Journal article
Laser-excited mach cones in a dusty plasma crystal
Physical review. E, Statistical physics, plasmas, fluids, and related interdisciplinary topics, Vol.62(3 Pt B), pp.4162-4176
09/2000
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevE.62.4162
PMID: 11088945
Abstract
Experimental studies of the formation and structure of Mach cones in a plasma crystal are presented. Plasma crystals are ordered structures of charged microspheres trapped in the sheath of an rf discharge plasma. Using a monolayer crystal with a hexagonal lattice, Mach cones were excited by the radiation pressure of a focused laser beam. The beam was swept at a supersonic speed through the crystal, in a controlled and repeatable manner. A multiple Mach cone structure was observed, with at least three distinct Mach cones. The Mach angle relation was verified over a wide range of Mach numbers, for both the first and second cones. The sound speed, measured from the first Mach angle, was found to increase with the particle number density. Two methods of determining the particle charge and screening distance are developed, making use of the sound speed and an assumption of a Yukawa interparticle potential. Molecular-dynamics simulations of the experiment were carried out, using a monolayer of particles interacting through a Yukawa potential, and these show close agreement with the experiment.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Laser-excited mach cones in a dusty plasma crystal
- Creators
- A Melzer - University of IowaS Nunomura - University of IowaD Samsonov - University of IowaZ W Ma - University of IowaJ Goree - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Physical review. E, Statistical physics, plasmas, fluids, and related interdisciplinary topics, Vol.62(3 Pt B), pp.4162-4176
- DOI
- 10.1103/PhysRevE.62.4162
- PMID
- 11088945
- ISSN
- 1063-651X
- eISSN
- 1095-3787
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 09/2000
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy; Mechanical Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9984199762202771
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