Why study plasmas?

Plasmas are the most common form of matter in the visible universe. In fact, in our solar system, over 90% of the total mass is in the form of a plasma (i.e., the sun). Because of the abundance of plasmas, in order to understand the workings of the universe, it is important to understand this "fourth state of matter".

The Sun - A large plasma source (Image from NASA)

Plasma science is full of rich scientific phenomena. Plasmas are often a highly non-linear, yet self-organizing, complex systems. This fact makes plasma science fit well in the realm of other complex, self-organizing systems such as nano-materials or biological systems. Therefore, plasma science offers students an opportunity to study compelling scientific questions.

Moreover, after almost 100 years of experimental study, plasmas are also a valuable tool for industry. In the microelectronics industry, reactive plasmas are used to manufacture the sub-micron circuitry used in all modern electronic devices. In the lighting industry, plasmas are the ultimate light source for all fluorescent bulbs.

Want to learn more about plasmas and careers in plasma science:

plasmas.org - Information on basic plasma science
plasmas.com - Information on applied plasma science
plasmacoalition.org - Coalition on Plasma Science
plasmadictionary - Reference on terms in plasma science