IG I, HS 2
Time:     Thursday, 10.12.2009  16:00 h c.t.
Colloquium Coffee at 15:45 h  at the Lecture Hall

Plasma-Wall-Interaction: a 'hot' topic  - from fusion to ion propulsion -
PD Dr. Ralf Schneider, Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik, Greifswald

The existence of limiting material walls in plasmas creates a broad spectrum of effects. The talk will present examples from three topics using theoretical modelling as well as experimental results.
Firstly, the problem of power and particle exhaust in fusion plasmas will be introduced. The plasma-wall interaction is characterized by strongly non-linearly coupled processes with multi-scale characteristics. Here, processes on the atomistic scale can determine and limit the behaviour of fusion plasmas.
Secondly, the interaction of low temperature plasmas with walls will be discussed, especially the dynamics of radiofrequency and arc discharges.
Finally, as last example of research areas where plasma-wall processes are quite important, results for ion propulsion concepts are presented.