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Kinetics and Spectroscopy of Low Temperature Plasmas

  • Derives the theory in a self-consistent way, providing discussion of the theory valid to describe the plasma physics kinetics from the statistical physics principles
  • Provides examples of the application of concepts to different types of discharges emphasizing the particularities of each one
  • Includes exercises at the end of each chapter
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Part of the book series: Graduate Texts in Physics (GTP)

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Table of contents (12 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xiii
  2. Electron Kinetics

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
    2. Fundamentals of Electrical Gas Discharges

      • Jorge Loureiro, Jayr Amorim
      Pages 3-41
    3. Kinetic Description of a Plasma

      • Jorge Loureiro, Jayr Amorim
      Pages 43-85
    4. Boltzmann Equation in Velocity Space

      • Jorge Loureiro, Jayr Amorim
      Pages 87-146
    5. Boltzmann Equation with Time-Varying Fields

      • Jorge Loureiro, Jayr Amorim
      Pages 147-190
    6. Electron Transport, Ionization and Attachment

      • Jorge Loureiro, Jayr Amorim
      Pages 191-231
    7. Presence of Space Charge Fields

      • Jorge Loureiro, Jayr Amorim
      Pages 233-282
  3. Plasma Spectroscopy

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 283-283
    2. Classification of Equilibria in Plasmas

      • Jorge Loureiro, Jayr Amorim
      Pages 285-308
    3. Emission Spectroscopy

      • Jorge Loureiro, Jayr Amorim
      Pages 309-358
    4. Absorption Spectroscopy

      • Jorge Loureiro, Jayr Amorim
      Pages 359-381
    5. Laser Spectroscopy

      • Jorge Loureiro, Jayr Amorim
      Pages 383-412
    6. Applications of Low-Temperature Plasmas

      • Jorge Loureiro, Jayr Amorim
      Pages 413-440
  4. Erratum

    • Jorge Loureiro, Jayr Amorim
    Pages E1-E3
  5. Back Matter

    Pages 441-450

About this book

This is a comprehensive textbook designed for graduate and advanced undergraduate students. Both authors rely on more than 20 years of teaching experience in renowned Physics Engineering courses to write this book addressing the students’ needs.

Kinetics and Spectroscopy of Low Temperature Plasmas derives in a full self-consistent way the electron kinetic theory used to describe low temperature plasmas created in the laboratory with an electrical discharge, and presents the main optical spectroscopic diagnostics used to characterize such plasmas. The chapters with the theoretical contents make use of a deductive approach in which the electron kinetic theory applied to plasmas with basis on the electron Boltzmann equation is derived from the basic concepts of Statistical and Plasma Physics. On the other hand, the main optical spectroscopy diagnostics used to characterize experimentally such plasmas are presented and justified from the point of view of the Atomic and Molecular Physics.

Low temperature plasmas (LTP) are partially ionized gases with a broad use in many technological applications such as microelectronics, light sources, lasers, biology and medicine. LTPs lead to the production of atomic and molecular excited states, chemically reactive radicals, and activated surface sites, which are in the origin, among others, of the deposition of thin films, advanced nanotechnology products, solar cells, highly efficient combustion motors, and treatment of cancer cells.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Institute Superior Téchico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal

    Jorge Loureiro

  • Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica, São José dos Campos, Brazil

    Jayr Amorim

About the authors

Dr. JORGE M. A. H. LOUREIRO received his PhD in Physics from the Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Lisbon, Portugal. He is currently Associate professor at IST, since 1994, where he accumulates 26 years of teaching experience on the following graduate and undergraduate courses: Electromagnetism and Optics; Classical Electrodynamics; Plasma Physics; Gas Discharges; Atomic and Molecular Physics of Plasmas.


Dr. Jayr de Amorim Filho received his Bachelor in Electronic Engineering from the Engineering College, São José dos Campos, Brazil (1987), and went on to receive his MSc from the Aeronautics Technology Institute (ITA), in 1989, and a PhD in Physics from Université Paris XI, Orsay, France (1994), where he spent an additional year conducting his postdoctoral research. He is now full professor at ITA, São José dos Campos, Brazil. His current research focus on Plasma Physics, Electric Discharges, and RF and microwave applied to biomass processing. 

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Kinetics and Spectroscopy of Low Temperature Plasmas

  • Authors: Jorge Loureiro, Jayr Amorim

  • Series Title: Graduate Texts in Physics

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-09253-9

  • Publisher: Springer Cham

  • eBook Packages: Physics and Astronomy, Physics and Astronomy (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2016

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-319-09252-2Published: 01 July 2016

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-319-79166-1Published: 30 May 2018

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-09253-9Published: 22 June 2016

  • Series ISSN: 1868-4513

  • Series E-ISSN: 1868-4521

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XIII, 450

  • Number of Illustrations: 3 b/w illustrations, 142 illustrations in colour

  • Topics: Plasma Physics, Low Temperature Physics, Spectroscopy and Microscopy, Industrial and Production Engineering

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access