1,030 research outputs found
Coupling of non-crossing wave modes in a two-dimensional plasma crystal
We report an experimental observation of coupling of the transverse vertical
and longitudinal in-plane dust-lattice wave modes in a two-dimensional complex
plasma crystal in the absence of mode crossing. A new large diameter rf plasma
chamber was used to suspend the plasma crystal. The observations are confirmed
with molecular-dynamics simulations. The coupling manifests itself in traces of
the transverse vertical mode appearing in the measured longitudinal spectra and
vice versa. We calculate the expected ratio of the trace to the principal mode
with a theoretical analysis of the modes in a crystal with finite temperature
and find good agreement with the experiment and simulations.Comment: 4 figures, 5 pages, accepted for publication in PRL Nov 201
Observation of particle pairing in a two-dimensional plasma crystal
The observation is presented of naturally occurring pairing of particles and
their cooperative drift in a two-dimensional plasma crystal. A single layer of
plastic microspheres was suspended in the plasma sheath of a capacitively
coupled rf discharge in argon at a low pressure of 1 Pa. The particle dynamics
were studied by combining the top-view and side-view imaging of the suspension.
Cross analysis of the particle trajectories allowed us to identify naturally
occurring metastable pairs of particles. The lifetime of pairs was long enough
for their reliable identification.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Wake-mediated propulsion of an upstream particle in two-dimensional plasma crystals
The wake-mediated propulsion of an "extra" particle in a channel of two
neighboring rows of a two-dimensional plasma crystal, observed experimentally
by Du et al. [Phys. Rev. E 89, 021101(R) (2014)], is explained in simulations
and theory. We use the simple model of a pointlike ion wake charge to reproduce
this intriguing effect in simulations, allowing for a detailed investigation
and a deeper understanding of the underlying dynamics. We show that the
nonreciprocity of the particle interaction, owing to the wake charges, is
responsible for a broken symmetry of the channel that enables a persistent
self-propelled motion of the extra particle. We find good agreement of the
terminal extra-particle velocity with our theoretical considerations and with
experiments.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, PRL (https://journals.aps.org/prl/), updated
version with correct author affiliation
Autowaves in a dc complex plasma confined behind a de Laval nozzle
Experiments to explore stability conditions and topology of a dense
microparticle cloud supported against gravity by a gas flow were carried out.
By using a nozzle shaped glass insert within the glass tube of a dc discharge
plasma chamber a weakly ionized gas flow through a de Laval nozzle was
produced. The experiments were performed using neon gas at a pressure of 100 Pa
and melamine-formaldehyde particles with a diameter of 3.43 {\mu}m. The
capturing and stable global confining of the particles behind the nozzle in the
plasma were demonstrated. The particles inside the cloud behaved as a single
convection cell inhomogeneously structured along the nozzle axis in a tube-like
manner. The pulsed acceleration localized in the very head of the cloud
mediated by collective plasma-particle interactions and the resulting wave
pattern were studied in detail.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure
First direct measurement of optical phonons in 2D plasma crystals
Spectra of phonons with out-of-plane polarization were studied experimentally
in a 2D plasma crystal. The dispersion relation was directly measured for the
first time using a novel method of particle imaging. The out-of-plane mode was
proven to have negative optical dispersion, comparison with theory showed good
agreement. The effect of the plasma wakes on the dispersion relation is briefly
discussed.Comment: submitted to Physical Review Letter
Wave mode coupling due to plasma wakes in two-dimensional plasma crystals: In-depth view
Experiments with two-dimensional (2D) plasma crystals are usually carried out
in rf plasma sheaths, where the interparticle interactions are modified due to
the presence of plasma wakes. The wake-mediated interactions result in the
coupling between wave modes in 2D crystals, which can trigger the mode-coupling
instability and cause melting. The theory predicts a number of distinct
fingerprints to be observed upon the instability onset, such as the emergence
of a new hybrid mode, a critical angular dependence, a mixed polarization, and
distinct thresholds. In this paper we summarize these key features and provide
their detailed discussion, analyze the critical dependence on experimental
parameters, and highlight the outstanding issues
Formation of singularities on the surface of a liquid metal in a strong electric field
The nonlinear dynamics of the free surface of an ideal conducting liquid in a
strong external electric field is studied. It is establish that the equations
of motion for such a liquid can be solved in the approximation in which the
surface deviates from a plane by small angles. This makes it possible to show
that on an initially smooth surface for almost any initial conditions points
with an infinite curvature corresponding to branch points of the root type can
form in a finite time.Comment: 14 page
On separable Fokker-Planck equations with a constant diagonal diffusion matrix
We classify (1+3)-dimensional Fokker-Planck equations with a constant
diagonal diffusion matrix that are solvable by the method of separation of
variables. As a result, we get possible forms of the drift coefficients
providing separability of the
corresponding Fokker-Planck equations and carry out variable separation in the
latter. It is established, in particular, that the necessary condition for the
Fokker-Planck equation to be separable is that the drift coefficients must be linear. We also find the necessary condition for
R-separability of the Fokker-Planck equation. Furthermore, exact solutions of
the Fokker-Planck equation with separated variables are constructedComment: 20 pages, LaTe
Direct observation of mode-coupling instability in two-dimensional plasma crystals
Dedicated experiments on melting of 2D plasma crystals were carried out. The
melting was always accompanied by spontaneous growth of the particle kinetic
energy, suggesting a universal plasma-driven mechanism underlying the process.
By measuring three principal dust-lattice (DL) wave modes simultaneously, it is
unambiguously demonstrated that the melting occurs due to the resonance
coupling between two of the DL modes. The variation of the wave modes with the
experimental conditions, including the emergence of the resonant (hybrid)
branch, reveals exceptionally good agreement with the theory of mode-coupling
instability.Comment: 4 pages, submitted to Physical Review Letter
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