1,506 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
Synchronization of particle motion in compressed two-dimensional plasma crystals
The collective motion of dust particles during the mode-coupling induced
melting of a two-dimensional plasma crystal is explored in molecular dynamics
simulations. The crystal is compressed horizontally by an anisotropic
confinement. This compression leads to an asymmetric triggering of the
mode-coupling instability which is accompanied by alternating chains of
in-phase and anti-phase oscillating particles. A new order parameter is
proposed to quantify the synchronization with respect to different directions
of the crystal. Depending on the orientation of the confinement anisotropy,
mode-coupling instability and synchronized motion are observed in one or two
directions. Notably, the synchronization is found to be direction-dependent.
The good agreement with experiments suggests that the confinement anisotropy
can be used to explain the observed synchronization process.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure
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
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
Three-dimensional structure of Mach cones in monolayer complex plasma
Structure of Mach cones in a crystalline complex plasma has been studied
experimentally using an intensity sensitive imaging, which resolved particle
motion in three dimensions. This revealed a previously unknown out-of-plane
cone structure, which appeared due to excitation of the vertical wave mode. The
complex plasma consisted of micron sized particles forming a monolayer in a
plasma sheath of a gas discharge. Fast particles, spontaneously moving under
the monolayer, created Mach cones with multiple structures. The in-plane cone
structure was due to compressional and shear lattice waves.Comment: Accepted for publication in Physical Review Letter
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
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