Self-excited Dust-density Waves Research Articles

Dust-density waves in radio-frequency discharges under magnetic fields

Experiments on self-excited dust-density waves under various magnetic fields have been performed. For that purpose, different dust clouds of micrometer-sized dust particles were trapped in the sheath of a radio frequency discharge. The self-excited dust-density waves were studied for magnetic field strengths ranging from 0 mT to about 2 T. It was observed that the waves are very coherent at the lowest fields (B < 20 mT). At medium fields (20 mT < B<300 mT), the waves seem to feature a complex competition between different wave modes before, at even higher fields, the waves become more coherent again. At the highest fields (above 1 T), the wave activity is diminished. The corresponding wave frequencies and wavenumbers have been derived. From the comparison of the measured wave properties and a model dispersion relation, the ion density and the dust charge are extracted. Both quantities show only little variation with magnetic field strength.

Probing a dusty magnetized plasma with self-excited dust-density waves.

A cloud of nanodust particles is created in a reactive argon-acetylene plasma. It is then transformed into a dusty magnetized argon plasma. Plasma parameters are obtained with the dust-density wave diagnostic introduced by Tadsen etal. [Phys. Plasmas 22, 113701 (2015)10.1063/1.4934927]. A change from an open to a cylindrically enclosed nanodust cloud, which was observed earlier, can now be explained by a stronger electric confinement if a vertical magnetic field is present. Using two-dimensional extinction measurements and the inverse Abel transform to determine the dust density, a redistribution of the dust with increasing magnetic induction is found. The dust-density profile changes from being peaked around the central void to being peaked at an outer torus ring resulting in a hollow profile. As the plasma parameters cannot explain this behavior, we propose a rotation of the nanodust cloud in the magnetized plasma as the origin of the modified profile.

Interactions Between Dust-Density Waves and Plasma Glow

In complex plasmas, self-excited dust-density waves (DDWs) are observed below a critical gas pressure. Under microgravity conditions, the dust cloud fills the entire discharge volume so that extended wave fields can be generated. Here, we study the relationship between plasma glow and DDWs. Analyzing the dust density and plasma glow by means of video microscopy reveals self-organized oscillations of the entire plasma. In the region of strongly modulated DDWs, also waves occur in the plasma glow, having wavelengths and frequencies comparable to those of the DDWs.

Cluster Agglomeration Induced by Dust-Density Waves in Complex Plasmas

Experimental results showing the agglomeration of large carbonaceous particles in a dusty plasma are reported. Experiments were performed in a capacitively coupled rf argon plasma. Acetylene was injected to produce dust particles. When a sufficient amount of nanoparticles is present in the cathodic sheath, self-excited dust-density waves occur. The latter ones induce the motion of larger clusters, which vertically oscillate with the displacement of wave fronts. In some cases, the relative velocity of large particles was high enough to overcome the Coulomb repulsion forces, and agglomeration can be observed. The mechanisms underlying this process are discussed.

Observation of the spatial growth of self-excited dust-density waves

The growth of a naturally occurring dust-density wave (DDW) is experimentally observed using high-speed imaging. This low frequency wave (∼25 Hz) grows in amplitude as it propagates downward through a dusty plasma. The wave’s linear growth rate −ki is measured using a phase-sensitive analysis method. For the conditions studied here, the growth rate increases as gas pressure decreases. At a critical gas pressure, which is observed, a balance between an ion-flow instability and dissipation by neutral gas drag determines a threshold for wave propagation. A linear dispersion relation is derived, taking into account the effects of strong-coupling, to compare to the experiment.

The Structure of Self-Excited Dust-Density Waves Under Microgravity

Dusty plasmas under microgravity conditions are a great opportunity to observe dynamical processes in strongly coupled systems. For example, in such systems, self-excited dust-density waves can occur at low gas pressures in extended regions of the discharge. Recently, we have performed a series of measurements in a parallel-plate RF reactor during parabolic flights. It reveals that the waves can appear in two completely different states. One of them yields a high spatial and temporal coherence of the density fluctuations. This feature allows us to utilize scanning video microscopy to obtain information on the structure of the 3-D wave field. Under different experimental conditions, we also found that a wave field with multiple different wavelengths can arise in the dust volume. This results in defects in the wave pattern due to merging wavefronts. We determine their temporal evolution, which can be derived accurately from the phase information.

Obliquely propagating dust-density waves

Self-excited dust-density waves are experimentally studied in a dusty plasma under microgravity. Two types of waves are observed: a mode inside the dust volume propagating in the direction of the ion flow and another mode propagating obliquely at the boundary between the dusty plasma and the space charge sheath. The dominance of oblique modes can be described in the frame of a fluid model. It is shown that the results fom the fluid model agree remarkably well with a kinetic electrostatic model of Rosenberg [J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 14, 631 (1996)]. In the experiment, the instability is quenched by increasing the gas pressure or decreasing the dust density. The critical pressure and dust density are well described by the models.

Obliquely Propagating Dust-Density Plasma Waves in the Presence of an Ion Beam

Self-excited dust-density waves are experimentally studied in a dusty plasma under microgravity. Two types of waves are observed: a mode inside the dust volume propagating in the direction of the ion flow and a new mode propagating obliquely at the boundary between the dusty plasma and the space-charge sheath. A model for dust-density waves propagating at an arbitrary angle with respect to the ion-flow direction is presented, which explains the preference for oblique or parallel modes as a function of ion velocity.