The IDEA (and events) Leading
to the AAAPT
At
the 1983 Spring College on Plasma Physics held at the International Centre for
Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste, a group of scientists from developing
countries met in the evenings to discuss about the difficulties faced in trying
to start experimental research. What was
needed were small plasma devices that could be built, on which fruitful and
sustained research could be carried out in their home institutes. Various ideas
were discussed and the ideas were boiled down to the glow discharge, the linear
pinch, the electromagnetic shock tube and the plasma focus.
In
1984 a proposal was made to various international agencies summarized by an
Invited Paper by S Lee presented at the International Conference on Physics for
Development held at the ICTP, Trieste, Italy 8-12 October 1984. The proposal was to use the facilities
and resources of an existing group in a developing country to prepare a program
to transfer its total research technology in a specific topic to another group
in the region having an interest and commitment in the specific subject area
offered.
The
proposal [since published in S.Lee. Research Transfer as an Educational Process- A Model and some
Experience. J Moscow Physical Soc (Series B) "Physics in Higher
Education" Russia (1995) 1:99-126] covered the identification of the host centre which
needed to have the experience, technical infrastructure and willingness. Identification of participants was
also important. The proposed participants needed to have a strong Physics and
technical background and have the backing of the home institute to build up the
project for several years AFTER the training programme.
The
role of the Centre was also
carefully defined. The Centre would identify a useful facility modelled on
its own experience and expertise, It would plan
a breakdown of the facility into its basic
technical sub-systems, (e.g. see Fig 1) and plan a detailed programme for the participants to acquire the
expertise and technology and the components of each of these sub-systems. The
Centre would run an intensive training programme, provide the follow-up equipment including
shipping, and then follow-up help or the facilities to be set up in the
home institute.
The First Tropical
College on Applied Physics 26 Dec 1983 to 14
January 1984 directed by S Lee held at the University of Malaya with 34
participants had as its major activity 2-weeks of intensive hands-on laboratory
work and numerical experiments on electromagnetic shock tube, plasma focus,
glow discharge and lasers. This intensive hands-on activity synergizing
laboratory and numerical experimental work sets the tone for the rigours and
standards of the AAAPT collaboration programmes. The unique combination of 2
weeks of locally organized structured hands-on research experience followed by
1 week of lectures by international experts resulted in a book “Laser and
Plasma Technology” ISBN 9971-978-27-X (1985), World Scientific, Singapore.

On the
recommendations of UM VC Royal Professor Ungku Aziz, the United Nations
University (UNU) agreed to fund a training programme. Rector Dr. Soedjatmoko added a further dimension when he stated in a
communication: "We .…. have strong reasons to believe that plasma physics
will be one of the major technologies of the future in developing as well as
industrialised countries. We find great merit in the argument that developing
countries should begin now to experiment with and develop modest plasma systems
in order to acquire practical knowledge and skills to better employ
technologies based on plasma physics once major breakthroughs permit the
utilization for the production of energy as well as for other
applications."
UNU Training Programme in Plasma and Laser
Technology
As the program’s initiator and director, in early 1985
S Lee conducted numerous site visits to selected institutions, during which 28
short-listed candidates—about half with PhDs— were interviewed including at
1985 Spring College, ICTP. Eight candidates from six countries (Dr M A Eissa (Egypt),
Dr S Sapru (India), S Mulyodrono,
Suryadi and Widdi Usada (Indonesia), Dr A V Gholap (Nigeria), M Zakaullah (Pakistan)
and Dr Augustine J Smith (Sierra Leone) were selected and eventually awarded
UNU Fellowships.

Site Visits to PPNY (Indonesia), Quaid-i-Azam
University (Pakistan) and AEC Cairo and Al Azhar University (Egypt).

