Decharging of complex plasmas: first kinetic observations.
The first experiment on the decharging of a complex plasma in microgravity conditions was conducted. After switching off the rf power, in the afterglow plasma, ions and electrons rapidly recombine and leave a cloud of charged microparticles. Because of microgravity, the particles remain suspended in the experimental chamber for a sufficiently long time, allowing precise measurements of the rest particle charge. A simple theoretical model for the decharging is proposed which agrees quite well with the experiment results and predicts the rest charge at lower gas pressures.
Ivlev
A V
AV
Centre for Interdisciplinary Plasma Science, Max-Planck-Institut für Extraterrestrische Physik, D-85740 Garching, Germany.
Kretschmer
M
M
Zuzic
M
M
Morfill
G E
GE
Rothermel
H
H
Thomas
H M
HM
Fortov
V E
VE
Molotkov
V I
VI
Nefedov
A P
AP
Lipaev
A M
AM
Petrov
O F
OF
Baturin
Yu M
YM
Ivanov
A I
AI
Goree
J
J