Courses at Universität Stuttgart

Courses at the Institute for Boundary Layer Process Engineering and Plasma Technology

Numerical Plasma Methods

Tought by the local coordinator Carsten Lechte for 2 h a week, covers basics of numerical modelling and integration. The lectures are rather mathematical while the exercises focus more on programming in Phython and can take up a lot of time. The mark for the course however is determined fully by the final 20 min oral exam on the lecture material. Photos of everything on the board, textbooks and solutions to the exercises are on the course webpage.

Plasma Technology

Taught by Prof. Lunk at IGVP and consists of an introduction to conventional and fusion plasma principles. Topics include generation of plasmas, interaction of plasma with matter, and fusion plasmas. Although the course is arguably the most interesting course in the first semester at Stuttgart, it is also extremely disorganized with no coherent structure, no textbook, and no presentation slides. There is a 30 minute oral examination at the end of the term which counts for 100% of your mark, as well as exercises every other week which are required in order to be allowed to take the exam.

Reflectometry Simulations with Phython

Supervised by Carsten Lechte, almost entirely independent work, structured by a list of tasks and some questions to be answered in the final report. Tough but good if you enjoy learning by doing yourself and programming.

Courses at the Physics Faculty

Condensed Matter

Taught by Dr. Keimer and/or Dr. Denninger, depending on the year and availability of the professors. This course covers a lot of topics concerning the basics of solid state physics, with a focus on the experimental procedures for examining the properties of crystalline solids. This course is taken with the international Physics Master students and they are a good source of information on general physics, in case it is required. However, as this is the case, the examinations are considerably more difficult and much more is expected from the students. Fusioneers are not required to attend the exercise classes or do further reading on experimental papers related to this subject, while the Physics Master students are.

Superconductivity

Tought by Prof. Martin Dressel, covers theories and models of superconductivity from early phenomenological approaches to BCS theory and Josephson effects. Lectures are well presented but long and the slides are mostly useless. Doing the homework requires some time and consulting other textbooks, attempting the majority of it is required to be allowed to take the 20 or 30 (?) min oral exam. The course assumes solid foundations in condensed matter physics and some thermodynamics and quantum physics. There is a second part covering technical applications, but the Fusion EP students aren't required to take it.

Other Courses

Nuclear Reactor Design and Operation (in German)

Judging by the lecture notes a simple introduction to nuclear physics, especially stability and reactions, and an overview of engineering aspects of fission reactors. Applicable to fusion in so far as radioactive materials, breeding blankets, cooling and safety are concerned.