Dense dust structures in cryogenic complex plasma

Abstract

In the previous researches of cryogenic complex (dusty) plasma [1] we observed experimentally complex plasma systems formed in cryogenic environments. Particularly it was revealed from the experiments that dust structures with high concentration of macroparticles can be formed. So-called super dense dusty plasma structures in which interparticle distance is comparable with particle size were also observed. Thus concentration of particles was close to concentration of background plasma. Similar formations had unusual properties (sphere-like form, free boundaries, etc.) and represent new object in dusty plasma researches. In the present work new results on experimental investigations of dense dust structures at cryogenic temperatures were presented. The experiments were made by means of recently developed techniques and cryogenic facilities (optical cryostat). Possible nature of the unusual properties of super dense dusty plasma structures was discussed.