Influence of the ambipolar-to-free diffusion transition on dust particle charge in a complex plasma afterglow
- School of Physics A28, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia) and GREMI - Groupe de Recherches sur l'Energetique des Milieux Ionises, CNRS/Universite d'Orleans, 14 rue d'Issoudun, 45067 Orleans Cedex 2 (France)
- School of Physics A28, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia)
- GREMI - Groupe de Recherches sur l'Energetique des Milieux Ionises, CNRS/Universite d'Orleans, 14 rue d'Issoudun, 45067 Orleans Cedex 2 (France)
The influence of diffusive losses on residual dust charge in a complex plasma afterglow has been investigated. The residual charge distribution was measured and exhibits a mean value Q{sub dres}{approx}(-3e-5e) with a tail in the positive region. The experimental results have been compared with simulated charge distributions. The dust residual charges were simulated based on a model developed to describe complex plasma decay. The experimental and simulated data show that the transition from ambipolar to free diffusion in the decaying plasma plays a significant role in determining the residual dust particle charges. The presence of positively charged dust particles is explained by a broadening of the charge distribution function in the afterglow plasma.
- OSTI ID:
- 21120471
- Journal Information:
- Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 15, Issue 6; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2938387; (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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