Teaching a plasma physics and engineering class at a liberal arts college using Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs)

Abstract

Undergraduate research experiences provide students with an opportunity to apply knowledge learned in the classroom to authentic scientific problems. In this work, we describe the development of a special-topics course in Plasma Physics and Engineering (PPE) at a small liberal arts college using a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs). During the first half of the semester, students learned fundamental plasma physics and dusty plasma concepts through traditional lectures and homework. During the second half, they applied this knowledge to investigate an unanswered research question: why does the levitation time of growing nanoparticles decrease in the presence of a magnetic field? Students learned and used Langmuir probe and optical emission spectroscopy diagnostics to characterize an argon plasma over a range of magnetic-field strengths. Their measurements showed a general decrease in electron density with increasing magnetic field strength, while optical emission measurements confirmed a reduction in carbonaceous nanoparticle growth-cycle time from acetylene. Using the measured plasma parameters, students estimated the nanoparticle charge and developed the hypothesis that a reduction in electron density leads to a smaller negative dust charge and consequently a weaker electric force available to levitate the particles as a function of increasing magnetic field strength between 50 and 330 Gauss. Students subsequently disseminated their results through research poster presentations at conferences. Course evaluations and E-CLASS responses also indicated positive student experiences with the laboratory and research components of the course. This work demonstrates one approach for integrating plasma physics education and authentic research in an undergraduate curriculum at a small liberal arts institution.