Structural properties of complex plasmas in a homogeneous dc discharge.
We report on the first three-dimensional (3D) complex plasma structure analysis for an experiment that was performed in an elongated discharge tube in the absence of striations. The low frequency discharge was established with 1 kHz alternating dc current through a cylindrical glass tube filled with neon at 30 Pa. The injected particle cloud consisted of monodisperse microparticles. A scanning laser sheet and a camera were used to determine the particle position in 3D. The observed cylindrical-shaped particle cloud showed an ordered structure with a distinct outer particle shell. The observations are in agreement with performed molecular dynamics simulations.
Max-Planck-Institut für Extraterrestrische Physik, Garching, Germany.
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S
Mitic
B A
BA
Klumov
U
U
Konopka
M H
MH
Thoma
G E
GE
Morfill