Dynamics of a Dust Crystal with Two Different Size Dust Species

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Matthews, Lorin Swint.
Qiao, Ke
Hyde, Truell Wayne.

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Advances in Space Research

Abstract

A self-consistent 3D model for a complex (dusty) plasma is used to study the effects of multiple-sized dust grains in a dust crystal. In addition to the interparticle forces, which interact through a Yukawa potential, the model includes the effects of gravity, the variation of the sheath potential above the powered electrode, and a radial confining potential. Simulations studied various ratios of a mix of 6.5 and 8.9 μm monodisperse particles and compared their correlation functions, electric potential energy of the crystal formations, and the dispersion relations for in-plane and out-of-plane dust lattice wave modes for two different sheath thicknesses. In the 7 mm sheath, the particles formed two layers in the vertical direction by size, and acted as a two-layer crystal with weak correlation between the layers. In the 3 mm sheath, the particles formed an essentially monolayer crystal; however the crystal dynamics showed some characteristics of a bilayer crystal.

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Advances in Space Research, 38(11), 2564-2570, 2006

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