Intergrain Coupling in Dusty-Plasma Coulomb Crystals

Journal Article · Wed Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1998 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.81.349· OSTI ID:638814

Mohideen, U; Smith, M A ^[1]; Rahman, H U ^[2]; Rosenberg, M; Mendis, D A ^[3]

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1. Department of Physics, University of California, Riverside, California 92521 (United States)
2. IGPP, University of California, Riverside, California 92521 (United States)
3. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California--San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093 (United States)

We have studied the lattice structure of dusty-plasma Coulomb crystals formed in rectangular conductive grooves as a function of plasma temperature and density. The crystal appears to be made of mutually repulsive columns of grains confined by the walls of the groove. The columns are oriented along the direction of the electrode sheath electric field. A simple phenomenological model wherein the intergrain spacing results from an attractive electric-field-induced dipole-dipole force balanced by a repulsive monopole Coulomb force is consistent with observed features of the Coulomb crystal. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}

• DOE Contract Number: FG03-97ER54444
• OSTI ID: 638814
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 81; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
COULOMB FIELD
CRYSTALS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRODES
LATTICE PARAMETERS
MONOPOLES
PLASMA