Francis F. Chen, Professor Emeritus
Electrical Engineering Department
University of California, Los Angeles
Prof. Chen is a plasma physicist with a
career extending over 61 years and encompassing both experiment and
theory. He has devoted about a decade each to the subfields of magnetic
fusion, laser fusion, plasma diagnostics, basic plasma physics, and
low-temperature plasma physics. Most plasma students are familiar with his
textbook Introduction to Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. His
current interest is in radiofrequency plasma discharges, especially helicons,
that can be used in manufacturing or plasma propulsion. To
learn more about this, please visit the site for UCLA's Low Temperature Plasma
Technology Laboratory (LTPTL).
This site also contains downloads of recent presentations and useful
computational programs.
Though formally retired,
Prof. Chen still works full time, maintains an active research laboratory, and advises an
occasional student. He is also catching up on the writing of several
books. The first of these, An Indispensable Truth, How Fusion Power Can
Save the Planet, was published in 2011. In 2015 wrote the 3rd edition of
his textbook Introduction to Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. Vol. 1,
adding new chapters on Special Plasmas and Plasma Applications. He spends part of his time
catching up with news on climate change and renewable energies, and on bringing
fusion energy into the public consciousness.
