Melting of dust plasma crystals with defects
The role of defects in the melting transition of a bilayer dust plasma crystal with vertical alignment is studied using Langevin molecular dynamics simulations. Two types of defects are considered: (i) point defects and dislocations and (ii) additional particles which are placed below and above the bilayer crystal (i.e., the so-called strong defects). It is shown that the presence of point defects and a few dislocations does not change the two-step melting scenario previously found for nondefect bilayer crystals. This contrast with the influence of the strong defects which leads to a substantial increase of the kinetic energy of particles and to local heating of the bilayer dust crystal.
Schweigert
IV
Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia.
Schweigert
VA
Melzer
A
Piel
A