In October a six month UNU Training Programme in
Plasma and Laser Technology started at the University of Malaya. For the first three months an intensive and
comprehensive programme of lectures and experiments on existing facilities and
devices was carried out. These included pulsed electronic modules, power
supplies, glow discharge, electromagnetic shock tube, plasma focus, computation
packages on circuit and plasma dynamics; and various laser systems. During this
period the Fellow also carried out system planning, design and construction and
development of all the sub-systems that he needed for the device that he has
chosen to install back at his home institute. Most of the Fellows chose the
plasma Focus for its ability to produce wide-ranging intense plasma conditions
and the challenge of developing a simple device capable of enabling research in
nuclear fusion. For a practical low-cost yet effective plasma focus we started
with a simple model that led to the design of a practical compact device based
on a single capacitor as the pulsed power source.
“…We were excited by the prospect of studying nuclear
fusion in an affordable tabletop device like the plasma focus. We modeled it
and came up with a design that required us to purchase equipment no more
expensive than a fast discharge capacitor and a rotary pump for the vacuum
system. That economy was of paramount importance: Neither the UNU nor the home
institutes would pay for follow-up equipment. All the other parts of the
facility—including a high voltage charger, a high-precision triggering system,
and such diagnostic instrumentation as neutron detectors and a nanosecond laser
shadowgraphic system—would be built with readily available materials and
components. For example, a transformer from an ordinary television set was
used. The 250-kg device cost about US$5000 and became portable when placed on a
rack and trolley. Still, six sets of the low-cost, portable nuclear-fusion
facility would cost US$30 000, not including freight and several oscilloscopes
that some fellows needed. And there was no provision for follow-up equipment.
We started a contingency fund for those purposes. [Sing Lee & Chiow San
Wong “Initiating and Strengthening Plasma Research in Developing Countries;
Physics Today (USA), pg 31-36; May 2006]”.
In the next month, the development, assembly and
testing of the first version of the UNU/ICTP PFF were carried out. It was
during this phase that the programme was visited by Professor Abdus Salam,
Director of the ICTP, on 20 Jan 1986. After seeing the activities Abdus Salam
on the spot offered to provide the missing brick in the structure- $15,000 USD-
funds which eventually proved enough for the bulk of the follow-up equipment.


With
funds secured, in the following six weeks there was a race against time, a
period of intense activity, a time when the machine workshop at the Physics
Department operated day and night, manufacturing the parts needed for six sets
of UNU/ICTP PFF; followed by the assembly and testing of each set. Each set was
assembled by its ‘owner’, tested for vacuum tightness, tested for voltage
holding and current conduction and then for full operation. Full operational
tests include focussing characteristics in various gases, and finally in
deuterium with fusion neutrons detected by a paraffin-wax moderated silver
activation counter. Six sets were thus assembled and tested, one after another
since there was only one capacitor and one rotary pump.
By
end of March 1986, reports and preparation for shipment of equipment were
completed and some research papers were presented at the Second Tropical
College on Applied Physics (17 March-5 April 1996). Six research papers were
written and eventually published, including 2 in international journals. (One
of these papers: S. Lee, T.Y. Tou, S.P.
Moo, M.A. Elissa, A.V. Gholap, K.H.
Kwek, S. Mulyodrono, A.J. Smith, Suryadi, W.Usada, M. Zakaullah. A simple facility for the teaching of plasma
dynamics and plasma nuclear fusion. Amer
J. Phys., USA (1988), 56: 62-68 is now among the top 3 most highly cited plasma
focus papers). Dr Walter Shearer represented the UNU in a ceremony in early
April 1986 at which the equipment, in 7 consignments (6 UNU ICTP PFF, 1
nitrogen laser) over 1000kg, was handed over to the Fellows and then to the
company arranging the air-freight. During this handing over ceremony S Lee
stressed that the success of the
programme will depend on the work achieved by the Fellows back at the home
institutes in the years to come.
In
1988 a second (UNU)/ICTP Training Programme (6 month) was conducted during
which a Sequenced Nitrogen Laser was invented. The start of this Training
Programme was timed to coincide with the Third Tropical College on Applied
Physics and the Formation of the AAAPT.
Inaugural Meeting of
the AAAPT
The
AAAPT was formed at an Inaugural Meeting on 7 June 1998 in Kuala Lumpur during
the Third Tropical College on Applied Physics and the Second (UNU)/ICTP
Training Programme on Plasma and Laser Technology. The Office of External
Activities of the ICTP which was a sponsor for the TTC and the Second TP
provided additional funds for the attendance of 4 key delegates who were
eventually elected as Vice Presidents of the AAAPT Council. The IM was convened
by S Lee and M P Srivastava was elected as Protem Chairman. The Convenor
briefed the Meeting on the General Purpose and Motivations for the proposed
AAAPT, the scientific research lines, activities and modalities. These were
embodied in the Constitution of the AAAPT which was duly adopted with the
formation of the AAAPT.

The Inaugural Meeting elected Professor Lee Sing
(Malaysia) as the Foundation President with 4 Vice Presidents Prof T El
Khalafy, Prof G Murtaza, Prof M P Srivastava and Prof Tsai Shih Tung
representing Egypt, Pakistan, India and the People’s Republic of China
respectively. The Secretariat comprised Prof Lee Sing, Assoc Prof Moo Siew
Pheng (Vice President), Assoc Prof Wong Chiow San (Hon Sec) and Assoc Prof Chew
Ah Chuan (Hon Treasurer). The composition of the Council remained unchanged
through another 3 elections (1991, 1995,1998) except that Prof Tsai Shih Tung passed
away in 1996 and was replaced by Prof Li Yin-an (P R China).

Sixteen
Institutions from 12 Asian and African countries were represented at the IM.
These 16 Institutions became the Founder Members of the AAAPT. By 1 June 1993 the membership list had grown to 30
Institutions from 19 countries.