Levitation of cylindrical particles in the sheath of an rf plasma.
Microrods were levitated in the collisional sheath of a rf plasma. Rods below a critical length settle vertically, parallel to the electric field, while longer rods float horizontally. Usually rods with other inclinations spin about a vertical axis. These experimental features fit well with a model that includes a theoretical profile for the sheath, a plasma model for the screening length, which increases going deeper in the sheath, and a plasma theory for the charging of the rod's elements. Despite the agreement this paper highlights the need for a better understanding of the charging mechanism of bodies in sheaths and of the transition region in collisional sheaths.
Annaratone
B M
BM
Max-Planck Institut für Extraterrestrische Physik, D-85740 Garching, Germany.
Khrapak
A G
AG
Ivlev
A V
AV
Söllner
G
G
Bryant
P
P
Sütterlin
R
R
Konopka
U
U
Yoshino
K
K
Zuzic
M
M
Thomas
H M
HM
Morfill
G E
GE