The structure of a two-dimensional magnetic dusty plasma

Abstract

The structure of a two-dimensional dusty plasma in an external magnetic field has been investigated in detail by molecular dynamics simulation. The pair correlation function, mean square displacement, the static structure factor and the bond angle correlation function have been calculated to characterize the structural properties of the dusty plasma for different values of coupling constant and magnetic field strength. The results show that the dusty plasma system with a fixed coupling constant can have a phase transition from gas to fluid, and from fluid to a solid state, when the external magnetic field strength is increased to a critical value. The critical magnetic field strength generally decreases with increasing coupling constant in the system.